Japan: Sometimes I Feel So Low

[CATFISHratcoon]

I like this song

[noddyneeds]

One of the best bands ever to come out of the UK.

But they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Way ahead of their time. But at least even now (2011) you can tell that every track they ever recorded has not dated. Mick Karn cannot rest in peace, he was the greatest bass player ever and never achieved that status in the music industry

[KendellLGS]

They ROCKED that andorgynous style :D

[Tonannee]

2:15 love that sound on the synth!

[stevemangler1]

Amazing to see how they began + what they became . All the way to Porcupine Tree to Sylvian + Fripp ( best of the '90's ! ) Thanks for the clip . Nice .

[jrmetmoi]

They look hot here I just wish that Motley Crue and Poison didn't steal their look though! Therefore I prefer Japan's later, cleaned up and suited look!

[siarung]

wow cool , a new york dolls clip i aint seen before.no hang on its some sorta tribute band from japan or somewhere

[FlashFace]

Accept no imitations. The first two albums Adolescent Sex and Obscure Alternatives are the best.

[TheRichmoth]

the most intelligent band in the world at their time i met richard barbieri once and they pretty much dismissed first two albums but yeah i love them purely for their rawness ouzing sex ha RIP mick and you all keep the spirit alive my friends polaroids is the best mind.

[jrmetmoi]

@TheRichmoth They all look so hot here even the ugly guitarist! LOL No I don't mean Mick!....

[jrmetmoi]

@TheRichmoth Yes, yes, YESSS! The SEX is most definitely out there!

[jbclaret44]

Highly underrated band.check out Their first 2 albums. RIP Mick Karn you will be sadly missed

[FlashFace]

Rock'n'roll immortalized. The thing about Japan, they always had great hair.

[n8tureboy]

@FlashFace

I was thinking the same thing, they give me serious hair envy!

[LaudanumVoices]

RIP Mick.

[cjruss67]

rip mick love you dude

[KessieKessie]

RIP

[TCMO99]

RIP, Mick Karn!

[newfuckingwave]

haha richard looks like he wants to KILL the camera man after he hits that one note

[shinysynthcity]

@newfuckingwave He's just a little shy, is all :)

i love this song !

[MadamKerrington]

@newfuckingwave He's the badass mysterious IDGAF guy in the band. Obviously.

[jrmetmoi]

@MadamKerrington IDGAF??

[HAL0INREVERSE]

@jrmetmoi "I Don't Give A Fuck", lmao.

[jrmetmoi]

@HAL0INREVERSE LOL

[CRAPCANNONS]

Like an album that inspired them, this was Too Much Too Soon.

[spillandambience]

erk their later stuff is far better!

[markblyn]

The only reason I bought this 7" vinyl was that it came on Blue Vinyl, back in the days when that sort of thing gave me a semi. However, blow me (pardon the expression) if Japan didn't end up becoming one of my fave bands of the 70's/80's era.

[machineheadlily]

That pout on Steve!! think i just wet mah pants!!

[escobesco]

this is rubbish

[Saxe333]

@escobesco dick

[thepinktent]

boy george, the difference a haircut & a nice tailored suit can make!!!

[FrancoDamn]

Peggy + Kelly Bundy (Married with Children) = David Sylvian (mid-1970s - 1979)

[Saxe333]

@FrancoDamn dick

[jrmetmoi]

@FrancoDamn Now if you're referencing THAT show then you have to be American or Canadian possibly!

[cisco9x]

New York Dolls plus Roxy Music = Japan

[FrancoDamn]

@cisco9x NY Dolls + Roxy Music + 60% Ultravox! (1976-1977) = Japan

NY Dolls + Roxy Music + Ultravox (1978-1988) + Japan (1979-1982) = Duran Duran

[fiendwithoutaface66]

@FrancoDamn I would leave out ultravox completely and add Bowie instead as well as drop NY Dolls from 79-82

[FrancoDamn]

@fiendwithoutaface66 Remember Kajagoogoo and you will understand the link

[fiendwithoutaface66]

@FrancoDamn  ?

[irishcowboy42]

@FrancoDamn Is that intellect my friend? Do you consider this pastiche or paradox? Or do you think it's just plain old pop music? i always that we are the sum of all parts anyway so whats your point???

[Artemis458]

this is quite catchy

[gregingram1970]

this is utter shite

[hatmap]

Japan were great at guitar-based rock and roll before they changed with their third album Quiet Life. Their first two albums should be regarded highly for their uniqueness. Japan just started at the wrong time, when glam rock was out and punk and new wave were in.

[beamerZ]

Aah the seventies ; men could look good without being accused of being gay...

Love the look, the sound; Japan is very cool!

[jrmetmoi]

@beamerZ I agree bring back these men big time.

[sirshagswell]

glam is cool but this is more drag queen like its not cool

[MrNupit]

GAYs???what a crock!!

[riskybusiness89]

God oh mighty David just looks like woman in the Japan image here.

[FrancoDamn]

@riskybusiness89 It really isn't bad said, he looks like Kelly Bundy from Married with children

[CRAPCANNONS]

with the exception of joy division and roxy music, I've rarely witnessed a band actually succeed in being even cooler than they're trying to be. remarkable.

[DieSchwartzmann]

Great band in this era but went over the heads of most people. It's no wonder that they changed their style so quickly. Even though Tin Drum, Polaroids and Quiet Life are good, you can listen to Adolescent Sex in absolutely any mood and it will make you feel great. Obscure Alternatives has its moments but is best described as two eps recorded in different parts of the year and released as an album. It is much more enjoyable with this song as the second track, between 'Automaic Gun' & 'Rhodesia',

[Sazzied2]

WHAAAAAT?! UGLY?!!!! He looks effing sexy with that mane! Matter of opinion I guess.

[mattmayte5]

hah i said almost. not quite though.

[JohnnySwitchblade]

I'm gonna have to go ahead and say your opinion is wrong, mattmayte5. I'm a straight guy and even I can tell that he's ridiculously good looking.

[itsinyourreach]

LOVE this LOVE this -their bored looks and 'couldn't be bothered' attitude is SO sweet - i heart this! THANKS for posting

[BunnymanUK]

So, Im Mick Karn...Sometimes i feel so low...left out again!!!!!

[petermurphreak]

Just fucking throw David Sylvain on my bed right now and let me fuck him into a COMA!!!... And while you're at it throw good old Steve in there too!!! Two FUCKING-LICIOUS brothers for the prize of one!!! Slurp!!!

[loiraso]

Your'e puredee peanutty! David needs a pillow: candidates?

[atrios28]

There's a rumour that a third Batt child lives, and she's a woman.  With those genes I'd want to know if this is true in about 3.5 secs

[petermurphreak]

Maybe only the Batt boys inherited the STUNNING GENES!!!...

[atrios28]

New information has since come to light. David Alan Batt is the 2nd of 5 children and the eldest boy. (from: "The Last Romantic: David Sylvian")

[petermurphreak]

Is there some kind of a "bio" out there that I don't know about??... If there is I NEED to go get this book ASAP!!!.. I've been a big Japan fan since I was 10!!!...

[wra7h]

who the fuck is batt

[23sugarcane]

Batt is the real surname of brothers David Sylvian and Steve Jansen.

[fatsamw]

hmm an interesting mixture of bowie, hanoi rocks, roxy, ny dolls and sparks.

totally different from their later stuff but just as good.

they were amazingly pretty as well as talented.

[giacblanc]

Knew nothing about them, at the time except the name; they sure didn't surface in U.S.. They must have gone through the most musical changes with the same lineup that I know of. Per usual there was a split between key members from the start. Candidates? LOL

[giacblanc]

Whose the guitarist has he played for any other groups?

[BethEngland]

Hard to imagine how it could be better. Great video.

[levonhelmet]

first two japan albums...amazing! all the other stuff after that...typical 80's homo rock...sorry...but they sounded like all the other 80's fag bands....duran duran human league...whatever....they should have stayed doing this type of stuff with this look....

[SylvianStardust]

Japan is brilliant. <3

[KrystalKyle1989]

Japan were a better band than Duran Duran but you wanna know what band is better than both of them? ROXY MUSIC, now they were the originators of this style of music.

[dalgia]

I always marvelled how Japan could go from the likes of Obscure Alternatives to Quiet Life!!

[gregingram1970]

Duran Duran were and are an ambigous animal. They synthesised art, sound, lyrics and visuals into, at times, commercial music - what is known as pop music coz its popular the same as say the Beatles did...- on the other hand they made tracks (all dd fans know the ones) that are pleasure giving, thought provoking, original, melancholic, high energy, catchy sublime music. They have achieved that in the early bit of their career but only a tad in recent years. Japan are dead. DD are still present.

[ripvanjonesy]

HAVE YOU TRIED DAVIDS SOLO STUFF?

[furyplum44]

Fuckwit, Dont compare duran duran, and japan, they're very different, japan were art, duran were mainstream pop, even tho i prefer japan, i have great respect for duran....Peace out

[luckystriker888]

Don't compare Duran Duran and Japan on base of talent. I' ve seen both bands live, had all the records. Duran Duran was a cash machine, Japan a music machine. I rest my case

[paintedship]

gregingram is a troll

[beyondthisrealm]

lol 2:29- 2:33 where the Richard just stands there like an emo :P

[furyplum44]

but hes amazingly cool and hes glam, not emo :p

although his makeup today would be considered emo... :p

[MajorManny]

Japan were such an incredible band. It's clear in their earlier years that they borrowed from earlier glam rock acts like the New York Dolls and T Rex.

Then they evolved into their own style and became the template for a whole new style of music... most notably Duran Duran's early work.

Sylvian, Karn

[furyplum44]

Richard Barbieri (KEYBOARD PLAYER) is soooo cool! i love his looks, and his sounds, thanks for the post!

[psychobollox]

he's in The Porcupine Tree now...

[musicmoonlight]

Now this is a video I never have seen of Japan. Wow. Really cool. Thanks. David wanted us to remember him by Quiet Life and on. I can appreciate this, but I am glad they moved on to another level too. Even though they have a great raw, sexual, rock energy to the very early songs they may have not been too distinct from other rock bands of that time. Yes, they were early glam and art though. That is for sure. Love em!

[saffyminty]

musicmoonlight: I agree with most of what you say but Japan were most definitely NOT "early glam" - this song is from 1978, while as Glam Rock was popularised by T-Rex, Bowie, Roxy Music et al in the EARLY 70s!

Still, I do love this, and from Quiet Life onwards Japan really did break new musical ground.

[giacblanc]

Right on. They were most glamourous by far . Glamour ( fake allure). Sylvian "most beautiful man in world" per English polls a riot . LOL He's tied for second w/Steve Jansen with guitar player right behind. Mick Karn, fretless bass virtuoso/composer /sculpture,.(See YT interview) way out in front. In 'Dalis Car"( No ', apostrophe; pr.Dallis Karr, w/ Peter Murphy,Steve Jansen , live(OGWT)

[futtermeinego]

David is Perfect.

[gorgonslave]

Okay people call me crazy but I believe the Happy Mondays stole this song for thier hit

24 hour party people. Its quite obvious

[phospheratu]

wow. i never knew there was a video for this. cool. :D

[drdapoo]

So this is where emo came from...

[DarcyAndWolfgang]

Most of my friends are obsessed with "emo", but none of them had heard of Japan before I mentioned them. And when I did, they just raised their eyebrows.

Brilliant song.

[paperpoonie]

The original hair band.

[adeworks]

No criticism there really. Poison, Tigertailz, Faster Pussycat etc eat yr heart out! Japan were years ahead.

[paperpoonie]

That's right adeworks!

[DarcyAndWolfgang]

This is one of the best songs i have heard for a long time...

[tonkali]

I so love japan!

Everyone keeps making the bowie, ferry and Nick Rhodes association. When I look at David (the early years), I see David Johansen. It's the hair, very dolls.

And Duran Duran, good pop but imho nowhere near the blackhole where Roxy/Ferry, Bowie or Japan come from.

[bunnytube]

OMG! David looks like eerily Sara Dallin (Bananarama) ... I'm really not kidding.

[fingersin]

That's sooooooo true! Who did this hairdoo first? Sara or David? I'm almost sure David did.

[gregingram1970]

Duran duran are MUCH more talented than japan im afraid. their 30 year career is proof of their ongoing creative power...japan died. Many years ago. No endurance/.

[biladd]

I reaaly looove Duran Duran & Japan as well. I think Japan 'died' because members had different ideas and comceptions about music. What a pity! :( The 80 is back, so Japan could do the same... for 1 tour,at least!!! OMG, It would be so perfect!!!

[furyplum44]

No no, the girls loved duran, hence why they lasted longer, because they produced mainstream poppy numbers that everyone got into... JAPAN was far more sophisticated im afraid :)

[PAULLONDEN]

NØ LØW

GØØD TØ GØ

[PAULLONDEN]

OEHWHEEOEHWHEEOEH....

[PAULLONDEN]

I'm so surprised,that in retrospect,how

good their first 3 albums actually were,

especially the first 2,they've got

a more convincing punk sneer than many punk

bands at the time ,who dismissed them as

glam Johnny-come-latelys.Great band.Timeless./

[Linkchvary]

it's kind of depressing that all of the music i love was created before i was born...

Japan is sooo good!

[OldishMusic]

I know EXACTLY what you mean.

[snakespot]

HAVE NOT HEARD THIS SONG IN 30 YEARS!!

[psychicdelic]

I wish David Sylvian would play this live...highly unlikely.

[fingersin]

DAM! David looks soooooo good in these close-ups...

[khyberkarn]

Im transfixed. How rockin were they? Thank you for sharing this. Its left me feeling high too!

[trakmac]

This is a far cry from Porcupine Tree, of which keyboard player Richard Barbieri is currently a member.

[KennysKoolKlub]

richard rules

[ecallender]

Yea. Richard definitely rocks.

[BoiledBunny]

Thanks for the Porcupine Tree mention I was trying to remember that band that the guitarist with Rush guested with.

When was? It passed me by at the time. It's so un new romantic, it's kid of like Glam Rock meets Punk.

I just wtached Quiet Life, and it is a bit Duran like, but difficult to watch without thinking 'Bowie'

[MisterMister65]

Hi,

they were a New Romantic band. Watch the later clips. cu

[JIF882]

No, better than that rubbish. David hated the musical term new romantic. They created greater atmospheres than that. The piano playing sounds like a slowed-down version of the piano playing that was on a NY Dolls song

[JIF882]

but even still, they are 2 great, inventive bands

[TheVoidArea]

I gather Sylvian is greatly embarrassed by early Japan stuff, but whilst it's light years away from what they would become, this is just great pop music. And they look so cool as well. Love the way Barbieri looks so sullen as he twiddles his Moog about 2'20" in.

[shotocam]

youtube makes me feel so high....40 going on 15 again

[kadelbach63]

I heard this song on the John Peel show and went out and ordered the single the next day. I still have it somewhere (lovely blue vinyl). Quite amazing to see this. Especially when you can see how much they changed in such a short time. These were exciting days!

[xxxCheeryCherryxxx]

I love you for posting this video. I love Japan/David Sylvian in every (musical) stage that they/he went through. Thank you for sharing :).

[psychicdelic]

super cool

[brittanycurl]

This is a rare and golden find. Yet another lost video made available by the you tube network!! I could kiss the feet of the person who posted this. Where ever did you get this?