Japan
96年Romo运动的爆发,各支乐队不约而同的,以浓装冶艳的形象作为外化的旗帜,带来的竟是八十年代未来派电子音乐和新浪漫音乐的再生。其实早在七十年代末的新浪潮运动风潮中,我们就已认识了JAPAN--一群并非来自日本的知性派美男子。
中性艳丽的打扮,极富时代气息而又具有高度内省性的音乐风格,JAPAN对于新浪漫音乐、环境音乐、世界音乐,以至于前几年的Romo浪潮的主导性,就有如Sonic Youth对日后的Grunge摇滚的影响力。同样的,JAPAN不是这些音乐风格的创造者,也不是这些浪潮的直接发源地,但乐队却是这些音乐普及化的关键性桥梁。
Japan所制造出来的声音,无疑是Roxy Music及david Bowie式艺术摇滚的高层次展现。其影响力,甚至直接或间接伸延至英国一些新浪漫音乐组合。Japan及后期的David Sylvian和Mick Karn那种内省式音乐所达至的深度,绝非其他同期乐手所能媲美。现在再"Nightporter","Ghosts","Despair",又或是David Sylvian与Robert Fripp(前King Crimson吉它手)合作的"Damage",仍有一种难以言喻的感动。而Japan音乐领域之广泛,也非其他一般乐手所能及。乐队的解散前后,与他们合作过的乐手,其广阔性,由日本的Y.M.O.,一风堂,到英式的前卫先锋摇滚的Robert Fripp、Bill Nelson;新浪漫音乐先驱之一Midge Ure(Ultravox)到前哥特摇滚始祖Peter Murphy(Bauhaus);由环境音乐/新世纪音乐的Mark Isham,David Torn,远至德国前卫乐团Can之领导人Holger Czukay。在艺术实践形式上,David Sylvian的创作更由音乐伸展到摄影及装置艺术。
同样的,回顾JAPAN的整个音乐历程,也是一个对自我身份的确认与挣扎。78年乐队发表了他们的头两张专辑:及,当时乐队尚保持五人阵容:主唱David Sylvian,贝司手Mick Karn,敲击乐手Steve Jansen,键盘及合成器乐手Richard Barbieri和吉它手Rob Dean。他们那浓装艳抹的女性化打扮,和叛逆颓废的音乐风格,是对整个社会的大众价值观及音乐潮流的反动。置身于当时的朋克运动及新浪潮运动音乐气候,乐队那已带上电子色彩的美式黑人华丽摇滚风格,无疑是一种异端。再加上乐队唱片公司只懂吹嘘乐队形象的宣传手法,Japan一出道便成为传媒及整个音乐圈子攻击及排挤的对象。于外界眼中,他们只不过是哗众取宠的New York Dolls翻版。除了少数乐评人外,几乎没有人察觉到乐队的真正潜质。David Sylvian亦承认,若非在日本受到热烈欢迎,乐队一早便因经济问题而解散。
 
在恶劣的环境底下,再加上与唱片监制的冲突,Japan的两张早期作品,虽已呈现强烈的独特个性,但整体而言,仍是一个乱打乱撞的摸索期。乐队各成员甚至不约而同地表示极之讨厌这两张作品。Japan音乐的真正成形,还是当他们遇到Roxy Music的唱片监制John Punter以后的事。不只是一张脱胎换骨之作,亦是一个罕见的蜕变。Punter的Roxy Music式艺术摇滚处理手法,为Japan
 
提供了足以展示其音乐意念的空间。Sylvian独有的孤独感以及混合着的Bryan Ferry与David Bowie的唱腔、Roxy Music的音乐模式、Brian Eno与法国作曲家Erick Satie的环境音乐气氛,再翻唱一首Velvet Underground的"All Tomorrow Patties",中Japan创造出一种经典的唯美艺术摇滚声音。
 
跟着的是的进一步延伸。其中Sylvian与日本首席Techno-pop组合Y.M.O.的坂本龙一首次合作了一曲"Taking Isl and In Africa"。自此以后,两人由"Bamboo Music"、Merry Christmas Mr.Lawrance的主题曲“Forbidden Colors"到Sylvian于Japan以后的个人作品,都一直保持着紧密的合作关系。日本新音乐不单因而引进欧美,此合作关系,亦间接地成为坂本龙一于国外发展的踏脚石。与此同时,Japan的各成员亦开始与Y.M.O.的鼓手兼主音歌手高桥幸宏,及另外一些日本乐手和组合如Ippu-Do(一风堂)、Sandii And The Sunsetz、矢野显子等有甚密的音乐交往。于Japan解散前的Sons Of Pioneers巡回演出中,Ippu-Do的土屋昌巳更应邀为Japan的客席吉它手。而这已是Japan最后一张大碟以后的事。
 
为Japan带来了商业上和艺术上前所未有的成就。未来派及新浪漫音乐的兴起,使Japan变得时尚起来。在没有凭任何卖钱的单曲推动下成为金唱片,而稍后,"Ghost"这首Japan的经典之作,更出人意表地打进英
 
国单曲榜的前五名位置。乘此强势,旧唱片公司亦推出一大堆重新包装的Japan旧作如"Life In Tokyo"、"I Second That Emotion"、"European Son"等以分一杯羹。
 
自开始,Japan的歌曲均有着极为突出的节奏部分。Steve Jansen近似东方敲击的Burundi式鼓法,加上Mick Karn一手抢耳而声音奇怪的Fretless Bass,构成了几乎是Japan专利的节奏部分。自吉它手Rob Dean离队后,此紧密的节奏部分,于中更提升至最前线的位置。
 
一方面是Sylvian对共产中国的个人冥想,另一方面,则是现代电子音乐及东方民族音乐的一次交汇。那种游离于东方世界,介乎于印度、泰国及中国的民族气氛,与Jon Hassell的第四世界音乐理论不谋而合。这种游离而有时难以介定其国籍的民族色彩,于Karn及Sylvian其后的个人作品中,仍不时的出现。"很多年前我已经开始对东方宗教哲学感兴趣。最先是禅宗佛教(Zen Buddhism),然后是印度教(Hinduism)。最后两者均被融入我的生活信仰,我想东方宗教哲学影响着我生活的每一小节,因为这些信仰改变了我的外表,并且成为了一种被包容于每一天每一刻的身体力行生活方式。如果这影响着我的日常生活,那最终亦影响到我的音乐创作。"多年后的一次访问中,Sylvian如是说。
此外,Japan亦是将环境音乐普及化的先驱之一。先前的"The Tenant" / "Despair" / "Nightporter"这Satie式钢琴三部曲,又或者"The Experience Of Swimming"及灵感源自于哥普拉的著名影片"现代启示录"的"Burning Bridge",都有极重的环境音乐味道。在之前的两张专辑中,Richard Barbieri那深受Eno感染的键琴弹奏手法,为Japan的音乐抹上一层虽淡却深的氛围色彩。而在中的"Ghost"及"Sons Of Pioneers",进一步散发着这种旋律化的环境音乐气味。Japan以后的Sylvian,亦继续向着这环境音乐世界探索。Sylvian个人作品的乐手名单中,如Holger Czukay、Jon Hassell、Mark Isham及Robert Fripp等,均为环境音乐圈子里举足轻重的名字。Sylvian感性的笔触,描写的是一内在的心象风景。Japan的环境音乐气氛,所描绘的,是现代社会生活的点滴,反映内向自我的封闭的孤独空间。"Ghost"这首Sylvian自认为Japan时期最满意的作品,所表现出的自省及矛盾的内在世界,是Japan这种内向艺术的最完美表现。'
 
虽然是Japan的最后一张专辑,但Japan的解散不过是名义上的而已。在乐队成员各自的独立发展道路上,他们仍然保持着紧密的合作关系--Karn及Sylvian其后的每张个人专辑中,你都能发现上面有昔日队友的名字,而Jansen和Barbieri也曾携手以二人名义推出专辑,他们以The Dolphin Brothers这一名字延续着Japan的艺术生命。91年时,除Dean以外的四位乐队成员(也就是Japan后期原装阵容)以Rain Tree Crow名字推出一张同名专辑,在他们非凡的音乐道路上又竖立起一块里程碑。
by Jason Ankeny
Japans evolution from rather humble glam rock beginnings into stylish synth pop (and beyond) made the British group one of the more intriguing and successful artists of their era. Formed in London in 1974, Japan began its existence as a quintet comprised of singer/songwriter David Sylvian, bassist Mick Karn, keyboardist Richard Barbieri, drummer (and Sylvians brother) Steve Jansen and guitarist Rob Dean. In their primary incarnation, the group emulated the sound and image of glam rockers like David Bowie and the New York Dolls; Sylvians over-the-top vocals, much in the vein of Bryan Ferry, also earned Japan frequent (if derisive) comparisons to Roxy Music.
After winning a label-sponsored talent contest, they were signed to Germanys Ariola-Hansa Records in 1977 and debuted a year later with a pair of LPs, Adolescent Sex and Obscure Alternatives, which received little notice at home or in the U.S. but did find favor among Japanese audiences. With 1979s Quiet Life, Japan made a tremendous leap into more sophisticated stylistic and subtle territory; a subsequent hit single covering Smokey Robinsons I Second That Emotion further underscored the newfound soulfulness of their music.
1980s Gentlemen Take Polaroids continued to broaden Japans scope, incorporating a variety of exotic influences into their increasingly atmospheric sound. With 1981s Tin Drum (recorded minus Dean), the band peaked: tapping sources as diverse as funk and Middle Eastern rhythms, the album moved beyond pop confines into experimental tones and textures, and scored a U.K. smash with the single Ghosts.
However, Tin Drum also proved to be Japans swan song: long-simmering differences among the bandmembers came to a head when Karns girlfriend moved in with Sylvian, and the group disbanded in 1982. The individual members quickly forged ahead with their projects: Sylvian began a successful solo career and also entered into a series of collaborations with performers like Ryuichi Sakamoto, Holger Czukay and Robert Fripp, while Karn issued a 1982 solo LP, Titles, before founding the short-lived duo Dalis Car with Bauhaus Peter Murphy. In 1986, meanwhile, Jansen and Barbieri issued Worlds in a Small Room under their own names before recording together as the Dolphin Brothers.
In 1987, Karn released Dreams of Reason Produce Monsters, a solo LP which featured contributions from Sylvian and Jansen, spurring rumors of a reunion which came to fruition in 1989 when the four principal members re-teamed under the name Rain Tree Crow. By the time an eponymously-titled album appeared in 1991, however, relations had again dissolved in acrimony, and the musicians went their separate ways; while Sylvian continued working independently, as the decade wore on Karn, Jansen and Barbieri occasionally reunited in various projects while also maintaining solo careers.
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