If ever there was a band who could have literally taken over the world, but failed to do so as a result of “artistic differences,” it’s Japan. But that doesn’t mean their legacy should be any less celebrated. And Quiet Life – their third, final, and most successful release on the Hansa label – gets a long-overdue deluxe vinyl reissue on 05 March 2021.
The album and its related singles – All Tomorrow’s Parties, Life In Tokyo, European Son, and I Second That Emotion – were the basis of the entire new romantic sound of the early 80s. No Japan? No Duran Duran, that’s for sure. At least not as we eventually knew them.
Quiet Life is now the subject of a major new reissue featuring a brand new half-speed remaster of the original album, alternate mixes, b-sides, singles, rarities and live material including an audience recording of the sought after ‘lost’ Live at Budokan show from March 1980 previously only available as the 4 track EP ‘Live in Japan’. The release features newly restored original album artwork, exclusive new liner notes with a foreword by the original producer, John Punter, rare and unseen photography and memorabilia.
Japan – and of course Rain Tree Crow, JBK and Exit North – drummer Steve Jansen describes the LP as “a more accomplished body of work as a group of musicians who had begun to find a voice rather than simply proving the ability to write/play music”. And if you really want to dig deep into the trails and tribulations of the band, we can’t recommend late bass player Mick Karn’s autobiography, ‘Japan & Self Existence’ highly enough.
Full tracklists below. Shop for Japan’s Quiet Life deluxe vinyl on Amazon.
LP & CD1 – HALF-SPEED REMASTERED HEAVYWEIGHT VINYL:
Quiet Life
Fall In Love With Me
Despair
In-Vogue
Halloween
All Tomorrow’s Parties
Alien
The Other Side Of Life
CD2 – ALTERNATIVE MIXES & RARITIES:
European Son (Steve Nye 7” remix 1982)
Life In Tokyo (Steve Nye 7” special remix 1982)
Quiet Life (Original German 7” mix 1980)
I Second That Emotion (Steve Nye 7” remix 1982)
All Tomorrow’s Parties (Steve Nye 7” remix version 1983)
European Son (John Punter 12” mix 1980)
Life In Tokyo (Steve Nye 12” special remix version 1982)
I Second That Emotion (Steve Nye 12” remix version 1982)
All Tomorrow’s Parties (Steve Nye 12” remix version 1983)
European Son (Steve Nye 12” remix version 1982)
Quiet Life (Japanese 7” mix 1980)
A Foreign Place
All Tomorrow’s Parties (John Punter 7” mix 1979)
Life In Tokyo (Theme Giorgio Moroder version 1979)
Live In Japan EP
Deviation (Live In Japan)
Obscure alternatives (Live In Japan)
In-Vogue (Live In Japan)
Sometimes I Feel So Low (Live In Japan)
CD3 – LIVE AT BUDOKAN 27/03/1980:
Intro
Alien
…Rhodesia
Quiet Life
Fall In Love With Me
Deviation
All Tomorrow’s Parties
Obscure Alternatives
In-Vogue
Life In Tokyo
Halloween
Sometimes I Feel So Low
Communist china
Adolescent Sex
I Second That Emotion
Automatic Gun