Rocks burgeoning New Wave in the late 70s was a hodgpodge of quirky art rock, humorous post punk and novelty pop rock bands, but on December 20, 1979, exactly 40 years ago today, a mostly forgettable late-to-the-party uk glamrock band faux-exotically named Japan took a new turn and unexpectedly released a groundbreaking album which invented a new genre. Blending Roxy Music, Bowie/Eno and Giorgio Moroder, they dropped a bombshell of style and sophistication and daresay, serious art onto the british future-pop scene, inadvertently launching the new romantic craze (which they never claimed to be a part of). New Wave finally got real.
Japan – Quiet Life (1979)
Japan – Halloween (1979)
Japan – All Tomorrow’s Parties (1979)