Their largely ignored first album Adolescent Sex (1978) was a masterpiece of sorts. Although the band outwardly embraced glam-rock trappings, their music was several cuts above standard pretty boy fare, and presaged things to come in such cuts as Wish You Were Black and Transmission. Only the ultra-kitschy cover of Don’t Rain On My Parade proved exceedingly silly. Later that year, another album in the same vein, Obscure Alternatives was released.
It was their next album Quiet Life that showcased the title breakthrough hit. Quiet Life contained the percolating rhythm signature of so many 1980s songs. In many ways it was virtually indistingushable from the slew of similar songs of the time. A remake of I Second That Emotion was the band’s best known song.
Gentlemen Take Polaraids distinguished the band from the pack of top 40 pop bands incorporating diverse influences and making full use of Sylvain’s voice, more suited to ambient and jazz vocals .. The band’s instrumentalists display their chops as well. Bassist Mick Karns took the mundane concept of rock bass guitar and fused it with exotic rhythms. The group’s last album, 1981’s Tin Drum produced the textured by eerie hit Ghosts.
Despite this musical exploration, the band’s demise was precipitated by that most soap-opera esque of quandaries - Karn’s ex-girlfriend bunking up with Sylvain. She was a Japanese artist, by the way and later helped influence Sylvain’s leanings towards avant-garde music and art. (Hmm, does this story sound familiar?)
After disbanding in 1982, individual members continued to explore new musical territory. Sylvain forged a full-blooded career as an alternative pioneer, collaborating with Robert Fripp, Ryko Sakimachi (Yellow Magic Orchestra) and Marc Ribot, going from “The World’s Loveliest Man” to a commercially ignored but critically acclaimed artist and musician with a spiritual bent. (Ian Astbury, are you taking notes?) Sylvain currently lives on the East Coast with his wife, former Prince cohort Ingrid Chavez, and their two children.
There’s not much in the way of nostalgic Japan websites. To find out more about solo offerings from band members, try
David Sylvain:
http://www.slowfire.de/Slowfire.html
Mick Karns: http://www.fetafunk.com/
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