Japan was a British rock group, formed in
1974 (see
1974 in music).
David Sylvian[?],
Mick Karn[?],
Rob Dean[?],
Steve Jansen[?] and
Richard Barbieri[?] began playing
glam rock, debuting on record with
1978's
Adolescent Sex and Obscure Alternatives[?] which sold well in
Japan, though nowhere else. Their second album,
Quiet Life[?], included a hit
cover of
Smokey Robinson's "I Second that Emotion".
Their following two albums, Gentlemen Take Polaroids[?] (1980) and Tin Drum[?] (1981) continued to expand their audience, but Tin Drum ended up being the final album as personality conflicts tore the band apart.