Japan Live 1974 - 1977

1st June 1974 - First Japan gig - Mick's brother's wedding

• Mick Karn: "June 1st was the 22nd anniversary of Japan's first ever concert, which happened to be at my brother's wedding. It must have sounded dreadful but, up to that point we had been writing music based around songs that David had written. We were only 14, and I was the vocalist but it was only moments before the curtain went up that I froze and said, David, I can't do this - you should do it as they're your songs and you know the vocals off by heart. I was so nervous, I couldn't even remember half of the lyrics. He reluctantly became the vocalist there and then." (from "Tooth or dare" by Gibson Keddie, Bassist & Bass Techniques, Oct 96)
• Mick includes more details about this first show in his book "Japan & Self Existence", saying that they performed covers of songs by Bowie ('The Jean Genie'), The Velvet Underground and Lou Reed, as well as original material. According to Mick the name Japan was agreed just before the group were due to start performing. Other titles mentioned by Mick: 'The Man Who Sold The World', 'Queen Bitch', 'I'm So Free', 'Sweet Jane' and 'Tongues of China' (a Japan song).
• The Japan set at this time included 20 songs

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April 1975 - The Bunch of Grapes, London

• Richard Barbieri had joined the group by this stage but was not yet playing live with them, so at this show Japan was a trio (Mick Karn - 'Japan & Self Existence')
• The Bunch of Grapes is still a live music venue, near London Bridge station. 

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14th February 1976 - Goldsmith's College, London

• The first gig as a five piece after Rob Dean and Richard Barbieri had joined the group - supporting The Fabulous Poodles (mentioned in Bamboo Issue 9).

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1976 - Loughborough University

• Supporting Muscle

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1976 - Lewisham Borough Social Club, London

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1976 - Goldsmith's Youth Centre, Brockley, London

• Japan were billed as 'Future Rock' at this show, and there is a photo in Mick's book.

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1976 - The Hope & Anchor, London

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February 1977 - The Rock Garden, London

• Supporting Georgie Fame for 3 nights including the 24th (mentioned in Mick's book).

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Early 1977 - Big End Club, Munich, Germany

• A club residency in the early part of 1977. Rob Dean mentioned this in the magazine "Bamboo" (Issue 9). They played there for two weeks and, like The Beatles in Hamburg, had to play a lot of cover versions in the set. More information needed.

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1977 - The Greyhound, London

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12/8/77 - Music Machine, London

Supporting Rokoto

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29/8/77 - The Rock Garden, London

Supporting The Lurkers

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17/9/77 - The Marquee, London

With Grand Hotel (thankyou to Michael from adam-ant.net for the information)

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October 1977 - UK tour supporting Jim Capaldi and The Contenders

• Tour started October 13th 1977 and included dates all over the UK.

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