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Volume 2: 1987-1989

Half Japanese

26th January 2015 - Album - FIRE343

The Fire Records Half Japanese reissue series continues with the second volume, covering the three releases of ‘Music to Strip By‘, ‘Charmed Life‘ and ‘The Band That Would Be King‘ released one a year from 1987 to 1989.

£16.00£39.00

The Fire Records Half Japanese reissue series continues with the second volume, covering the three releases of ‘Music to Strip By’, ‘Charmed Life’ and ‘The Band That Would Be King’ released one a year from 1987 to 1989.

Following the Record Store Day 2014 release, ‘Volume 1: 1981-1985’, the next three Half Japanese records come in their original release form, with the additional tracks that were later added to the CD releases over the years available via download code (see below for track lists). The LPs are wrapped together in a heavy wide spine outer sleeve with a specially designed paper cut image by Jad Fair, who also provides more illustrations throughout the booklet, with words by David Fair. As per ‘Volume 1’, all three records are combined together in a 3CD package.

“Be careful. You can’t unlearn information. I think that the best that you can hope for is a bad memory, but our brains are very remarkable and it is very difficult to actually unlearn something. I came upon this realization too late to help me with visual arts. I had already been taught about proportions and perspective. It’s very hard to draw someone in the background larger than their friend in the foreground. Anyone farther away would look smaller. That is how our eyes see them and my brain knows this. I cannot turn off this knowledge and draw it the other way around. I can choose to ignore it, but that is not the same. That is a strategy for dealing with the situation, but not as freeing as simple ignorance would be. It is a nagging strategy that whispers the rules and acknowledges your participation in their breaking.”

“Luckily, with music, I do not carry the burden of knowledge. I was not educated in its terms and rules. I am not bound by its limits.”

“I know that I have guitar skills. I have played around with one enough to know what feels right to me. If I were to turn it upside down and attempt to play it in a left-handed manner, my ability would feel awkward and diminished. I am not unskilled; I am merely untrained. For me, this is the ideal situation. Others may prefer acquiring rules and limits. I prefer that my art be directed by my heart rather than my brain.”

“I have played in bands for nearly 40 years. In all of that time I have only learned three chords. I have resisted acquiring more. If I continue at this rate I am at risk of knowing six chords forty years from now. Instead, I am consciously slowing down. Hopefully in four decades I will remember even less about music convention than I know today.
Forty years is a long time to wait. In the meantime, here’s Half Japanese Vol 2. It might get better in the future, but Vol 2 is here already.”

– David Fair

 

Tracklist

Music To Strip By (1987)
A1 Stripping For Cash
A2 Thick And Thin
A3 Diary
A4 Big Mistake
A5 Hot Dog And Hot Damn
A6 The Price Was Right But The Door Was Wrong
A7 Blue Monday
A8 U.S. Teens Are Spoiled Bums
A9 Point / Counterpoint
A10 Sex At Your Parent's House
A11 The Last Straw
A12 Gator Bait
B1 La Bamba
B2 Colleen
B3 Ouija Board Summons Satan
B4 You Must Obey Me
B5 Salt And Pepper
B6 Ancient Life
B7 Silver And Katherine
B8 Money To Burn
B9 Hidden Charms
B10 My Sordid Past
Charmed Life (1988)
C1 Said And Done
C2 Penny In The Fountain
C3 Evidence
C4 Vietnam
C5 Roman Candles
C6 Love At First Sight
C7 Snake Line
C8 Bright Lights, Big City
C9 Face Rake
C10 Later In A Magazine
C11 Red Dress
C12 Trouble In The Water
C13 Charmed Life
D1 Day And Night
D2 One Million Kisses
D3 Miracles Happen Every Day
D4 Terminator
D5 I'll Change My Style
D6 Fortunate
D7 Real Cool Time
D8 Poetic License
The Band That Would Be King (1989)
E1 Open Your Eyes / Close Your Eyes
E2 Daytona Beach
E3 Lucky Star
E4 Some Things Last A Long Time
E5 My Most Embarassing Moment
E6 Buried Treasure
E7 Open Book
E8 Little Records
E9 Deadly Alien Spawn
E10 Postcard From Long Away
E11 Ventriloquism Made Easy
E12 Something In The Wind
E13 Bingo's Not His Name-o
E14 Put Some Sugar On It
F1 What More Can I Do?
F2 Brand New Moon
F3 Another World
F4 Every Word Is True
F5 I Live For Love
F6 Werewolf
F7 Ride Ride Ride
F8 Sugarcane
F9 I Wish I May
F10 Ashes On The Ground
F11 Curse Of The Doll People
F12 Horseshoes
F13 Bluebirds

Description

The Fire Records Half Japanese reissue series continues with the second volume, covering the three releases of ‘Music to Strip By’, ‘Charmed Life’ and ‘The Band That Would Be King’ released one a year from 1987 to 1989.

Following the Record Store Day 2014 release, ‘Volume 1: 1981-1985’, the next three Half Japanese records come in their original release form, with the additional tracks that were later added to the CD releases over the years available via download code (see below for track lists). The LPs are wrapped together in a heavy wide spine outer sleeve with a specially designed paper cut image by Jad Fair, who also provides more illustrations throughout the booklet, with words by David Fair. As per ‘Volume 1’, all three records are combined together in a 3CD package.

“Be careful. You can’t unlearn information. I think that the best that you can hope for is a bad memory, but our brains are very remarkable and it is very difficult to actually unlearn something. I came upon this realization too late to help me with visual arts. I had already been taught about proportions and perspective. It’s very hard to draw someone in the background larger than their friend in the foreground. Anyone farther away would look smaller. That is how our eyes see them and my brain knows this. I cannot turn off this knowledge and draw it the other way around. I can choose to ignore it, but that is not the same. That is a strategy for dealing with the situation, but not as freeing as simple ignorance would be. It is a nagging strategy that whispers the rules and acknowledges your participation in their breaking.”

“Luckily, with music, I do not carry the burden of knowledge. I was not educated in its terms and rules. I am not bound by its limits.”

“I know that I have guitar skills. I have played around with one enough to know what feels right to me. If I were to turn it upside down and attempt to play it in a left-handed manner, my ability would feel awkward and diminished. I am not unskilled; I am merely untrained. For me, this is the ideal situation. Others may prefer acquiring rules and limits. I prefer that my art be directed by my heart rather than my brain.”

“I have played in bands for nearly 40 years. In all of that time I have only learned three chords. I have resisted acquiring more. If I continue at this rate I am at risk of knowing six chords forty years from now. Instead, I am consciously slowing down. Hopefully in four decades I will remember even less about music convention than I know today.
Forty years is a long time to wait. In the meantime, here’s Half Japanese Vol 2. It might get better in the future, but Vol 2 is here already.”

– David Fair

 

Description

The Fire Records Half Japanese reissue series continues with the second volume, covering the three releases of ‘Music to Strip By’, ‘Charmed Life’ and ‘The Band That Would Be King’ released one a year from 1987 to 1989.

Following the Record Store Day 2014 release, ‘Volume 1: 1981-1985’, the next three Half Japanese records come in their original release form, with the additional tracks that were later added to the CD releases over the years available via download code (see below for track lists). The LPs are wrapped together in a heavy wide spine outer sleeve with a specially designed paper cut image by Jad Fair, who also provides more illustrations throughout the booklet, with words by David Fair. As per ‘Volume 1’, all three records are combined together in a 3CD package.

“Be careful. You can’t unlearn information. I think that the best that you can hope for is a bad memory, but our brains are very remarkable and it is very difficult to actually unlearn something. I came upon this realization too late to help me with visual arts. I had already been taught about proportions and perspective. It’s very hard to draw someone in the background larger than their friend in the foreground. Anyone farther away would look smaller. That is how our eyes see them and my brain knows this. I cannot turn off this knowledge and draw it the other way around. I can choose to ignore it, but that is not the same. That is a strategy for dealing with the situation, but not as freeing as simple ignorance would be. It is a nagging strategy that whispers the rules and acknowledges your participation in their breaking.”

“Luckily, with music, I do not carry the burden of knowledge. I was not educated in its terms and rules. I am not bound by its limits.”

“I know that I have guitar skills. I have played around with one enough to know what feels right to me. If I were to turn it upside down and attempt to play it in a left-handed manner, my ability would feel awkward and diminished. I am not unskilled; I am merely untrained. For me, this is the ideal situation. Others may prefer acquiring rules and limits. I prefer that my art be directed by my heart rather than my brain.”

“I have played in bands for nearly 40 years. In all of that time I have only learned three chords. I have resisted acquiring more. If I continue at this rate I am at risk of knowing six chords forty years from now. Instead, I am consciously slowing down. Hopefully in four decades I will remember even less about music convention than I know today.
Forty years is a long time to wait. In the meantime, here’s Half Japanese Vol 2. It might get better in the future, but Vol 2 is here already.”

– David Fair

 

Tracklist

Music To Strip By (1987)
A1 Stripping For Cash
A2 Thick And Thin
A3 Diary
A4 Big Mistake
A5 Hot Dog And Hot Damn
A6 The Price Was Right But The Door Was Wrong
A7 Blue Monday
A8 U.S. Teens Are Spoiled Bums
A9 Point / Counterpoint
A10 Sex At Your Parent's House
A11 The Last Straw
A12 Gator Bait
B1 La Bamba
B2 Colleen
B3 Ouija Board Summons Satan
B4 You Must Obey Me
B5 Salt And Pepper
B6 Ancient Life
B7 Silver And Katherine
B8 Money To Burn
B9 Hidden Charms
B10 My Sordid Past
Charmed Life (1988)
C1 Said And Done
C2 Penny In The Fountain
C3 Evidence
C4 Vietnam
C5 Roman Candles
C6 Love At First Sight
C7 Snake Line
C8 Bright Lights, Big City
C9 Face Rake
C10 Later In A Magazine
C11 Red Dress
C12 Trouble In The Water
C13 Charmed Life
D1 Day And Night
D2 One Million Kisses
D3 Miracles Happen Every Day
D4 Terminator
D5 I'll Change My Style
D6 Fortunate
D7 Real Cool Time
D8 Poetic License
The Band That Would Be King (1989)
E1 Open Your Eyes / Close Your Eyes
E2 Daytona Beach
E3 Lucky Star
E4 Some Things Last A Long Time
E5 My Most Embarassing Moment
E6 Buried Treasure
E7 Open Book
E8 Little Records
E9 Deadly Alien Spawn
E10 Postcard From Long Away
E11 Ventriloquism Made Easy
E12 Something In The Wind
E13 Bingo's Not His Name-o
E14 Put Some Sugar On It
F1 What More Can I Do?
F2 Brand New Moon
F3 Another World
F4 Every Word Is True
F5 I Live For Love
F6 Werewolf
F7 Ride Ride Ride
F8 Sugarcane
F9 I Wish I May
F10 Ashes On The Ground
F11 Curse Of The Doll People
F12 Horseshoes
F13 Bluebirds

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