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Half Japanese
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<h2 id="band-history">Band history</h2> <p>Their lyrics often deal with monsters and the <a href="/facts/Supernatural/qSlTK0Ss">supernatural</a> (especially as influenced by <a href="/facts/Horror_films/SYz7Le6p">"creature feature"</a> and <a href="/facts/Science_fiction_films/cNsrPn3y">sci-fi movies</a>), in addition to more conventional themes, such as young love. </p><p>The band was formed in Jad and David Fair's bedroom in the mid-1970s, with sources varying on the exact date.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> The band released their first single, "Calling All Girls", in August 1977, followed by a triple album, <i><a href="/facts/1%2f2_Gentlemen%2fNot_Beasts/HrCkJlbz">1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts</a></i> in 1980.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p><p>The band played and recorded as a duo until the early 1980s, when they began incorporating additional members into the group: Mark Jickling (guitar and vocals) and brothers Ricky and John Dreyfuss (drums and <a href="/facts/Saxophone/zCFvRmAI">saxophone</a>). Since that time, dozens of musicians have come and gone under the Half Japanese banner, including Howard Wuelfing, <a href="/facts/Don_Fleming_(musician)/9AvQ514n">Don Fleming</a> and Jay Spiegel both from the band <a href="/facts/Velvet_Monkeys/9AvQ514n">Velvet Monkeys</a>, and <a href="/facts/Shockabilly/1bJhk79r">Shockabilly</a> bass player and <a href="/facts/Shimmy_Disc/Iu5DrNMb">Shimmy Disc</a> impresario <a href="/facts/Kramer_(musician)/cHCJfmUo">Mark Kramer</a> among others. Jad is the only member who has been with Half Japanese from the beginning.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> David temporarily left the band in 1987 in order to take care of his family, and since then has been involved with the band sporadically.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p><p>The next line-up of Half Japanese came together in the late 1980s, proving to be a long-lasting and stable unit recording several albums and touring frequently throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. This incarnation featured guitarist/multi-instrumentalist John Sluggett (also a longtime member of <a href="/facts/Moe_Tucker/HCqGB31o">Moe Tucker</a>'s band), multi-instrumentalist <a href="/facts/Jason_Willett/xTnPg1fw">Jason Willett</a>, Mick Hobbs, and drummer Gilles Reider. Since then, the group has worked with Moe Tucker from <a href="/facts/The_Velvet_Underground/nVPGe1n1">The Velvet Underground</a>, who produced and performed on <i><a href="/facts/Fire_in_the_Sky_(album)/wbtpjp0l">Fire in the Sky</a></i> (1992), as well as <i><a href="/facts/The_Band_That_Would_Be_King/4Y5Ct2aa">The Band That Would Be King</a></i> (1989), and with <a href="/facts/Fred_Frith/aqRexN8a">Fred Frith</a>, and <a href="/facts/John_Zorn/RstUDpzL">John Zorn</a>, among others.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p><p>In 1993, the band was brought to greater exposure when they opened for <a href="/facts/Nirvana_(band)/LB38lBz8">Nirvana</a>'s 1993 <i><a href="/facts/In_Utero_(album)/wFA09mGc">In Utero</a></i> tour on dates in the US East Coast.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> <a href="/facts/Kurt_Cobain/42tKF9h1">Kurt Cobain</a> would later wear a Half Japanese T-shirt when he died.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> The band's history and influence are chronicled in the 1993 documentary <i>Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King</i> by <a href="/facts/Jeff_Feuerzeig/qesbphd6">Jeff Feuerzeig</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> In 1997, the band signed with the <a href="/facts/Alternative_Tentacles/KhIBugaD">Alternative Tentacles</a> label and released the album <i><a href="/facts/Bone_Head/LURtU5eS">Bone Head</a></i>. The same year, they self-released the album <i><a href="/facts/Heaven_Sent_(Half_Japanese_album)/w2v81R6R">Heaven Sent</a></i> on the label of drummer Gilles-Vincent Reider.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> In 2001, they released their second album on Alternative Tentacles, <i><a href="/facts/Hello_(Half_Japanese_album)/qMbUnIUJ">Hello</a></i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p><p>The band was chosen by <a href="/facts/Jeff_Mangum/b3qwIdUD">Jeff Mangum</a> of <a href="/facts/Neutral_Milk_Hotel/CLVebgML">Neutral Milk Hotel</a> to perform at the <a href="/facts/All_Tomorrow%2527s_Parties_(music_festival)/44RFImww">All Tomorrow's Parties</a> festival that he curated in March 2012 in <a href="/facts/Minehead/TUI5vDn6">Minehead</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> In September 2014, the band released the album <i><a href="/facts/Overjoyed_(Half_Japanese_album)/skv668ry">Overjoyed</a></i> on <a href="/facts/Joyful_Noise_Recordings/6VsAKdsw">Joyful Noise Recordings</a>, their first in 13 years,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> which was followed by the limited edition <i>Bingo Ringo</i> EP the following year.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a> The band subsequently moved to <a href="/facts/Fire_Records_(UK)/IMrTfyPx">Fire Records</a> released the albums <i>Hear the Lions Roar</i> in 2017, <i>Why Not?</i> in 2018, <i> Invincible</i> in 2019 and <i>Crazy Hearts</i> in 2020.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a> In 2021, <i>I Guess I'm Living: The Charmed Life Tapes</i>, an alternate recording of their 1988 album <i>Charmed Life</i> containing previously unreleased material was released exclusively on <a href="/facts/Record_Store_Day/vonqVtCD">Record Store Day</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a> July 2023 saw their twentieth studio album, <i> Jump into Love</i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a> </p><p>Mick Hobbs died on January 3, 2025, at the age of 69.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="discography">Discography</h2> <h3>Studio albums</h3> <ul><li><i><a href="/facts/Half_Gentlemen%2fNot_Beasts/HrCkJlbz">Half Gentlemen/Not Beasts</a></i> (Armageddon, 1980)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Loud_(Half_Japanese_album)/rFqKj5Tw">Loud</a></i> (Armageddon, 1981)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Our_Solar_System_(album)/uPrrQf3N">Our Solar System</a></i> (Iridescence, 1984)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Sing_No_Evil/UJksHX07">Sing No Evil</a></i> (Iridescence, 1985)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Music_To_Strip_By/p4Y7E8gf">Music To Strip By</a></i> (<a href="/facts/50_Skidillion_Watts/URQBcAyu">50 Skidillion Watts</a>, 1987)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Charmed_Life_(Half_Japanese_album)/7tez2ejY">Charmed Life</a></i> (50 Skidillion Watts, 1988)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/The_Band_That_Would_Be_King/4Y5Ct2aa">The Band That Would Be King</a></i> (50 Skidillion Watts, 1989)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/We_Are_They_Who_Ache_with_Amorous_Love/ErTBef96">We Are They Who Ache with Amorous Love</a></i> (TEC Tones, 1990)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Fire_In_The_Sky_(Half_Japanese_album)/wbtpjp0l">Fire In The Sky</a></i> (<a href="/facts/Paperhouse_Records/dHITgc4h">Paperhouse</a>, 1992)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Hot_(Half_Japanese_album)/1A0WLdrm">Hot</a></i> (Safe House, 1995)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Bone_Head/LURtU5eS">Bone Head</a></i> (Alternative Tentacles, 1997)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Heaven_Sent_(Half_Japanese_album)/w2v81R6R">Heaven Sent</a></i> (<a href="/facts/Emperor_Jones/UMBLmqeJ">Emperor Jones</a>, 1997)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Hello_(Half_Japanese_album)/qMbUnIUJ">Hello</a></i> (<a href="/facts/Alternative_Tentacles/KhIBugaD">Alternative Tentacles</a>, 2001)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Overjoyed_(Half_Japanese_album)/skv668ry">Overjoyed</a></i> (<a href="/facts/Joyful_Noise_Recordings/6VsAKdsw">Joyful Noise</a>, 2014)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Perfect_(Half_Japanese_album)/pX5XCpfy">Perfect</a></i> (Joyful Noise, 2016)</li> <li><i>Hear the Lions Roar</i> (<a href="/facts/Fire_Records_(UK)/IMrTfyPx">Fire Records</a>, 2017)</li> <li><i>Why Not?</i> (Fire Records, 2018)</li> <li><i>Invincible</i> (Fire Records, 2019)</li> <li><i>Crazy Hearts</i> (Fire Records, 2020)</li> <li><i>I Guess I'm Living: The Charmed Life Tapes</i> (Fire Records, 2021)</li> <li><i>Jump into Love</i> (Fire Records, 2023)</li></ul> <h3>Live albums</h3> <ul><li><i>Half Alive</i> (Cassette - live at DC Space and the Red Door, Baltimore<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23"><sup>23</sup></a> - 50 Skidillion Watts, 1977)</li> <li><i>50 Skidillion Watts Live</i> (<a href="/facts/Calypso_Now/0fCLXAEE">Calypso Now</a>, 1984)</li> <li><i>Boo: Live in Europe 1992</i> (TEC Tones, 1994)</li></ul> <h3>Compilation albums</h3> <ul><li><i>Best Of Half Japanese</i> (Timebomb Japan, 1993)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Greatest_Hits_(Half_Japanese_album)/2pbB4TVW">Greatest Hits</a></i> 2 CDs / 3 LPs (Safe House, 1995)</li> <li><i>Best Of Half Japanese Vol. 2</i> (Timebomb Japan, 1995)</li></ul> <h3>EPs</h3> <ul><li>"Calling All Girls" (50 Skidillion Watts, 1977)</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Horrible_(Half_Japanese_EP)/9Poqm2F9">Horrible</a></i> (Press, 1982)</li> <li><i>Real Cool Time/What Can I Do/Monopoly EP</i> (Overzealous Editions, 1989)</li> <li><i>Everybody Knows, Twang 1 EP</i> (Seminal Twang, 1991)</li> <li><i>4 Four Kids EP</i> (Ralph, 1991)</li> <li><i>Postcard EP</i> (Earl, 1991)</li> <li><i>Eye of the Hurricane/Said and Done/U.S. Teens are Spoiled Bums/Daytona Beach EP</i> (1991)</li></ul> <h3>Singles</h3> <ul><li>"No Direct Line from my Brain to My Heart"/"(I Don't Want to Have) Mono (No More)" 7" (50 Skidillion Watts, 1978)</li> <li>"Spy" (Armageddon, 1981)</li> <li>"How Will I Know" (Press, 1982)</li> <li>"U.S. Teens Are Spoiled Bums" (50 Skidillion Watts, 1988)</li> <li>"T For Texas"/"Go Go Go Go" (X.X.O.O. Fan Club, 1990)</li></ul> <h3>Film/video</h3> <ul><li><i>Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King</i> (<a href="/facts/Jeff_Feuerzeig/qesbphd6">Jeff Feuerzeig</a>, Washington Square Films, 1993)</li></ul> <h3>Books</h3> <ul><li><i>All the Doctors in Hot Springs</i>, December 2012<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24"><sup>24</sup></a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060528024302/http://halfjapanese.co.uk/">The Half Japanese Fan Site</a></li> <li><a href="http://trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=half_japanese">Half Japanese entry at the Trouser Press website</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225822/http://www.alternativetentacles.com/bandinfo.php?band=halfjapanese">Half Japanese band page at Alternative Tentacles label website</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140727225443/http://www.jadfair.org/">Jad Fair's official website</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.trilogyrock.com/podcast/232-entrevista-jad-fairhalf-japanese.php">Interview to Jad Fair</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107071/"><i>Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King</i></a></li> <li><a href="https://Archive.org/details/shakemore-festival-maryland/">The Shakemore Festival image collection at the Internet Archive featuring Half Japanese & friends</a></li></ul> <h3>Listening</h3> <ul><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20051125001454/http://www.epitonic.com/artists/halfjapanese.html#/artists/half-japanese/">Epitonic.com: Half Japanese</a> featuring tracks from "Hello"</li> <li><a href="http://www.myspace.com/halfjapanesefanpage">Myspace page</a> featuring tracks from various albums</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Half Japanese". Fire Records. n.d. <a href="https://www.firerecords.com/artists/half-japanese/" target="_blank">https://www.firerecords.com/artists/half-japanese/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Kitching, Sean (March 22, 2023). "Love Songs And Monster Songs: Jad Fair's Favourite Albums". The Quietus. <a href="https://thequietus.com/interviews/bakers-dozen/jad-fair-half-japanese-bakers-dozen/" target="_blank">https://thequietus.com/interviews/bakers-dozen/jad-fair-half-japanese-bakers-dozen/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Huey, Stevey. "Half Japanese Biography". AllMusic. <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/half-japanese-mn0000555654" target="_blank">https://www.allmusic.com/artist/half-japanese-mn0000555654</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 232. ISBN 1-85227-969-9. <a href="1-85227-969-9" target="_blank">1-85227-969-9</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 232. ISBN 1-85227-969-9. <a href="1-85227-969-9" target="_blank">1-85227-969-9</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Huey, Stevey. "Half Japanese Biography". AllMusic. <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/half-japanese-mn0000555654" target="_blank">https://www.allmusic.com/artist/half-japanese-mn0000555654</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 232. ISBN 1-85227-969-9. <a href="1-85227-969-9" target="_blank">1-85227-969-9</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Huey, Stevey. "Half Japanese Biography". AllMusic. <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/half-japanese-mn0000555654" target="_blank">https://www.allmusic.com/artist/half-japanese-mn0000555654</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Follow-Up Report". Seattle Police Department. April 8, 1994. Retrieved April 5, 2013. <a href="http://www.thesmokinggun.com/file/cops-find-cobains-body?page=3" target="_blank">http://www.thesmokinggun.com/file/cops-find-cobains-body?page=3</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 232. ISBN 1-85227-969-9. <a href="1-85227-969-9" target="_blank">1-85227-969-9</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 232. ISBN 1-85227-969-9. <a href="1-85227-969-9" target="_blank">1-85227-969-9</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Huey, Stevey. "Half Japanese Biography". AllMusic. <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/half-japanese-mn0000555654" target="_blank">https://www.allmusic.com/artist/half-japanese-mn0000555654</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Huey, Stevey. "Half Japanese Biography". AllMusic. <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/half-japanese-mn0000555654" target="_blank">https://www.allmusic.com/artist/half-japanese-mn0000555654</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>"ATP curated by Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) - All Tomorrow's Parties". Atpfestival.com. Retrieved September 16, 2014. <a href="http://www.atpfestival.com/events/jeffmangum.php" target="_blank">http://www.atpfestival.com/events/jeffmangum.php</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Heller, Jason (September 2, 2014). "Half Japanese: Overjoyed Album Review". Pitchfork. <a href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19653-overjoyed/" target="_blank">https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19653-overjoyed/</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Sesar, Misha (July 30, 2015). "Stream Half Japanese's Surprise, Six-Sided Bingo Ringo EP". Stereogum. <a href="https://www.stereogum.com/1820266/stream-half-japaneses-surprise-six-sided-bingo-ringo-ep/news/" target="_blank">https://www.stereogum.com/1820266/stream-half-japaneses-surprise-six-sided-bingo-ringo-ep/news/</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>Gabos, Ryan (January 28, 2018). "Half Japanese - Why Not? (Fire Records)". The Big Takeover. <a href="https://bigtakeover.com/recordings/half-japanese-why-not-fire-records" target="_blank">https://bigtakeover.com/recordings/half-japanese-why-not-fire-records</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>Huey, Stevey. "Half Japanese Biography". AllMusic. <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/half-japanese-mn0000555654" target="_blank">https://www.allmusic.com/artist/half-japanese-mn0000555654</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>"Half Japanese - I Guess I'm Living: The Charmed Life Tapes". Fire Records. <a href="https://www.firerecords.com/product/half-japanese-i-guess-im-living-the-charmed-life-tapes/" target="_blank">https://www.firerecords.com/product/half-japanese-i-guess-im-living-the-charmed-life-tapes/</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>Trendell, Andrew (April 7, 2021). "Here's the full list of Record Store Day 2021 releases". NME. <a href="https://www.nme.com/news/music/record-store-day-2021-releases-vinyl-full-list-2915780" target="_blank">https://www.nme.com/news/music/record-store-day-2021-releases-vinyl-full-list-2915780</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>Kitching, Sean (July 18, 2023). "Half Japanese - Jump Into Love". The Quietus. <a href="https://thequietus.com/quietus-reviews/half-japanese-jump-into-love-review/" target="_blank">https://thequietus.com/quietus-reviews/half-japanese-jump-into-love-review/</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>"My dear friend Mick Hobbs has effed off of this mortal coil early this morning, aged 69. I feel this loss profoundly". Benb Gallaher on Facebook. January 3, 2025. Retrieved April 21, 2025. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/excusemebenb/posts/pfbid02h9r5owdkrEARbY7Ai42mHmDpKU3AbDcgec7QZ9pYX5QSefnupSWMhtHtyhvdcGMFl" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/excusemebenb/posts/pfbid02h9r5owdkrEARbY7Ai42mHmDpKU3AbDcgec7QZ9pYX5QSefnupSWMhtHtyhvdcGMFl</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:23"><p>[1] [dead link] <a href="http://sanantokyo.com/xmouse/hj/subhj.html" target="_blank">http://sanantokyo.com/xmouse/hj/subhj.html</a> <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:24"><p>"Half Japanese had so much fun in Hot Springs, they published a book about it - Rock Candy - Arkansas news, politics, opinion, restaurants, music, movies and art". Arkansas Times. December 18, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2014. <a href="http://www.arktimes.com/RockCandy/archives/2012/12/18/half-japanese-had-so-much-fun-in-hot-springs-they-published-a-book-about-it" target="_blank">http://www.arktimes.com/RockCandy/archives/2012/12/18/half-japanese-had-so-much-fun-in-hot-springs-they-published-a-book-about-it</a> <a href="#fnref:24" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>