Bombsite Fanzine 1977; Big In Japan

Eric's Liverpool, Saturday August 27th 1977.
The "Big in Japan", Generation X gig night resulted in a negative write up in Bombsite issue 2 that possibly led to a "Big in Japan" split. Prior to this event the Clash, The Buzzcocks and the Damned had energized Eric's regulars and they wanted to see more three chord energetic punk bands.
In the US art band Devo had released their first EP on Stiff Records and included songs later to be released on their debut LP.
Big in Japan were the Eric's house band made up of eclectic regulars from Liverpool art school, left overs from the Deaf School Tangerene Dream era. Jane Casey donned a lampshade and her voice shrilled like a broken violin. Later the band members would experiment with sounds, style, imagery and progress to other local groups.

Big in Japan Members included the following
* Budgie - The Spitfire Boys, The Slits and then Siouxsie & the Banshees
* Ian Broudie - The Original Mirrors, Care, The Lightning Seeds and producer
* Bill Drummond - Lori & the Chameleons, the Zoo record label, and The KLF
* David Balfe - Lori & the Chameleons, and The Teardrop Explodes and Food records
* Jayne Casey - Pink Military and Pink Industry and the Liverpool club and art scenes
* Holly Johnson - later of Frankie Goes to Hollywood and solo artist
* Kev Ward and Phil Allen - no further musical activity

There was no social political angst with this band talent would move through it became a rest stop. The fanzine write up describes how disinterested the audience were. The band existed because Roger Eagle liked the members and would give them great support slots like this one with Generation X. Johna remembers a Big in Japan gig at the Royal Standard in Bradford where the band were thrown out and chased down the street.

Check out this 1977 classic video of Generation X

After the fanzine review Jayne shrilled at us about the negative write up. But local support was failing and members pulled out of the band. talented member of Big in Japan was Holly Johnson, he would see popularity along with Paul Rutherford from the Spitfire Boys, in Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

Below; Interesting Holly Johnson video

Julian Cope started a petition at local Probe Records that would gather more momentum as many more Eric's regulars signed up to encourage the band to split. Big in Japan tried to laugh it off by signing the petition themselves, but the band model was broke and they needed to move on.