マンホールの蓋

I truly can't conceive of a world without 99% Invisible. So much of what passes for knowledge held within the confines of my brain has been uploaded to it from this peerless podcast. Take the episode I heard earlier today: who knew that Japanese manhole covers were works of art in their own right? If you have a spare thirty minutes then let Roman Mars tell you how he first discovered them.

These circular steel covers that keep us separated from the effluent below are all majestic installations that would not be out of place in major galleries the world over. Indeed, if anyone reading this has visited the Land of the Rising Sun and has examples on their photo roll please feel free to share them. 

Just when I think I'm winning

I'm digging deep into the Japan back catalogue at the moment; I first latched onto them when thy were very loud, very louche and, yes, very glam. Hailing from Catford in south London they quickly jettisoned their guitar heavy sound and the glam tag that came with it. Growing up in double quick time they soon transmogrified into one of the UK's most original electronic bands. Always innovative, always great to look at, they could have been massive. But they were never destined to grow old (quite literally In Mick Karn's case*) - blink and you miss 'em. Androgynous front man (well, they all were really) David Sylvian pulled the plug not long after Ghosts became a top 5 hit. This etherial masterpiece could have been the beginning of something special but they didn't stick around long enough to find out.

This single used to wrong-foot me then; forty years later it still wrong-foots me. I can't think of any other record that sounds remotely like it. 

Japan - Ghosts (1982)

* I must mention that their heroic bass player doesn't feature on Ghosts. To make up for this travesty here are some of Mick Karn's best bass bits. God love him.

Mick Karn (1958-2011)