Japanese Pressing picture sleeve 7"s 45's ep's. (nerd)

I bought a 45 of the Monkees' "Valleri" at the flea market in Harajuku, Tokyo, and the picture sleeve folds out to a 1968 calendar:

 

I would frame those and hang on my wall.

 

At the same flea market visit, I found a 45 of the Ventures performing two recent (1965) Japanese hits by Yuzo Kayama (whose image is inset in the top right corner):



I also found the 45 by Yuzo Kayama with the original versions:



Note that Kayama is playing a Mosrite Ventures Model guitar, which was gifted to him by the Ventures when they toured Japan together.

 

nice one AC, yep, those three are all handy $1 records and can be found in pretty much every record store in Japan

 

faves

 

A big job is right. The WGFA & Summertime Blues sleeves are the two easiest Japan Who 7” picture sleeves to find and are the least expensive. After that, they start getting more & more expensive & harder and harder to find, especially when you start on their 60’s sleeves. It’s lots of fun hunting them down, though! Good luck!

 

Zwolo, that first one is rare as hell. The other 3 are generally in most stores in the $2 boxes.

 

today's entry; the almighty WAR.

Slippin into darkness b/w
Nappy Head

Year: 1971
rough value: $? none on discogs and oddly very little demand.
rarity: never seen it. unusual for a Japanese band to get a j-pressing with their first ever release. Japan were onto this band early. Good eye.











All day Music
Get down

Year: 1971
rough value: $? none on discogs and oddly ZERO demand.
rarity: utterly unsighted. I would cream my daks if I saw this in the wild. Not huge on the song but instant framing for that cover.​

The world is a ghetto b/w

Four cornered room

Year: 1972
rough value: $30
rarity: rare as hell​

Cisco Kid b/w

Beetles in the bog

Year: 1972
rough value: $5
rarity: easy find, 2 GREAT tracks​

Cisco Kid b/w

Beetles in the bog

Year: 1972?
rough value: $10
rarity: fairly easy find​

 

Me and baby brother b/w​

In your eyes

Year: 1973
rough value: $7
rarity: easy find​

Ballero b/w​

Slippin into darkness

Year: 1973
rough value: $10
rarity: fairly easy find. ​

Gypsy man b/w​

Deliver the word​

Year: 1973
rough value: $7
rarity: easy enough score​

Low rider b/w​

So

Year: 1975
rough value: $30
rarity: utterly unsighted. the best recorded song I have ever heard​

Why can't we be friends b/w​

mazatlan

Year: 1975
rough value: $20
rarity: bit of a tough find. personally, cannot STAND this song. Terrible song, terrible cover. Let's move on.​

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Summer b/w
all day music

Year: 1976
rough value: $10
rarity: wow, I have never seen this. zero demand on discogs for it​

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Galaxy Pt I b/w
Galaxy Pt II

Year: 1977
rough value: $5
rarity: easy find​

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The Seven Tin Soldiers b/w
baby face

Year: 1977
rough value: $6
rarity: easy find. ​

Hey Senorita b/w
Sweet fighting lady

Year: 1978
rough value: $15
rarity: unsighted and that's no great loss​

Good good feelin
b/w
baby face

Year: 1979
rough value: $8
rarity: easy enough find. ​

 

The music band 2 b/w​

don't take it away

Year: 1979
rough value: $10
rarity: easy enough find. ​

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You got the power b/w​

cinco de mayo

Year: 1982
rough value: $4
rarity: easy find. ​

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Just because b/w​

Outlaw

Year: 1982
rough value: $10
rarity: easy enough find but do you really want it? the b-side is a cool track but.... this was pretty much the creative end for this band

would love to see the scum stats on War's j-pressings, I'm guessing an absolute boatload were pressed​

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Got curious about Gary Numan.



Are 'Friends' Electric?
b/w We Are So Fragile

Year: 1979
rough value: $10
rarity: What the hell? Only $10 on discogs? I've never even seen this one. If I stumbled across this 7" in a record store my pubes would probably turn to ice.










Cars
b/w Asylum

Year: 1979
rough value: $10
rarity: easy enough find











Complex
b/w Me, I Disconnect From You (Live Version)
Bombers (Live Version) totally worth it for this

Year: 1980
rough value: $10
rarity: not super rare but yes super rad












I Die : You Die
b/w Down In The Park (Piano Version)

Year: 1980
rough value: $15. These awesome 7"s are kind of affordably priced for the OCD completist freaks among you
rarity: easy enough find












We Are Glass
b/w Trois Gymnopedies (First Movement)

Year: 1980
rough value: $10
rarity: easy find, everywhere.

 

This Wreckage
b/w Photograph

Year: 1981
rough value: $30
rarity: doesnt seem super rare, that $30 seems steep











She's Got Claws
b/w I Sing Rain

Year: 1981
rough value: $25
rarity: rare as hell but God knows why anyone wound want it.

And that was that. 1981 and done. Did Japan Inc wisely decide they weren't going to press issues of Gazza's subsequent excruciating fedora'd foray into crappy dance music? I think they goddamn did you know.

 

I have some stuff at www.artofthesingle.com. No search function yet and it’s very basic but I think I did a good job on the 45s and cd singles. More to be added after I recover from COVID.

 

The Stranglers.

Their western pressed 7"s are so easy to find on the cheap BUT their Japanese issues are another story altogether. Rare as hellllllllll.



Sometimes
b/w Go Buddy Go

Year: 1977
rough value: $40
rarity: Unsighted. I would probably have an asthma attack in my trousers if I saw this goddamn thing in a record store.









No More Heroes
b/w In The Shadows

Year: 1977
rough value: $20
rarity: think I've spotted this one a couple of times.











Something Better Change
b/w Straighten Out

Year: 1978
rough value: $40
rarity: OMFG. Just look at this thing. I would have a baby in my brain if I saw this thing in a record store. I would probably start crying and the poor store vendor would have to tenderly escort me from the premises.









Year: 1978
rough value: $50
rarity: Never seen. I would legitimately cream my daks if I stumbled across this in a record store.










Walk On By
b/w Old Codger
Tank

Year: 1978
rough value: $45
rarity: have spotted a couple of times.

 

5 Minutes
b/w Death And Night And Blood (Yukio)
Outside Tokyo

Year: 1979
rough value: $40
rarity: Unsighted. Unicornus Maximus.










Duchess
b/w Fools Rush Out

Year: 1979
rough value: $18
rarity: have seen this one.





Gap of 4 years and Japan passed on releasing any Stranglers singles from 1979 to 1983? Interesting to me that the Japan label bigwigs seemed to have a sixth sense about when to cut bait on j-pressings, they seemed to judge it perfectly when a band had flamed out creatively. Which doesnt quite explain the last one...



European Female
b/w Savage Breast

Year: 1983
rough value: $80
rarity: Guessing the supply and demand explains why this fairly tepid outing is an $80 single. One of those 7"s a store vendor might unwittingly put in the cheapies bin thinking (rightfully) it wasn't the bands best outing...

And that was that for The Stranglers.

 

I became curious about the footprint in Japan of that ultimate Cool Guy band The Stooges.



Down On The Street b/w
I Feel Alright

Year: 1970
rough value: $2,000
rarity: If you find this record in a store you should immediately vacate your bowels. This is a $2000 dollar record.







Raw Power b/w
Search And Destroy

Year: 1973
rough value: $1,000. This is a $1,000 dollar record. Is there anything left in your bowels? Not anymore there's not.
rarity: You could live in Japan for 1,000 years and you will still never see this record.

And that was it for the Stooges in Japan. Fittingly, a hailstorm that quickly passed through town, devastingly everything, leaving the pretenders to pick up the pieces in the ensuing years.

 

I became curious about the footprint in Japan left by Sly & The Family Stone.



Everyday People b/w
Sing a simple song

Year: 1968
rough value: $40
rarity: hen's teeth












Hot fun in the summertime b/w
Fun

Year: 1969
rough value: $? Unsold and oddly unwanted on the discogs. Could be the songs, could be the poxy cover
rarity: Unicornus Maximus













Everyday is a star b/w
Thank you

Year: 1969
rough value: $40
rarity: think I used to have this













Stand b/w
I want to take you higher

Year: 1970
rough value: $25
rarity: never seen this wee bad boy

















I want to take you higher b/w
Stand

Year: 1970
rough value: $? unsold
rarity: hold me mama

 

Family Affair b/w
Luv n haight

Year: 1971
rough value: $40
rarity: boom chucka lucka

















Dance To The Music
Life
Stand!
Everyday People

Year: 1971
rough value: $55
rarity: this bands records are NEVER in the cutout bin


















(You Caught Me) Smilin'
b/w Luv 'N' Haight

Year: 1971
rough value: $?
rarity: unsighted but not much demand for this one, not their greatest tracks

















Runnin Away b/w
Brave and Strong

Year: 1972
rough value: $30
rarity: a tough find but it is out there in the wild

 

If you want me to stay b/w
Thankful n thoughtful

Year: 1973
rough value: $50
rarity: WFT














Time for livin b/w
Small talk

Year: 1974
rough value: $50
rarity: not much in demand and have seen a few around for way under $50
















I Want To Take You Higher b/w
Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin

Year: 1973
rough value: have seen a few around for $10 or so but
rarity: unsold on discogs and oddly virtually no demand

... and that was that for Sly & band in Japan.

What a band.

WHAT A BAND!

 

I only have a handful of Japanese 7" records. I can see how these could become one of my next obsessions. I hope you don't mind that I share them here.


Bloodrock - D.O.A.


Paul McCartney & Wings - Jet


John Lennon - Stand By Me / Move Over Ms. L


Frankie Laine, Marty Robbins - Gunfight At The O.K. Corral / A White Sport Coat

And finally, not truly Japanese, but a reasonable facsimile:

ヴァン・ヘイレン - The Japanese Singles: 1978-1984

Thanks for letting me play!