The Plastics

Chica Sato--vocal
Toshio Nakanishi--vocal, guitar & percussion
Hajime Tachibana--guitar & vocal
Masahide Sakuma--keyboards, guitar & bass programming
Takemi Shima--rhythm box

	Copy/Robot (45) -- (6:50) -- (1979) -- Rough Trade -- RT 030 Copy Robot
The first PLASTICS release features different versions of the songs, both slightly longer, and using a popular spelling-machine toy. In the intro of ‘Copy’ it spells out C-O-P-Y. In the break of ‘Robot’ it spells out U-R-O-B-O-T and I-P-L-A-S-T-I-C. The break in ‘Copy’ is four measures long, and Chika screams on the third beat of the first three. ‘Robot’ ends with a slowdown, not used in the Welcome Plastics version, but reinstated in all other versions. The back cover has a similar drawing of the band, with their hands on their cheeks in shock and disbelief, though one Plastic seems pleased.

	Forever Plastico -- (62:05) -- (1980) -- Victor Musical Industries, Inc., Tokyo, Japan -- VDR-28049
	Top Secret Man Digital Watch Copy I Am Plastic I Wanna Be Plastic Can I Help Me Too Much Information Welcome Plastics I Love You Oh No! Robot Delicious	Last Train To Clarksville Deluxe Complex Ignore No Good Good Peace Park/Eight Days A Week Desolate
An hour of PLASTICS! Released in ‘88, it includes Welcome Plastics (the first LP) and six songs from Origato Plastico (the second LP). THE PLASTICS were often compared to THE B-52’s. The upbeat music and quirky presentation were similar, but in many ways THE PLASTICS had a darker view of humanity. Smiling, and using its latest machines, they invented a wonderful pop-music which remains an impressive and original statement. In English, they critiqued society, experimented with new sounds, and had so much fun, that no one took offense. Here, in the U.S., most didn’t even notice.

	Origato Plastico -- (37:12) -- (1980) -- Victor Musical Industries, Inc., Tokyo, Japan -- VICL-2014 Ignore Diamond Head No Good Good Back To Wigtown Cards Peace Dance In The Metal Interior Park Desolate
Released on CD in ‘90, their second LP shows noticeable maturity and growth. It’s still quirky and fun, but some songs, including ‘Interior’ and ‘Dance In The Metal’, only appear here, and are the strangest PLASTICS tracks released. Toshi and Chica continue doing a great job sharing the vocals. In ‘Diamond Head’ Toshi’s singing about social and artistic movements, and Chica responds, “Fuck off, baby. Don’t be serious. Someday I’ll call your name, Mr. Diamond Head.” New instruments and approaches enlarged the soundscapes, and Hajime’s music always wore the biggest smile.

	Welcome Back -- (32:49) -- (1981)-- Victor Musical Industries, Inc., Tokyo, Japan -- VICL-2050 (U.S. release as Plastics) Delicious Diamond Head Peace Ignore Cards Top Secret Man Copy Good Park Robot
No, this is not a collection. These songs were re-recorded for U.S. release, (also released in Japan). I love the original versions, but believe every song was improved here. There’s a cleaner, fuller sound, and the vocals are more intense. This is a refined presentation of THE PLASTICS, and a great introduction to the band. They spent a lot of time in New York, and made a sincere attempt to break into the U.S. market. Why they weren’t able to, I don’t know. Their sound was probably just too unique, but their music inspired a lot of the more interesting Japanese bands that are playing today!

	All Across The U.S.A. 80 Live -- (77:02) -- (1980) -- Victor Entertainment, Inc., Tokyo, Japan --VICL-60157
	Am Plastic Digital Watch Copy Delicious Park/Eight Days A Week Deluxeing 1/Good Deluxeing 2/Deluxe Diamond Head Ignore Peace Robot	Desolate Top Secret Man Cards Last Train To Clarksville Back To Wigtown Can I Help Me?
Yeah, but how were they live? Released seventeen years after the fact, here’s the answer! lncluded are all the songs from the U.S. release, and six others. (‘Park’ includes a line from ‘Eight Days A Week’.) They have trouble starting up ‘Deluxe’ and included the flubs. It’s presented as a full PLASTICS concert recorded at New York’s Club 57 (Irving Plaza), plus two songs recorded live elsewhere. Its initial release included a five minute video of ‘Top Secret Man’ and clips of the band on tour. Live their sound isn’t as clean, but it is energetic, and the crowd is obviously enjoying themselves!

	Origato25 -- (85:22) -- (2005) -- Victor Entertainment, Inc. -- VICL61710~11
	Disc One I Am Plastic Copy Copy Robot Delicious Digital Watch Park/Eight Days A Week Good Peace Cards Deluxe	Complex Dance In The Metal Back To Wigtown Last Train To Clarksville Can I Help Me? Desolate I Love You Oh No! Top Secret Man Top Secret Man Welcome Plastics	Disc Two Copy Robot Relax Confession
Here’s another celebration of THE PLASTICS. The mixes are a bit cleaner. There are three versions of ‘Copy’, two versions of ‘Robot’ and ‘Top Secret Man’. Six PLASTICS songs are not included here. I especially miss ‘Diamond Head’! Buying copies of the first two records will give you all the original PLASTICS songs. Welcome Back was their best songs rerecorded. Later a live CD was released. Then came this collection compiled from all those recordings with two new songs which, honestly, are not necessary. You may not need this collection, but it’s great to hear THE PLASTICS’ music again.

---V.A. TRIBUTE---

Plastics Children -- (45:28) -- (1999) -- Epic Records -- ESCB-1979 Diamond Head--The Spoozys Top Secret Man--Yukihiro Fukutomi Robot--Yoshinori Sunahara Cards--Buffalo Daughter I Am Plastic--Hajime Tachibana & Low Powers Cards--Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra Welcome Plastics--Fantastic Plastic Machine Good--Pizzicato Five Delicious--Motocompo Desolate--Tosh ‘Posh’ Skylab

Yep, that’s the cover, and that’s Hajime(5) and Toshi(10). This is my favorite tribute CD. Why? The material is excellent, and the various approaches all achieving good results, proves it. The artists really stay true to THE PLASTICS’ spirit. Complaints? Hajime walks through ‘I Am Plastic’; and FANTASTIC PLASTIC MACHINE mix the vocals way down--both are very un-PLASTICS like approaches. That’s it. There are too many highlights to even begin to mention. It’s great to see these artists paying tribute to a band that I’ll bet influenced them all in some way. If you like THE PLASTICS, I know you’ll like this!

---Post-PLASTICS---

Hajime Tachibana released several jazz/pop solo releases, early on playing more saxophone than guitar. He got involved in many projects with the individual members of YMO (YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA), and most recently has been recording as HAJIME TACHIBANA & THE LOW POWERS. Yumiko Ohno (of BUFFALO DAUGHTER) was an early LOW POWER, He’s also continued his design work and created several new fonts.

--Linkage--

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