Biography
Formed in 1976, the Plastics assembled guitarist and vocalist Toshio Nakanishi, vocalist Chica Sato, guitarist Hajime Tachibana, keyboardist Masahide Sakuma, and programmer Takemi Shima into the definitive Tokyo new wave act. Their sound fused an eccentric, off-kilter approach with incisive lyrics that mocked postmodern consumerism, prompting ongoing parallels to American peers Devo and the B-52's.
The group began as a party outfit whose aesthetic drew from glam rock's celebration of surface gloss and disposable pop culture, alongside the critical stance of the rising punk and new wave movements; Kraftwerk's electronic blueprint supplied the remaining element that defined their style. Although fellow Japanese new wave acts such as P-Model and Hikashu pursued greater sonic experimentation, the Plastics' roots in fashion and design—Nakanishi worked as an illustrator, Sato as a stylist, and Tachibana as a graphic designer—supplied a sharper conceptual focus. That visual sensibility, together with their lean arrangements and English-language vocals, distinguished them and opened an overseas opportunity when Nakanishi was hired to create the booklet for Talking Heads' tour program and handed David Byrne a Plastics cassette. The B-52's manager soon signed them, leading to tours after the 1979 release of the debut single "Copy/Robot" on Britain's Rough Trade imprint and the full-length Welcome Plastics on Victor Music.
The album climbed to number 22 on the Japanese charts and was promptly succeeded by Origato Plastico, which achieved comparable domestic results before the band carried its momentum to the United States for well-received shows. The success proved fleeting; the group disbanded at the close of 1981 after Nakanishi's wish to advance as a musician clashed with Sakuma's insistence on an "amateur band" ethos. In the aftermath, Nakanishi and Sato launched Melon, Tachibana issued solo material as Low Powers, and Sakuma established himself as a producer while forming the multinational supergroups NiNa, which also featured Shima, and the d.e.p.
Though the Plastics operated only briefly, their impact proved lasting, helping shift mainstream Japanese music away from the string- and brass-dominated kayoukyoku sound that prevailed through the 1960s and 1970s toward the electronic-driven J-pop that later dominated the charts. Alternative artists continue to cite them, numerous new wave and techno-pop outfits have paid homage, and groups such as Polysics have modeled their entire image on the Plastics and their contemporaries.
The group began as a party outfit whose aesthetic drew from glam rock's celebration of surface gloss and disposable pop culture, alongside the critical stance of the rising punk and new wave movements; Kraftwerk's electronic blueprint supplied the remaining element that defined their style. Although fellow Japanese new wave acts such as P-Model and Hikashu pursued greater sonic experimentation, the Plastics' roots in fashion and design—Nakanishi worked as an illustrator, Sato as a stylist, and Tachibana as a graphic designer—supplied a sharper conceptual focus. That visual sensibility, together with their lean arrangements and English-language vocals, distinguished them and opened an overseas opportunity when Nakanishi was hired to create the booklet for Talking Heads' tour program and handed David Byrne a Plastics cassette. The B-52's manager soon signed them, leading to tours after the 1979 release of the debut single "Copy/Robot" on Britain's Rough Trade imprint and the full-length Welcome Plastics on Victor Music.
The album climbed to number 22 on the Japanese charts and was promptly succeeded by Origato Plastico, which achieved comparable domestic results before the band carried its momentum to the United States for well-received shows. The success proved fleeting; the group disbanded at the close of 1981 after Nakanishi's wish to advance as a musician clashed with Sakuma's insistence on an "amateur band" ethos. In the aftermath, Nakanishi and Sato launched Melon, Tachibana issued solo material as Low Powers, and Sakuma established himself as a producer while forming the multinational supergroups NiNa, which also featured Shima, and the d.e.p.
Though the Plastics operated only briefly, their impact proved lasting, helping shift mainstream Japanese music away from the string- and brass-dominated kayoukyoku sound that prevailed through the 1960s and 1970s toward the electronic-driven J-pop that later dominated the charts. Alternative artists continue to cite them, numerous new wave and techno-pop outfits have paid homage, and groups such as Polysics have modeled their entire image on the Plastics and their contemporaries.
Albums
