Queen of Japan is a music trio from Europe, known for its synthpop sound and cover versions of hits from the 1970s and 1980s.
Queen of Japan's 1999 debut EP Mercury Rising (a reference to Freddie Mercury) features New Wave-sounding versions of Queen songs and is probably the basis for the group's name. The trio's versions of "I Love Rock N Roll" and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" (originally hits for Joan Jett and Rod Stewart, respectively) appear on several different compilation CDs. Their version of "I Was Made For Loving You" (a hit for KISS) was featured on the award-winning short movie Icicle melt starring Greta Scacchi. Some of their cover songs, such as "Mother" (written and originally recorded by John Lennon) and "Wanted Man" (written by Bob Dylan for Johnny Cash) infuse an electronic sound into songs which previously had a different style. They have also covered songs by Soft Cell, The Who, Olivia Newton-John, Marvin Gaye, Duran Duran, Thin Lizzy, Klaus Nomi and Frank Zappa. Remixes of Queen of Japan's work have appeared on a CD by DJ Keoki. Their music has also been featured at Fashion Week and appears on two CDs of music thereof.
Discography
Queen of Japan's music is mostly available via European independent record labels. Some of their work was originally released on vinyl records (facilitating their use in dance mixes through traditional, non-digital DJ-ing methods) but were later released as compact disks.
* Mercury Rising (1999) compact disk, label: Angelika Koehlermann
* I Was Made For Loving You (2000) 12" vinyl record, label: Hausmusik
* Physical (2001) 12" vinyl record, label: Echokammer
* Cool Cat/Total Eclipse (2001) 10" vinyl record, label: Fortina
* Nightlife in Tokyo (2001) LP vinyl record, label: Erkrankung Durch Musique
* Nightlife in Tokyo (2001) compact disk, label: Angelika Koehlermann. Later re-released as Tokyo Rising in 2006 with added material.
* Headrush (2002) LP vinyl record, label: Erkrankung Durch Musique
* Headrush (2002) compact disk, label: Echokammer. Released in Japan by Sausage Records.
* Kings, Queens, Wasps & Lust (2003) LP vinyl record, label: QOJ
* Foreign Politics (2004) LP vinyl record, label: Erkrankung Durch Musique
* Foreign Politics (2004) compact disk, label: Echokammer
* Tokyo Risen (2006) compact disk, label: Echokammer
In addition, many Queen of Japan songs have appeared on compilations. For example, "Mother" appeared only on a Mother's Day compilation before its inclusion in Tokyo Rising and "Wanted Man" is among those songs on the tribute album Boy Named Sue: Johnny Cash Revisited.
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