Japan Fanzines

Bamboo 1984 - 1992

Bamboo came into being in the time between the final Japan tour and Forbidden Colours, when Debi Zornes, Howard Sawyer and Vicky Hurst planned to run an official fan club for the ex-members of Japan. After many frustrating months due to mis-communication within Japan's management company Chadwick-Nomis, the trio decided to use the material they had collected for the fan club magazine (including several exclusive interviews) and publish a totally independent fanzine instead. Throughout, the trio managed to hold down full time regular jobs, and with the basic materials to hand in the early 80s, produced one of the most professional and longest running fanzines in history. As the 80's progressed, due to work commitments, more and more of the work was undertaken by Debi, who with a small group of volunteers held parties/conventions twice a year, usually at The 100 Club. Exclusive audio and video material was shown, plus an occasional ex-member would make an appearance. Groups from the fan base would also play, including an early incarnation of No-Man. Sinead O Connor also made her UK debut live performance at one Bamboo party, singing "All Tomorrows Parties" with guitar accompaniment from Rob Dean.

Bamboo also published two special editions, a "Japanese Special" which followed Yukihiro Takahashi's 1985 tour, and a much more lavish affair, the book "Eighty Days", all about David's 1988 tour.

After 10 years and 35 issues, Bamboo ended and Debi founded Medium Productions, the official information service and record label for Mick Karn, Richard Barbieri and Steve Jansen.

Bamboo 1: Sons Of Pioneers tour dates, review - Japan Hammersmith Odeon 17/11/82 and 22/11/82,  Masami Tsuchiya bio, Japan interview at Air Studios (mixing Oil On Canvas), review of Steve's photograph exhibition, news of the recording of "Brilliant Trees". Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 2: Japan interview at Air Studios Pt2, Red Guitar video review, Sandii bio, Review of Japan live in Brussels 1982, feature about David's polaroid exhibition and opening party, review of Perspectives, review of Brilliant Trees, Picasso feature, Dalis Car preview. Exclusive photos. ALSO LIMITED EDITION COLOUR EDITION and a reprint.
Bamboo 3: Howard Sawyer's diary of the 1982 Japanese tour, YMO bio, Mick Karn interview pt1, Dalis Car LP review/feature, Instant Pictures review, Exorcising Ghosts review. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 4: Howard Sawyer's diary of the 1982 Japanese tour pt2, Sakamoto bio, Bamboo Music video feature, Sandii "Viva Lava Liva" LP review, Worlds In A Small Room feature, Preparations For A Journey video preview, Mick Karn interview pt2. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 5: Yukihiro Takahashi bio, Dalis Car split feature, Worlds In A Small Room review, Jean Cocteau feature, Steve Jansen interview pt1. Exclusive photos. ALSO LIMITED EDITION COLOUR EDITION.
Bamboo 6: Angus McBean feature, Haruomi Hosono bio, Steel Cathedrals video preview, Bamboo party feature, Steve Jansen interview Pt2, Propaganda LP "A Secret Wish" review, Sakamoto "Fieldwork" single and video review, Preparations For A Journey video review, Pulling Punches video review. Exclusive photos. All issues were in colour.
Bamboo 7: Ippu Do "Live & Zen" review, news about Sylvian's planned album "The Holy Blood of Saints and Sheep", Pierre Barouh bio, David Rhodes interview pt1, Alchemy review. Exclusive photos.
Japanese Special: Interviews - Sandii & Makoto, Masami Tsuchiya, Peter Barakan, Ryuichi Sakamoto & Akiko Yano, Steve Jansen (long), Reviews of Sakamoto, Sandii, Masami and Yukihiro Takahashi live (featuring Steve Jansen and Carlos Alomar). All interviews and photos from Yukihiro's 1985 tour.
Bamboo 8: David Rhodes interview pt2, Bamboo party feature, Sakamoto "Ongaku Zukan" review, "Steel Cathedrals" feature, Childhood memories of Steve Jansen (exclusive English publication). Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 9: Rob Dean interview pt1, Sandii interview and feature, "Stay Close" feature. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 10: Rob Dean interview pt2, "Taking The Veil" feature, Bamboo party feature, Rob Dean/Fever Tree feature, Hajime Tachibana "Hm" review. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 11: Sandii "La La La La Love" LP review, John Punter interview pt1, Rob Dean reviews "Gone To Earth", Feature on "Gone To Earth", Feature about Takahashi's 1986 tour. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 12: "Dreams Of Reason" feature, John Punter interview pt2, Frank Auerbach bio, Sakamoto "Futurist" LP and "Media Bahn" tour  reviews, Bamnboo party feature including Sinead O Connor's debut live performance. Exclusive photos. All issues in colour.
Bamboo 13: Frank Auerbach interview, "Some Small Hope" review and Virginia Astley bio, Yukio Mishima bio, Masami Tsuchiya feature (recording album in London), feature on Japan bootleg tapes pt1. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 14: Dolphin Brothers feature, Frank Auerbach interview pt2, Mick live in Germany feature (with Mark Isham and David Torn), Masami Tsuchiya LP review, "Shining" video review, Japan bootleg tapes feature pt2. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 15: Bamboo party feature, "Kin" performance review, Peter Murphy interview pt1, Rob Dean writes from Australia, feature on Sylvian's "Let The Happiness In" and "Secrets of the Beehive", Matthew Seligman interview. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 16: Peter Murphy interview pt2, Anton Corbijn bio, Eno & Hassell review, feature on Rob Dean in Australia with the band Geisha, Sinead O Connor feature, Korean Japan fan club feature, In Praise Of Shamans tour preview, Sakamoto "Neo Geo" review, Jaco Pastorius obituary. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 17: Angus McBean interview pt1, Plight & Premonition feature, Sakamoto interview (after winning an Academy Award for The Last Emperor), Rob Dean reviews The Last Emperor, Mark Isham "Castalia" review, more on Sylvian's 88 tour, Peter Murphy concert review. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 18: Angus McBean interview pt2, Mick Karn interview (mostly about The Princes Trust), Kenny Wheeler/Azimuth feature, more about David's 1988 tour, Frank Chickens interview. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 19: Angus McBean interview pt3, Sakamoto "Aile De Honneamise" review, Gaby Agis/Bill Culbert feature, Orpheus video feature, Rare Japan records feature pt1, Emile Zola bio, Holger Czuckay interview pt1. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 20: Holger Czuckay interview pt2, China travel feature, Rare Japan records pt2, Sylvian interview from "Rockin On" (exclusive English publication). Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 21: Holger Czuckay interview pt3, Rare Japan records pt3, Brian Eno bio, Sylvian interview from Nuit De Rock (exclusive English translation). Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 22: Bill Nelson bio, Rare Japan records pt4, Flux & Mutability feature, Pop Song feature, Akiko Yano "Granola" review, Sylvian interview from "Les Inrockuptibles" (English translation). Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 23: Japan first impressions, reviews/comments on Weatherbox and Pop Song, Erik Satie bio, Masami Tsuchiya interview, poll of the decade. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 24: Scott Walker LP review, Simon Napier-Bell book review, Sakamoto "Beauty" LP feature, Sylvian interview from "Bebopalula", Sakamoto concert review and "Beauty" tour feature, Andre Tarkovsky bio. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 25: Angus McBean obituary, Poll results, excerpt from Johnny Rogan's "Starmakers and Svengalis" about Simon Napier-Bell and Japan, Thomas Lang LP review, David Sylvian first impressions, YMO Story pt1. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 26: Blue Nile concert review, YMO Story Pt2, Japan first impressions, Sylvian interview from "Max" (English translation), Rain Tree Crow preview (when it was thought they would use the name Japan!), Kenny Wheeler interview, JG Bennett bio, Gurdjief bio. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 27: Kenny Wheeler interview pt2, Japan first impressions, Rob Dean Slow Club feature/review, Eno/Cale review, Youssou N'Dour review, YMO Story pt3, Sylvian interview from Rockerilla. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 28: Mark Isham review, Rain Tree Crow feature (long), YMO Story pt4, YMO discography, Mick Karn interview from "Backstage" (English translation). Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 29: Rain Tree Crow - fan commentary and reviews, Rain Tree Crow - review of press articles/commentary on the problems between JBK and David. Steve & Rich interview from "Rockstar" (English translation). Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 30: Blackwater video review, Masami Tsuchiya "Time Passenger" review, Stories Across Borders feature, Talk Talk "Spirit of Eden" review, YMO Story update, Sylvian interview from "Crossbeat" (English translation), Milan Kundera bio. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 31: Sakamoto/Sylvian Hammersmith Odeon reviews, David Torn "Door X" review, fan comments about Ember Glance and Stories Across Borders, YMO "Faker Holic" review, Sylvian interview from "Rockin On" (English translation). Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 32: Sakamoto "Heartbeat" album review, news about Sylvian and Chavez, Mick, Rich and David Torn interview (long), The First Day tour feature. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 33: Ingrid Chavez feature, more about Sylvian and Fripp, more about Sylvian and Sakamoto "Heartbeat", Sylvian interview, Thomas Lang LP review, YMO "Kyoretsu Na Rythm" review, Mark Isham review. Exclusive photos.
Bamboo 34: Bill Nelson review, Ingrid Chavez interview, Blue Nile feature. Exclusive photos. This issue is noticeably thinner than the others at only 16 pages, but the type is half size so it's got the content of 32.
Bamboo 35: Announcement that Medium will replace Bamboo. The First Day tour feature, Holger Czuckay interview, John Taylor interview, Mark Isham feature. Bumper issue (probably the biggest), lots of photos from all eras of the Japan and solo history.