1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts
1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts is the debut album by American rock band Half Japanese. Originally released in 1980 by Armageddon Records as a triple record, it was re-released in 1992 on CD on T.E.C. Tones with additional material. Fire Records reissued it again in 2013 on three-CD and four-LP sets on Record Store Day 2013 with further additional material, limited to 1,000 copies in each format.
| 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1980 | |||
| Recorded | 1977–1979 | |||
| Genre | Punk rock, noise rock, no wave, lo-fi | |||
| Length | 132:42 | |||
| Label | Armageddon | |||
| Half Japanese chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Christgau's Record Guide | C+[2] |
| Pitchfork | 9.2/10[3] |
| Record Collector |  |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 8/10[5] |
Style
The music has a sound more raw than garage rock, and has a very low fidelity recording. Most of the songs are originals with covers of a few of the band's influences interspersed. Most tracks are very loud and have an almost no wave sound, though some tracks are very meditative Krautrock-influenced instrumentals.
Legacy
Half Japanese have since played with many important artists of the experimental or alternative persuasion, such as Sonic Youth and Nirvana. Daniel Johnston has made a record with Half Japanese's vocalist, Jad Fair.
Track listing
All tracks are written by David and Jad Fair, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "No Direct Line from My Brain to My Heart" | 2:00 |
| 2. | "10th Ave. Freezeout" (Bruce Springsteen) | 1:49 |
| 3. | "Ta Sheri Ta Ta" | 4:32 |
| 4. | "My Girlfriend Lives Like a Beatnik" | 1:04 |
| 5. | "Her Parents Come Home" | 0:58 |
| 6. | "Shhh / Shhh / Shhh" | 2:12 |
| 7. | "Girls Like That" | 2:12 |
| 8. | "Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" | 1:26 |
| 9. | "No More Beatle Mania" | 1:52 |
| 10. | "Tangled Up in Blue" (Bob Dylan) | 3:44 |
| 11. | "Patti Smith" | 2:22 |
| 12. | "School of Love" | 1:07 |
| 13. | "Jodi Foster" | 2:15 |
| 14. | "Shy Around Girls" | 1:36 |
| 15. | "Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" | 2:24 |
| 16. | "Bogue Millionaires / Cool Millionaires" | 2:10 |
| 17. | "Tn Tn Tn Tn Ki" | 3:10 |
| 18. | "I Can't Stand It Any More" (Lou Reed) | 2:23 |
| 19. | "I Love Oriental Girls" | 1:44 |
| 20. | "Dream Date" | 1:32 |
| 21. | "Du Du Du / Du Du Du" | 7:22 |
| 22. | "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (Norman Whitfield, Eddie Holland) | 1:10 |
| 23. | "Ann Arbor. MI." | 0:32 |
| 24. | "I'm Going to the Zoo" | 1:13 |
| 25. | "Shi Yi Yi" | 0:58 |
| 26. | "Rave On" (Sonny West, Bill Tilghman, Norman Petty) | 1:42 |
| 27. | "I Ta Nasi Si Na Mi Eee" | 1:02 |
| 28. | "Till Victory" | 2:16 |
| 29. | "Rip My Shirt to Shreds" | 0:19 |
| 30. | "I Don't Want to Have Mono No More" | 1:40 |
| 31. | "She Cracked" (Jonathan Richman) | 1:57 |
| 32. | "Bbbbbbbb/ Bbbbbbbbb" | 1:36 |
| 33. | "Funky Broadway Medley" (Dyke Christian, James Brown, Johnny Rivers; incl. "Funky Broadway" by Dyke and the Blazers, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" by James Brown and "Got My Mojo Working" by Ann Cole and the Suburbans) | 4:12 |
| 34. | "I'm Sorry" | 1:36 |
| 35. | "T / T / T / T / T / T" | 6:43 |
| 36. | "The Worst I'd Ever Do" | 0:43 |
| 37. | "Live in Baltimore MD" (incl. "Caroline Says" by Lou Reed, "Lisa Says" by Lou Reed, "I Saw Her Standing There" by The Beatles, "10th Ave. Freezeout" by Bruce Springsteen, "You're Gonna Miss Me" by 13th Floor Elevators, "I'm Going to the Zoo", "Femme Fatale" by The Velvet Underground, "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt", "Wake Up Sleepyheads" by The Modern Lovers, "She Cracked" by The Modern Lovers, "Foggy Notion" by The Velvet Underground, "Farmer John, "Funtime" by Iggy Pop, "No Fun" by The Stooges, "Little Doll" by The Stooges, "I'm a Believer" by The Monkees, "Fun, Fun, Fun" by The Beach Boys, "Md. Girls (California Girls)" by The Beach Boys, "Shakin' Street" by MC5, "School of Love," "Patti Smith," "Battle of the Bands," "Mono," "Rip My Shirt to Shreds," "Oriental Girls," "Her Parents Came Home," "Rock & Roll Nurse" by Bo Diddley, "My Generation" by The Who, "Rock & Roll Heart" by Lou Reed) | 20:19 |
| 38. | "Live in Washington DC" (incl. "Who Do You Love?" by Bo Diddley, "Rocket Reducer No. 62 (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa)" by MC5, "You're Gonna Miss Me" by 13th Floor Elevators, "Live with Me" by The Rolling Stones, "Bogue Millionaires / Cool Millionaires," "Tangled Up in Blue" by Bob Dylan, "Femme Fatale" by The Velvet Underground, "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt," "Almost Grown" by Chuck Berry, "College Psychology on Love" by Armand Schaubroeck Steals and "Nadine" by Chuck Berry) | 18:16 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 39. | "Battle of the Bands" | 1:59 |
| 40. | "Worst I'd Ever Do" | 0:42 |
| 41. | "Ann Arbor, MI" | 0:53 |
| 42. | "School of Love" | 1:31 |
| 43. | "Her Parents Came Home" | 0:56 |
| 44. | "Shy Around Girls" | 1:10 |
| 45. | "Dream Date" | 1:43 |
| 46. | "Bogue Millionaires / Cool Millionaires" | 3:29 |
| 47. | "Knock on Wood" | 1:43 |
| 48. | "Top Secret" | 0:47 |
| 49. | "Guitar Solo" | 0:41 |
| 50. | "Calling All Girls" | 1:04 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 51. | "Fool's Paradise" | 1:22 |
| 52. | "Don't You Know That" | 1:29 |
| 53. | "Foggy Notion" | 3:19 |
| 54. | "If You're So Smart" | 1:16 |
| 55. | "Interview" | 2:11 |
| 56. | "Wildman" | 1:24 |
| 57. | "Lo and Behold" | 2:26 |
| 58. | "UFO" | 0:48 |
| 59. | "Anything I Can Do" | 0:59 |
| 60. | "Hey Romeo" | 1:05 |
| 61. | "10th Ave. Freezeout" (Bruce Springsteen) | 1:48 |
| 62. | "Downdududown" | 0:34 |
| 63. | "Man of Mystery" | 1:30 |
| 64. | "One More Day" | 2:11 |
| 65. | "Nobody" | 0:53 |
| 66. | "Stooges Medley" (incl. "Funtime," "T.V. Eye," "Down On the Street," "Loose," "No Fun," "Not Right" and "Dirt." Written by David Alexander, Ronald Asheton, Scott Asheton, David Robert Jones, James Osterberg) | 3:41 |
| 67. | "Wild Party" | 3:03 |
| 68. | "Babylon" | 2:38 |
Personnel
- Jad Fair – vocals, guitar, drums, illustrations
- David Fair – vocals, guitar, drums
- John Dreyfuss – saxophone
- Rick Dreyfuss – drums
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References
- Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts – Half Japanese". AllMusic. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
- Christgau, Robert (1990). "Half Japanese: 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
- Masters, Mark (April 26, 2013). "Half Japanese: ½ Gentlemen / Not Beasts". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
- McGuinness, Paul (June 2013). "Half Japanese – 1/2 Gentlemen/ Not Beasts". Record Collector (415). Retrieved February 3, 2018.
- Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig, eds. (1995). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
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