In-depth Biography
In the annals of Liverpool punk, Big in Japan occupies much the same legendary status the London S.S. do in their London counterpart, the major difference being that Big in Japan not only gigged and recorded with some success (the London S.S. never escaped the rehearsal room), they were so furiously disliked on the local scene that the young Julian Cope even circulated a petition begging them to break up.

Big in Japan formed in late 1977 in Liverpool around guitarist Bill Drummond and several short-lived lineups that finally settled down around vocalist Jayne Casey, bassist Holly Johnson, and drummer Budgie. Violently theatrical, the band was dividing opinions almost from the moment ...

In-depth Biography
In the annals of Liverpool punk, Big in Japan occupies much the same legendary status the London S.S. do in their London counterpart, the major difference being that Big in Japan not only gigged and recorded with some success (the London S.S. never escaped the rehearsal room), they were so furiously disliked on the local scene that the young Julian Cope even circulated a petition begging them to break up.

Big in Japan formed in late 1977 in Liverpool around guitarist Bill Drummond and several short-lived lineups that finally settled down around vocalist Jayne Casey, bassist Holly Johnson, and drummer Budgie. Violently theatrical, the band was dividing opinions almost from the moment they emerged, with Casey and Johnson particularly prone to flamboyance. Local producer Clive Langer was a firm friend and fan, however; he produced the band's first single, released by the local Erics label in late 1977 and featuring a track by the Yachts, under their Chuddy Nuddies alias, on the B-side.

The petition failed to break up the band, but Big in Japan was not long for the world regardless; Holly Johnson was evicted and replaced by David Balfe in early 1978 and, in August, the band broke up. Three months later, with Drummond now helming his own Zoo label, an EP of four Big in Japan tracks was released as From Y To Z and Never Again. Further material has since leaked out across various compilation albums, to reveal just how far-reaching Big in Japan's musical ambitions were.

The group's membership, too, proved astonishingly far-sighted. Jayne Casey went on to the brilliant Pink Military, Johnson formed Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Budgie became a Banshee, while Drummond's Zoo label would launch many of post-punk Liverpool's most storied bands. More recently, Balfe's Food label introduced Blur to the world. ~ Dave Thompson, All Music Guide