For decades, American and British celebrities have appeared in television advertisements that air exclusively in foreign markets. Though popular opinion has swayed in recent years, there was a time when a star—especially from the film or music industry—was considered a has-been or a sell-out if seen in an ad. If nothing else, it was considered tacky behavior for an A-lister or a rock star. But there’s big money to be made in non-English speaking countries like Japan, and with contracts specifying the spot only air in that country, for many it’s too good of an offer to pass up—especially those fading from the spotlight or hard-up for cash. This type of arrangement was famously fictionalized by writer/director Sofia Coppola in her 2003 film, Lost in Translation, in which Bill Murray’s character—down on his luck American actor Bob Harris—goes to Japan to shoot a series of commercials for Suntory brand whiskey. Sofia Coppola’s father, director Francis Ford Coppola, partially inspired the premise, as he had shown up in Suntory ads with Akira Kurosawa in 1980. That same year, David Bowie—who, like Coppola, was far from washed up—was seen in his own Japanese television commercials promoting an alcoholic beverage.
Bowie’s 1980 sake ads for Crystal Jun Rock were the first TV commercials he ever appeared in (not counting this pre-fame clip or those touting whatever his latest album happened to be). The spots feature his eerie synthesizer instrumental, “Crystal Japan,” recorded during the sessions for Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps).
At the time, Bowie gave an interview explaining why he did the ads:
There are three reasons. The first one being that no one has ever asked me to do it before. And the money is a very useful thing. And the third, I think it’s very effective that my music is on television twenty times a day. I think my music isn’t for radio.
He also provided details regarding the music, noting that it differed from all his previous works:
I didn’t use bass or drums so it’s very different from anything I have done before. It will be included in my next album.
Ultimately, “Crystal Japan” was left off of Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (in the original running order it was meant to be the last track), though the song was released as the A-side of a 45 in Japan. A promotional version of the single included inserts related to the ad campaign.
In other countries, “Crystal Japan” was the B-side of “Up the Hill Backwards”, and was included on the Bowie Rare compilation in 1982, as well as Rykodisc’s reissue of Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), though those releases are now out of print. The song is currently available on the Bowie collection of instrumentals, All Saints.
One of the commercials Bowie did for Crystal Jun Rock can be seen below. The ad is dramatic and mysterious—what else would you expect?
Previously on Dangerous Minds:
The Year of the Diamond Dogs: David Bowie TV commercial from 1974