Burning The Ground Exclusive
In the mid-1980s, John Waite was enjoying major solo success after leaving The Babys, thanks to his 1984 U.S. #1 hit “Missing You” and the platinum album No Brakes. At the peak of his popularity, EMI issued a special release in Japan: the four-track mini-LP For Japan Only. True to its title, this record was pressed exclusively for the Japanese market in 1985, and it has since become a sought-after collector’s item.
The mini-LP offers a mix of extended and alternate versions that went beyond standard album cuts. This release is also especially notable for the inclusion of the extended remix of Euroshima which has never been issued anywhere else, making For Japan Only essential for Waite completists.
Why Japan Only?
Japan has long been a unique market for music. Labels often created special editions with bonus tracks, deluxe packaging, and the coveted obi strip to appeal to local fans. Releases like For Japan Only weren’t just marketing gimmicks—they were carefully designed to give Japanese buyers something they couldn’t get elsewhere.
Tied to the Tour
Waite toured Japan in 1985 during his Mask of Smiles era, performing several of the tracks included on this mini-LP (Missing You, Tears, Restless Heart, and Euroshima all appeared in his Tokyo setlist). It’s likely that For Japan Only was issued as a tie-in for those shows, giving fans a unique souvenir to take home.
Final Thoughts
For Japan Only isn’t just a quirky title—it’s a perfect example of how the Japanese music market created exclusive treasures for fans. With its rare mixes, especially the unique extended remix of “Euroshima,” and its deluxe presentation, this mini-LP remains one of the most collectible pieces in John Waite’s discography.
SIDE A:
Missing You (Extended Version) 7:01
Mixed By, Edited By – John Luongo
Written-By – C. Sandford, J. Waite, M. Leonard*
Tears (Live) 3:59
Written By – A. Mitchell, V. Cusano
SIDE B:
Restless Heart (Remix Version) 4:30
Remix – John Luongo
Written By – John Waite
Euroshima (Remixed Extended 12″ Version) 6:40
Remix – John Luongo
Written By – G. Myrick, J. Waite
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
OBI Strip: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI America – EYS-50149
Format: Vinyl, 12″, EP, Promo
Country: Japan
Released: Apr 20, 1985
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Soft Rock
CREDITS:
- Engineer – Gary Hellman
- Engineer [Assistant] – Ken Stiger
- Mixed By, Edited By – John Luongo (tracks: A)
- Photography By – Geoffery Thomas
- Producer – David Thoener, Gary Gersh, John Waite
NOTES:
Originally Recorded in EEC
This released includes full color (red, white & black) jacket, OBI strip and insert with lyrics.
Made In Japan.
Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for burningtheground.net
THE GEAR:
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Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
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Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
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DAC: Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
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Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
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FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!
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rumor has it I know that the dub version of Euroshima was never released in USA and Japan
Thanks Paul for another excellent job, and the recent posts featuring some rare seven inch versions. “Missing you” is one of my favourite 12 inch extended versions that has been well mixed. THey are only a few 12 inch versions I like, and this is ONE of them. As far as “Restless heart”, it says remix on the 12 inch, but being honest, I think this may be record label snake oil. I performed an ABX with my original Japanese 1986 CD issue of the album, and it seems both versions are exactly the same, and both 4:30, unless there was another mix… Read more »
“Thanks so much! Glad you’re enjoying the recent seven-inch posts too. Totally agree, the Missing You extended version is one of those rare cases where the 12″ really adds something without overdoing it. Interesting about Restless Heart — you might be right, sometimes the ‘remix’ tag was more marketing than reality. Either way, it’s a fantastic track. Appreciate you doing the ABX detective work all the way from down under!”
Paul, I’m thrilled you shared your precious collection. I remember renting this disc back then at the record rental shop (along with the delicious curry shop next door). My friend and I argued about it. Neither of us really liked “Missing You.” It felt somehow roundabout (though I love it now). On the other hand, we adored “Restless Heart.” It was refreshingly poignant, a flawless, straight-ahead rock number. But as you know, the chart results for these two songs were disappointing. That was hard for my younger self and my friend to accept. Now I think I sort of understand.… Read more »
“What a wonderful memory, thank you for sharing that! I love the image of renting the disc and grabbing curry next door — pure 80s vibes. I totally get what you mean about Missing You feeling different at first. It’s not a straight-ahead rock song like Restless Heart, which makes it stand out in a unique way. I like your comparison to Charlie Sexton too — such a good parallel. And yes, Change was (and is!) fantastic. You’re definitely not alone in recognizing how great these songs are — this community proves that. I’m so glad you’re here!”
Wow excellent!! I’ve heard of this Japan-only release. Japan clearly had a special relationship with the record companies as they often-times received exclusive tracks. Geffen Records, especially, released exclusive EP’s to Japan for Aerosmith, Guns N’ Roses and Whitesnake. Back to John Waite… this is fantastic, thank you so much Paul!! Of course everyone on the planet with MTV at the time knew Missing You. Tears (Live) was released as a B-side only, but the remixes of Restless Heart and Euroshima are exclusive to this release. Lucky Japan at the time… and now lucky us thanks to you dear Paul!!… Read more »
“Haha yes, Retro Hound — Japan definitely had the treasure chest back then, and we’re only just now finding the keys! Those exclusives really made the hunt exciting. Glad this one could finally make its way out into the light for all of us to enjoy!”
While the title in English is “For Japan Only,” the title in Japanese, ミッシング・ユー(Misshingu Yuu) is the Japanese approximation of “Missing You,” the biggest single from the album No Brakes.
The Japanese market has issued quite a few special EPs that often are a collection of remixes. In late ’89, I got the CD EP You Came for Kim Wilde which had remixes of all 4 singles released off the Close Album. Interestingly, the title was You Came but the cover was the picture for “Love in the Natural Way.”
“That’s a great detail, Synthpapa — I hadn’t made the connection with the Japanese title pointing straight back to Missing You. Love the Kim Wilde example too, Japan really had a knack for these special EPs with mixes you couldn’t get elsewhere. Those quirky title/cover mismatches just add to the charm!”
Thank you, Paul! This is also a John Luongo tribute, as each track is remixed by the remix master himself! Absolutely awesome!
“Great point, Axel! Luongo really left his mark here — every track has his signature touch. Such a cool reminder of just how many classics he put his hands on.”
Hi Paul, not sure what’s going on, but still getting invalid url on mega for 24 bits and truefaith on 16bit link. Best. Marcelo
Please disregard my comment, i managed to download now :), thanks for sharing such a great music Paul. Best
No worries, I am glad you were able to get it 🙂
**All links have been corrected and should now direct you to the correct files. Please remember to download directly from the site instead of from your subscriber email. Thank you!**
Nice work DJPaulT, I love all those old mix versions, that released the artist. Really nice.
“Thanks so much, Gustavo! I’m right there with you — those old mixes really show a different side of the artist. Always a blast to dig them up and give them a spin again.”
Japan Only has been an endless source of collecting fun. Sometimes they would have an exclusive bonus track or more, sometimes these wouldn’t be available anywhere else, sometimes they were but maybe not on CD. Sometimes they remained exclusive. One I can think of is the Duran Duran “Wedding Album,” which included extra tracks Time For Temptation and Stop Dead. Although these would late be issued as b-sides, the versions here are slightly different, most notably TFT is an alternate mix. Stop Dead is perhaps just a shorter version than what’s later released, but still exclusive as far as I… Read more »
“Exactly, ING — those Japanese exclusives have kept collectors busy (and broke!) for decades. Love that you brought up the Wedding Album — such a great example of how even the tiniest mix differences can make a version unique. Totally agree, that’s half the fun of chasing these down. I think you’ll really enjoy this John Waite EP in 2025, it’s a perfect snapshot of that era with just enough exclusivity to make it special.”
I know Euroshima is the highlight of this, but I’m really enjoying the Restless Heart remix. One of my favorite songs from him is How Did I Get By Without You and this has a very similar vibe. This remix is subtle, but it sounds brighter compared to the album version.
“I’m with you, daver — the Restless Heart remix really shines here. It definitely has that same uplifting feel as How Did I Get By Without You. Subtle, but just enough to give it a new brightness compared to the album cut. Such a great track!”
actually the japanese divisions of big western record labels demanded often something special from western artists to be released in Japan. I know, because i had a few releases over there myself. Also the US market acted a lot of times the same with overseas artists as well. And if they only changed the order of the tracklist of an european album.
This release right here is very nice. Thanks for sharing, Paul!
“That’s really cool insight, Buzz — makes total sense that the Japanese divisions would want something unique to market. I didn’t realize you had releases over there yourself, that’s awesome! You’re right too about the U.S. doing the same thing with overseas artists. Always fascinating how labels reshaped albums depending on the territory. Glad you enjoyed this one!”
the file is new order – true faith NO its John Waite
Sorry about that, the links are now corrected. Be sure to download directly from the site, not your subscriber email.
weird, seems the link in my feedly still had the new order file, while on the site here its is the correct link, guess feedly uses a cached page for its feeds……anywho, thanks for the great vinyls, they sound great
I keep getting New Order not John Waite
All links have been corrected and should now direct you to the correct files. Please remember to download directly from the site instead of from your subscriber email. Thank you!
Another really good find! Do you just run across these things or do you know about them and hunt them down?
I usually find out about them and then try to hunt them down 🙂
Good morning Paul! Something strange… The link to 24bit-96kHz is actually wav format and not flac. The link to the 16bit is even stranger… The download is actually New Order – True Faith (US 12”) (1987)
Yes it is a 24/96 wav file.It does not reduce the sound quality in any way. You can convert it to flac or maybe Paul will reupload the flac file….
I know about converting to flac. I do have program for that. Just wanted to let Paul know that all. Especially about the 16bit.
All links have been corrected and should now direct you to the correct files. Please remember to download directly from the site instead of from your subscriber email. Thank you!
The link is still for New Order. I just tried it.
This is weird, Paul. Just this morning, John Wait just popped into my head! You’re quite psychic, Paul!!
I’m really looking forward to hearing this twelve with all the songs contained within!
Jeff
I must be in sync with you guys today, lol.l Mikey D below had a similar experience. I hope you like the record “Euroshima” is epic.
Ok this is getting weird. I listened to Isn’t it Time by the Babys and Missing You this morning on the drive to work. Get out of my head!
“Haha that is weird, Mikey! Total synchronicity. Waite’s voice has a way of sneaking into our heads at just the right time. Guess the universe decided it was a John Waite kind of day!”