maybe Japanese radio chose to play it a lot?

Alongside Tolerate it's the most rock-out track on an otherwise rather delicate-sounding album. Presumably it was considered to be more marketable, particularly given that EMG - which TIMTTMY was being measured against - had the more anthemic, rousing songs.

Why only in Japan, though? Maybe it was just a Japanese radio favourite, as hummingbird suggests.

Because of "cherry blossom tree"?

I also found this: Billboard: NLY was in a Japanese commercial for a Sony Minidisc Walkman

Further Away was too.

Eh, still balls. The Japanese release is susceptible to the trade descriptions act seeing as half of it wasn't singles. And the UK one wasn't complete as it said on the cover either...

That's a point though, got me thinking about New Art Riot now too. Heavenly have been very cooperative, all 7 tracks Manics did with them has turned up on Sony stuff too. Suppose that'll be why there's been half a dozen pressings of New Art Riot, that Damaged Goods kept hold of it, didn't allow any of the tracks on Sony stuff until the box set. I wonder if Sony actually approached Damaged Goods before or couldn't be arsed, not like they struggled for b-sides in 92 and 93 but 94 was a bit thin on the ground.

I wonder too, if Yes were to be released Feb 95, if they had b-sides lined up or we'd have been looking at Judge Yr'self and a Faster remix or summat.

Same artwork, too.

I always thought it was just a decision by the Sony Japan. Maybe NLY was chosen as it was the heaviest track and would appeal to fans of the early albums. Though in general Japanese music fans always loved having exclusives such as Bonus Tracks. So maybe it was exclusive single.
Aside from this and Further Away, Japan has had quite a few other exclusive releases such as Know Your B-sides, Forever Delayed EP, Everything Live on DVD and the series of 2 disc re-issues. A lot of this occurs for other non-Japanese bands there as well I'm sure.

Nobody Loved You being in a commercial (first time I've heard about this) would probably be a good reason to release it as a single. A few years ago Everything Must Go was used in a beer commercial in Japan. After that it popped up on several compilation albums and was also a bonus track on the Japanese edition of Lipstick Traces.

I think the only other country that has had an exclusive single would Sleepflower in the US, though that was I think only a promo.

FD's Twitter has sadnessinhiseyes and a picture of the cover to one of the singles of TLORN.
What's that about?

It's a piss take of Kay Burley's twitter response to the Paris attacks I suspect.

First I heard of it too and it explains its release as a single there for me.

Like Nobody I always presumed NLY was selected as a single in Japan because it was heavier. I think it having been in an advert is a more logical explanation though.

I take it nobody told Paul McCartney about Motown Junk what James interviewed him the last month.

I'm curious if anyone that attended the Oslo concert in May last year has any pics to share? I was there and would love to see some more, I've only been able to find a few on a Norwegian site: http://gaffa.no/galleries/gallery/55288#/0

I remember seeing one where you could see the crowd and was able to find myself, I can't find it again now though...

Nearly 20 years on, and that bit in the EMG book about JDB playing piano still intrigues me. Can anyone hear any piano on that album, because I can't?

Possibly doubling the melody on No Surface...? Like they did live with Naysmyth.

At least one b-side features piano. First Republic.

That's the answer I remember from the last time this was brought up.

James played the piano on "You're Tender and You're Tired" I believe. Possibly "Happy Ending" B-side also.