A conversation between the late David Bowie and the Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto is to be aired on NTS radio on New Year’s Day.

The recording originally featured on Japanese radio station NHK FM in 1983, the same year that the Second World War Film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, which stars both artists, was released. Sakamoto also wrote the soundtrack for the film, which ended up being one of his most popular releases.  

The chat rounds off NTS’ re-airing of three archival radio shows hosted by Sakamoto in the 80s, with the first two featuring David Sylvian, frontman of the 70s British new wave band Japan, and Japanese writer Haruki Murakami respectively. 

Sakamoto, who co-founded the pioneering electronic outfit Yellow Magic Orchestra along with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, recently shared a concert film to watch in lockdown called Playing the Piano for the Isolated, in which he performs music from across his career.

Due to licensing issues however, Sakamoto’s radio show with Bowie won’t be archived, so make sure to listen to the conversation on NTS at 9:00am GMT on January 1, 2021.