Puzzled

[UKHOST JP <UKHOSTJP@aol.com>]

In a message dated 01/12/97 22:21:48 GMT, you write:

> Oh and Brian, I totally agree that the Chinese Eyes LP title is a veiled
>  reference to "Turning Japanese" (whatever happened to The Vapors?) Although
>  Pete did write me a personal response when I wrote to him at the time of
the
>  release of ATBCHCE and asked him what the title meant - he said, in his
>  vague way, that it had to do with *good* cowboys - go figure

I bumped into the head Vapour at The Wigmore Hall, earlier this year. (Not
that I'd ever had any prior aquaintance you understand) He just introduced
himself, at one of those Green Room schmoozes.  "I used to be in a group too"
[Heart sinks]  The name meant nothing, but after he'd named the single, I
recognised those rather distinctive features. Exceedingly nice chap. He's now
a lawyer - specializing Copyright Law, music publishing etc. - whose company
was part-sponsoring the evenings concert by the superb 20 year old classical
guitarist Slava Grigoryan. 

I don't believe a word of this Jap business - even if I had the faintest idea
what it was supposed to mean. Is theresome American slang ref to masturbation
? Can anyone explain ?  Why should Pete make ANY ref to a one-off novelty
single by a very minor power-pop group (no matter how charming their leader ?)
There's nothing in English slang culture -  unless people have been HIDING
somthing from me all these 
years ....