Richard Barbieri started his musical career with the group Japan in 1976. Japan went on to record five studio albums culminating in the groundbreaking ‘Tin Drum’ which stayed in the UK charts for a year. The painstaking approach to synthesiser programming by Richard Barbieri and David Sylvian and the original rhythmic patterns of Steve Jansen and Mick Karn produced a sound that remains original to this day. They were the one of the most successful chart bands in Europe and Asia in 1982 despite the increasingly experimental nature of their music.

In 1984/5 Richard contributed to David Sylvian’s solo albums, working alongside such innovators as Holger Czukay, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Robert Fripp. Soon after, he started a long musical association with Steve Jansen, which produced 6 collaborative albums.

In 1993 Barbieri joined the rock band Porcupine Tree. Six studio albums and many tours later, they are currently signed to Warner Brothers and enjoying chart success around Europe with sales of over 120,000 for their album ‘In Absentia’. This album has recently been nominated for a Grammy Award in the States for the Non-Orchestral 5.1 Surround Sound category. The latest album "Deadwing" entered the US Billboard chart on it’s first week of release.

He has just released his debut solo album "Things Buried". Although he has made many albums as part of a group, trio or duo, surprisingly this is his first solo work.