tell me about Shiina

[Scribble R]

It's surprises me how SR's critics are so certain about Ringo's future as a musician, considering how varied and eclectic her past is.

Ringo still hasn't even tried to make an album under the same philosophy as Shouso Strip and KZK.

Ringo's sound being 'affected' by her being in Phase 2 is not a fallacy, even if she IS writing the music. TJ is going out of its way to be unShiina, so there's still going to be that unfinished business surrounding her solo needs. Kachi Ikusa is a Variety-sounding song for the the album succeeding Variety by the same band that made Variety, surprise surprise. I like how one song renders the very classically-Shiina songs she composed and arranged for her own album non-existent.

[lazer85]

Some people think it's irrelevent and you should leave the artists personalities seperate from their art but if you connect with something they make, its totally natural to be curious about their personality...as long as you respect their privacy at dont go spreading some insider information if you are so lucky to hear it. I'm not really interested in Ringo's character now but I want to know what kind of things she was doing and feeling when she wrote KZK aside from being pregnant.


sidenote: I kind of see what Glath is saying about HZM. As much as I looooove Mikio and I think his solo stuff is much better than HZM's, I definetly think he's definetely not someone you are forced to pay attention to like HZM who has a special kind of energy.


I know less about personal stuff than some people on here, basically everything thats been said already with not much more to add. I have heard she lives in Saitama (the New Jersey of Japan). So did I for two years...not far at all from the town she lives in according to someone here. I found this out without any research haha I am so not a stalker though every once in a while when she popped up on random I would think how cool it would be if I could run into her and like tell her to listen to Autotune the news #9 or something. (Moved to Shimokita in Tokyo now....sooo much better.)

Most of her success in Japan is do to the people who loved her first album and just keep coming back for more. I know a few fans here and they buy all the albums but they are usually just pleasant reminders of the past for them. We tend to be people who loved her first 3-5 albums and kept coming back for more.

As for me, I'm basically out the door with this Dopamint thing as far as sky-high respect goes, I mean musicians getting into advertising is not something I respect in the first place but add that to all the image changes that are continuing in extreme ways after 10 years...kind of taking the stage as much as the music is.... I could forgive all that if she were still putting out the best music in Japan but she's not anymore but the song title even being affected by an advertising campeign is just way too much for me.

Most Japanese fans would probably not mind that but I bet they would agree with me that while she is still putting out decent music that might be worth listening to, it isn't really the stuff you get excited to show everyone who hasn't heard it anymore.


EDIT: Let me add that I'm still here for the few people with outstanding taste in pop music. The last month I've been enjoying Kurohashi Yoeko, Waa Wei and Kojima Mayumi thanks to this board. It's also interesting to see what everyone thinks of Ringo's new releases since I'm still so attached to some things she's created.

[justriiingo]

Thanks for the Kimaru link superficial fan.
It's a pretty good song, maybe one that sounds more like SR than TJ. SR somehow writes better tunes in triple meter than she does with 4/4/. It reminds me of Yukiguni somehow. Thought the overdid the back with the Yume no Ato effect, but I suspect it should be quite good live.

OKAY what did they do to Sounan?! Izawa mutilated the tune with Count Dracula keys, and Ukigumo trying to rock and failing horribly.
The original Sounan has the purest TJ sound... this version sounds Indies, and not in a good way.

It's no doubt that I'm one of the harshest critic of SR on this forum.
I have to admit that I am a little spoilt by early SR music, because it had all the little details at unexpected parts of the music. Her newer music either sounds too subdued or too much.

I'm pretty sure that SR and Asai Kenichi had romantic relations. I'm not sure who dumped who, but AK's band Blankey Jet City had a major influence on early SR's music. In fact, the guitar solo on Tsumi to Batsu was contributed by none other than AK.

BJC

They're a very bad-ass band.

I'm not happy that TJ Version 1 is no longer around. I'm pretty sure whatever 2nd album they put out would be much better than Adult. Hirama is a better singer and a more versatile guitarist compared to Ukigumo, who is, well, unique. HZM, well, he's much more fun to watch than Izawa.

If you wanna know more about SR's tastes in music, you can head over to this thread. Back in the days SR would reveal her playlist to members of her fan club, and what I've found on the internet I've posted on that thread.

edit:
Oh. I'm surprised that no one has mention her love of palindromes, and also that she's obsessed with symmetry. The track titles on her albums are symmetrical, and KZK is 44.44 minutes long.

Her best gigs (according to me):
1. Electric Mole
2. Dynamite Out
3. Zazen Ecstasy
4. Gekokujyo Ecstasy
5. Just Can't Help It

[Lock]

Tell me about Shiina... How many cosmetic surgeries have in her face?

a. Mole removed. (sadly)
b. Fuller lips. (sadly, in my opinion)
c.? Nose job?
d.? Others?

Yeah, it's pointless but... she looks so different after seeing Zazen Ecstasy compared with her recent stuff.

If you are wondering... No, I don't work for TMZ.

[Ringo~Bingo]

Originally Posted by Lock

Yeah, it's pointless but... she looks so different after seeing Zazen Ecstasy compared with her recent stuff.

That's known as aging. I don't think she's had anything done except the lips and mole.

[Superficial Fan]

Arabesque, this might be helpful:

http://yomi.mobi/egate/Shiina_Ringo_...ese_Musicians/

(Actually that looks pretty much like the regular Wikipedia article. I thought it was different.)

[SakeIt2Me]

I'm a pretty new SR fan, so here's a few things that were particularly interesting to me:

Shiina played in a band with Hisako Tabuchi when she was young, and was apparently inspired to play guitar by Tabuchi (I've also read this story in reverse, Tabuchi inspired by SR...?). (Tabuchi was the guitarist for Number Girl BTW). After SR's first albums, she and Tabuchi formed a band called Hatsuiku Status which made some pretty awesome music IMO. (See YouTube)

SR's favourite Blankey Jet City album was Skunk. SUKUNKU!

SR was instrumental () in making Duesenberg guitars popular in Japan and has signature models. (See Duesenberg Starplayer TV)

Used to smoke and has quit. Smart lady. Favourite music is jazz. Smart lady. Likes to use obscure/antiquated kanji instead of ones in common use. Smart lady. Has recently begun making more commercial music and as already noted, commercials. Fans may not appreciate this since she's selling out, but she is lining her pockets and saving for a future where people cannot or will not pay for their music. SMART LADY!!

I'm trying to emphasize that from what I've learned about her, she seems to be a very intelligent person. You should really read through some of the big threads here, full of informative posts by longtime fans, and most importantly, posts by fans who read/speak Japanese. There are translations of interviews and such that are full of details that can't be put into one thread...Enjoy reading! Hope this post was somewhat helpful.

[Lock]

Originally Posted by Ringo~Bingo

That's known as aging. I don't think she's had anything done except the lips and mole.

Yeah, you're right. But I still think her nose it's not exactly the "original one".

Anyway. It's curious, this year USA Thanksgiving day = Ringo's birthday. Turkey & Sushi.

[Yahiko]

many people from japanese boards say shes done more surgeries than mole removal and botox (?) on lips ... but I dont think there are more besides those, really..

[Nimh]

Originally Posted by Yahiko

many people from japanese boards say shes done more surgeries than mole removal and botox (?) on lips ... but I dont think there are more besides those, really..

Of course, there's the obvious major childhood surgery.