I in now way take any credit for coming up with these facts (some are rumors and speculations)!!!!!!! These are simply things I've accumulated after visiting numerous outdated and old message boards over the past couple of years. Enjoy, I hope you learn a couple of new things!! :)
Gips
-There are two covers for the Gips single, one featuring herself cutting an apple, and the other featuring her cutting her wrist. It's interesting to note that she has a morbid little grin in the pic with her wrist being cut.
-The line " I wanna be with you" is written as "i "i 罠 B wiθ U". The kanji wana (罠) means trap or snare. The line could then have a double meaning, such as "I am ensared by you"
-This part is PURELY an opinionized interpretation of the song and has no validity:
Because of the reference to Kurt, other connections can be made. The line "Mata shigatsu ga kita yo" (another April has come) may be reffering to Kurt's death in April. The line "If you're Kurt, doesn't that make me Courtney?" might be implying that the main character of the song is contemplating suicide on the anniversary of her lover's death. Thus, the line "I wanna be with you" could be meaning that she wants to be dead with him. Basically, the song/video is a representation of a woman whose lover has died, and after a year of mourning contemplates suicide but decides not to do it for the sake of her daugher (the girl in the video). This is similar to Courtney Love's life.
-The message "Mit Liebe" appears on the screen very fast in the video. The phrase means "With Love" in German.
-The entire video is very similar to Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box Video". Watch it here:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=W7QD_m83pWU
Honnou
-Ringo has mentioned that she originally wanted to appear like Jamiroquai in the "Virtual Insanity" music video, but has admitted that really didn't happen. (This was from an article in Daily Yomiuri online)
Watch the video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7B-dqbD5ss...related&search=
-She has acknowledged that the glass smashing has no real meaning. However, she's said she wanted the video to express her opinon that women have as much
right to erotic fantasies as men do.
Marunouchi Sadistic
-Marunouchi Sadistic inspired the creator of FLCL, particuarly the line "soshitara benjii, atashi o gurecchi de butte" (And then Benzie smacks me with his Gretsch)
-In the English version, A New Way to Fly, the lyrics are:
"Pass the time kickin' as time rips by
Neither goose nor the gander fly
Flyin' high across the plain
Purple flowers ease the pain
Now take a look..
So I am careful for a new meditation
Still looking for a...a new way to fly
I do not want any plastic validation
Not looking for a...a new way to die
So I am lookin' for a new stimulation
Quite bored of those in flat able ties
and I am looking careful for a new rock sensation
Dead fish don't swim around in jealous tides"
These lyrics come from threedifferent songs on Stone Temple Pilots' album, "Tiny
Music...songs from the Vatican Gift Shop".
(From "Seven Caged Tigers":)
Pass the time kickin' as time rips by
Neither goose nor the gander fly
(From "Adhesive":)
Flyin' high across the plain
Purple flowers ease the pain
(she adlibs..."Now take a look..", which is close to "Adhesive's"
"Here take a listen")
(From "Tumble in the Rough":)
I'm looking for a new meditation
Still looking for a new way to fly
Don't want any plastic validation
Not looking for a new way to die
I'm lookin' for a new stimulation
Quite bored of those inflatable ties
I'm looking for a new rock sensation
Dead fish don't swim around in jealous tides
Mayonaka wa Junketsu
-The name of the cartoon character in the music video is Mayo Kiyozumi. Her last name, Kiyozumi, contains the same two characters for junketsu ƒŒ‰ reversed, and her first name, Mayo ^–é, is the first part of mayonaka ^–é’†
-There was a contest held for fans to name the character. The winner received a figurine of the character. (edit: the kanji isn't showing up right here! sorry!)
Muzai Moratorium
-PURELY interpretation: The album is a concept album means to represent the ficitional autobiography of a recording artist who has commited suicide by drug overdose. It's a cliche tale of a girl who comes to the big city to become a rock star, succeeds, becomes disillusioned, drops out, and then drops dead. Each song represents metaphorically the emotion and mood of the "artist" at the time of composition:
01) Tadashii Machi -- arrives in big city
02) Kabukichou no Joou -- becomes street musician [more obvious in maxi-single version]
03) Marunouchi Sadistic -- begins pro career
04) Koufukuron -- gets record deal [album version represents hectic pace of rise to stardom]
05) Akane sasu Kiroterasare -- emotional isolation and disillusionment with fame set in
06) Shido to Hakueyuumu -- fills emotional void with drug experimentation
07) Tsumiki Asobi -- feeling exploited and made servile, other forces seem to dictate her life
08) Koko de Kiss Shite -- hits less frequent, feared her Muse betrayed her until this song came into her head
09) Onaji Yoru -- live tours become monotonous "greatest hits" shows; every night seems the same night
10) Keikoku -- anxiety attack, nervous breakdown, exacerbated by her career and course of life
11) Morphine -- clean out of art, life has lost relevance, leaves this song as suicide note
-This use of mood progression was probably inspired from Goethe'e novel Letters From Young Werther.
Miscellaneous
-The sailor outfit that she wears in the Koufukuron video is of a Petty Officer 3rd Class in the United States Navy.
-In KZK, Shiina is credited as "Princess Shiina 'Sadist' Ringo"
-In the first talent contest Shiina entered (Talent Scout Caravan 1994), her entrant number was 77 (symmetry even from the beginning!)
-She gave birth to her son on July 12 (not sure what year)
-Ringo is the one whistling in Tomosaka Rie's song "Mokuren no Cream"
-Muraishi Masayuki had to play drums for both Ringo and Yuming's tours at the same time. Thus, both tours were planned so that no 2 concerts were on the exact same day. Murai then married one of Yuming's backup singers.
-Kaoru from Dir en Grey is a fan of Ringo. They met once on Music Station, and she said this to him:
"I like your manicure, but don't you play the
guitar? It will fall off". Kaoru replied with, "I can always get another
one".
-Ringo has claimed she intentionally decided to get pregnant without being married first.
Zecchoushuu
-The single places heavy emphasis on medication. The outside box has a layout very similar to medicine, and the pictuers inside feature her clutching her stomach and head as if she's ill.
-Underneath the icon of the toxic apple, it reads "pain and fever releaver"
-Ringo and Kameda both don't have any arrangement credits. Instead, the band itself is credited (ex: written by Tensai Praparat)
-On the box, the following is written:
* This is medication for the soul, so it is not edible.
If you accidentally injest it, please see the head teacher
of your academic grade, the chief of your work department,
or your mentor immediately.
* Furthermore, if you give up on this product, we cannot
be held responsible at all for your actions. We apologize
for the inconvenience.
* Those with heart problems and those who are suckers for
authority should refrain from using this product.
* No medicine exists to cure idiots.
Tomosaka Rie
-Rie had similar stage personas as Ringo. On some lives, Rie appeared as Sakamoto Eri which was supposed to be a strong rocker woman, opposed to Rie herself who is a typical Jpop artist.
-The total time for the Shoujo Robot single is 12:12
-In the linear notes of the single, it credits Rie, Ringo and others as Expert Bad Girls
-Ringo took the photos for the cover and such
-Notice in the video it's Ringo who has control: She begins the song (playing the piano) and ends it (she bows first, Rie makes sure to bow after)
Shouso Strip
-Each of the first 6 songs has to do with what Shiina considers a crime, and each of the final 6 songs has to do with what Shiina considers to be the punishment for the crime.
-The album runs 55:55
-Go here for more info on the symmetry of Shouso Strip:
http://z7.invisionfree.com/Ringo_Jihen/ind...p?showtopic=991
Interviews and Translations (none of which were translated by me)
-This is a translated article from Rockin' On Japan April 2000, talking about Shiina's photoshoot (pics here:
http://shiinaringo.se/pics/index.php?dir=....00&sortby=name)
Location Hunting for the Soul
The concept for the photo shoot this time was thought up by none other than Ringo Shiina herself. `For the next interview I`d really like to do the photo shoot at a love hotel, ya` know. I have a friend who`s a photographer, and her pictures from when she stayed at one one time were so cute!` Ringo Shiina, a love hotel, Ikebukuro ---- I get the picture!
`But I dunno` know where the place is, though.` Um, I`ll find it for you. I contacted the photographer, borrowed the pictures Shiina had, and finally found a room that looked the same in a love hotel guide. `An outward appearance of Colonial Style and symmetrical forms.` ... I see. When I went for the preliminary inspection I discovered that it was an extremely popular room and it`s hard to find it open no matter when you go. I continued to write `Rabuho Excursion` on our company schedule board, only to be reviled by the president, `You`re fired!` and have the female employees talk about my acts of `sekuhara` behind my back.
February 15, 11 AM, I finally find the room open and was able to check it out. No doubt about it, this is the room! Just as I expected, how `thick` -- the air was on this day after Valentine`s, the sheets still not changed from the day before.
-This is an old translated letter that comes from Shiina's website, announcing her pregnancy:
Hello everyone. This is Ringo Shena.
Facing a new century, lots of time has already passed, but Happy New Year. Recently, I have been unable to bring you any new sounds. I'm sorry. All the schedules have been fully planned, so please check them out later.
Actually, I have a reason to be here and I've thought a lot about it and I'd like to take over this space and talk to you. If you would like, please read on.
Now, there is a new life growing in my stomach. I've had menstrual pains strong enough to make me pass out, but as they have stopped, I have come to miss them. (But I digress...) But this is totally different from saying "I accidentally got pregnant".
The man I have been dating and I decided "OK, let's have a baby", so we worked hard to make one. If I say things like "work hard", etc., I guess many people will start to think of many processes in work, like pre-production, rehersal, camera rehersal, general production... (But I digress...II) But, when the time came, I did once think "Implantation complete". (But I digress...III) Because my intelligence is scarcely considerable, I think I was really lucky when I said "OK, let's have a baby" and daily I am constantly amazed by the mystery of this tiny life. The baby is due in May (those of you who counted back, shame on you) and I must apologize for taking to long to get the news out to you. Soon, I am told, I should be entering a safe, stable phase but up until now if I didn't keep an eye on my condition, it couldn't be said if the child in my stomach was developing correctly or not. Of course, I wanted to let everyone know earlier. Anyway, I have made a decision with the father of the child in my stomach to help each other and to live with each other. I'm okay. Everyone, there is no need for worry. Oboshimese.
Now, the co-creator of this child that I've talked about is a priceless partner to me, so let me give him a simple introduction.
The person whom you are reading about has given me his support on a daily basis and to cut to the chase, he was a part of last years' tours "Gekokujo Extasy" and "Zazen Extasy" and the guitarist of the band Gyakutai Glycogen, Junji Yayoshi. The reason I chose him is that he doesn't use his guitar or effectors overwhelmingly. But, if for some reason, I am asked by a reporter or something like that, I am thinking I would answer "Because of his impersonation of Master Katsura Sanshi..."
This is getting rather long, so I had better come to a conclusion soon.
From now on, as always, I will continue to live "Always truthful".
I am very grateful for everyone to listen to me. Thank you for your support. Thanks. Have a nice day.
Shena Ringo, 22 years old
-This is the letter that Yayoshi Junji wrote:
For parties and journalists,
Hello,
As announced at TOSHIBA EMI's site, YAYOSHI,who is a guitarist and a producer, belongs to my office, got married Shena Ringo at 11/25 2000.
At present they have no plan for the wedding ceremony.
We wish them to be always happy and also succeed in their music activities. But it's a private matter, so that we can't accept any interviews and we have no plan for another public announcement. Please forgive it, and sorry for only having annouced this in writing.
Message from Mr. YAYOSHI.
I MEAN IT !!
