Ringo News 2015

[The Most Curious Thing]

Originally Posted by deadgrandma

She only likes one track by Togawa.

Dare I ask which? Something as unassuming as possible like Mushi no Onna?

[deadgrandma]

Virgin Blues

Virgin Blues

I can't blame her, it's one of my favourites too. Probably my all time favourite music video by anyone too.

[Vorpax]

OMG deadgrandma is married

[mrnarse]

Originally Posted by fluffiethesock

What song is this? I must have missed it when it was discussed.

That's the other song on the upcoming single "Kamisama, Hotokesama". It'll have a digital pre-release in the next couple of days, so we'll finally get to hear the full thing.

[zeroryouko]

For those still interested, here is the text of her brief interview regarding NIPPON and its supposed nationalism. I am not sure of the original source.

I have tried to translate to the best of my ability, but a lot of this is far beyond me, so take this with a grain of salt and *please* no not hesitate to correct me.

Interviewer: 「NIPPON」というタイトルからか、「右翼的」「愛国ソング」などとネットやメディアで話題になっていましたね。

Because of the title "NIPPON", [labels like] "right-wing anthem" and so forth have been making news in the media and on the internet, right?

Ringo: ねえ。お騒がせしてすみませんでした。まさか、そんなことになるとは。組み合わせの妙だったんでしょうね。「混じり気」という歌詞だとか、「ニッ 」という読ませ方だとか。以前にも「日本（にっぽん）に生まれて」という曲をつくっていて。「っ」という促音便、グルーブを生むような読み方を選びがちな んですね。そういうことが相まって、疑わしく思われてしまったんだろうなと思います。

でも、いま大戦中でもないのに、人に「どっちなんだ！？ 右なのか、左なのか」と問うこと自体、ナンセンスだとは思います。難しいですよね。はかりづらいし。

Oh? I am sorry for any trouble I have caused. By no means did I intend anything of the sort. [But] it is an opportune combination, isn't it? The lyric "impure", the "Nippon" reading, and things like that. Even before this, I had made a song called "Born In Japan (Nippon)". [The P] sounded good, and created a groove that I chose for artistic reasons, you know. [But] taking those things together, I realize that it does look extremely suspicious.

However, I think that people asking "Which side are you on? The right, or the left?", even though we are not now in the midst of World War II, is nonsense in and of itself. It's not that simple. The balance is difficult.

Interviewer: 両面あるかもしれないし。

Or, maybe you are on both sides.

Ringo: そうですね。

It seems that way, doesn't it?

Interviewer: あたかもイデオロギーの踏み絵を迫るような。

In that moment [when being asked about political affiliation], it's like a test of ideological allegiance.

Ringo: 踏み絵ですよね。完全に。

A test of allegiance. Exactly.

Interviewer: 極端に言うと、「大江健三郎は左翼的だから読まない」「三島由紀夫は右翼的だから読まない」みたいな。

To speak in terms of extremes, it's like saying, "Kenzaburo Ooe is left-wing, so I won't read him!" or "Yukio Mishima is right-wing, so I won't read him!", isn't it?

Ringo: 同じですよね。でもすごくつまんないと思います、それは。私が聴いていただきたいから、というわけじゃないですけど。自分が嫌いな相手にまで好かれたいとは思わないですし。縁がない人たちがおっしゃってる、というだけですから。

ただ、（批判は）ちょっと文脈がズレてると思うんです。タイアップはさておき、一つの曲としても全然そんなことは書こうと思ってないから。そういう読解力 の方とは、縁がないって思っちゃう。

It's the same thing. But I think it's terribly dull, that [sort of thinking]. But just because I want to listen, it doesn't mean that one can draw conclusions. Moreover, I don't think that I would go so far as to want to be liked by others who hate even themselves. Because that's just the talk of individuals who have nothing to do with me.

I just think that (such criticisms) are a bit off-base. Aside from a tie-up, I don't think that I even *could* write a song completely about that sort of thing. I'm not one who has that sort of literary ability.

Interviewer: 「NIPPON」のジャケットに日の丸をあしらっているからですかね。

But isn't it [an apt criticism] because the jacket design for "NIPPON" includes the Japanese flag?

Ringo: ああ、そうかそうか。なるほど。

Oh, that. Now I see.

Interviewer: 拡声機を持っている写真が右翼的だと言う人さえいます。拡声機を使ったパフォーマンスは以前からされていたと思いますが。

There's even someone who said that the photo [of you] holding a megaphone looks right-wing. But you have performed using a megaphone previously, I think?

Ringo: とにかく、否定する材料を探したいんでしょうね。

In any case I should try to look for exculpatory evidence, right?

[Vorpax]

o NIPPON is just a damn tie-in for the world cup, good lord. These people are a bunch of idiots, period. Thanks for translating zero!

[deadgrandma]

Yeah I reckon, in support of Japan. Tha fuq. This is like people looking for a conspiracy when there really isn't anything there. Damn what a terrible interview (question wise). Ringo should write a song about this shit instead of coke.

They should be more angry about the song sucking so much.

[zeroryouko]

I guess my overall impression (assuming I got the translation right, which is a pretty risky assumption) was this: While she denied any explicit nationalist motive with regard to NIPPON, she made her overall viewpoint pretty clear. While she is far from being an extremist, she agrees with some views held by the left and some held by the right, depending on the issue. Regarding nationalism in particular, she has little tolerance for self-hating liberals, and has no problem using Japanese symbolism and showing some patriotism when she feels inclined to do so. She rejects the notion that doing so makes her a political extremist. Her views on the flag may basically be summed up as: "Deal with it."

ETA: Ironically - from what I can tell based the short clips of NIPPON from Sunday's concert, this may actually be her best live performance of it yet.

[deadgrandma]

But isn't that MOST people when it comes to their country?

[zeroryouko]

Exactly.

ETA: All of which being said - she *absolutely* should tone it down when she goes to Taiwan. It's just common courtesy. And she *absolutely* should not sing NIPPON. Although I have a nagging feeling that she probably will anyway, and then it *is* going to be a big deal.