Ringo Shiina

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Ringo Shiina 椎名 林檎
Birth name	Yumiko Shiina
Born	November 25, 1978 (1978-11-25) (age 29)
Origin	Saitama, Japan
Genre(s)	Jazz, Pop, Rock, Big band, Punk rock, Grunge music, chanson, ムード歌謡/Mood songs, 演歌/Enka
Occupation(s)	Singer, Songwriter
Instrument(s)	singing, guitar, piano, keyboards, Bass guitar, drum, koto, shamisen, harmonica, melodica, harpsichord, accordion
Years active	1998–2004, 2007-present (solo) 2004–present (group)
Label(s)	Toshiba-EMI (1998–present)
Associated acts	Tokyo Jihen
Website	Official Site

Ringo Shiina (椎名 林檎, Shiina Ringo^?)^[1] is a Japanese singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist born on November 25, 1978.

She takes part in "Tokyo Jihen" as a vocalist mainly at present.

She was ranked at No.36, in a list of Japan's top 100 musicians, provided by HMV.^[2]

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early life 1.2 Initial solo career 1.2.1 Concert, Concert tour 1.3 Tokyo Jihen 1.4 Resumption of solo work 2 Singing and songwriting style 3 Her musical history 4 Theme Songs and Tie-ins 5 Offer of her musical piece 6 Participation to other musicians' work 7 Stage Name - Ringo - 8 Dominant Influence 9 Musical instruments she owns 9.1 Electric guitars 9.2 Electric bass 9.3 Instrument amplifier 10 Discography 10.1 Albums 10.1.1 with Tokyo Jihen 11 Notes & References 12 External links

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Yumiko Shiina was born in Saitama Prefecture to Kōtarō Shiina, an employee of an oil company, and Akiko Shiina, a full-time housewife. She was born with an illness in which the esophagus narrows as it approaches the stomach, resulting in many surgeries. These surgeries left Shiina with large scars on her shoulder blades, said to give the impression that an angel's wings had been removed.^[3]

Her understanding of the arts began with her father's interest in jazz and classical music. Also, her mother majored in dance in college and practiced ballet. There was a large collection of music, a piano, and a guitar in her house. Shiina's father was also a devoted reader of music magazines. The young girl began practicing piano at age 5, as well as learning classical ballet.

While Shiina was very outgoing as a young child, she later became shy and quiet. Her parents remember her as a mostly trouble-free child, except that she could not stand being alone, throwing tantrums if she could not have a friend to play with.

She then moved to Shizuoka Prefecture on account of her father's work, and spent her early school days there. Following that, she moved to Fukuoka Prefecture because of the same cause, and entered junior high school there. Fukuoka became an important city for her, although she only lived there for five years. At first, it was officially announced that she came from Fukuoka, and she often answered interviews in Fukuoka dialect at the time of her debut.

Entering junior high school, she realized immediately that it was impossible to become a ballet dancer, and stopped ballet. This was because her body had become less symmetrical, owing to the sequela of an operation in her infancy. She also stopped learning piano at the same time, and started listening to songs other than classical music or the records of her parents. She got absorbed in drama and longed to be a dramatist or involved in stage design afterwards. She was asked by the teacher of the drama club to add music to the lines of a play, and taking advantage of this opportunity, she began her musical activities. As a start, she formed a band with her classmates and performed in the school festival. Although the band broke up, she began to make demo and came to aim to be a professional musician in earnest.

Just at that time, for her parents who worried about her who was apt to play truant from a school, the man of their acquaintance who got to know her new dream was becoming a singer recommended for her to have the audition, "Horipro talent scout caravan of 1994". The total number of the applicant is about 40000-50000 average years. However, it was not the audition for looking for a singer but the audition for looking for Japanese idol. Although she advanced to the finals stage of the national convention as Kyushu District representative, she finally noticed that she must wear a swimsuit there. But she decided to be businesslike to become a singer. However, she couldn't win the audition.

After entering a senior high school, she worked at about 10 different bands, and improved her skill in the music by experiencing many live shows. She was in charge of a guitar and a lead singer in the main band, but, in the other bands, took charge of a keyboard instrument, a base, a drum and all musical instruments as she asked.

At the same time, she also sang playing the guitar in the street - Nishitetsu Fukuoka station squares in Tenjin of a busy shopping area, and so on.

In 1995, she participated in the national convention of "The 9th TEENS' MUSIC FESTIVAL" which Yamaha Corporation sponsored as a member of the all-girl band, Marvelous Marbles in which she performed vocals, and won a prize to encourage youth.

She became a fan of the indie rock group Number Girl at that time. Hisako Tabuchi, the guitarist of the rival band with which she had often co-starred live participated in Number Girl. She began to play the guitar yearning after Hisako Tabuchi. She attended various shows when possible. A few years later, she asked Hisako Tabuchi to play guitar in recording some her songs, and formed the Indie rock band called Hatsuiku Status with Tabuchi. Ahito Inazawa, the drummer of Number Girl participated in recording of her third album Karuki Zaamen Kuri-no-Hana. In addition, she participated in the album of the new band Zazen Boys which Shutoku Mukai, the vocalist of Number Girl and Inazawa formed as a chorus, too.

In 1996, she quit senior high school, and participated in "The 5th Music Quest 1996" which Yamaha Corporation sponsored similarly as a solo artist while working part-time in a pizzeria and in a security firm. She was invited at the stage of the preliminary contest of Fukuoka Prefecture by two or more record labels. And she went into the finals and won an Award of Excellence. (the winning tune was "Kokode Kiss shite") However, she insisted that Yamaha could not use her talent to the fullest, and refused a contract with Yamaha. She ended up agreeing to a contract with Toshiba EMI.

Since she had already finished writing/composing most of the tunes for two albums, she submitted them at a planning meeting for her debut. However, she was harshly criticized by directors of EMI about her lyrics, and her opinion clashed with them many times. Since she was disgusted with the situation, she left for the U.K. counting on her friend's help in January, 1997. The lyrics of "Tadashii Machi" & "Identity" expressed her mind at that time. She was determined to make her debut as a singer after much worry, and went back to Japan three months later.

[edit] Initial solo career

Ringo Shiina's first official single was released May 1998, when she was 19 years old. It was entitled "Kōfukuron" ("Happiness Theory"). In the video for this single, Shiina alluded to her surgery scars by wearing a pair of wings on her back. Next came the release of her first album, Muzai Moratorium (Innocence Moratorium), in February 1999, and then her second album, Shōso Strip (Lawsuit Winning Strip), in March 2000. She released the only single that was not included in any of her album, Mayonaka wa Jyunketsu in March 2001, and created a video in retro-anime style, depicting Ringo as a sort of mid-'60s spy movie heroine. ^[4] She went on a short hiatus when she was expecting a child, but returned a year later with a two-disc compilation of multi-lingual covers entitled Utaite Myōri (Singer's Luck).

At the age of 24, Shiina had married Junji Yayoshi, a guitarist, and had a son. The two divorced 14 months later. In 2003, she released her third album, titled Karuki Zamen Kuri no Hana (Lime, Semen, Chestnut Blossoms).^[5] While recording this album, Courtney Love tried to spot and recruit her, though she failed to get in touch with her.^{[citation needed]} Towards the conclusion of her solo career, she had her trademark mole removed, and released her final solo single, "Ringo no Uta" ("Apple's Song"), which can be described as a vivid summation of her career, including a music video with references to all of her previous videos.

[edit] Concert, Concert tour

1999

"Senkou Ecstasy" (先攻エクスタシー, Attacking-first Ecstasy^?)

"RISING SUN ROCK FESTIVAL 1999 in EZO"

"Manabiya Ecstasy" (学舎エクスタシー, School Ecstasy^?)

2000

"Gekokkujou Ecstasy" (下剋上エクスタシー, Usurpation Ecstasy^?)

"Zazen Ecstasy" (座禅エクスタシー, Zen meditation Ecstasy^?)

2003

"Sugoroku Ecstasy" (雙六エクスタシー, Sugoroku Ecstasy^?)

[edit] Tokyo Jihen

Main article: Tokyo Jihen

On May 31, 2004, Shiina formed a band called Tokyo Jihen (東京事変, Tokyo Jihen^?). Tokyo Jihen is Japanese for "The Tokyo Incidents" and was first introduced in Shiina's Sugoroku Ecstasy tour and are featured on Shiina's Electric Mole DVD.

The original lineup of Tokyo Jihen was: Ringo Shiina (vocals, guitar, melodica etc.), ヒラマミキオ Mikio Hirama (a.k.a. Mikki) (guitar, backing vocals), 亀田誠治 Seiji Kameda (bass guitar), ヒイズミマサユ機 Masayuki Hiizumi (a.k.a. H是都M, H Zetto M or HZM, from jazz instrumental band PE'Z) (keyboard/piano) and 刄田綴色 Toshiki Hata (drums). All of them were members of the backing band of Shiina Ringo's solo tour "Sugoroku Ecstasy" in 2003.

In July 2005, the band announced that keyboardist Masayuki Hiizumi and guitarist Mikio Hirama had left Tokyo Jihen, and that new members were being sought for Tokyo Jihen's second album. In September 2005 the band announced through its website that it had selected two new members, 長岡亮介 Ryosuke Nagaoka (a.k.a. 浮雲 Ukigumo) on guitar and backing vocals and 伊澤啓太郎 Keitaro Izawa (a.k.a. 伊澤一葉 Ichiyou Izawa/Ichiyō Izawa ) on keyboards. Shortly thereafter, the band announced it would be releasing its second album (featuring the new lineup) in January 2006, and that it would be playing two concerts, at the Osaka-Jo Hall in Osaka and the Budokan in Tokyo, in February 2006.

[edit] Resumption of solo work

In late 2006, Ringo announced that she would resume work as a solo artist as the Music Director for the 2007 film Sakuran, a movie based on the Moyoco Anno manga about a girl who becomes an oiran courtesan in the Edo-era Yoshiwara district. A new single and album have been announced, both of which seem to tie in closely to the movie (no soundtrack is planned) and appear to be due to the huge inspiration she received from working on the movie. Though Ringo is working on her own, she has also solicited the help of violinist Saitō Neko and the band Soil & "Pimp" Sessions, with whom she has performed before, to assist her in the recording of her new material. A song between her and Soil, titled "Karisome Otome (Death Jazz ver.)" was released on iTunes Japan exclusively on November 11, 2006. It quickly leaped to the top of the charts and remained there for days. After the success of the new album, she has continued work with Tokyo Jihen with a new album scheduled for a late September 2007 release.

[edit] Singing and songwriting style

Shiina is an accomplished musician and songwriter who writes music spanning numerous genres. She is well known for her eccentricity, rolling her "r"s and creating promotional music videos with striking visuals.

She longed for a singing voice of Eddi Reader of Fairground Attraction’s vocal, but she felt that she didn't have the clear voice like her and had a hoarse voice. Therefore actually she referred to Janis Ian's singing method and made "Seventeen" influenced by Janis's "At Seventeen", and covered "Love Is Blind" afterwards.

She loves various genres of music and listens to many kinds of music. At the time of her debut, there was a rumor that the list which contained the names of her favorite musicians was written over several closely fitted pages. ^[6]

She can play various musical instruments. She mainly plays rhythm guitar live, but she plays not only guitar but other musical instruments, such as piano, on songs while recording.

Shiina's lyrics are noteworthy as they often contain complex and archaic language. Printed lyrics in her liner notes regularly feature kanji that are not in common use.

Musically, Shiina's songwriting style steadily became more complex over the course of her solo career, incorporating more varied instruments and more elaborate production with each album. Although Shiina's influence in songwriting is still dominant in Tokyo Jihen, arrangements have been stripped down to a more standard rock and roll style, highlighting the roles of the individual players in the band.

[edit] Her musical history

The music that dominated Shiina's childhood were Debussy's piano pieces. Due to her piano and ballet background, Shiina was not fond of music which was not plain piano music at that time. With the exception being The Peanuts, which her father loved. Shiina loved ballet music played by symphonies, and she often listened to the records in the ballet lesson that Yoko Morishita, the ballerina, edited at that time.

In the days of attending primary school, Shiina often listened to "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind's Sound Track, Toward the faraway land ..." of Joe Hisaishi and "RENDEZVOUS" of Sadao Watanabe, and Billy Joel, Mayumi Itsuwa, etc. These records were owned by her parents. Under her mother's influence, Shiina also loved the older Japanese pop songs.

In Junior High, Shiina fell in love with the sound of Motown under the influence of her older brother and became a huge fan about Soul Train, citing Marvin Gaye to be a favorite. During this period, Shiina rarely listened to the Japanese music that she grew up with.

Whilst attending senior high school, Shiina started listening to BLANKEY JET CITY, Radiohead, Bjork and Sex Pistols. Shiina was shocked by the lyrical content of BLANKEY JET CITY, sparking an interest within her to listen to Japanese music again. She always said that Thom Yorke of Radiohead was one of the people whom she respected (Two others being Peter Greenaway and Ken-ichi Asai/Benzie from BLANKEY JET CITY). She also said that when she listened to Bjork, and her heart was freed. She was also influenced by the Sex Pistols but more for their stage presence rather than their musicality. Shiina mentioned that it's ridiculous if a person from a middle class background poses as a punk. Shiina also had a fondness for Red Hot Chili Peppers, as well as citing "Evil Empire" by Rage Against the Machine, and "No Code" by Pearl Jam to be some of her favorite albums of all time.

It was noted that after leaving high school, she revisited the music of Todd Rundgren, Led Zeppelin, and "The White Album" of Beatles etc.

Shiina admired Madonna, as well as her self-producing capability.

When Jimmy Eat World first gained popularity, Shiina claimed, "I was right!"

[edit] Theme Songs and Tie-ins

• The ending theme of "Ai no Hinadan (TBS)" (1998)
  • Koufukuron

• The theme song of "POP JAM (NHK)" (1998)
  • Kabukichou no Joou

• The theme song of the late-night TV drama "Shin-D Kokode Kiss Shite. (NTV)" (from March 2, 1999 to April 27)
  • Kokode Kiss Shite.

• The Ending theme of "DOWN TOWN DX (NTV)" (1999)
  • Kokode Kiss Shite.

• The theme song of "FUN FUN'S RECOMMEND#007 (NTV)" (1999)
  • Honnou

• "Suntory The Cocktail Bar Cassis & Orange -shaker-" TV commercial (from April 23, 1999)
  • Koufukuron [Etsuraku hen]

• "Suntory The Cocktail Bar Cassis & Orange -squeeze the orange-" TV commercial (from April 23, 1999)
  • Akane Sasu Kiro Terasaredo

• " Suntory The Cocktail Bar Love Story(kyohou-grape and yogurt) -grape-" TV commercial (from July 16, 1999)
  • Rinne Highlight

• " Suntory The Cocktail Bar Sparkling(3 kinds) -sparkling campaign-" TV commercial (From September 21, 1999)
  • Keikoku

• " Suntory The Cocktail Bar Mimosa -cracker-" TV commercial (from September 25, 1999)
  • Kabukichou no Joou

• " Suntory The Cocktail Bar Fairy Tale (peach and yogurt) -fairy tale-" TV commercial (From February 5, 2000)
  • Aozora

• Mobile phone for au of Sanyo Electric, "W21SA" TV commercial (from August 12, 2004)
  • Gunjou Biyori

• The theme song of the TV drama "Oooku～Hana no Ran～ (Fuji Television)" (from October 13, 2005 to December 22)
  • Shuraba

• The theme song of the movie "Sakuran" (from February 24, 2007)
  • Karisome Otome (DEATH JAZZ ver.) (Shiina Ringo X SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS)

• The ending theme of the movie "Sakuran" (from February 24, 2007)
  • Kono Yo no Kagiri (Shiina Ringo X Saito Neko + Junpei Shiina)

• Kei car of SUBARU, "STELLA" and "R2" TV commercial (from November 7, 2007)
  • Senkou Shoujo

[edit] Offer of her musical piece

In 1998, Shiina Ringo provided Ryoko Hirosue with "Private" as c/w song of her single "Jeans."

In 1999, She offered the single "Cappuccino" and c/w "Mokuren No Cream" to her friend, Rie Tomosaka. The two songs were recorded on Rie Tomosaka's album "Murasaki" with "Shampoo" which she newly offered. All three songs were lyrics/music/produced by Shiina Ringo and arranged by Seiji Kameda.

In 2000, She offered the single "Shojo Robot" and the c/w song "Ikenai Ko" and "Nihon ni Umarete" to Rie Tomosaka. All three songs were lyrics/music/produced by Shiina Ringo and arranged by Seiji Kameda. She took charge of producer from a song to a visual side overall. She not only took the record jacket and Rie's portrait photograph, but appeared in promotion video in the role of a pianist. Incidentally, the role of a guitarist is Hisako Tabuchi and the role of a drummer is Rino Tokitsu. Ringo's photograph also appears in the reverse side of the jacket.

In 2003, her single "Ringo no Uta", released on November 25, 2003 that was her birthday, was broadcasted in children's TV program "Minna no Uta" of NHK from October, 2003 to January, 2004.

In 2004, She took charge of music in the stage play "KK produce #4 Lens" which Kentaro Kobayashi, one of a pair of stand-up comedians "Rahmens", produced / directed, and came on himself.

In 2006, she took charge of the music director in the movie "Sakuran." She showed the demo of the instrumental music at first, but it was changed into the arranged existing songs by the director's intention.

In 2007, she offered "Yokushitsu" and "Identity" as a theme song in case he goes to the batter's box to Ichiro Suzuki, a major-league player.

In 2007, she offered "玉手箱/Tamatebako (casket)" which is a newly-written music to Kanzaburo Nakamura's kabuki "三人吉三/Sannin-Kichiza". This musical piece is used in the end of the program, and there is no schedule of making CD's. This music was forbidden from recording in the open full-dress rehearsal for reporters. In addition, at the time of the performance of "東海道四谷怪談/Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan (Tokaido Yotsuya ghost story)" of Kanzaburo Nakamura starring in 2006, he had applied "Yokushitsu" while entering a spectator, .

[edit] Participation to other musicians' work

In 1998, she participated in "becoming" and "Rock&Hammerg" as a chorus in the album "becoming" of Takashi Taniguchi(谷口崇) who was a friend of her same province and was the winner of "The 5th Music Quest 1996" and had formed the band with her just before her debut.

In 1999, it is Rie Tomosaka and Shiina Ringo to chat in "Good for us!" which is collected in her album "Murasaki".

In 2000, She participated in recording of Rie Tomosaka's "Shojo robot" as a pianist and a chorus. A guitar is Hisako Tabuchi (from Number Girl), a bass is Eikichi Iwai, a drum is Rino Tokitsu.

[edit] Stage Name - Ringo -

There are some rumors about the origin of the pseudonym Ringo, meaning apple. It is thought to perhaps originate from the nickname which was applied to her by a friend when she often blushed as a child, or it could come from the name of the Beatles' drummer Ringo Starr, or it is because she gives herself a stage name which uses an English-sounding word. However, the only origin that she declared is that she followed the cartoonist, Sensya Yoshida. His first name is just a name of an object like Ringo ("Sensya" in this case meaning a "Battle Tank" in English). She seems to feel that the fact impacts those who hear it.^[7]

[edit] Dominant Influence

In 2000, Duesenberg Starplayer guitar which Ringo Shina has used, recorded the historical sales of about 1000 sets in Japan, which is mentioned in the history of the Duesenberg company. It was entirely thanks to her that Duesenberg, which was not very well known, became popular in Japan.

There have also been girls called "Ringo Gal" who imitated Ringo Shina’s clothing, and were featured by a tabloid TV show in Japan. They wore clothes of Vivienne Westwood and had Armour Rings on their fingers.

It is said that the character called "I-No" which appears in the fighting game called Guilty Gear XX is modeled after her.

To the question "How did you create the role of Nana Osaki in the movie Nana?", Mika Nakashima answered that she referred to Shiina Ringo's band because it was written in the original manga that she is the basis of the image of Nana.^[8]

It is said that the character called "Takana Shirakawa" which appears in the Japanese manga called Pyu to Fuku! Jaguar is modeled after her in her personality mainly. Because the manga writer is her fan, and Takana has a beauty spot on lips at the same position as her.

[edit] Musical instruments she owns

[edit] Electric guitars

• Duesenberg Starplayer II (Surf Green)

  She bought it by installments in her amateur days.

• Duesenberg Starplayer TV (Silver Sparkle)
• Duesenberg Starplayer TV (black-and-gold checkered pattern using gold leaf)

  This guitar is her signature model.

• Duesenberg V-Caster (Surf Green)
• Fender Jaguar Special (made by Fender Japan)
• Fender Telecaster (custom-made by Fender Japan)
• Fender Stratocaster (Jimi Hendrix tribute)
• Gibson Firebird
• Gibson Flying V
• NAGARE (Blue)

  This guitar is based on Fender Jazzmaster, and is equipped with the flashbulb, so it shines while playing. it doesn't make a sound unless opening a lock with a key.

• Rickenbacker 620 (Jetglo)

  She bought it with her royalties received first.

• Tele Phantom (Red, made by Songbird guitar)

  This guitar is using "Vox Phatnom markⅥ" as the motif, and is the same model of the guitar of Ukigumo except a color.

• etc.

[edit] Electric bass

• Danelectro 58 Longhorn

[edit] Instrument amplifier

• Orange Overdrive OR412

  She began to use this under the influence of Susumu Nishikawa who was her session guitarist in the early days.

[edit] Discography

Main article: Ringo Shiina discography

[edit] Albums

Album Cover	Date of Release	Title
	24 February 1999	無罪モラトリアム Muzai Moratorium (Innocence Moratorium)
	31 March 2000	勝訴ストリップ Shouso Strip/Shōso Strip (Lawsuit Winning Strip)
	13 September 2000	絶頂集 Zecchoushuu/Zecchoshu/Zecchosyu/Zecchôshû (Ecstasy Collection)
	27 May 2002	唄ひ手冥利 ～其ノ壱～ Utaite Myouri ~Sono Ichi~/Utaite Myōri ~Sono Ichi~ (Singer's Luck ~Part One~)
	23 February 2003	加爾基　精液　栗ノ花 Karuki Zamen Kuri no Hana/Karuki Zaamen Kuri no Hana (Lime, Semen, Chestnut Blossoms)[5]
	21 February 2007	平成風俗 Heisei Fuuzoku/Heisei Fuzoku/Heisei Fūzoku (Japanese Manners/The Heisei era manners and customs)[9]

[edit] with Tokyo Jihen

Album Cover	Date of Release	Title
	25 November 2004	教育 Kyouiku/Kyoiku/Kyôiku (Education)
	26 January 2006	大人(アダルト) Adult (Adult)
	26 September 2007	娯楽(バラエティ) Variety (Variety)

[edit] Notes & References

[edit] External links

Official sites

• Shiina Ringo's official site (in Japanese, at Toshiba-EMI)
• Tokyo Jihen's official site (in Japanese, at Toshiba-EMI)
• SR Nekoyanagi Line (in Japanese, at Kronekodow)
• Duesenberg's official sites

Fansite, Lyrics & Translations, etc.

• Electric Mole Forums - fan community forums
• Nostalgic Lavender// Shiina Ringo - the most up-to-date, comprehensive, and accurate lyrics & translations
• Ringo Catalogue - Shiina Ringo/Tokyo Jihen fansite with comprehensive information & lyrics
• Ringo Jihen (in English)
• Rsitei(in Japanese)
• Nippop Profile |Ringo Shena
• Shiina Ringo/Poltergeist (in Swedish/English)
• Project J's profile (English)
• LyricWiki.org [2] - lyrics & translations of Shiina Ringo and Tokyo Jihen
• Wiki.ThePPN's profile (English)
• Ringo Zone - Japanese Lyrics, Romaji and Chinese Translations