Ringo Shena

From Hkadb

One of the Japanese music scene’s most interesting and consistently creative artists is Ringo Shena (椎å??林檎), a hard-rocking singer-songwriter who has carved out a unique niche for herself ever since her debut in 1998.

Note: Her name can be romanized many ways, including Shina, Sheena, and Shéna. Her real name is: Shiina Yumiko (椎å??裕美å­?)

She was born in Fukuoka in 1978, and from an early age was trained as a pianist and ballerina. Her given name means “apple,� by the way. By age 15, Shiina was playing in several bands and writing her own songs. In 1996, as a solo artist, she won an Award of Excellence in the finals of the annual Yamaha Music Quest competition. A string of live performances in various semi-pro groups followed, eventually leading to her debut as a professional in 1998. Shiina has an incredibly wide range of influences. Shiina sent Toshiba-EMI a list of artists she likes when she was trying to get a contract. It’s 10 pages long and has tons and tons of names, Japanese and non-Japanese, and it’s very, very eclectic. In spring 20001, Shina took a year's maternity leave. She then made an amazing comeback with a 2-CD album of cover versions of other artists’ songs called Utaite Myori -- Sono Ichi (which translates very roughly as "I'm So Happy to Be a Singer -- Volume 1"). Besides Japanese, she sings in English, German, French and Portuguese. And she tackles the foreign-language songs with assurance and aplomb. On her scorching version of the Beatles song "Yer Blues", for example, Shiina is in full screaming banshee mode, singing against a bone-crushingly heavy backing track. In 2004, Shiina put her solo career on hold and formed a band called Tokyo Jihen, or Tokyo Incidents, with Masayuki Hiizumi on keyboards, Seiji Kameda on bass, Toshiki Hata on drums and Mikio Hirama on guitars. Basically, what’s happened is that they were Shiina’s backing band during her 2003 nationwide tour, and now she’s joined them as a full-fledged band member, saying she prefers to be part of a band. But there’s no question that Shiina is the main attraction in Tokyo Jihen.

[edit] Discocraphy

[edit] Album

• Muzai Moratorium (1999)
  1. Tadashii Machi
  2. Kabukichou no Joou
  3. Marunouchi Sadistic
  4. Koufukuron (album version)
  5. Akane Sasu Kiro Terasaredo
  6. Shido to Hakuchuumu
  7. Tsumiki Asobi
  8. Koko de Kiss Shiite
  9. Onaji Yoru
  10. Keikoku
  11. Morphine

• Shouso Strip (2000)
  1. Kyogensho
  2. Yokushitsu
  3. Benkai Debussy
  4. Gibusu
  5. Yami ni Furu Ame
  6. Identity
  7. Tsumi to Batsu
  8. Stoicism
  9. Tsuki ni Makeinu
  10. Sakana
  11. Byoushou Public
  12. Honnou
  13. Izonshou

• Utaite Myouri (2002)
  1. Haiiro no Hitomi
  2. More
  3. Chiisana Kinomi
  4. I Wanna be Loved by You
  5. Chiisai Kobato
  6. Love is Blind
  7. Momen no Handkerchief
  8. Yer Blues
  9. Nobara
  10. Kimi wo Aisu
  11. Jazz a go-go
  12. Autumn Leaves
  13. I Won't Last a Day Without You
  14. Carnival (Manha de Carnaval)
  15. Mr. Wonderful
  16. Tamanegi no Happy Song
  17. Starting Over
  18. Komori Uta

• Karuki Zamen Kuri no Hana (2003)
  1. Shuukyou
  2. Doppelgenger
  3. Meisai
  4. Odaijini
  5. Yatsutsuke Shigoto
  6. Kuki
  7. Torikoshikurou
  8. Okonomide
  9. Ishiki
  10. Poltergeist
  11. Souretsu

• Zecchoushuu (3 Mini-CD Set) (2000)
  1. Yattsuke Shigoto
  2. Gamble
  3. Onaji Yoru
  4. Mellow
  5. Fukou Jiman
  6. Mo Koukyuudo
  7. Fukuran de Kichatta
  8. Hai Hai
  9. Kougousei

[edit] Singles

• 1. Koufukuron (1998)
  2. Koufukuron (Maxi) (1999)
  3. Kabukicho No Jyoou (Maxi) (1998)
  4. Koko De Kiss Shite (Maxi) (1999)
  5. Honnou (Maxi) (1999)
  6. Gibusu (Maxi) (2000)
  7. Tsumi To Batsu (Maxi) (2000)
  8. Mayonaka Wa Junketsu (Maxi) (2001)
  9. STEM - Daimyou asobi hen (Maxi) (2003)