I stumbled upon Sheena Ringo hearing her first album being played in a trendy Taipei record shop in the late 90s and became an instant fan. Back then she was known as the Queen of Grunge and her first two LPs really drove that home. After her pop success she expanded to psychedelic jazz with a fabulous vibe of 1960s seedy burlesque clubs and 1930s gin joints. Hands down Japan’s most high concept pop star, she never does a show or tv appearance without pulling out every stop and putting on a mixed media barrage of classy retro homage to the past century of japanese music. Her latest work in 2024 is a series of collaborations with younger pop divas which honor and respect both artists but with the expected and extravagant Ringo flair and polish. Heres a few videos, please watch them all.
Tag: psych
japanese music you should be listening to – part 4
Plasticzooms – Personal Communication
wearing an einstürzende neubauten and spacemen 3 shirt in your music video is a great way to have me instantly like you. Plasticzooms are a japanese postpunk band currently living in Berlin.
Scanch – うそつき天国 (Liar Heaven)
Hard rock and glam rock mainstays since 1982, Scanch is fronted by Rolly Teranishi, (seriously watch that link) a major celebrity now doing TV and Film appearances as well as anime voice acting. He’s basically Japan’s Marc Bolan/David Bowie/Mick Jagger/Rip Taylor rolled up in one. He played Frank n Furter in japanese productions of The Rocky Horror Show and is known to cult movie audiences as the psycho bowling alley serial killer in Sion Sono‘s horror film “Suicide Circle“. I have to remember which Scanch video it was where the keyboard player caught on fire from an accidental flash pot explosion but they kept the camera rolling anyway.
Ningen Isu – Farewell to the World
Their name translates as “The Human Chair”, the name of a creepy short story from Japan’s literary master of horror Edogawa Rampo, the band started in 1987 and are masters of their brand of intellectual heavy metal, and big fans of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, King Crimson and KISS. I also speculate they may have been the inspiration for the popular heavy metal comedy manga “Detroit Metal City“.
Histujibungaku – Addiction
major label alt-rock trio from Tokyo, founded by the singer when she was in junior high school. Their name translates as “Sheep Literature”.