May 27th, 2008 happy 10th anniversary

ringo10th.com opened today. i think that makes it a tin anniversary…

ten years (27.05.1998) since the debut single of a girl with the stage name of shiina ringo.

in that time she was married, had a child, and divorced. she released four solo albums, and three with a band. she removed a mole from her face, and turned it into a premise for a concert! for better or worse, the precocious third finger raising teenager has turned into a kooky fashion plate. in the last few years, the solo act has given way to a band, tokyo jihen, but for all purposes is still dominated by ringo.

i haven’t shared all ten years with ringo, only the past six, marked by the lull after the double cd cover album, only to shock us with the musically complex karuki zamen kuri no hana (kzk) in 2003. i had only just begun to know the slip and tiara wearing rocker of her youth when a kimono wearing persona appeared with jazz rhythms and traditional instruments layered one over the other.

i live somewhat vicariously through ringo. i send myself hoarse singing her high pitched scratchy songs at karaoke. i bought a vivienne westwood knuckle ring, which is sort of a shorter version of her armour ring and wear it everyday. i try and learn a cover to play in my band. my band is named after her. kzk raised my expectations forever of what music should be, and her debut album still moves me to action.

i don’t know what the future ten years might hold, though i know my expectations are unfair. forgive me, because her music makes me think this way!