List of bands associated with Ringo Sheena
Japanese singer Ringo Sheena has been a member of many bands in the course of her career. Most of those listed were during the 1990s and early 2000s and have two-word names, the first being in kanji and the second in katakana. This naming convention is also present in her studio albums Muzai Moratorium, Shōso Strip and later in 2009, Sanmon Gossip, as well as the songs "Rinne Highlight", "Marunouchi Sadistic", her unpublished song "Nyūtō Destroyer", "Benkai Debussy" and "Byōshō Public".
37564
37564 was a session band formed to perform the song "Nippon". In its initial line-up, it featured three guitarists: Sheena, session musician Yukio Nagoshi and Shinichi Ubukata of the bands Ellegarden and Nothing's Carved in Stone. In addition, the band featured Noriyasu "Kāsuke" Kawamura on drums, Hiroshi Watanabe on bass and Nobuhiko Nakayama programming the track. 37564 was reformed to record Hi Izuru Tokoro, with Nagoshi, as well as two members of the band 100s, Hiroo Yamaguchi and Tom Tamada.893
893 is a band Sheena formed to perform her Chotto Shita Reco Hatsu mini-tour in 2014, and also to record the song "Sakasa ni Kazoete" from her "Nippon" single. It featured Midorin from Soil & "Pimp" Sessions on drums, Keisuke Torigoe on contrabass, Yoshiaki Sato on accordion, Masaki Hayashi on piano and Ringo Sheena on vocals and guitars. All of the members had performed at Sheena's concert in 2013. Sato also arranged the song "Saisakizaka" for Sheena's album , released at the time of the concerts.Ano Yo no Orchestra
Ano Yo no Orchestra was a collaboration between Ringo Sheena and Neko Saito for her soundtrack album Heisei Fūzoku, which performed the song "Sakuran."Bakeneko Killer
Bakeneko Killer was a name Sheena gave to the production duo consisting of herself and :ja:井上雨迩. The pair worked together on the album Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana. Bakeneko Killer was reunited in 2009 to work on Sheena's studio album Sanmon Gossip.Bōtoku Vitamin
Bōtoku Vitamin was a session band formed to perform the Mori Pact disc of . It was led by :ja:森俊之, who sequenced and arranged songs, played keyboard, the electric guitar and the bass synthesizer. Other members included Hitoshi Watanabe, :ja:沼澤尚 and occasionally support from Uni Inoue.Gyakutai Glykogen
Gyakutai Glykogen was a band formed to perform Sheena's Gekokujyo Xstasy tour that was performed from April to June in 2000. The band featured Ringo Sheena on vocals and electric bass, Seiji Kameda on electric bass, Junji Yayoshi on electric guitar, :ja:皆川真人 on synthesizer and keyboard and :ja:村石雅行 on drums.The band's recordings have been released several times in Sheena's discography. They were the first band on Sheena's 3-CD box set Ze-Chyou Syuu, released in September 2000, which featured the band performing the songs "Yattsuke Shigoto," "Gamble" and "Onaji Yoru." Footage of the Gekokujyo Xstasy tour was later released on DVD and VHS on December 7, 2000. The band were the session musicians for the Kame Pact disc of Utaite Myōri: Sono Ichi. The band also performed the Zazen Extasy live concert, which was recorded in 2000 but released in 2008.
In November 2000, Sheena married Gyakutai Glykogen guitarist Junji Yayoshi, and gave birth to a son in July 2001. The pair then later divorced in January 2002.
Hachiōji Gulliver
Hachiōji Gulliver was a band Sheena performed with before her major debut in 1998 at live houses in Fukuoka. It featured Junko Murata on bass, Marvelous Marble member Rino Tokitsu on drums and Ryō Asagami on sound equipment.The band sung a mixture of Sheena's solo songs and covers of Western musicians, such as T. Rex, The Cranberries, France Gall and Björk.
Hatsuiku Status
Hatsuiku Status was an all-female band with three bassists formed by Sheena to perform on the Gokiritsu Japon tour in June and July 2000. The tour was a series of secret lives, with Sheena not being billed as a performing artist. The band consisted of Ringo Sheena, Metalchicks and former DMBQ drummer Yuka Yoshimura, Number Girl and Bloodthirsty Butchers guitarist :ja:田渕ひさ子, electric bassist Yasunobu Torii and Junko Murata from Sheena's previous band Hachiōji Gulliver.The band's setlist was composed entirely of new compositions by Sheena and other band members, often with a theme of growth. The band's recordings have been released twice in Sheena's discography. They were the third band on Sheena's 3-CD box set Ze-Chyou Syuu, released in September 2000, which featured the band performing the songs "Fukurande Kichatta," "Haihai" and "Kōgōsei." Footage of their tour was later released on DVD and VHS on December 7, 2000. The songs "Fukurande Kichatta" and "Haihai" do not appear on the DVD.
Bassist Yasunobu Torii appeared in the music video for "Honnō," and guitarist Hisako Tabuchi later featured in the recording of "Sigma."
Himitsu Butai
Himitsu Butai was a session band created to record the songs "Meisai" and "Ishiki" for the "Stem" single and Sheena's third studio album Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana. It featured electric guitar by Ukigumo, drums by :ja:アヒト・イナザワ, bass and contrabass by Hitoshi Watanabe, shinobue by Hideyo Takakuwa, violin by Neko Saito and didgeridoo by Tab Zombie from Soil & "Pimp" Sessions.Ikenai Kotachi
Ikenai Kotachi were a five-member session band created to record songs for Rie Tomosaka's "Shōjo Robot" in 2000. It featured Rie Tomosaka on vocals, Ringo Sheena on piano and chorus, Hisako Tabuchi of Number Girl/Bloodthirsty Butchers as the band's guitarist, Eikichi Iwai as a bassist and drummer Rino Tokitsu of :ja:ロレッタセコハン|Roletta Secohan and Sheena's high school band Marvelous Marble.The band performed three songs for the single, "Shōjo Robot," "Ikenai Ko" and "Nippon ni Umarete." "Shōjo Robot" and "Ikenai Ko" were written with Tomosaka's image in mind, while "Nippon ni Umarete" was an unused demo from the Shōso Strip sessions.
Josei Jōi Kinen Orchestra
Josei Jōi Kinen Orchestra was an orchestra created to record "Kuki," the Japanese-language version of "Stem" featured on the album Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana.Karisome Orchestra
Karisome Orchestra was a collaboration between Ringo Sheena and Neko Saito for her soundtrack album Heisei Fūzoku, to record the song "Karisome Otome" in September, 2006. The orchestra recorded two versions, the Hitokuchizaka version found on the "Kono Yo no Kagiri" single as a B-side which was recorded at :ja:一口坂スタジオ|Hitokuchizaka Studio in Kudankita, Chiyoda, Tokyo, as well as the Tameikesannoh version, recorded near to the Tameike-Sannō Station in Nagatachō, Chiyoda.Kōcha Kinoko
Kōcha Kinoko was one of the bands thanked in the booklet of Muzai Moratorium, which lists the members' nicknames as Shige, Shin-chan, Shira-chan and Rino.Komae no Orchestra
Komae no Orchestra was a collaboration between Ringo Sheena and Neko Saito for her soundtrack album Heisei Fūzoku, to re-record the song "Gamble," a song originally from Ze-Chyou Syuu. The orchestra recorded the song at a studio in Komae, Tokyo.Kono Yo no Orchestra
Kono Yo no Orchestra was a collaboration between Ringo Sheena and Neko Saito for her soundtrack album Heisei Fūzoku, to record the leading single "Kono Yo no Kagiri."Kuri no Hana Kaoru Orchestra
Kuri no Hana Kaoru Orchestra was an orchestra conducted by Yuichiro Goto to record songs for the album Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana. The orchestra recorded the songs "Shūkyō," "Doppelganger," "Poltergeist" and "Sōretsu."Kurubushi Hysteric
Kurubushi Hysteric was one of the bands thanked in the booklet of Muzai Moratorium, which lists the members' nicknames as Macha, Kuma and Rino.Mangarama
Mangarama were a special band created for Ringo Sheena's concert at the Taipei World Trade Center Nangang Exhibition Hall on August 16, 2015. In addition to Sheena, the band featured former Tokyo Jihen members Ukigumo on guitar and Masayuki Hiizumi on piano, Yukio Nagoshi on guitar, Keisuke Torigoe on bass guitar, Tom Tamada on drums and Yoshiaki Sato on accordion. In addition to the rock band ensemble, the band featured brass instruments: Koji Nishimura on the trumpet, Osamu Koike on both the saxophone and the flute, and Yoichi Murata on trombone. Saya and Yuka, two dancers from Elevenplay were also billed as being a part of Mangarama.Marvelous Marble
Marvelous Marble was a high school all-female band from Fukuoka who performed at the 9th Teens' Music Festival in 1995, singing a cover of Danielle Brisebois song "Just Missed the Train." It featured Yukiko Tsuda on guitar, Ai Nakagawa on bass, Izumi Suenaga on keyboard, Rino Tokitsu on drums and Sheena on vocals. The group also performed at the :ja:長崎歌謡祭|Nagasaki Kayōsai, reaching the finals. The group disbanded when Sheena left high school in her second year.Drummer Rino Tokitsu later went on to perform with the band :ja:ロレッタセコハン|Roletta Secohan.
Matatabi Orchestra
Matatabi Orchestra was a collaboration between Ringo Sheena and Neko Saito for Dai Ikkai Ringo-han Taikai: Adults Only, a series of concerts held in December 2005. The orchestra was used again for her soundtrack album Heisei Fūzoku, performing the songs "Papaya Mango," "Yokushitsu," "Meisai" and "Yume no Ato."Mizuage Orchestra
Mizuage Orchestra was a collaboration between Ringo Sheena and Neko Saito for her soundtrack album Heisei Fūzoku, to record the song "Sakuran," a B-side of the "Kono Yo no Kagiri" single. It was recorded at Onkio Haus in Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo. Mizuage is a term for an oiran's coming-of-age ceremony.Momoiro Spanner
Momoiro Spanner was one of three session bands formed to record for Sheena's debut album, Muzai Moratorium. The band featured Sheena on vocals, piano, fake koto and whistle, Seiji Kameda on bass guitar,:ja:鈴木玲史 on electric guitar, acoustic guitar and backing vocal guidance, and Noriyasu Kawamura on drums and conga.The band performed the songs "Akane Sasu, Kiro Terasaredo...," "Tsumiki Asobi," "Onaji Yoru" and "Morphine."
Nadataru Orchestra
Nadataru Orchestra was a collaboration between Ringo Sheena and Neko Saito for her soundtrack album Heisei Fūzoku. The orchestra recorded two new songs, "Hatsukoi Shōjo" and "Oiran," which both featured electronic arrangements.Noraneko Orchestra
Noraneko Orchestra was an orchestra used for her Baishō Ecstasy concert, held on May 27, 2003, that was conducted by Neko Saito. The orchestra was later utilised on her soundtrack album Heisei Fūzoku, recording the songs "Stem," "Ishiki" and "Poltergeist," where were all originally songs from her album Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana.Ōoku Kinen Orchestra
Ōoku Kinen Orchestra was an orchestra conducted by Yuichiro Goto especially for the recording sessions of "Stem" and Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana. The orchestra recorded the songs "Stem " and the studio version of "Yattsuke Shigoto."Ringo-haku Kinen Buyō-dan
Ringo-haku Kinen Buyō-dan was a troupe of dancers used for Ringo Sheena's three 10th anniversary concerts at Saitama Super Arena in 2008, Ringo-haku '08: Jūshūnen Kinen-sai. It featured choreographer :ja:井手茂太 and dancers Mineko Saitō, Nagisa Sugao, Tomoko Yoda and Ai Kaneko. Also featured were the Koenji Awa Odori Shinkō Kyōkai, who performed the Awa Dance, a famous dance from Tokushima Prefecture.Ringo-haku Kinen Kangen Gakudan
Ringo-haku Kinen Kangen Gakudan was a backing band used for Ringo Sheena's three 10th anniversary concerts at Saitama Super Arena in 2008, Ringo-haku '08: Jūshūnen Kinen-sai. It featured vocals, electric guitar, electronic keyboard by Ringo Sheena, arrangement by Neko Saito, electric guitar by Yukio Nagoshi, electric bass by Seiji Kameda, drums by Noriyasu Kawamura, piano by Elton Nagata, electric and acoustic guitar by Fumio Yanagisawa, percussion by :ja:三沢またろう and sequencer by :ja:中山信彦.As well as the band musicians, a 60-member orchestra was featured, which was conducted by Neko Saito and led by concert master Great Eida. The orchestra featured more than 16 instruments, including flutes, an oboe, a clarinet, a bassoon, French horns, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, trumpets, trombones, percussion instruments, a harp, vilions, violas, cellos and double basses.
Saimin Electric Guitar
Saimin Electric Guitar was one of the bands thanked in the booklet of Muzai Moratorium, which lists the members' nicknames as Ryota, Kore and Sada.Seirei Catharsis
Seirei Catharsis was a non-musical collaborative unit between Sheena and illustrator Mitsuru Nakamura. It was featured in Nakamura's 1999 illustration book, Watashi no E ja Dame da neShūdan Jiketsu
Shūdan Jiketsu was a band formed in 1999 featuring Ringo Sheena, Susumu Nishikawa and Seiji Kameda. The band was used for miscellaneous live events in 1999, as well as studio recordings.Tensai Präparat
Tensai Präparat was a band formed to perform at Sheena's Manabiya Ecstasy tour of university campuses in November 1999. Audio from these tours was recorded for Ze-Chyou Syuu, however Sheena was not satisfied with the results, and re-recorded three songs in studio instead for the collection. The band consisted of Ringo Sheena on vocals and electric guitar, Makoto Tani on electric guitar, Eikichi Iwai on electric bass and theremin and Hisashi Nishikawa on drums.Tensai Präparat recorded the songs "Mellow," "Fukō Jiman" and "So Cold" for Ze-Chyou Syuu.
Tokyo Jihen
Tokyo Jihen is a band formed in 2004, which became Ringo Sheena's main musical project from 2004 to 2012. The initial line-up of the band was composed of Ringo Sheena as the band's vocalist, main songwriter and guitarist, long-time producer of Sheena's solo works Seiji Kameda as a bassist, session drummer Toshiki Hata, pianist for the jazz ensemble band PE'Z, :ja:H ZETT M|Masayuki Hiizumi, and guitarist Mikio Hirama. The group initially were the concert musicians who played for Sheena's Electric Mole tour in 2003. After the band's debut album Kyōiku and first live tour Dynamite!, Hiizumi and Hirama left the band. They were replaced by guitarist Ukigumo of the band Petrolz, and pianist Ichiyō Izawa of the band Appa.Tokyo Magical Big Band
Tokyo Magical Big Band was a special unit of Tokyo Jihen, to perform the song "Onna no Ko wa Dare Demo". The project was led by conductor Takayuki Hattori, and featured all of the members of Tokyo Jihen, as well as 13 additional musicians to perform the swing jazz song.Tokyo Samba Paradise Band
Tokyo Samba Paradise Band was a special unit of Tokyo Jihen, to perform the song "Tengoku e Yōkoso ", a samba instrumental version of the song. Tokyo Jihen members performed their regular instruments, except for Hata, who performed on the agogô, tamborim, shaker, timbales and surdo. There were two additional members in the project, flautist Hideyo Takakuwa and vibraphone performer Midori Takada.Uchū Antenna
Uchū Antenna was a group that formed in Fukuoka in August 1996 after Sheena left high school. It featured Takashi Taniguchi, who later had a solo career, and Hidekazu Kuchira.Sheena later performed chorus work on Takashi Taniguchi's 1998 album Becoming.
Yokoshima
Yokoshima is a band formed by Ringo Sheena in 2002, featuring Jumpei Shiina, Ringo Sheena, Takashi Numazawa, Toshiyuki Mori on piano and Ryosuke Nagaoka. Nagaoka was later known as Tokyo Jihen guitarist Ukigumo.The group released a cover of the Toto song "Georgy Porgy" as a limited download between April 10 to April 17, 2002, and later May 1 to May 9, 2002.
Takashi Numazawa, who was the session drummer of Sheena's album Utaite Myōri: Sono Ichi, was acquainted with the drummer of Toto, Jeff Porcaro. Numazawa learned how to drum from Jeff’s father Joe Porcaro, and he worked in his drum school as an instructor after graduation. This gave Sheena the idea for the project.
Though Ringo Sheena was going to sing all the parts of this song at first, she was dissatisfied at how her voice could not mimic Steve Lukather's voice. After hearing Nagaoka, who was a member of Junpei Shiina's band, sing to the song in her car, she felt his voice was much more suited to the song, and made him the main vocalist.
Sheena considers the performance just a "copy" of the song and not a cover with any extra input, and felt it was not something suitable to put on an album.
Zekkyō Solfeggio
Zekkyō Solfeggio was one of three session bands formed to record for Sheena's debut album, Muzai Moratorium, however they performed only a single song, "Marunouchi Sadistic." The band featured Sheena on vocals, piano, melodica, handclap and footsteps, Seiji Kameda on bass guitar and backing vocals, and Noriyasu Kawamura on drums, backing vocals, handclaps and footsteps.Zetsurin Hectopascal
Zetsurin Hectopascal was one of three session bands formed to record the bulk of Sheena's debut album, Muzai Moratorium. It featured Sheena on vocals, and drums for "Kabukichō no Joō." Other members included :ja:西川進 of Diamond Head playing acoustic and electric guitar, Seiji Kameda playing bass and Noriyasu Kawamura playing drums and singing backing vocals.The band recorded the songs "Tadashii Machi," "Kabukichō no Joō," "Kōfukuron," "Sid to Hakuchūmu," "Koko de Kiss Shite." and "Keikoku."