Artists/musicians who have influenced Shigeru Kishida of Kururi

In this issue, we will introduce artists/musicians who have influenced Shigeru Kishida of Kururi.

Profile of Shigeru Kishida

Shigeru Kishida, a native of Kyoto, formed Kururi in 1996 when he was in a music club at Ritsumeikan University and made his major debut in 1998 with his signature song “Tokyo.

There are many songs called “Tokyo,” and for some reason, many of them are great songs, and Kururi’s “Tokyo” is no exception. Perhaps it is because it is written at a time when people are most troubled after leaving their rural areas for Tokyo… I think there is a theory that “Tokyo” = a great song.

As you can see when you watch him speak, he speaks in the Kyoto dialect, and you can sense his love for his hometown by the photo of Fukakusa Station on his first album and the Miyako Music Festival, a festival organized by bands mainly from Kyoto.

I also spent my college life in Kyoto, and my college days coincided with the debut of Kururi, so they are one of the bands of my youth.

If you don’t know Kururi, please listen to their famous song “Tokyo” first!

Kururi has been active for a long time, and many young people today know Kururi. When I ask them what their favorite song is, I hear the name of their 30th single “Amber Town, Shanghai Crab Morning”. As someone who has known Kururi for a long time, I have to admit that I was a bit confused when I heard this song, which has quite a few hip-hop elements.

The interview for this song says that they wanted to do something fresh on the occasion of their 20th anniversary, so they came up with this song! Please give it a listen!

Artists/musicians who have influenced Shigeru Kishida (Kururi)

The Beatles

However, The Beatles were always my favorite. I no longer remember when I first heard them, but from dim memory, I think it was on TV’s “Hirake! Ponkicki” on TV. Every song I heard fell into my stomach. It was as if it naturally entered my body as if it were my own. That feeling has continued to this day. My father also has several albums. I think the one I listened to the most was “The White Album (The Beatles). But I can’t put them in any particular order. I like each album in its own way.

From Tracing the Roots of Shigeru Kishida (Kururi)

https://natalie.mu/music/column/522156/page/2

The White Album, which Mr. Kishida says he listens to all the time, is not that highly regarded among Beatles albums, but there are rock, pop, folk, ballads, classical, reggae, avant-garde, some good old Beatles and some future Beatles! I’m not sure if I’m being too harsh or too harsh on the Beatles. In fact, a young Eric Clapton is also on it.

BOB MARLEY

I used to listen to Bob Marley’s best album, “Legend.” At the time, I hardly understood reggae music, but like the Beatles, I felt at home the moment I heard it. The second song was a live version of his signature song, “No Woman, No Cry. The audience started to sing along with the live version of the song, and I just loved it. I love that song. Normally, I tend to think “that’s just substandard,” but this Bob Marley song and the live version of Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi’s “Cheers” were special.

https://natalie.mu/music/column/522156/page/2

The song “No Woman, No Cry” was The Wailers’ first hit outside of Jamaica! A rare live version of this song, Bob Marley’s rise to fame, is far more famous.

The Who

And then, I guess, The Who. I think I first saw a copy band play “Pinball Wizard” instead of the original. After that, my senior showed me the music video and I was impressed by how cool it was. It doesn’t have the perfect naturalness of the Beatles, but it’s a little imperfect, which is conversely dramatic. They are stylish, their music is catchy, and you want to root for them. They are still a special band for me.

From Tracing the Roots of Shigeru Kishida (Kururi)

https://natalie.mu/music/column/522156/page/2

Prince

I didn’t make any copies, but one CD I bought around that time particularly got me hooked on Prince. In the winter of my first year of high school, an album called “Love Symbol” came out under the name Prince & The New Power Generation. It blew my mind. I don’t know what it was, but it just felt so freeing. It was thrilling, fun, and full of naughty voices (laughs). It showed me a world I didn’t know existed. Music can do so many different things.

From Tracing the Roots of Shigeru Kishida (Kururi)

https://natalie.mu/music/column/522156/page/2

My brother used to listen to this album a lot, so it is very memorable for me too. Well, my brother looks like Mr. Kishida, too.

Donto

I try to only introduce artists who have influenced me on this blog from interviews and other sources, but since Mr. Kishida sang Don’s famous song “Tunnel Nuke” at the “soul of Don” memorial event for Don, a video that I have always loved, I thought that Don must have influenced me! So, he must have been influenced by Dont! So, I guess he must have been influenced by Don… so here goes!

By the way, Mr. Rakita, who is performing with Mr. Kishida, is the son of Mr. Dong and formed “Zutto Zureteruzu” with Hama Okamoto of OKAMOTO’S and others.

Since he is the son, Mr. Kishida said at the beginning, “I’m borrowing only one guest from DONTOH. I love this kind of connection.