Shizuka Miura

Shizuka Miura (三浦 静香, Miura Shizuka, IPA: [ɕizɯᵝka̠ mʲiɯ̟ᵝɾa̠]; 7 March ???? – c. 31 January 2010) was a Japanese ball-jointed doll maker, singer, songwriter, and guitarist.[1][2] She became recognized in Japan for her doll work. Worldwide, Shizuka is best known for having been the founder and front woman of the rock band Shizuka.[3][4]

This article is about the Japanese musician and doll maker. For the band, see Shizuka (band). For other uses, see Shizuka.

Shizuka Miura
三浦静香
A Japanese woman singing and playing guitar.
Shizuka at Studio AMS (1994)
PronunciationIPA: [ɕizɯᵝka̠ mʲiɯ̟ᵝɾa̠]
Born
静香

Japan
Died(2010-01-31)31 January 2010
Japan
Occupations
Years active–2010
Known forShizuka
Spouse
  • Maki Miura (−2010)
Children1
Musical career
OriginTokyo, Japan
Genres
Instrument(s)
Years active1992–2010
Labels
  • PSF
  • Persona Non Grata
  • Last Visible Dog
  • Fra, Inc.
Japanese name
Kanji三浦静香
Hiraganaみうらしずか
Transcriptions
RomanizationMiura Shizuka

Biography

Shizuka Miura initiated in the art of dollmaking under the influence and mentorship of master dollmaker Katan Amano.[5] Shizuka became recognized in Japan notably for her gothic ball-jointed dolls.[3][4][6]

In circa 1992, Shizuka started her musical career by adapting her poetry into music. Initially, she rented venues and performed by herself. Shizuka soon formed an eponymous band with musicians from the Tokyo psychedelic underground scene. With the group, she worked on the release of a studio album, three live albums,[3] and two video albums.[1] Shizuka also performed in many live shows in Japan,[5] two tours in the United States,[4][7] and a festival in Scotland.[8][9][10][11]

Shizuka died on circa 31 January 2010. Her cause of death was suicide.[1][3] Mason Jones wrote that "it may have been due to medication",[lower-alpha 1] but it remains publicly unknown.[4] On 25 April, a DVD-video album was released by PSF Records as a tribute to Shizuka containing one of the last live performances by her group recorded at the ShowBoat live venue in Tokyo on 30 December 2008.[1]

Artistry

Dollmaking

Shizuka made modern ball-jointed dolls. Her dolls have been described as "haunted, ethereal-looking",[3] "stunning",[12] "sickly-looking",[13] "beautiful and spooky".[7]

Musical influences

Shizuka was prompted to compose music after seeing Maki Miura adapting a poems of hers to music. When asked about her favorite band, Shizuka mentioned Les Rallizes Dénudés in regards to the Japanese psychedelic scene.[5]

Musical styles and voice

Shizuka's music, together with her band, spanned psychedelic, folk, noise rock, acid rock, and neo-psychedelia.[2][7][14] Musical instruments she played included guitar,[3] and bells.[15]

Shizuka possessed distinctive vocals: chanted, slow, plaintive, and tremulous, often connoting sadness and a "gothic atmosphere".[3][7][14] Her vocals were imperfect[12] and sometimes tuneless,[16] but these aspects added an emotional edge[12][16] as part of the band's style.[17]

Songwriting

Shizuka's band usual creative process started by listening to Shizuka singing lyrics, jam together, and only then arrange the song. She attributed the slow tempo in most of her music to she writing them at her natural pace, and not to a deliberate endeavor. She also said that she presented her inspirations, which in turn came from her personal experiences, in music. She wrote the song "Planning for Loneliness" (孤獨を圖る, Kodoku o Hakaru) based on her experience of having stomach cancer in the late 1980s while she also had a child who was one and a half years old, and often performed this piece with her band because she considered it important to her.[5]

When inspiration comes, I follow it to find the material for modelling my creative work, which may eventually be presented in the form of music or doll. Both of them are the products of my private universe, they come from the same inspiration, and all inspiration comes from my experience.

— Shizuka telling how she might present her personal experiences in art, Rocker[5]

Personal life

Shizuka was married to Japanese guitarist Maki Miura.[3][4] She had a child in the late 1980s, and also had stomach cancer around that time.[5]

Discography
Main article: Shizuka discography
This section is an excerpt from Shizuka (band) § Discography.[edit]

Studio albums

Live albums

Video albums

  • Shizuka (静香) (c. 1995)
    • Hikyoku no Seiseki: Live at Manda-La2 1993 & Studio Ams 1994 (秘曲の成績) (2009, reissue)
  • Endless Dream (終わりのない夢, Owari no Nai Yume) (2010)

Notes
  1. Extended excerpt: "(...) it was a suicide. Apparently, it may have been due to medication, but at this point we'll simply never know".[4]

References
  1. P.S.F. Records. "Shizuka / Owari no Nai Yume (DVD)". P.S.F. Records. Wikidata Q105485579. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016.
  2. P.S.F. Records. "PSFD-178 Shizuka / Live/Traditional Aesthetics". P.S.F. Records. Wikidata Q105485580. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016.
  3. Alan Cummings (11 March 2010). "Shizuka Miura". The Wire. ISSN 0952-0686. Wikidata Q105485575. Archived from the original on 6 May 2018.
  4. Mason Jones (15 February 2010). "Shizuka R.I.P." Ongakublog. Wikidata Q105485577. Archived from the original on 6 May 2018.
  5. ethereal (2001). "最接近天國的異界之音──靜香". The Rocker (in Chinese). The Rocker (6): 56–60. Wikidata Q104530295.
  6. Doll Forum Japan (September 1997). "Doll Forum Japan: Vol. 14". Doll Forum Japan (in Japanese). 14: 1–31. Wikidata Q105485606. Archived from the original on 3 December 2018.
  7. Aquarius Records; Eclipse Records (2003). "Shizuka — Tokyo Underground '95". Last Visible Dog. Wikidata Q105485582. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018.
  8. "Shizuka and David S Quartet". The List (438): 62; 64. 11 April 2002. ISSN 0959-1915. Wikidata Q104919336.
  9. Edwin Pouncey (June 2002). "Le Weekend: Stirling Tolbooth, UK". The Wire (220): 82. ISSN 0952-0686. Wikidata Q104919335.
  10. Gavin Laird (2002). "Le Weekend, Stirling, 25th–28th April 2002: Day One". Telstar Ponies. Wikidata Q105485600. Archived from the original on 12 February 2003.
  11. Poison Pie (2002). "Le Weekend: Back at the Tolbooth". Poison Pie. Wikidata Q105485599. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019.
  12. Mason Jones (May 1995). "Shizuka: "Heavenly Persona"". Ongaku Otaku (1): 68. Wikidata Q105485591.
  13. Andrea Moed (December 1995). "Shizuka – Live Shizuka". CMJ New Music Monthly (28): 48. Wikidata Q105485595. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019.
  14. Dean McFarlane. "Shizuka – Shizuka". AllMusic. Wikidata Q105485578. Archived from the original on 8 May 2018.
  15. 天界のペルソナ (in Japanese), Performer: Shizuka, Japan, 22 September 1994, ASIN B00005IHHF, Wikidata Q62905999{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  16. Bill Meyer (August 2008). "Shizuka – Traditional Aesthetics". The Wire (294): 53. ISSN 0952-0686. Wikidata Q105485590. Archived from the original on 6 January 2020.
  17. Dean Suzuki (1996). "Shizuka – Live Shizuka". Sonic Options Network (66–71): 117. Wikidata Q105485597. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019.

Further reading
This section is an excerpt from Shizuka (band) § Further reading.[edit]
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