BAD NEWS!! RITSUKO IS LEAVING SHONEN KNIFE !!!

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

FROM SK BLOG AND TWITTER:
There is some exciting news in the world of Shonen Knife, this month our bassist Ritsuko will be going on maternity leave.

Mother and baby are in good health.　We are praying for her safe delivery and quick return to the band.

For Shonen Knife's US Tour 2015 in June, original member Atsuko will be joining the band as bassist for the shows.
It will be a unique opportunity for US fans to see Atsuko performing on bass for the first time in nearly a decade in the US.

Also, for the upcoming show on May 31st at Fandango, Osaka and our annual 712 DAY PARTY tour in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, our friend NARU will play the bass.

Thank you very much for your support and encouragement for Shonen Knife.

From members and staff

----------------------
最近オメデタニュース多いなぁーって思ってたらなんと！私も妊婦になりました。

アメリカツアーはオリジナルメンバーのあつこさんが参加してくれるそうです。感謝です！

そしてこれからのライブに参加される、なるさんもきっと素敵な人です。

少年ナイフに関わる人はいままでもこれからも素敵な人だから。
その中に自分が関われたことを幸せに思います。

そしていつの日か、再び少年ナイフでプレイするときが来れば、そのときはみなさんよろしくお願いします！

私は今までもこれからも、ずっと少年ナイフを応援しています。

りつこ

I have a baby on the way!!!
Am I following similar "got pregnant stories" frequently made public recently in the gossip columns?
No!! Mine is the real happy love story!!

I am very happy now, even though I will miss the upcoming North American tour.
I am grateful to Atsuko-san for rejoining Shonen Knife in the upcoming tour.


Also, I know that Naru-san is the most charming and talented bassist who will take my part from now on.
I am very happy to recall that I have been given a part in the activities of Shonen Knife together with the charming members and staff of Shonen Knife.

I do hope I will have a chance someday to return to the stage and perform in front of the enthusiastic Shonen Knife fans.
I will remain unchanged as one of the most dedicated fans of Shonen Knife.

Thank you.

Ritsuko
Ritsuko’s maternity leave
There is some exciting news in the world of Shonen Knife, this month our bassist Ritsuko will be going on maternity leave.
Mother and baby are in good health.　We are praying for her safe delivery and quick return to the band.
For Shonen Knife's US Tour 2015 in June, original member Atsuko will be joining the band as bassist for the shows.
It will be a unique opportunity for US fans to see Atsuko performing on bass for the first time in nearly a decade in the US.
Also, for the upcoming show on May 31st at Fandango, Osaka and our annual 712 DAY PARTY tour in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, our friend NARU will play the bass.
Thank you very much for your support and encouragement for Shonen Knife.

[skswede]

Actually i suspected that SK4 was a start for Atsuko to replace Ritsuko as bass player.The bilogical clock is running out of time for Ritsuko to get a child.But i think SK will never be the same without Ritsuko.

[skswede]

Only news,not bad news and off course the best of all news for Ritsuko.

[skswede]

Naru ? anybody know who she is ??

[lazybone712]

Yep great news for Ritsuko:)

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Apr 20, 2015 17:16:32 GMT -5 skswede said:

Naru ? anybody know who she is ??

The only guess I can come up with is Naru Shin, former member of Mummy... something or other, the only Osaka bassist named Naru that I could find... she is about as sexy as a brick! (Which describes her figure fairly accurately!)


image upload

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Apr 20, 2015 14:02:41 GMT -5 skswede said:

Only news,not bad news and off course the best of all news for Ritsuko.

Bad news to me; Ritsuko had saved SK, now I wonder if it can survive!

[shonencello]

I'm not reading all this as "leave forever". But of course that may be the case.

Expect this with Emi in a year or two as well.

Anyway also good news that Atsuko is back.

[tangerinesun]

Apr 20, 2015 19:19:08 GMT -5 mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman said:

Apr 20, 2015 17:16:32 GMT -5 skswede said:

Naru ? anybody know who she is ??

The only guess I can come up with is Naru Shin, former member of Mummy... something or other, the only Osaka bassist named Naru that I could find... she is about as sexy as a brick! (Which describes her figure fairly accurately!)


image upload

Mummy The Peepshow, Maki Nakamura's old band. That's a good guess, betcha it's that Naru. She came from Wonder 3 to support MAMI ZA PĪPUSHOU on tour in 2000. No vocal credit, hmm.

How frightfully un-gallante to dismiss a lady based on her 3-sizes. Especially as a candidate for a band that favors A-line smocks on top of stretch pants. Ritsuko says she's charming! I'm not one to contradict.

I wacked some photos of the Benten Label era from sister.co.jp.


Naru is actually THE CUTE ONE in the Mummy lineup.


The 98-lb Naru barely able to see over her own Fender Bassman, European tour, 2002.

[sasquatch]

It all brings back with terrible clarity how I felt when Kassan left Red Bacteria Vacuum to have a baby; the sense of loss, sadness and bewilderment, the feeling that life would never be the same again….. That was the day I also learnt that Nihon Madonna were splitting up, what a dark day that was. I almost phoned in sick to work. ‘I have a J Punk related disorder’ I would have said. I would have to, if I wasn't already on an 'Action Plan' for poor attendance!! It's not my fault, I hate the place!

Though to be philosophical, it is vitally important that we have future generations of J Punk Rock Stars. On that note I wish our dear Rits-chan all the very best.

And if it is Naru Shin from Mummy The Peepshow, and she becomes a temporary permanent member , then I can take along my copy of ‘Electric Roller Girl’ to the next UK gig to get it signed, just like I took along my copy of Denki Candy’s ‘Denki Shock’ to get it signed by Rits-chan aka Marilyn.

For every silver lining there is a cloud.

[sasquatch]

Also.....there is no such thing as a female J Punk Rock star who is not cute!!! Put them on stage, put a guitar in their hands or stick 'em behind a drum kit and they magically become cute!! Post gig when they're signing CDs and miscellaneous merch they become even cuter!

[tangerinesun]

And... where is Kassan now? Not a great precedent, but I don't count her out.

About future generations, Ritsu understandably wants to take that slow.

We're starting the youngster on a 4-string Mustang with a light gauge, and if she takes to it, Mommy's SVT and 8x10 cabinet already have their corner in the nursery. Which will be decked out with pink egg crate in a month or so. Kawaii!

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Turns out I was right, it IS Naru Shin, Naoko confirmed it today!!!

[tangerinesun]

Though her Web profile is pretty low, I want to make the effort to get to know our charming Naru a little.



Birth name: Naru Ishizua

Bio at www.sister.co.jp/mummy/mummy.html

NARU☆SHIN (New Young Bass)
Horoscope: Capricorn
Blood Type: O
Specialty: Cleaning up clutter
Favorite things: Morning, Kiki & Lala, Chocolate, Cartoons like Osamu Tezuka and Fujiko Fjujio　　　　　　

Became an official member after joining the March 2000 American Tour as a support member. For some reason, I'm the one among the members who's in charge of the punchline(?). I also play in my own band, called Wonder 3.

•=================•

After Mummy went off on its own label, the bio developed a little:

www.geocities.jp/mummy_triangle/favorite/index.html

FAVORITES

Bands : The Beatles, Of Montreal, The Kinks, VIRGIN VS, many other/similar

Hobbies : Kiki & Lala collectibles, "medal" games (token-based arcade games)

Specialities : Light housekeeping (mainly tidying up), pachinko parlors, in spare time (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) Momotarō Dentetsu & Tetris

Birthday : 11th January

Books : Kamachi Yamada, "The Pocket of a 17 Year Old"; Natsuo Gin'iro, "Such a Long Time in the Absence of Joy"

Blood type: O

Here's a new young bass wearing moccasins at the playground, cradling her sweet Rickenbacker 4001 in quite a brown-looking Fireglo.



And an older Naru dressing down to avoid the swarms of paparazzi. What do you mean this restaurant is closed on Mondays?



Pics are from her page at Discogs.com.

The self-bios are over a decade old. But at that time, Naru had the predilections of your basic young person, plus an unfortunate Sanrio Little Twin Stars fixation, a liking for slim volumes of popular poetry, and a thing for classic British rock as well as harder material.

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

She resembles Etsuko a little
, but, only in the face.