Kazu Makino

Kazu Makino

Makino performing in 2013
Background information
Born (1969-12-31) December 31, 1969
Kyoto, Honshu, Japan[1]
Genres Alternative rock, noise rock, indie rock, dream pop, psychedelic rock, nu-gaze, experimental rock
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter, musician
Instruments Vocals, guitar, bass, piano, keyboards, synthesizer
Labels Smells Like, Touch & Go, 4AD
Associated acts Blonde Redhead
Website www.blonde-redhead.com
Notable instruments
Gibson SG Standard[2]

Kazu Makino (Japanese: カズ牧野) is a Japanese vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist known for her work as vocalist and guitarist in the New York-based alternative rock band Blonde Redhead. Since forming Blonde Redhead in 1993 with twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace, Makino has released nine studio albums with the band.[3]

Biography

Makino was born in Kyoto, Japan. Makino attended a private school, and described her upbringing as very "old-fashioned."[1] Makino was trained on classical piano as a child and then went on to form an all-girl band in elementary school, as a singer. The band wrote their own lyrics and played what she described as blues music.[1]

After high school, Makino moved to the United States as a foreign exchange student and enrolled in college in New York City where she studied art. While studying alongside Maki Takahashi, she met Italian twin brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace in 1993 in a New York City Italian restaurant. The meeting was orchestrated by a friend who felt the group would have a good musical chemistry, which resulted in the conception of the alternative rock band Blonde Redhead in 1993.[4][5] Makino has stated that she had never intended to have a career in music, and that she also suffers from stage fright.[1][6]

Makino is an avid equestrian and keeps a horse called Harry. In 2002 she suffered an accident falling from a horse; in the accident, the horse trampled her jaw and crushed her facial bones, which required massive reconstructive surgery.[7] Her mouth was wired shut, and she convalesced for months, using the time to write songs. The song "Equus", from the 2004 album Misery is a Butterfly, refers to the accident.[7] Makino has stated that she often gains inspiration from horses while writing music: "They are so musical in their movements and in the sounds they make. Everything they do is rhythmic. I get ideas for grooves—rhythmic ideas—just from riding.”[2]

Discography

Albums

Makino with Blonde Redhead at SoCo Music Festival, June 2008
Blonde Redhead
Year Album US ITA UK Label
1995 Blonde Redhead - - - Smells Like Records
1995 La Mia Vita Violenta - - - Smells Like Records
1997 Fake Can Be Just as Good - - - Touch and Go Records
1998 In an Expression of the Inexpressible - - - Touch and Go Records
2000 Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons - - - Touch and Go Records
2004 Misery Is a Butterfly 180 42 - 4AD
2007 23 63 20 152 4AD
2010 Penny Sparkle 79 - - 4AD
2014 Barragán 180 - -

EPs and singles

Blonde Redhead

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Murphy, Tom (2010-11-26). "Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead on Penny Sparkle, dealing stage fright and music criticism". Denver Westword. Retrieved 2013-10-30.
  2. 1 2 Hall, Russell (2007-08-17). "Blonde Redhead Use Gibsons to Create Pastoral Art Rock". Gibson.com. Retrieved 2013-11-02.
  3. ↑ "Blonde Redhead". Allmusic. Retrieved 2013-11-02.
  4. ↑ http://www.moron.nl/lyrics/blonde-redhead/biography.html
  5. ↑ http://johnsevencollection.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/blonde-redhead/
  6. ↑ "Blonde Redhead". John Seven Collection. 2009-06-26. Retrieved 2013-11-02.
  7. 1 2 Brown, August (2007-08-16). "Savoring where they are now". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2013-10-30.

External links


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