Shinki Chen | Artist
Shinki Chen is a Sino-Japanese rock guitarist born 1949 in Yokohama, Japan. Chen was one of the leading figures of the Japanese psychedelic rock scene in the early '70s, seen as a Jimi Hendrix-type figure in Japan at the time. He was also guitarist for seminal Japanese psychedelic rock bands, Powerhouse, Food Brain, Flied Egg and Speed Glue & Shinki. Chen began to play at the age of fourteen and soon joined several Liverpool-styled and blues based bands founded by his friends. He even changed to play drums in between but soon came back to the guitar as his main instrument. His first "name" band was Powerhouse who played blues-rock, releasing one self-named album in 1969. In 1970 Chen formed the short-lived band Food Brain, as well as working in a theatre ensemble for the Japanese production of the musical Hair. Food Brain released just one album entitled Social Gathering which was progressive/jazz-funk in style. Also in 1970 Chen formed the stoner-rock power trio Speed Glue & Shinki, with Shinki on guitar, Joey Smith (vocals, drums, guitar, keyboards), and Masayoshi Kabe (bass). This combo released two albums; Eve (1971) and Speed Glue & Shinki (1972). In his entertaining review of their self titled second album on his Head Heritage site, Julian Cope described Speed, Glue & Shinki as "a highly unorthodox trio comprised of three rock’n’roll kings of oblivion disguised as Pacific Rim gipsy mongrels who already had spent nearly a decade apiece performing a succession of groups and loose musical configurations".. he went on to say "the album did the impossible by being even more of a wrecked and loose a masterpiece as their previous album, Eve.” Chen then produced a solo album Shinki Chen & Friends in 1971 supported by George Yanagi (bass, vocals), Shinichi Nogi (drums) and former Foodbrain band mate Hiro Yanagida (keyboards). WKNC FM described the album as "a revolutionary album. Though only seven songs long, each one is rich with fuzzy riffs and heavy basslines. Shinki’s powerful, raspy vocals flow across the entire record like smooth butter. After starting off with glittering, ambient strangeness in “The Dark Sea Dream,” Shinki quickly shifts between Sabbath-like force and sludgy blues throughout the album. It’s a great balance between the dreamy feeling of psychedelia and the intensity of old-school metal." Flied Egg formed in 1972, this time with Shinki on bass and vocals. They played progressive hard rock and released two albums which have developed a cult following: Dr. Siegel's Fried Egg Shooting Machine, and Good Bye, both released in 1972. After that group folded, two of the members went on to form Strawberry Path, and another, the multi-talented Masayoshi Takanaka, found success with Sadistic Mika Band and as a solo performer. The fifth member, George Yanagi, also embarked on a successful solo career. Following the incendiary fertile period of the 70's, when he had so many projects on the go, Chen appears to have become a virtual recluse as there is no information online or elsewhere about further musical activities, or even his whereabouts. It is believed that Shinki took a disliking to recording music, and decided to become a live musician only; which he continues doing to the present day.
Artist Website: discogs.com/Shinki-Chen
Featured Albums: Shinki Chen
Related Artists: Flied Egg, Food Brain, Speed Glue & Shinki, Powerhouse
