Makoto Kawamoto (川本真琴, Kawamoto Makoto, born January 19, 1974), is a Japanese pop singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Fukui, Japan. She currently sings under the pseudonym Tiger Fake Fur.
Biography
Early life
Kawamoto grew up hearing her mother playing the piano. Aside from learning piano, she also studied ballet for about two years and joined the boys' and girls' chorus and took flute lessons. Her life was changed upon seeing a rock festival held in the nearby Prefectural Hall in her high school days. Kawamoto entered the Jin-ai Women's College music department, piano department and formed a band. After graduating from college, Kawamoto found a job at a company and became a piano teacher. However, since she only received a salary of 40,000 yen, she got fed up with her job and quit. Still, she continued to teach piano in her parents' house. She earned her livelihood working at a wedding hall, during which time she continued to try forming a band.
Kawamoto participated in "AIDS against FUKUI" held in Fukui as a band. She wrote the song and made all the members in the hall sing on the pretext of being elected to the executive committee. Because of that, she was invited to Sony's "Showcase" where amateurs perform live in audition style. Since she was pleased with Tokyo, she saved 1 million yen within half a year, and went to Tokyo at the age of 21. She had a feeling that they liked her performance, but her position was still ambiguous for a while. She worked hard at composition while working part-time in a strange city. Although poor, she lived happily.
Major label days
Because Kawamoto often went to the head office of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, she got to know the staff of the management office, and she signed a contract with them at the age of 22.
It was decided that Kawamoto would release a CD from the second production department of Sony.
She practised acoustic guitar hard to reproduce the sound of the demo tape of her debut single "Ai no Sainō" which Yasuyuki Okamura produced.
She was given the stage name of "Makoto Kawamoto" and made her debut as a singer.
She lost weight as the result of pressure from appearing on TV programs or radio programs, and from pressure of composing music.
Kawamoto released her 2nd single "DNA", for which she wrote words and music herself, and her 3rd single "1/2" which were tied to popular animeRurouni Kenshin, and her first album Kawamoto Makoto.
However, she encountered problems when she found it difficult to write songs after that, and she occasionally confined herself in a hotel.
She did not agree with the record label's plan for her activities, due to pressure, she got out of shape and went home temporarily.
Although she thought she might retire as a musician, she was retained by Sony for two more years, and she returned to Tokyo.
However, she came to devote herself to live performances without releasing a new song after she released the single "Blossom" in 2001.
She came to find pleasure in her work and began to think that she might continue it for a while.
However, after talking it over, she decided not to renew the contract with Sony.
In October 2002, she left.
In April 2003, her contract with Antinos Records expired and she became a freelancer.
Independent music
In 2005, Kawamoto sang the commercial song of Kanebo "ALLIE", which was Maria Anzai's cover song "Namida no Taiyō (涙の太陽, Sun of tears)."
However, it is not released at present.
On January 25, 2006, Kawamoto announced that she finished music activity with "Makoto Kawamoto" name in her homepage.
On April 24, 2006, Kawamoto announced that she changed her name to "Tiger Fake Fur" with her blog.
When she appeared on the live by request of her acquaintance before, it was difficult for her to use the name of "Makoto Kawamoto." Under such a circumstance, she could not but use the alias.
She introduced herself as "Tiger Carpet" at first, but she said that she felt sorry for a dead tiger, and renamed it to "Tiger Fake Fur."
On July 5, 2006, Kawamoto released a CD as time-limited group of 3 chorus unit "MihoMihoMakoto" after an interval of five years, and she resumed musical activities completely.
On August 9, 2006, Kawamoto released new 1st single "Yagi-ō no Theme" in the "Tiger Fake Fur" name from HMJM(hamajim) Records.
Recently Kawamoto gives a concert in Tokyo and her hometown, Fukui wherever her feet led her, and she enjoys it.
In 2009, Kawamoto sang "Hontou no Hanashi" in documentary film "An'nyon Yumika".
It is announced that Kawamoto will release her 3rd solo album "Ongaku no Sekai e Youkoso (音楽の世界へようこそ, Welcome to the musical world)" which she produces for herself on February 19, 2010.
Topics
In the 1990s, she often went to various Southeast Asian countries, especially to Philippines, and made her music videos there. According to her, she traveled to Southeast Asia especially Philippines many times during the 1990s, to absorb "fashionable atmospheres". For this reason, her music videos often contain those landscapes and people.
Discography
Singles
Ai no Sainō
Ai no Sainou (愛の才能, Sense of Love) is Makoto Kawamoto's 1st single released on May 2, 1996. The English title is "sense of love."
Yagi-ō no Theme (山羊王のテーマ, goat king's theme) is Makoto Kawamoto's 10th single released on August 9, 2006, and is also the 1st single under Tiger Fake Fur name. This song was written for the musical "Obake no Mori (お化けの森, haunted woods)" which Kawamoto wrote herself and she also played a role in.
All tracks are written by Tiger Fake Fur, unless otherwise noted
No.
Title
Lyrics
Length
1.
"Yagi-ō no Theme (山羊王のテーマ)"
18:45
2.
"Yasagure Yyā-san no Theme "Dolphin Blues" (やさぐれヤーさんのテーマ "ドルフィンブル〜ス")"
"Doraibu Shiyouyo (ドライブしようよ, Shall we go for a drive?)"
Makoto Kawamoto
Makoto Kawamoto
Hyoe Yasuhara
11.
"Binetsu (微熱, A slight fever)"
Makoto Kawamoto
Makoto Kawamoto
Tetsuo Ishikawa, Tetsuhiro Miyajima
12.
"Sakura (桜, A cherry blossom)" (album mix)
Makoto Kawamoto
Makoto Kawamoto
Tetsuo Ishikawa
13.
"Tokyo Explosion JP"
Makoto Kawamoto
Makoto Kawamoto
Hyoe Yasuhara
14.
"Hello☆" (Instrumental)
–
Makoto Kawamoto
Hyoe Yasuhara
15.
"Ame ni Utaeba (雨に唄えば, Singin' in the Rain)"
Makoto Kawamoto
Makoto Kawamoto
Hyoe Yasuhara
Ongaku no Sekai e Youkoso
Ongaku no Sekai e Youkoso is Makoto Kawamoto's 3rd album released on February 19, 2010, by My Best Records. All songs written and produced by Makoto Kawamoto.
All tracks are written by Makoto Kawamoto
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Ongaku no Sekai e Youkoso (音楽の世界へようこそ, Welcome to the musical world)"
The Complete Singles Collection 1996～2001 is Makoto Kawamoto's Greatest hits album released on February 19, 2010, by SMDR GT Music (Sony Music Direct).
Disc1
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Ai no Sainō" (single ver.)
2.
"Sōtai" (B-side of Ai no Sainō)
3.
"DNA"
4.
"Love&Luna" (single mix)
5.
"1/2"
6.
"1" (B-side of 1/2)
7.
"Sakura" (single mix)
8.
"Doughnut no Ring" (B-side of Sakura)
9.
"Pika Pika"
10.
"Heart" (B-side of Pika Pika)
11.
"Binetsu"
12.
"Tsuki no kan" (single version, B-side of Binetsu)
13.
"Fragile"
14.
"Trouble Bus" (B-side of Fragile)
Disc2
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Gimmeshelter" (single ver.)
2.
"Re-Fragile (remixed by Stan Katayam)" (B-side of Gimmeshelter)
3.
"Gimmeshelter (Remixed by EY∃)" (B-side of Gimmeshelter)
4.
"Blossom"
5.
"Alphabet Weeks" (B-side of Blossom)
6.
"Octopus Theater (Stan's Lonely Hammock Version)" (B-side of Blossom)
7.
"Hōseki no Shinwa (宝石の神話, The Myth of jewelry)"
8.
"No.1 Hippie Hop"
9.
"Tasuketeyo Windy (たすけてよWindy, Help me! Windy)"
10.
"Denwa no Mae de (電話の前で, In front of the phone)"
11.
"Ai no Sainō" (backing track)
12.
"DNA" (backing track)
13.
"1/2" (backing track)
14.
"Sakura" (backing track)
15.
"Pika Pika" (backing track)
16.
"Binetsu" (backing track)
Collaborations
MihoMihoMakoto
MihoMihoMakoto (ミホミホマコト) is the time-limited music group which Miho Asahi, Miho Moribayashi and Makoto Kawamoto formed, and is their 1st album's title released on July 5, 2006.
Kibun de Ikō (気分でいこう) – B side song of Sparks Go Go's single Hachigatsu no Yume (八月の夢, Dream in August) released on March 1, 1998. Kawamoto participated in it as a background vocalist.
Jiro Miwa
Iedekko (家出っ娘, runaway girl) – From his album Sour Lemon released on June 2, 2010. Kawamoto participated in it as a background vocalist and also appeared on the music clip.
Chappie
Welcoming Morning (March 9, 1999) – as a background vocalist
Happyending Soulwriter's Council Band (October 10, 1999) – words： pal@pop, music： Makoto Kawamoto, arrangement： pal@pop & Makoto Kawamoto
CM songs
Namida no Taiyō (涙の太陽, Crying in a Storm) – Kanebo "ALLIE" (2005)
Ippai Taberu Kimi ga Suki (いっぱい食べる君が好き, I love you so eat a lot) ~song for boys – Fancl "Calolimit" (2010)
