CA4LA MUSIC CONNECTION vol.4
LOW IQ 01

From "cool" to "fun": A turning point as an entertainer

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For artists, there is always a turning point in the process of creating works and the source of their activities.

"CA4LA MUSIC CONNECTION" is a serialized project in which artists answer through interviews what turned out to be a turning point in their own activities.

The artist appearing in the fourth episode is LOW IQ 01.

From the early days under the name MASTER LOW, he adopted his current name upon his major debut in 2007, performing live in a variety of formats. After the revival and official disbandment of the legendary band SUPER STUPID, he founded his own label, MASTER OF MUSIC RECORDS, in 2016, and has continued to work more freely than ever before, interacting with people of all ages. 2020 marked a milestone year for him, as he turned 50 in December. The COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to reexamine themselves, and as an entertainer, he had a major realization. Low IQ 01's trademark is his hat, and he has had a long relationship with CA4LA, dating back to the 2007 CA4LA ROCK FESTIVAL. We spoke at length about his passion for hats.

Text by Atsutake Kaneko
Photo by Kana Tarumi

 

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Interview：LOW IQ 01

 

 

"At first, I thought that being 'only known by those in the know' was cool, with an underground feel, but as the scene got bigger and bigger, I started to want to be more well-known if I was going to do it."

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01 For my 20th anniversary, I focused mainly on live performances, not just my own anniversary live, but also other shows I was invited to, so it was a year of just doing as many shows as possible. I think I'll be able to laugh about it when it comes to my 30th anniversary, but I just wanted to work hard without taking a break until my 20th anniversary. I started my solo career in 1999, and at first I didn't feel like I was doing that many shows, but I've never taken a break from my activities up until then, so that was great. In fact, I was on a roll in 2019, so I decided not to take a break just because my 20th anniversary was over, and I had a tour planned for this year as well.

 

 

LOW IQ 01Also, I'm turning 50 this year, so I thought I'd be bold and ask everyone to celebrate me for the second year in a row, borrowing their kindness... but the world doesn't feel like it's celebrating people anymore. But thanks to the stay-at-home orders, I've been writing more and more songs, and with times like these, lyrics are coming to me more than usual, so I'd like to record a new album in 2021.

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01 In the early 2000s, things were still pretty casual, and SUPER STUPID had stopped activities, so at first I wasn't really planning on going solo. This may sound rude to people who are serious about music, but I was just playing around with music. In terms of the times, the scene we were known for had settled down, and fellow bands started to drift apart, or rather, each of us found our own place, which was the beginning of the 2000s.

 

 

LOW IQ 01: In the '90s, there weren't many festivals, so there were a lot of all-night events where five or six friends would get together and drink and have fun, and it wasn't very professional in a good way, like a guy from the neighborhood becoming known to everyone. But in the '00s, people's attitudes changed, and they started to take music seriously.

 

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01, more bands started going mainstream, and around 2000, festivals started to become more common, and things started to change. Five or six bands would get together and perform, but then they started doing solo shows in halls with 1000 people, and that was in the early 2000s. The handmade scene gradually disappearedJust before ,and as large festivals became the norm, everyone started to set their sights on them. Around that time, even though people knew the bands around me, they would say things like, "I don't know LOW IQ 01," and I'd be like, "Huh?" It made me realize that just doing things at my own pace wasn't enough.

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01Well, there's no pressure, and I just want to have fun. But if I'm going to do it, I don't want it to be something that only a few people know about. When I was younger, I thought that was cool, more of an underground feel, but as the scene got bigger and bigger, I wanted to be more well-known. At the time, I was on the indie label Disk Union, but there was talk that I should take another step up, so in 2007, I decided to go major.

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01 SUPER STUPID first released an album on Sony in 1996, but it was just one album, and we didn't really feel like we were on a major label. But this time, we thought we'd try doing something that everyone else was doing, something that musicians do. I guess that was a turning point.

 

 

 

 

"I always wanted people to think that I was cool when I was making music. But in this COVID-19 era, I realized that the best thing is when people say it's fun."

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01 To put it simply, I became less intense, more rock than punk, and collaborated with all kinds of people...it was more like being a musician (laughs). But on the other hand, it was also a bad time, and I was content with that. In the past, the common idea was that "musicians just need to make music," but now it's not enough, you have to be able to self-produce, and you might even have to do behind-the-scenes work. But I realized that when I was major label, I didn't do enough. So, another turning point was 2011. That's when I completely changed from who I was before.

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01 2009 was our 10th anniversary, and at the time, we were thinking about taking things step by step and making our venue bigger. But the earthquake changed my thinking; before the earthquake, I had only been to Sendai, but after the earthquake, I made a lot of friends in Iwate and other places, and I started playing the acoustic guitar, which I had never done before.

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01 's solo band, MASTER LOW, has many members, all of whom have their own bands, so it's hard to coordinate schedules, and we don't do as many live shows as a regular band. But with solo acoustics, I can go anywhere by myself with just my guitar, and I've become more and more mobile. I used to think that solo acoustics were intimidating. I avoided it because I felt like I had to sound cool, and although it sounds amateurish, I also felt like I couldn't make any mistakes. But as I continued to do it, I stopped worrying about making mistakes and started talking. I used to be the guy who wore a suit, a coat, and carried a cane, but now I'm just a chatty, funny old man (laughs). But I think that's fine. Of course, when it's time to make a decision, I make it properly.

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01: That's right. I mentioned this in my MC the other day, but I've always wanted people to say that I'm "cool" when I make music. But then, in this COVID-19 era, I realized at live shows that it's not about being "cool." I realized that the best thing is to be told that my music is "fun," and my perspective shifted. In that sense, I think 2020 was also a turning point. When everyone was going through such a difficult time, I thought about why I'd been doing entertainment up until now, and I realized that the most important thing is to make people happy. So it's a little similar to what happened during the earthquake. When everyone is going through such a difficult time, what a musician can do is to entertain people. It's not about being called "cool."

 

 

 

 

"There's no moshing, no diving, no cheering. But for me, just the clapping and people raising their hands is enough."

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01The first time I said those words, it was after I'd gone major and played my first gig at a big venue, and they just came out naturally at the end. I'm the kind of person who doesn't know what I'd become without music, so when I glanced out at the world and saw so many people, I was like, "Are they all here to see me?" and I thought, "I'm glad I'm doing music," and it's been like that ever since. Now I feel the weight of those words even more.

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01 The other day I did a live concert in Tokyo with an audience and I got a little emotional. I thought, "I'm not like this character" (laughs), but still, something welled up inside me. It's been eight months since I last did this, and I thought, "Is this real?" and I got all teary-eyed. It was a bit similar to when I went to Morioka right after the earthquake and people said "thank you" to me, and I thought, "we should be the ones to thank you." This time too, people said, "thank you for doing a concert in these circumstances," but it was us who should be saying, "thank you for coming."

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01 I think that right now it's the right thing to do to come to a live show, and it's also the right thing not to come. But if we're going to do it, we have to think about how much fun we can make it within the set guidelines. No moshing, no diving, no cheering. But for me, just clapping and people raising their hands is enough. It's precisely because these difficult times have made me realize so many things.

 

 

 

 

"As is the case in music, the times repeat themselves, so in the end, the important thing is to keep doing it for a long time to come."

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01Every era has its own merits, and the music of today's young people has its own merits, so I think it's best for older guys not to say too much (laughs). When I was in my teens or twenties, if someone older than me told me, "That's not rock," I think I would have thought, "Shut up!" But one thing I can say is that the level of young people has definitely improved since our time. The reason for that is because there are so many more textbooks than in our time.

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01That 's right. I sometimes wonder what I would be doing if I were 20 years old now. I might be a shut-in though (laughs).

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01 They may be playing music in a different style without using poles. But kids these days are really good at acoustic guitar, and they're all good singers. We were all about how loud our voices were, but kids these days have had karaoke since they were born, and they go alone. In our day, you had to sing in front of other people, and singing took guts, and it was an embarrassing time.

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01, everyone is so good now, and they're really good at fakery and stuff. So instead of just commenting on the music of young people, I want to learn more about them. The dots are bound to connect. Young people are also into 80s music these days, so if we can exchange information effectively, I think the music scene won't be biased.Even in

 

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01 It's good to have a "this is me" attitude, and I think it's natural for things to develop in that way, but I've always had a mixed personality, like I like a lot of different things, so I couldn't narrow it down to one thing, and kids these days have so much information that they're like, "this is good, that is good," so I think that feeling is a little similar.

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01We often refer to our generation as the "Western music generation," but when we were kids we all listened to pop music, and Japanese rock bands from the 70s were really cool. On the other hand, young people are digging into that kind of music now, so things go around in circles and old things feel fresh. This is a common thing in music; it's something that repeats itself, so in the end, the important thing is to keep doing it for a long time.

 

 

 

 

The LOW IQ 01 tour was cancelled, so I hope that people who couldn't see the live show will be able to watch it, but I also hope that they can enjoy it however they like. You can even watch it at home while drinking. You can think of my streams as snacks to go with your drinks (laughs).

 

 

"For me, hats have always been my most important fashion item."

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01 This is... the same as what everyone thinks of when it comes to shoes. No one goes out barefoot, right? In the same way, hats are an everyday part of my life. In fashion, hats are often the last thing to be worn, right? It may sound strange, butturnipI can live without it. But, for example, today my hair is messy and I don't want to bother with it, so I'm going to wear a hat.turnipI never say, "Just do it!". In fact, I decide outfit from the hat. I also decide my costume for a live performance from the hat.goThat's how it's decided.

 

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01 When I was young, I used to wear hats.turnipBut my grandfather loved hats, so we had them at home and I've been wearing them since I was a teenager.turnipAt that time, I was listening to 2 Tone and the rude boys were wearing hats.turnipHe wore a suit with side vents and three buttons, and it was originally synonymous with music. Paul Simonon of THE CLASH,A big hatturnipOf course, America has its own culture, and the Beastie BoysturnipI also bought a New York Mets hat, which I was a big fan of. So, for me, hats have always been my most important fashion item. Back then, hats were a little on the high side, but now they've become a good mix, and sneakers and jeans with a hat look cool, so you can break it down that way.

 

Akimoto Ichi-kun said, hats have always been a part of music throughout the ages, and they're closely linked as a culture. I remember seeing Big Audio Dynamite and wanting cap, but there weren't any stores like CA4LA back then, so I went looking for one at a hat shop in town.As

 

LOW IQ 01 Akimoto-san and I are close in age, so it feels like we're really living in the 80s.

 

 

 

 

Akimoto: In 2007, we held an event to celebrate our 10th anniversary. We planned the "CA4LA ROCK FESTIVAL" for the first time ourselves, and they were the first to perform there. At the time, booking was incredibly difficult, and we didn't have any promoters, so we really had to rely on our own connections to get them on the bill. But Ichi was the first to say "I'll perform!", and from there the performers were booked one after the other, so he's a big help to us.

 

LOW IQ 01 No, no, no, I really thought, "This is it!" To me, CA4LA is one of Japan's leading hat makers, so I was extremely happy to be invited to the event. So, we had a meeting before the live show and we talked about making hats for the show that day.

 

Akimoto: That was the first time we collaborated and made a hat for the costume.

 

LOW IQ 01I still remember it. I had two made, one green checked and one with a Burberry-like pattern.

 

Akimoto: I had to change them multiple times during the show, which felt like the ultimate reward for being a hat maker.

 

LOW IQ 01Since then, I always ask CA4LA for any big projects I have, like festivals or my own tours. What's interesting about CA4LA is that they know musicians from a variety of genres.

 

Akimoto punk to idols (laughs). I think that's definitely something that only hats can do.From

 

LOW IQ 01 With clothes, the genre is somewhat fixed, right? But with hats, you can choose from hats, cap, knit hats, etc., just like the genre, which is nice. But if it were just hats, I think the genre would be fixed.

 

Akimoto Ichi-kun or Oki-kun (from ACIDMAN) (laughs).Maybe

 

 

"There aren't many places like this where you can talk about fashion and music, but I think it's really important."

 

 

LOW IQ 01's favorite CA4LA showroom entrance

 

LOW IQ 01I　like that place the most.It feels like a set, or like a Disneyland attraction. It's a little out of the ordinary. The music video for "Delutions of Grandeur" was also shot in another CA4LA showroom.

 

Akimototest, and I had my photos taken there.There used to be a shop called

 

LOW IQ 01 That place was cool too. CA4LA thinks it's the coolest studio in Tokyo (laughs). I'll never forget, we had an after-party here. Then everyone started playing music.

 

The music video for "Delusions of Grandeur feat. Takeshi Hosomi" was shot at test,

The "Snowman" music video also features CA4LA showroom

 

the Akimoto Rock Festival here, and it was an absolutely amazing live performance (laughs). I'd like to do another rock festival, so I'll definitely have Ichi-kun perform there again.We held the after-party for

 

LOW IQ 01 Let's make a huge hat then. It's like tree rings, so the longer we're together, the bigger it gets (laughs). But really, we've been having meetings here since 2007, and we've never had a deadlock. And when the actual hat is completed, it always exceeds my imagination, and I want to see it on stage.turnipWell, I wear it a lot in my private life, and at live shows too.turnipIf I do that, I get drenched in sweat and the glue comes off, so I have them do maintenance on those occasions.

 

Akimoto longturnipI want people to think that way.

 

 

 

LOW IQ 01　I love this series, and Atsushi Horie from Tenor (Straightener)and I have been calling it the "Tag Series" (laughs). I'd like to collaborate with the Tag Series next time and add my icon or something to it. But seriously, when I come here, ideas just keep coming to me, so I've never had a hard time making it. Apparently Nobuo Oki is very particular about things, so it's quite difficult (laughs).

The hat from the Tag series that was worn during the interview

 

Akimoto: Each of us has different preferences. Oki-kun places great importance on Silhouette. Ichi-kun also values Silhouette, but he places a bit more importance on ideas, or rather, on gimmicks, which really shows their personalities.

 

Gimmick-filled hats used in past live shows

 

 

 

a low IQ of 01, it's fun when I meet Nobuo. We look at each other's hats and start exchanging opinions, like, "Where's that from?" or "CA4LA 's?"Because I have

 

 

Akimoto Ichi-kun.I always hope that people will learn about the joy of hats through

 

LOW IQ 01It 's an honor. There aren't many places like this where you can talk about fashion and music, but I think it's very important.

 

 

 

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LOW IQ 01

SUPER STUPID was formed in 1994. He began his solo career in 1999. He has performed in a variety of live shows with various artists and with different numbers of performers, including LOW IQ 01 & MASTER LOW, RHYTHM MAKERS, MIGHTY BEAT MAKERS, and ANOTHER BEAT BREAKER.
In 2016, LOW IQ 01 launched their own label. Their first release was their first mini-album under the name LOW IQ 01 & MIGHTY BEAT MAKERS. They recorded with Shinobu Watanabe, Tadaaki Fukuda "TDC", Hidekazu Hinata and others, with TOSHI-LOW participating as a chorus member.
In 2017, the band released their second full-length album, "Stories Noticed," on their independent label. It features Takeshi Hosomi (the HIATUS/MONOEYES), TOSHI-LOW (BRAHMAN/OVERGROUND ACOUSTIC UNDERGROUND), and Tokyo Tanaka (MAN WITH A MISSION). Other featured artists include Kazu Tanaka (Katte ni Shiyagare/AFRODIAMONDS) on trumpet, and NARI (HEAVENLY BOYS/SCAFULL KING) on saxophone. TOSHI-LOW wrote the lyrics for track 7, "Aoi Tori."
In 2018, they were active on the LOW IQ 01 & THE RHYTHM MAKERS tour, welcoming Yutaka Furukawa (Gt.) and Masayuki Yamazaki (Dr./fam, THE FIREWOOD PROJECT) as members.
In 2019, he celebrated the 20th anniversary of his solo career with the release of the full album "TWENTY ONE." He has many tours, festivals, and event appearances scheduled. At the end of the year, he will hold a 20th anniversary event, as well as his annual independent project "MASETER OF MUSIC." Keep an eye on his 20th year.

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