Low Powers are reforming!
Legendary Hajime Tachibana, having been active at every level in creation as musician and graphic designer through Plastics and solo activities, approached eri to form the band project, Low Powers. They debuted in 1997 and released one album. I could not help but be surprised by the news that Low Powers, which had gone into hibernation after that album's release were suddenly starting up again. Because when all is said and done, the gap has been 21 years!

Photo and text_Shoichi Kajino

Prefab (July, 2018)

At first it was initially shocking to see the words Low Powers and the figure of Hajime holding a guitar on eri's instagram last autumn. If asked straight away, it said that were practicing together.
And since then, whenever Low Powers are practicing, thinking they must be preparing for a live show, I decided to follow them around with my camera. It was exactly 20 years since the band formed.

DEPT Penthouse (October, 2017)

— Is this new album by some chance on 20th anniversary of the band forming? Was that the intention?

"No, it’s just coincidental 20 years has past since the two of us were talking with eri … I think it felt good for two people with eri (laugh) but because it’s absolutely impossible for just two people … it eventually became a band with eri“ reveals Hajime.

Ikejiri (December, 2017)

Hajime's House (February, 2018)

- Twenty years ago, how did Low Powers start with eri in the first place?

Hajime (H) — “When eri was still an elementary school student, right? So, was only supposed to last the summer holidays.”
eri (e) — “No no, I was a junior high student. Because I went into the junior high school orchestra and started playing the drums and guitar, Hajime, a close friend of my father, suggested we do a band together so maybe that was the start."

—So Low Powers was a band based on eri's vocals?

H — “That's right”
e — “Initially, it was called Hajime Tachibana & Low Powers and I think we were writing “Guitarist Wanted”, or something. Hajime is the temporary guitarist, and temporary front man (haha).”

Shibuya (May, 2018)

—In a sense that relationship still continues even now. The true band leader Yumiko Ohio seemed a bigger presence at practice in the studio than temporary front man Hajime.

H — "Yeah, that's because Ohno is an original member. Ohno introduced drummer Hina, to finally have a band with drums and base.”
e — “Hina with Ohno's son and Mairo from Keigo Oyamada’s group are all in a band called SHAM where all three play drums together. They're still 17!"

Shibuya (July, 2018)

—The past ten months I’ve been meeting you Hajime, it seems he's becoming younger and younger, surrounded recently by three female members and a teenager. Excuse me for being so direct …

H — “Really (haha)? By the way, eri's father and I are the same age. Ohno's son is the same age as Hina, right?"
—Two generation’s of young and old! There aren’t that many examples of a band with a mix of four generations.
e — “At this point there isn’t anyone is their 20s or 40s, but, I’m so happy there’s a teenage girl in Low Powers even now, although it wasn’t planned.”

—There are also new songs, right?
H "There are a couple of songs, I'll show off with this quartet's live show"

Shibuya (August, 2018)

Live at Shibuya and Club Quattro will be held on Friday, August 10. Prior to that, the revival live show off at the gallery prefab in Shimokitazawa was a performance that felt calories whether it helped in the heat, too.
So far there should have only been guitar, but tonight I heard Hajime’s sax which sounded crazy. Furthermore the band’s performance sounded really tight.
I can’t help but look forward to the stage at Club Quattro on Friday night.
It's double-billed concert with Hiroshi Fujiwara.
I hope you’ll see the reformed Low Powers (with Hajime Tachibana) with your own eyes.

■ SHIBUYA CLUB QUATTRO 30th ANNIVERSARY
"QUATTRO STANDARDS" "ht + hf" — Friday, August 10
Doors open 19:00 / Starts 19:30
Shibuya Club Quattro
http://www.club-quattro.com/shibuya/schedule/detail.php?id=8548