Low Profile with Markly Morrison – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Musician Kento Oiwa interviewed by Markly Morrison for the Olympia Music History Project.

Formed in the mid-1990s by Japanese immigrants Kento Oiwa and Michiko Swiggs, IQU was a group unlike anything folks in Olympia–or anyplace else, for that matter–had ever witnessed.. 

I spoke to Kento in a hotel room on an assignment from the Olympia Music History Project, where this interview was first published. Beyond his involvement in IQU, Kento was also an active DJ and event organizer in the Olympia music scene throughout the 1990s. As you will hear, he’s a killer theremin player too.

Kento also helped organize the storied Yo Yo A Gogo festivals that filled downtown Olympia with people from all over the world, including friends from Japan like the Bloodthirsty Butchers and Copass Grinderz. This episode has been gussied up with some tasty music clips for your enjoyment. If you like, you can read the full transcript and dig a little deeper into this story–and other stories connected to it–at olympiamusichistory.org

Swamp Dogg is coming to Olympia this weekend 7/13/2025! First, he'll be performing at Scherler Sundays, it's a free show that starts at 3pm. After that, Olympia Film Society will be hosting a free 8pm screening of the new documentary Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted at the Capitol Theater in Downtown Oly. No reservations required, all totally free! More info about the show can be found at freemusicolympia.org

This is my 2020 interview with Jerry Williams, better known as Swamp Dogg. It was really fun to hear his wild stories again. Enjoy, and hopefully see you this Sunday!

The band Danielson started when Daniel Smith worked with his siblings to satisfy a requirement for his senior thesis three decades ago. If you’re not familiar with their music, one thing you’ll notice throughout today’s show is that nobody else sounds anything like them. Daniel and I are talking today about the thirty-year evolution of the group, why he sings the way he does, how the group incorporates visual art into their work, producing records for others (including friends of the show Soul-Junk and Hermit Thrushes), creating the soundtrack to the film Electric Jesus, a new album in the works via Joyful Noise Recordings, collaborations with Sufjan Stevens, Half-Handed Cloud, Kramer, Jad Fair and so many others. Since recording this interview, Danielson has released a short film for their song “Come and Save Me” directed by Chris White that stars Fred Armisen and features previously unused lyrics by the late Larry Norman. Daniel spoke to me from his studio in New Jersey.

Low Profile is supported by you on Patreon and also receives in-kind support from these independent Olympia businesses:  Schwart’z Deli, San Francisco Street Bakery, Old School Pizzeria, Rainy Day Records and Scherler Easy Premium Shitty American Lager from Three Magnets Brewing Company.

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Illustration by Jack Habegger

Scherler Sundays (live episode tapings + free concerts) is happening again in Olympia for Summer 2024, visit scherlerbeer.com for updates!

This week’s guest is Sean Schuster-Craig who performs under the moniker Jib Kidder. Sean describes his music as “ADHD Psychedelia.” He grew up in the south and is currently based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Jib Kidder first made a splash when his song “Windowdipper” was featured on the TV show “So You Think You Can Dance.” Since then, he’s primarily made sample-based music and incorporated that into his singer-songwriter collage style. We spoke on his process and influences, fruit flies, comic books, poetry, burgers, and his forthcoming album called “Jump The Gun,” which you can hear a sneak preview of on today’s show!Support the program by subscribing, leaving a positive review and rating, or by donating at patreon.com/lowprofile today.

Over the course of the last four decades, Kentucky-born David Grubbs’ musical activity has ranged from hardcore punk to the fine arts. In addition to his work as a solo artist, David is noted for his groundbreaking avant-pop group Gastr Del Sol and his collaborative efforts with a diverse group of influential musicians including The Red Krayola, Pauline Oliveros, Will Oldham, Tony Conrad, Royal Trux and John Fahey. In the 1980s Lousville KY punk scene he was a founding member of the band Squirrel Bait (look for their new jeans). David has also published three books in the past decade: “Records Ruin the Landscape,” about John Cage and early experimental music, and two book-length poems, “Now That The Audience Is Assembled” and “The Voice in the Headphones,” all available from Duke University Press. He’s a Professor of Music at the City University of New York, and his latest album is an improvised collaboration with the Tokyo based Taku Unami. I spoke with David about all of this and more in late July. If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to this show wherever you get podcasts. If you have any friends who might enjoy this show, please let them know! You can also support the show by making flexible contributions at patreon.com/lowprofile, where you can also find giveaways and bonus content. And it never hurts to leave a rating or review on iTunes.

Today on the twenty-fifth episode, I’m bringing you the goods: the definitive article on the sleeper underground pop duo Donnie and Joe Emerson. The two oldest siblings of their family, Donnie and Joe made the leap from agriculture to popular culture with their 1979 album “Dreamin’ Wild.” The strange thing is that it took over three decades for their music to catch on. Talk about being ahead of their time! And now there’s even a major feature film in the works about their story, which you’ll hear more about later.The song that put them on the map is called “Baby.” In recent years it’s been featured in several movies and HBO’s Big Little Lies, not to mention several cover versions by new artists. I had the privilege of speaking with not only Donnie and Joe, but also their parents who risked everything to help their kids live their dream, from custom jump suits to building a studio and producing a record on their farm in Fruitland, Washington.Also, this episode includes the premiere of a previously unreleased Donnie and Joe instrumental song from 1983 called "Auzie Theme."If you enjoy this program, you can follow it on instagram @lowpropodcast, and if you’d like to help support the show you can visit patreon.com/lowprofile. *(Patreon supporters will also be entered in a drawing to win a SUPER RARE Don Emerson solo LP called "Can I See You" from 1983)*Also telling your friends and giving the show positive ratings and reviews on iTunes couldn’t possibly hurt.

Season 2 finale. Band members Peter Stampfel and Robin Remailly recall the ups and downs of the Holy Modal Rounders, and remember their recently deceased band mate Steve Weber. Special guest introduction by musician and artist Jeffrey Lewis! Season three coming sooner than you think...

An interview with friend of the show Ashley Eriksson of the band LAKE (who has a new album called "Roundelay"). We discuss her early musical output, her new disco project, animation and much more! 

If you want to know what Thelonious Monk, George Jones and the electric rake have in common, you need not look further than Eugene Chadbourne. He has been surprising audiences for over four decades with his alarming hybrid of free jazz and country music. He has an unfathomable catalog of collaborative and solo efforts. Musician and co-host Arrington de Dionyso joined me at the local Quality Inn to spend some quality time with the good doctor. Co-produced by Miles Rozatti, featuring bumper music by Warren Lee. Support the Low Income Housing Institute at lihi.org, and support this podcast by sharing, subscribing, rating and reviewing. Be a patron by donating at patreon.com/lowprofile

Here is a musical storyteller from Australia whose music is a vibrant collage of country, blues, hokum, calypso, rock and jazz that hearkens back to the early 20th century. His singing evokes imagery of carnival barkers and medicine men, singing tunes full of adventurous whimsy. I went with Miles Rozatti (who also produced this episode) to catch him on tour in Tacoma back in February 2020 and got to have a lovely chat together. If you'd like to support Low Profile, you can do so by doing any of the following: Subscribing,Sharing with friends online and IRL,Five Star Reviews, Giving donations at patreon.com/lowprofile---Hear more episodes at www.lowprofilepodcast.comor wherever you catch your pods!This episode is also supported by in-kind support from San Francisco Street Bakery in Olympia, Washington.