Nov 7, 20236 min read

【Interview】Fool and Idiot, The Music Mania Band/ 為音樂瘋狂傻子與白痴為創作犧牲與付出

Fool and Idiot is a brand that love music to mania level. The original intention of this four-member band has not changed since its debuted, because as long as they can get together to play music and move towards the dreams carved in their minds, it will be good for them. Captain and drummer Wei-Jun Wu said, "I really didn't think too much about the original intention of forming Fool and Idiot. We started playing Music Club when we were in the first year of high school, and played in full swing in the second year. When we were in the last year of high school, we found out that we had to face the national exams. So we stopped, but we were just waiting for an opportunity to start it again as a band. That was what we wanted to do most at that time." Vocalist Eric Tsai continued, "The original intention of us forming a band was because we wanted to play music together, and then we all have a dream about music, and we are constantly picturing what music should be like in our minds. So we formed a band, and until now, we are still trying to get closer to our goal."

A Very Fool and Idiot Music

Fool and Idiot is consists of four boys under the age of thirty. This interview was like hanging out with passionate young people. Their original intention of forming a band sounded so cool that I couldn't help but jokingly ask, "So in the beginning, didn't you just do it to show off and pick up girls?" Wei-Jun said jokingly, "Absolutely!" and then immediately said, "No! I think it's because the people on the stage are so cool, and then I want to one of them too." Eric Tsai answered seamlessly, "We love music! We just love music!"

At this time, I can already predict that today's interview with Fool and Idiot will definitely be very relaxed and interesting, because their answers are as real as their music, from their bottom of heart and they never lie.

"Pose" is the third studio album of Fool and Idiot; Eric Tsai said that this album conveys themselves very much. "Actually, for me, all musicians are just expressing their own opinions when they create. For example, when writing about love, they express love from their own point of view. Some of us write about how we see ourselves in the past, and some write about ourselves’ values? We also write about how we choose when faced with a choice. It is a bit like a hexagon. We will write a little bit in each corner, but the core is just us, and it is all related to ourselves.”

鄭光良：西裝套裝/高領上衣/皮鞋 Berluti, 珠寶 Qeelin；徐維均：西裝外套/西裝長褲/休閒鞋 Paul Smith from Bluebell, 珠寶 Qeelin；蔡維澤：西裝套裝/高領上衣 Dunhill, 靴子 sandro, 珠寶 Qeelin；李沂邦：大衣/西裝套裝/針織衫 Paul Smith from Bluebell, 靴 Allsaints, 珠寶 Qeelin

蔡維澤：毛衣/長褲/靴/帽 sandro；徐維均：外套/長褲 rains from Bluebell, 休閒鞋 Berluti；李沂邦：外套/T-shirt Berluti, 長褲 rains from Bluebell, 靴 Allsaints；鄭光良：針織上衣/襯衫/牛仔褲/靴 Allsaints

Wei-Jun continued, "Whether you look at this album in terms of music or lyrics, after you listen to it, you will know why Fool and Idiot is who we are. We don't want to be that cool that people wouldn’t understand us. We just made a choice and chose to let everyone see our just OK attitude. We just want to make music like this, regardless of whether it is a difficult path. Because many people who make music now are oriented towards short videos, such as Reels or TikTok. However, this kind of music or this kind of musician’s attributes are not what we pursue. What we are talking about is ‘This is our choice’.”

I was lucky enough to listen to three songs before the album was released, and I completely resonated with what they just said. Because although I have not listened to the entire album before writing this article, I can feel that "Pose" is like a mirror that reflects the inner world of Fool and Idiot through only three songs. Eric Tsai continued, "This album also has a very important direction, which is that our album is not meant to be used as background music for you, not meant to chill you, and not meant to make you feel comfortable. Our album is a bit like an exhibit. When you walk in front of it, maybe you can’t understand it, maybe you can relate to it, but that’s what the exhibit should be like. We are not saying that I want to connect with you. We want to put it in front of you so that you can look at it, let you appreciate it, and then you can choose whether you accept this feeling or not."

李沂邦：外套/T-shirt Berluti, 長褲 rains from Bluebell, 靴 Allsaints；鄭光良：針織上衣/襯衫/牛仔褲/靴 Allsaints

The Funny Interaction Between Them

When it comes to the upcoming new album, Fool and Idiot quickly analyses the entire album. This is of course a good thing for me, as it can save a lot of time in collecting first-hand information. But after all, music has being in and out before it can be established, so I asked them how they would introduce their band when they are in private? Instead, they showed their youthful and shy side. Guitarist Light-Liang Cheng said, "I think it is difficult to directly promote your product to a new friend you have just met. You may need to sit down with him to have a cup of coffee or order a cocktail, and then silently take out the product. I brought the bluetooth speaker with me and connected it to my vinyl player, and slowly savoured the atmosphere together, so that they can understand the Fool and Idiot music better."

Bassist Yi-Bang Li said, "I actually don't take the initiative to introduce about my band. I feel like it is weird, I don’t know how to put it, it seems like I’m actively outputting it. Usually when we talk about what I’m doing, and the other person is interested in listening, I will happily play it to them. But if the situation is like that of We-Jun in Shinjuku, I will definitely explode! I will feel super happy!"

徐維均：外套/長褲 rains from Bluebell, 休閒鞋 Berluti

Wei-Jun said with a smile, "I went to a small bar in Shinjuku last week. That day I shared our music with the boss, but why did I share it? It's because the bar was very small and could only sit at most five people, and everyone would definitely chat with the boss. Then there was a Japanese guy who was chatting with the boss about the music he liked, but was scolded by the boss. Then I thought, "Fuck! I have to tell him." I have a band, and what kind of music am I doing?’ Because I think it’s very funny, it’s super cool that he dares to directly judge the music taste of the guests. Even if our music is judged, I will be judged by him. So I played a song by Fool and Idiot. It turned out that he loved it very much."

Eric Tsai continued, "I think one thing I am very similar to Wei-Jun is that I recently competed on a show, and everyone on this show are all actually musicians, so we will definitely talk about music. But I won't put myself first when a music comes out, when everyone is discussing who is doing something, I will directly tell them, "I think this musician is terrible, I think my taste is better" and then start playing some songs that I think are really good. , I think I can always convince them that my taste is better than them." Wei-Jun said: "Because you speak very loudly." Eric Tsai continued, "Then when everyone is almost drunk, I would suddenly play one of our songs, and that song will be sublimated by the vibe." Yi-Bang immediately smiled and said, "It's so scheming, so funny!"

Dedicate Yourself To Music Without Expecting Anything In Return

Fool and Idiot's third studio album "Pose" is currently confirmed to contain ten songs. Their song sequence is carefully designed, but because they understand the lifestyle of Generation Z and Alpha Generation, they said that even if their song sequence is disrupted, the album "Pose" can still be presented in a complete way, because Every song in this album is an independent entity; they can exist independently and be perfectly compatible.

There is no doubt that Fool and Idiot crazy in love in music; Wei-Jun Wu, Eric Tsai, Yi-Bang Lee, and Light-Liang Cheng, four musicians who are crazy about music, perform their own duties in this band, and they all understand their roles in the group.

This is why they feel that whether they are creating music or performing music, it is the most Labour of Love thing they have ever done. "I think my feeling when making music is a bit like, I want to be good to the music, I want to make it sound better, and I want it to reach a higher position in art. It's not because I want to get rewards from it. It’s because this is my instinct. I have been going in this direction since I was born." Eric Tsai continued, "I think love is an instinct, and Labour of Love is actually quite close to what I think the essence of love is. That's giving." Although it came from Eric Tsai, the other members of Fool and Idiot all agreed. Because no matter how they say it, this is the Labour of Love for music in the hearts of the four of them.