RRX: What historical era would you like to visit if the sole purpose was to put together a Battle of the Bands? How would you set it up?
Z3- We’d probably pick the 1960s/1970s. There was so much creativity and experimentation happening in music at the time-everyone was pushing the boundaries in different directions. We’d set up a one month long Battle of the Bands festival where groups from all different music scenes had to share the same stage. This would Include great unknown bands invited to the event, with the famous people on an equal footing. There would actually be no “winners” chosen. It would mainly be a way of showcasing the “unknown” and celebrate them on the same platform as famous musicians and bands for the world to witness, live and televised. Incidentally, that’s what our song “Jack in The Box” is essentially about.
RRX: Artists, musicians, we immortalize. We set it in stone. Is there anyone who has passed that you feel you have immortalized in your work? If so, can you tell us a little about them?”
Z3- We think that deep down, music is just a soulful perspective of a time frame in the life of an artist. The message and energy may have been directly inspired by someone or something in particular, but it drew upon universal perspective that makes it relatable beyond what the creator of that art intended. For example, we wrote a song called, “Every Now And Then” about our dog “Tia after she passed away. She was a huge part of our lives growing up, so writing the song was our way of preserving those memories and processing the loss. But the soul of the song we hope, reaches people via their own personal perspective.
RRX: Let’s talk about your next project, your next few. Just not the ones you’re working on now. The ones you have your eyes on for the future. What’s coming to us?
Z3- Besides the album we’re working on now, we’d love to put out a Halloween EP. We already have a song called ‘The Halloween Song,’ so it feels like a fun project to build around. We’ve always loved spooky-season vibes, so that’s definitely on our radar.
RRX: Cover art is cool. It shows listeners what the artist thinks the album is all about. Because music can be felt visually. If you had to give the public a visual image that you think they would see and just “get” your groove right away, what would it be?
Z3- A cluttered bedroom at night with instruments, notebooks, music sketched and scribbled on paper, piles of books, half empty coffee mugs, with cables and cords everywhere. It look a bit messy, but it feels creative and alive — kind of like the natural way our music comes together.
RRX: A band is a business. A business of love, but you got to work for it. Let’s pretend, instead of a band, you all owned a business. What would it be, and why would it be good?
Z3- Honestly, having our own small art businesses ( Black Box Studio ) has been one of the biggest things that’s helped our band. We’ve learned how to market ourselves, manage money, connect with people, and stay organized from a very young age. We basically grew up at farmers’ markets, helping and selling food products and artwork alongside our parents. Those skills and experiences have carried over into our music and helped us treat the band as a business, not just a hobby.
RRX: What do you think is the most poorly understood thing about music, or the music you play?
Z3- We think that the most poorly understood thing about music is the personal artistry that musicians infuse into it. Some people definitely get it, but these days especially with social media, the majority of what people are exposed to is shock value and trends, leading to less patience and shorter attention spans. It might be getting harder for people to take the time and just meditate on the soul of a piece of music or lyrics, or poetry, or even a painting. Maybe it has always been that way somewhat, even in the past. But it has advanced very far in that direction now it seems.
