We caught up with the Furlong-based musician Zadar following the release of the single ‘Alien Being’. Enjoy the full interview!
Hi Zadar, who or what got you into music?
I have my parents to thank for getting me into music. I remember being a kid and listening to my mother’s Information Society and Yazoo records/cassettes and my dad’s Zucchero CDs (Zucchero is an Italian blues-rock musician for those curious).
From there, my passion for music took on a life of its own. I started burning myself CD ‘mixtapes’ of whatever were my favourite songs at the time. I also remember being very fascinated with synthesizers to the point where I ended up buying a couple of years later.
Who influenced your latest release, ‘Alien Being’?
I didn’t really have one person in mind when I wrote Alien Being. The song reflects times in my life where I’ve felt like I didn’t really belong anywhere. Almost like I was some sort of “alien” that didn’t fit in, which is where the title came from. I felt like writing the song and putting it out there would show others with similar experiences that they’re not alone.
We see that ‘Alien Being’ is taken from the upcoming album ‘The Upstairs Room’, can you tell us any more about the full album release?
Sure, all the instrumentation for the album has been recorded. Now I’m working on finishing the vocals then I’ll send it off to be mixed and mastered.
I’m working with a producer who I met online who I feel can really bring my demos to life. I’m hoping for an early 2021 release, and there may be a very limited run of CDs or vinyl, depending on what the fans prefer.
You worked with Kateniki on the artwork for the release, how did that collaboration happen?
I met Kateniki on the freelance marketplace Fiverr, which I actually had never heard of until I started this project and was looking for a talented artist to capture the look I wanted the album to have.
I came across many talented, independent artists on Fiverr but I decided Kateniki was the right person for the job and I’m very happy with the results.
Which other musicians would you most like to collaborate with?
I would love to collaborate with other local Philly musicians. Some great up and coming bands that I’d love to work with are Deep Tissue and The Ire, both of which I discovered on Bandcamp, and Korine, who remind me so much of the Synthpop that I grew up listening to but with their own spin on it.
There’s a lot of talent coming out of Philadelphia right now, but one of the artists I’d most like to work with is Glynn McCann, whose album Nuclear Secrets truly captures the DIY ethic of the bands I grew up listening to.
You recorded the vocals for this ‘Alien Being’ in your bathroom, how did that come about?
Well, I was looking to capture some natural reverb for my vocals, but I wasn’t sure how I’d go about it. I wanted a vocal that sounded a bit distant and had a bit of an echo to it.
One day, while singing some lyrics in the shower, a light bulb went off in my head, and I quickly grabbed my gear and set up in the bathroom. I like finding unconventional places to write and record my songs. I feel like it keeps things exciting, and sometimes you’ll stumble onto an interesting idea.
What’s your dream venue to play?
Assuming we ever get to play and go to gigs again, I would love to play some local venues like Union Transfer or Voltage Lounge. That alone would be a dream come true, but my dream venue would be Madison Square Garden. I’ve seen a couple shows there and it was a blast. It really felt like I was attending a special event.
Other than music, what are you passionate about?
Besides music, I love reading, particularly detective fiction like ‘The Maltese Falcon’ by Dashiell Hammett and cyberpunk books like ‘Neuromancer’ by William Gibson.
I’m also a comic book fan and have been collecting them since I was a kid, starting with Spider-Man. Before I wanted to write my own music, I actually considered a career in comics, but ultimately, I chose music.
What changes would you like to see in the music business?
To be honest, I want more of a challenge in my music. I would love to see a return to passionate music. By that, I mean music made by people who play their own instruments and write their own songs because that’s their passion and they can’t imagine doing anything else.
Music that isn’t over produced and auto-tuned and all sounding the same. I’d also like for radio to return to the old formats with real DJs choosing the music so that the regional aspect of music would reappear.
If you could choose one thing for fans to take away from your music, what would it be?
One message I want my fans to take away from the music is never to give up and keep moving forward. I’d love for my fans to feel a kindred spirit through the music and just know that whatever you’re fighting, even if it’s your own thoughts, you can and will get through it.
FV Music Blog October 2020
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