Stewart Sellan started playing in church, and has an established fan base with Beat The System.
It is always inspiring when people take charge of what they want. When you see someone never give up, it makes you feel like you can do the same. That is exactly what Malaysian born musician Stewart Sellan did.
Sellan was not did not have an opportunity to study music formally. He continued his education as an engineer, but never lost his passion for music. He took lessons at church. He spent hours watching videos, teaching himself, and perfecting his craft. He took the initiative to form a band knowing that he was destined to play music for a living.
Sellan is the founding member of the successful Malaysian rock ground Beat The System. The band has gone on to have over 130,000 views on YouTube. In 2010, Beat the System was certified with Tipped to Be the Next Big Thing by the Asian Voice Independent Awards committee, and in 2012 they were awarded Song of The Year in Asian Voice Independent Music Awards for the single ‘Shine’.
“Beat The System was formed because of my strong passion in music and I always believed in what I’m writing and playing,” said Sellan.
Sellan and the band have relocated from Malaysia to New York City. The move has opened up opportunities that Sellan thought were not possible at home.
“Music scenes in Malaysia are very limited for upcoming or new bands unless they are signed under a label or well connected. Being a newly formed band, Beat The System had a tough time to get performance slots in any major gigs as most organizers would prefer established bands due to the tickets sales revenue. This situation had forced Beat the System to perform in many Battle of the Bands talent shows in order to gain recognition among the Event Organizers and to establish a name for the band itself,” he described. “This helped us to see the existing standards of other bands and helped us to improve and be competitive, subsequently always being among the top three finalist in any Battle of the Bands.”
Sellan says this experience opened doors to perform in most college events, public events and music festivals held throughout Malaysia. However, not all events were paying gigs, so the sole goal was to something gain a fan base which could help in future album sales. Throughout the years, Sellan the band was able to establish a decent amount of fan base and being recognize as top performing band in the local scene.
“I always compared us with bands for US, UK and Europe and believed our music is on par with their standards,” said Sellan.” I wanted us to venture out from Malaysia to be known among the international artists. After performances in Malaysia, a lot of people would give good reviews about the songs and live performances both by local and foreign crowds. We also had encouragement from friends, family and music related personnel to venture out from Malaysia music scene.”
One of these connections was Diana Meltzer, an American music industry executive, owner of Monster Hits. Being recognized by Meltzer is attributed to success in the industry, as she is known as the “Woman with the Golden Ears,” and she heard something from the Malaysian rock band that she knew was something special.
“Stewart’s a serious guitar player being that he gets right down to work whenever it is asked of him. Working with him is simple and straightforward, he understands his role very well and is always open to suggestions when it comes to his guitar playing,” said Meltzer.
Sellan says Meltzer guides the band to write songs that are up to industry standard, teaches the business in music industry and constantly advises on the band’s journey. He also works with the band’s producer Andy Anderson, who is known for his work with Shinedown and many more, and helped Sellan understand how to get a good guitar sound for recording. The band’s mixing engineer Damien Page Lewis, who is known for his work with Mariah Carey, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry and more, helped Sellan understand how to find a balanced sound for a good recording.
Sellan has also been influenced by bands like Nirvana, Deep Purple, Mr.Big, Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera, Stryper.
“Seeing them on live performances on TV always wanted me to do something similar,” he said.
Now, Beat The System consists of lead vocalist May Leigh, drummer and composer Gerald Sellan and composer Adrian Puan. The band has both a professional and personal relationship.
“Stewart’s idea on the guitar and bass guitar arrangements certainly makes the song unique and makes it one of a kind, it enhances the melody structure of a song. This is very important and that is why he is a big asset to Beat The System,” said Gerald Sellan.
Beat The System has released two singles this year, and is set to release their album Journey.
The YouTube generation is among us. This day in age, whether you’re a millennial or not, millions of social media goers are turning to this entertainment platform in search of videos of all kinds. The influence of online video is growing, so much so that performers are now making a living off of generating content for it. YouTube Singer and Artist Jason Chen is no stranger to using this tactic to market and make a name for himself and recently, he secured the widely successful guitarist, Teddy Fan, as accompaniment in touring, playing and creating with him.
Originally from Hong Kong, Fan has been playing the guitar since he was twelve years old and as of July 2015, now holds an Associate Degree in Guitar Performance from the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California. “I love to perform,” Fan stated, and was very quick to add, “I always have – I really enjoy being on stage. Growing up, all I wanted to be was a rock star guitar player, so I decided to become a guitarist.”
After graduating from the Musicians Institute, one of Fan’s teachers and greatest mentors, Katsuya Sezaki, hired the musical genius as his recording guitarist. From there, Fan’s professional career took off and he immediately began booking gigs, several of them including Chen.
Fan and Chen have been working with one another since February of 2016, together becoming a viral musical success. “Teddy showed up at the right time,” Chen answered, when asked how the duo initially came about; a mutual friend initially introduced the pair to one another. “I needed a new guitarist, and that’s when Teddy came into the picture. He was a really talented musician whom I enjoyed working with. So, I asked him to be my guitarist.”
With over 1,300,000 subscribers on YouTube, Chen’s international fan base had already been vast. Resultantly, after forming a team with the acclaimed singer, Fan’s network of followers and subscribers expanded as well.
Together, Fan and Chen host live acoustic performances. These performances usually consist of a thirty-minute set where the musicians perform covers of preexisting, popular songs as well as some of Chan’s originals. It is Fan’s responsibility to rearrange these covers into acoustic versions. “The acoustic version of a song has to be simple,” Fan explained. “This is because there’s only one singer’s voice singing live, and I wouldn’t want to over cover his voice. The singer is who should take over more. Usually, I just listen to the song, pick the main rhythm and that’s what I play, unless there’s also an important instrumental portion of the song that needs to be covered, too.”
These talents of Fan’s are skills that Chen greatly relies on in order to ensure a successful and entertaining performance. “Teddy can always come up with a nice rhythm on this guitar to back me up when I sing. Each time I ask him to play a song, he learns it very quickly and precisely. He’s always really helpful with arranging sets and always comes prepared. I just feel really comfortable playing with Teddy. I really trust him,” Chen commented.
So far, the pair has toured in Chicago, Boston and Seattle, booking gigs at Northwestern University, Brandeis University and the University of Washington. They’ve played cover songs such as “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber, “All of Me” by John Legend and “Stay for With Me” by Sam Hunt for their audiences, as well as a one of Chen’s most popular original songs titled “Best Friend.” “We usually play hip, pop songs depending on what’s popular at the time,” Fan shared. “Two of my personal favorites that we’ve covered are “Umbrella” by Rihanna and “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars.”
Following each performance of 5-6 songs, Fan and Chen always hold a meet and greet with their fans. “The first meet and greet we held was the first time I was asked by fans to sign autographs and take photos. That was so memorable for me,” Fan recalled. “There was one time, while we were performing on stage, an audience member was non-stop screaming my name, which was cool because usually fans are screaming out Jason’s name a lot. After the performance at our meet and greet, she ran over to me and told me how much she loved my work and really wanted to take a photo with me. It was such a crazy experience; I didn’t expect it at all. Working with Jason has made me feel like my career is headed to a new level.”
While Fan solely plays guitar for Chen, he also dabbles with singing and song writing on his own. “Working in music means committing to the type of job where you never know when and where your success will come from, so you can never give up,” Fan said. “My ultimate dream is being a singer-songwriter. I really enjoy writing and performing music. That’s all I want in my life.”
For more information on Teddy Fan, please visit: https://soundcloud.com/teddyfan
Cristina Tomas Rovira specializes in photography and videography for music, fashion and weddings.
Professional photographer and videographer Cristina Tomás Rovira has worked alongside with some of the greats of the entertainment industry, capturing moments via still photography and film for more than half a decade.
Originally from Barcelona, Rovira’s awareness of the arts was sparked at a young age. “I’ve been interested in this world since I was little,” Rovira said. “Every time I watched a movie or a TV show, I could picture myself working on one of them. I was, and still am, addicted to watching behind the scenes videos.”
After obtaining her first camera around the age of 10 and receiving praise for her photographs, Rovira explained that, “something just clicked. I loved the feeling of people telling me that my talents were special and that they liked my pictures. So, I kept going to continue to get the same reactions from them.”
Rovira began working professionally while attending The Centre de la Imatge i la Tecnologia Multimèdia (Barcelona) in 2010.
“My first job as a photographer was at a music festival in Barcelona. I was 19 years old at the time, and it was one of the best experiences of my life,” Rovira described. At the time, Rovira’s pictures from the festival were used for press, ultimately gaining her work recognition around the city of Barcelona.
It was also during college when Rovira picked up her first DSLR camera in an attempt to figure out the basics of videography. “I was working on a fashion assignment for one of my classes and noted a lack of videographers surrounding me. DSLR cameras were increasing in popularity, so I decided to try the whole video thing for myself. I ended up capturing the making of that fashion project, and from that day forward my life was forever changed,” said Rovira.
Since 2010, Rovira has been in charge of all filmmaking at Padilla Rigau, a leading, Barcelona-based Wedding Photography and Videography company. The company is known for capturing some of lives most precious moments with a unique, modern and fresh twist.
“I truly believe that our work as photographers and videographers is based on feelings – to create them, and to capture them,” said Rovira. “Attending weddings has provided me with a greater sensitivity towards what is in front of the camera, and I now use that sensitivity always, whether I’m shooting a wedding, a commercial or a fashion film.”
In Rovira’s opinion, two of the most powerful qualities a good photographer can have are that of speed and affectivity. One must be fast, humble and approachable, and the same goes for videographers. “If you shoot the same look or seen a thousand times, the subject will get the impression that it is his or her fault. If you have something specific in mind, you need to explain your idea when everyone’s around, so that everything translates, including your excitement regarding the prospective shot,” Rovira explained.
When it comes to her own work and creative tendencies, Rovira tends to enjoy capturing the details that are often overlooked. “I consider myself an adventurer,” said Rovira. “I have always been on the hunt of new perspectives. I like telling stories from a different outlook. I’m really observant. I’ve always been that way, and that fact about my personality has given me an extreme sense of what people like to see in my work.”
The work of a photographer entails so much more than a simple point and click. It is a job that requires an excellent aesthetic eye, and both creative and technical aptitude. For example, when it comes to the different types of lighting she’s worked with, Rovira provided, “You have to be like a chameleon and adapt to the lighting that has been given to you. Sometimes, I’m shooting something that’s happening under one kind of light, and when I turn around to film something else, the light is completely different, so I have a very small window of time to reset my camera to shoot the second scene. I have to be fast and prepared so I don’t lose the moment.”
Rovira developed her own photographic style upon moving to Los Angeles for a year, where she collaborated and refined her camera skills with the internationally renowned photographer, Joseph Llanes. Llanes’ work has been published in Rolling Stone, Billboard, Spin, New York magazine and L.A. Weekly. His wide range of clients includes talents like Rihanna, Justin Bieber, The Black Keys, Katy Perry and Gavin Rossdale, to name a few.
“Everything that surrounded me was invigorating and I felt a constant need to capture most of the people and things that I came in contact with,” Rovira explained of her introduction to the entertainment industry of Los Angeles. “Being a foreigner gave me the chance to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.”
Alongside mentor Llanes, Rovira assisted with multiple photo shoots with top clients, where she ultimately acquired an intense understanding of the building blocks of professional photography. “I always learn something from Joseph in every photo shoot or project that we collaborate on. He taught me the importance of creating a good environment at work, and to always be two steps ahead of yourself with every project. Have a plan B, C and D, so you’re prepared to quickly solve any problem that might occur during the shoot, without the client noticing that there was even a problem to begin with,” Rovira said.
Since this experience, Rovira has photographed and assisted with shoots involving many top tier musicians, bands and musical events, her framework including talent such as Quincy Jones, Phoenix and Els Catarres. In 2013, Rovira assisted Llanes at the world famous annual music festival, Coachella. She has also photographed leading music events in Los Angeles with Llanes such as Hard Summer and the Hard Day of the Dead Festival, where Rovira worked in photographing such famed talents as the Grammy winning DJs Calvin Harris, Skrillex and Zedd.
During the Aokify America Tour’s November, 2013 Los Angeles show for Steve Aoki, a Grammy nominee and Billboard Award winning EDM musician, Rovira photographed Aoki as well as music superstars Iggy Azalea, Linkin Park, Travis Barker and Kid Cudi.
As a videographer, Rovira has engaged her outstanding talents for companies Brownie Spain and Padilla-Rigau, for several years. As an innovative team member, Rovira has, and currently, films and photographs weddings and fashion events. “Nowadays, we are amongst the top ten wedding photographers and videographers in Spain,” Rovira said. “I love doing weddings because I work with two of my best friends. We have built a really strong company together.”
When it comes to fashion, Rovira has created fashion films with some of the most well known brands in all of Spain. Some of Rovira’s clients include Shana, Swarovski, Codigo Basico, Estel Alcaraz and Pompeii Brand, among others. Regarding her work, Rovira commented, “Working with [these brands] on a regular basis allows me to improve and try new things with each video. I love capturing what’s going on around me.”
With industrial designer Estel Alcaraz, Rovira has acted as her, “right-hand person,” as quoted by Alcaraz, since the beginning of Alcaraz’s career. “Cristina is a part of my team. I was lucky enough to know her when we were both starting our professional careers and we helped each other as much as we could. She works with me on every project I start. She’s exceptionally sensitive to detail and puts my ideas on paper or on video. Either way, she always gets what I want because she has the ability to capture the emotion and passion that I put into my products through her work.”
The pair worked closely with one another on one of Alcaraz’s most important projects, The Sardines Boots. The Sardines Boots are bright yellow, light, flexible rain boots that are designed to easily fold and compress to a backpack size. With the motto, “Don’t let wet socks give you cold feet,” the campaign was published worldwide.
“Cristina knows how to showcase the essence of my products and it was great to be known inside the world of industrial design with her work, as she is one of the people who believed in me from the very beginning,” Alcaraz said. “Working with Cristina is great because she always wants to go one step further and is always thinking about starting new projects. Sometimes, she even encourages me to design so that can she make a new video. She has this contagious positive energy that makes you believe that you can make everything come true.”
Rovira has also applied her profound camera skills for a TV commercial with professional Spanish footballer, Andres Iniesta. “I showed my footage and pictures to the director of that shoot and his reaction was priceless. He liked how I captured moments that he didn’t realize happened, and commented that the composition of my work was extremely beautiful.”
Jordi Egea, owner of the Spanish production company Smilefilms, directed the commercial shoot. Previously, Egea and Rovira have collaborated on several projects with the brand Dormity. Regarding Rovira’s sought-after skills, Egea said, “We hire her because she is great at doing her work, she gives you what you and your client ask for, and goes above and beyond what is needed of her. She understands her clients and what they want and captures the essence of every brand while still maintaining her personal style. Plus, people feel comfortable around her, and that’s key when you work with people who are not necessarily used to being in front of a camera.”
Music supervisor Anna San Juan shot by Reymark Palcon
In the glamorous world of movie making, one aspect of the film production process is often overlooked and vastly underrated. This refers to the musical soundscapes that help mold the film into the magical art form that we have all come to know and love. Without the extensive efforts of a film’s music supervisor, in this case the talented Anna San Juan, all of the relevant audio featured in the film, including any and all music would be nothing but an illusion.
Born and raised in Manila, Anna San Juan has proven herself to be very talented when it comes to recognizing what sound best compliments a project she is working on. Many people don’t realize that being a music supervisor is much more difficult than just picking songs for a film. The job often entails not just the creative aspect of music but the business end as well including such tasks as dealing with numerous legal aspects of clearing song licenses’, extensive research to find the right’s holders, and most importantly reaching out to labels and artists about using their music in the first place.
San Juan realized early on in life that she had a deep passion for music and film so she figured why not try to involve both in her ideal career.
“It all started when a group of incredibly talented American Film Institute fellows took a chance on me bringing me on-board their films as the music supervisor. After two years of also learning alongside them, the opportunity for a feature film [Actors Anonymous] unexpectedly came along, ” recalls San Juan.
Actors Anonymous, the film in question, was a difficult project to take on, but San Juan’s music supervision endowed the upcoming feature with captivating soundscapes that take on a life of their own. It involved the collaboration of 12 directors and featured the esteemed actor, writer and director James Franco (127 hours, The Interview) in a starring role, who also happened to be the author of the adapted novel.
At times the role of music supervisor is a grueling job with little to no recognition for doing something that truly adds an inordinate amount of substance to the finished project. Nevertheless, San Juan certainly understands the importance of what she does for everyone involved with the production.
“My all-time favorite moments are always the unexpected. Something clicks in between song and picture, and suddenly the lines are blurred. At least this is how unique ideas blow me away. A great, innovative pick in my experience can transform and elevate the scene into more than it is. I wouldn’t say better, just different in an amazing creative way, ” adds San Juan.
Prior to her work on Franco’s Actors Anonymous, San Juan proved the diversity of her skill as the music supervisor on a variety of other films including Starman (2014), This Way Up (2014), Slut (2014), Young Americans (2014) and Martian American (2014). The latter two films went on to be featured at dozens of film festivals worldwide, won numerous awards, and both were presented with a prestigious Student Emmy Award in their respective categories.
Currently San Juan is working on a number of projects most notably The Chase and Pursuit, a comedy about a couple out on the run over a parking ticket, and the more serious City Limits, a crime drama that focuses on a man’s obsession with his father’s untimely death and the risk he and his friends take to uncover the dangerous truth about what really happened.
From the powerful melodic bass lines that drive soul, funk and blues to the heavy and improvisational styles of psychedelic rock and hip hop, Swedish bassist Martin Fredriksson is one of the rare musical forces in the industry that is able to play virtually any bass style with pure precision. It’s not surprising that after his abilities became known throughout Sweden that he was called to bring his talent to the World’s musical melting pot, the United States.
Fredriksson recalls, “My parents bought a bass and a guitar as Christmas gifts for my sister and I when I was about 10 years old. I took the bass and have never let it go since.”
It was not long after picking up bass that Fredriksson began receiving recognition for his prowess back home. At the age of 12 he along with some of the best musicians at his music school in Sweden formed a band known as The Junk. Two years after the band’s inception they received the Culture Prize from Swedish magazine, Frotté, and shortly after two of their songs were voted into the Top 5 on the regional public radio station in Nyköping.
For Fredriksson, playing music is the “sweet spot” that many people search for in life—the true calling that puts one at ease. And, considering that he found his true calling at such a young age, he has had the opportunity to perfect his craft to a rare level of mastery.
“I get very calm and concentrated when playing,” admits Fredriksson. “When I was 16 I was chosen as a young ‘successful’ musician to be presented in a poster together with about 100 other people with different backgrounds and ages from my home municipality. There was a quote from the interview on the poster at the exhibition that said: Life flows when you play, everything will be all right… That is still my experience.”
Fredriksson would go onto play at some of the most notable festivals in Scandinavia including Åmåls Blues Fest, the biggest blues festival in Sweden, and Notoddens Blues Festival, the biggest blues festival in Norway, before taking his talent to the US where he earned the musicianship scholarship for the bass program when entering the bass program at the Musician’s Institute in Los Angeles.
Since moving stateside several years ago Fredriksson has become the bassist for a number of well-known bands and internationally acclaimed artists including The Malloy Band, Dream Alive, SuVi Suresh’s band, Major Myjah, Radiorelics/Mary’s Mischief, Jasmine Villegas and many others. What is even more impressive than the sheer number and fame of the groups he plays with however, is the fact that they are all completely different in terms of musical style, something that speaks leagues to Fredriksson’s versatility as a musician.
Fredriksson and Dream Alive were featured on MTV India earlier this week when the music video for their song ‘Drifting Away’ directed by Irving Ong began recieving national airplay on the station on Saturday. The video, which you can check out below, will continue to air on the station for the next week!
Aside from performing at shows across Los Angeles with the band Dream Alive , Fredriksson played bass on the album “After the Dawn,” which was released in 2014 and the “Drifting Away” EP. He has also doted his magic to several music videos over the last two years for the band’s songs ‘See You Tonight,’ ‘Don’t Say No,’ ‘Drifting Away’ and ‘Waiting So Long.’ In the band Dream Alive Fredriksson also plays alongside drummer David Meyer, who has gained attention in recent years for his work with John Mayer and as the drummer in Frank Ocean’s band.
Fredriksson admits, “I love to play many different genres, but I guess my heart right now belongs to soul, funk and blues.”
The extraordinarily talented bassists also plays with soul funk singer Anduze, who recently released “The Lone Wolf Odyssey Mixtape Vol. 3,” alongside guitarist Johann Frank who also tours with Engelbert Humperdinck.
The caliber of seasoned musicians Fredriksson plays with speaks leagues to his unparalleled skill, something that is even more astonishing when considering that he is still in his early 20s!
His ability to complement the soulful singing voice of famed singer songwriter Suvi Suresh with his bass playing led Fredriksson to join her band in 2011. Better known as SuVi, the singer’s music has been featured in a long list of Bollywood films including Highway, Blue, Ghajini and Raavan for Grammy & Oscar Award winning composer, A. R. Rahmanand. 2013 Fredriksson recorded the songs ‘Made of Gold,’ ‘Sweetest Dream,’ and ‘Ricochet’ for SuVi’s album “Made of Gold,” in addition to being featured in three music videos for SuVi’s songs recorded live in the studio.
In 2014 Fredriksson also began playing with Radiorelics, an explosive and alluring LA-based rock band. Last year Fredriksson and the band toured and received major radio play. They went on to receive incredible recognition when their song ‘Jack Daniels’ made it to the number 9 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and continued to maintain a strong position on the chart for 18 weeks. The band has changed their name to Mary’s Mischief since their initial debut.
While Fredriksson’s versatility has been a major factor in his success, he is also a naturally powerful performer on stage.
About performing in concert, Fredriksson explains, “I think people can see that I love what I do, sometimes I just lean back, close my eyes and enjoy the moment…. I have had this longing to play on stage from the start. I have been performing frequently since the age of 13… Therefore I can be very relaxed on stage and just enjoy the flow and the feedback from people in the crowd.”
In 2012 Fredriksson played bass for singer songwriter Laura Warshauer at Lollapalooza, one of the largest rock festivals in America. Warshauer was chosen by BMI and the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame to be the recipient of the first ever (Buddy) Holly Prize in 2010.
Fredriksson also performed live on television as the bassist in Jasmine Villegas’ band on AXS Live in 2013. Villegas, who is currently signed to Interscope Records, skyrocketed to success in the music industry after starring in Justine Bieber’s music video for ‘Baby,” as well as performed during Bieber’s 2010-11 My World Tour. You can check out Fredriksson playing bass alongside Villegas and the rest of the band as they perform the song ‘Hello’ off her album “S(he) Be(Lie)ve(d)” for AXS Live in the video below.
Aside from being a killer bassist with an unparalleled capacity for playing a diverse range of musical styles, Fredriksson has also contributed heavily to many of the bands and artists he’s played with as a composer, arranger and songwriter.
“Arranging music together with a band and feeling that we have created something great together is very satisfying,” explains Fredriksson.
“A very important part when I am involved in arranging is that the songs is very melodic and also has variations in melody and strength… I really like to have a strong connection with the drummer I’m playing with because that creates a strong backbone for the rest of the band.”
In between playing with the plethora of bands and artists he plays and performs with regularly, Martin Fredriksson has also been called in as a studio musician to lend his talents to a variety of other projects. In addition to joining Kendall Lake’s band, and playing live shows in the band of Major Myjah, who signed with Warner Bros. Records earlier this year, he also recently recorded eight songs with Japanese rapper Morii Daichi for his third full length album.
Sideman (left), Da Kid & Boots (right) of Ze Gran Zeft shot by Anthony Dubois
Fans of the former nonconformist bands Rage Against the Machines and The Beastie Boys will be floored with delight when they hear Ze Gran Zeft’s modern amalgamation of hip-hop and rock if they haven’t already.
The band, which is comprised of singer, songwriter and guitarist Boots, Sideman on bass and Da Kid on drums, have created a unique discography of energetically charged tracks full of ill beats, radical guitar riffs, screams and raps that make it impossible not to do some good old head bangin’ when they blow through the speaker.
ZGZ started working with renowned producer and musical genius Charles “Kallaghan” Massabo shortly after the band’s formation in 2010, with Kallaghan helping to reel in the boys’ diverse interests into a common focus, not to mention his creation of powerful sound design on most of their tracks. Earlier this year the song ‘Just Like You,’ which was written by Kallaghan for the well known post-hardcore band Falling in Reverse, charted at No. 21 on the Billboard Top 200. Falling in Reverse’s former lead guitarist and backing vocalist, Jacky C Vincent, is featured on ZGZ’s single ‘Spaceman,’ which was released earlier this year and is one of the hits of the band’s forthcoming album “JOI,” which will drop in 2016. Another notable single off the upcoming album titled ‘Millennial Kids’ features non-other than Mopreme Shakur, Tupac’s older brother.
To find out more about the boys of ZGZ make sure to check out our interview below.
Boots: We come from Toulon, in the South East of France.
How would you describe your sound to listeners who haven’t heard your music yet?
Boots: The future.
What is your writing and recording process like?
Boots: We work as a “rock band” but with a “hip-hop” approach– the beat/instrumentals are made first, then I would write some hooks keeping the best one to build a powerful chorus. The inspiration/recording/writing process stays the same for us, we create a vibe, we just fool around until we reach the positive vibe to create and record a track. And basically that is what ZGZ is made of.
When did you guys start playing together?
Da Kid: In 2009 after I met BOOTS at a band contest, we started the basis of ZGZ. I introduced Sideman to the project, as we were working the same job at the time, and after the first rehearsal the band was created.
What was the vibe like between you guys back then compared to now—was it instant chemistry or were there things you had to work through in order to mesh well together?
Da Kid: Total chemistry, we have a lot of influences and that makes ZGZ’s richness, and it’s been like that from the beginning. It’s been 6 years since we started working together and it’s still the same craziness!
How did you end up working with producer Charles “Kallaghan” Massabo?
Da Kid: I contacted him in 2010 while he was still working at his studio in the French Riviera. He liked the demo I sent him and we started working together a couple of month after that.
Can you guys tell me about the work that went into the EPs “Watch The Crown,” and “Crunked Vizion” that you released in 2013?
Sideman: Both EPs were recorded at the same time, that’s the reason why the vibe is the same. That was actually the first album Kallaghan produced and mixed in Los Angeles.
We worked on a 10-track album back in 2012, and when he went to settle down in LA the album was ready. He mixed it at Mudrock’s Hobby Shop studio. That was our first international production between France and the U.S. We also had the opportunity to work with Arn Gyssels for the artwork on both EPs, after discovering his work for Bring Me The Horizon’s “Sempiternal.”
Can you talk a little about your inspiration for each EP?
Boots: I usually write lyrics about stuff that amuses me, like partying with friends, having a good time, and most of all: SEX. We like the 80s vibe before grunge came out with all their penis problems haha… But we are also huge fans of 90s music and that paradox is ZGZ’s main direction: the crossover. We’re just a bunch of kids that love to fool around and annoy elder people.
Did anyone else collaborate with you on those EPs?
Sideman: We recorded all the gang vocal parts with our friends from HELL RULES HEAVEN, who are from France and who work with Kallaghan too. We had a great time screaming like dumbasses into a microphone haha!
You also released the EP “The Debra Experience” in 2013 can you tell us a little bit about that project?
Da Kid: Hahaha! This has been the lamest and at the same time the most fantastic stuff we’ve done! We recorded Kallaghan’s ex-cat on that album. Then after the EP came out the cat went nuts, some issues with the royalties I think. In the end the cat kept the house and the PlayStation 3, and we kept the rights. Lame story.
It seems a bit lighter than the other two, more hip-hop and no heavy guitar riffs—can you tell us what inspired you guys to make that EP?
Boots: We recorded this EP with absolutely no instruments except for a bad quality folk guitar. Everything else is synths and beats. That has been our very first approach with hip-hop, and influenced the following work that made our first upcoming album. We wanted to try something new, and the final product is something cute, but boring. That’s why we named it “The Debra Experience” because Debra Morgan is cute but really boring.
How did you guys come to start working with Jacky C Vincent on the ‘Spaceman’ track you released earlier this year?
Boots: Kallaghan started working with Jacky after he met him by way of Ronnie Radke. He worked on his mixtape and then was involved in the production of Falling In Reverse’s third album “Just Like You.” Kallaghan and Jacky became friends, so when he introduced ZGZ to Jacky, he liked the concept and accepted to drop a crazy ass shred solo. He’s English you know, he’s able to feel real talent. That’s a European quality.
What was the experience like working with him?
Boots: This guy is a rock star, he’s talented, and his hair looks great. He has a purple guitar too. Does Van Halen have a purple guitar? I don’t think so…
You’re also about to release the single ‘Millennial Kids,’ of off your upcoming album- what inspired you guys to create this song and why do you think it will go over well with your audience?
Boots: The Sega Genesis, The Snes, Baywatch, and Dragon Ball Z. This song is our generation. It affects everyone that grew up between 1980 and the 00s, cause it’s dedicated to this period. Every kid dreamed about taking a nap on Pamela’s breast after pushing a giant Kameha. So if you don’t love it or even get it, you surely are from those who use “Pardon my French” before swearing, or use “kiddo”…
How did you guys get connected with Tupac’s brother Mopreme Shakur for the new single?
Sideman: It’s still Kallaghan’s shenanigans haha! Seriously this guy is a real big brother for us, we would never have thought we could write a song with a Shakur one day… We knew Mopreme from his old project with Tupac, “The Outlawz” and “Thug Life,” and Kallaghan had the opportunity to meet him. He was mixing the track by the time, and Mopreme accepted to write a 16 on it… We come from Toulon, and we have a song with one of the most important family members of the hip-hop history!
What’s the name of your upcoming full-length album and when can audiences expect it to be released?
Boots: The name of the album is “JOI” and it’s ready to be released in 2016.
What do you have planned for the future after the release of the album?
Boots: Our first objective is to go on a big tour, to introduce people to the next iconic band of the generation. We are also working on our next album and have the same urge to work with a lot of different artists. This is something we share within Kallaghan Records crew, the union. As we use to say in French “L’union fait la force” (United we stand)…
What tours have you been on so far?
Boots: We had the opportunity to tour in Eastern Europe back in spring 2013 with the Romanian band Dirty Shirt. We love these guys and we had the greatest time ever over there. We also toured in France since the band was created, and played with a couple of local bands.
What has been the most memorable and/or craziest thing that has happened to you guys on tour so far?
Boots: Having a proper PA and something to drink. Honestly, I think the 100% filled rider doesn’t exist. That’s why Van Halen asked for special M&M’s; when you crash at the gig, go check the PA, especially when you need bass, and go check if you have water and something to eat. If you got everything, then yeah, you’ll have a memorable gig, and that’s the craziest thing that can happen to you. And we are in the 21st century.
What was the first show you played together?
Da Kid: The very first show we played together was in 2010 near Toulon, for a band contest organized by a local music store by way of a local festival. We won, and then played on the main stage that night.
What was it like being on stage together for the first time?
Boots: Have you ever eaten a warm croissant during a trip to France? This is kind of new for you but then you feel the pleasure and feel instantly that this is the right thing to do at this exact moment.
What other shows have you guys played aside from the tours you been on together?
Boots: We’ve only played local shows. If you don’t already know about France’s Southeast scene, then let me tell you there’s nothing. France in general, has never been a good spot for composition and live shows; people here are more interested in nightclubs or bars. So if you’re not playing an EDM mix you don’t have 99 choices to play in proper places, and most of all, earn enough money to live from it.
Why do you guys love playing music?
Boots: Cause we all failed our studies, so music remained the easiest way to get girls and money. And that’s one of the only jobs where people love to hear you complain about how life isn’t easy. And sometimes the melody affects our feelings.
Can you describe the feeling you get when you’re on stage?
Da Kid: I feel surrounded by tons of stuffs I can hit the hardest I want, unless the PA sucks, but most of the time that’s the better place to be. Regarding the two others and the way they jump everywhere, I think they enjoy it a lot too.
What bands were you playing in before you got together?
Sideman: We played in small bands, like the one you got into in college after discovering MTV. All our projects were really rock/metal sounding, cause we’ve all grown up with Korn/Tool/Nirvana/etc. We’ll never bash on our first projects cause first, we experienced what is like to be ridiculous and learned to accept it. And then, we created ZGZ after understanding what we really wanted to do in music. It’s been a successful practice.
If you weren’t musicians, what other job do you think you’d have?
Boots: Da kid could work in the fashion industry, he doesn’t particularly have good tastes, but he’d love to be surrounded by people like Lagerfeld, Jacobs or Gautier. Regarding Sideman, he’s really good with computers and technology, so I think he would succeed in creating a webcam show platform for people like Lagerfeld, Jacobs and Gautier and Da Kid. And me, I think I’d really like to become a famous bar tender in a famous 90’s style house club from Chicago or from Castro in SF to spend the night with all those aforementioned fellas.
Can you tell me briefly how each one of you got into music?
Sideman: I decided to play bass in a metal band after discovering ‘Blind’ at the end of Street Fighters II The Movie
Boots: I was raised on the Woodstock scene, The Police and David Bowie. Things follow the logical way.
Da Kid: I was hitting my friends at Kindergarten, my parents decided to buy me a plastic drum kit so I could hit something else.
Can you talk about some of the musicians and bands that have influenced you over the years and why they’ve been important in your growth in musicians?
Boots: Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie, cause they are related to my father who’s a big fan. They also represent the new wave of their own genre; they brought a revolutionary sound and are icons for modern music. Then Dimebag Darell, who is to me the greatest musician of all times. The Notorious BIG, 2Pac and Kendrick Lamar, for all that they represent for music, and their writing skills.
Sideman: I grew up listening to David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Jamiroquai. They heavily influenced my playing style at first. Currently, the musicians that influenced me the most are Adam Nolly Getgood (Periphery), Dick Lövgren (Meshuggah) and Jean-Michel Labadie (Gojira). Their sound and approach to bass helped me make a lot of crucial choices choosing my bass brands, effects, and live configuration.
Da Kid: Slipknot. The intention, their ideas (at least on the 2 first albums) were limitless. But I grew up with many different bands and artists like Paco Sery who’s my favorite, Maceo Parker and Prince, who changed the conception of beat making. The most inspiring current drummer to me is Mark Guiliana.
Thanks ZGZ for the rad interview! If you want to find out more about them and what they’re up to, make sure to stop by their social media pages:
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