ZZIV: ALL THINGS ZIM ZUM: Interviews: Pulling Back the Curtains (part 2)

Pulling Back the Curtains
Part 2 of an exclusive Zim Zum interview by Rosie Green
July 20, 2004

As things are starting to heat up and move forward behind the curtain for all of Zim Zum's projects, Zim sent over another set of answers to the many questions I sent him. Here's the second part of the e-mail interview for your reading pleasure!
Enjoy!

What has been the biggest hurdle in getting to where you are today musically?
Having to rely on the services of other people for anything. The things people will do and say to get a foot in the door makes me want to buy a rifle.
For every one original and creative soul there are 200,000 wanting to squash, step on, kill or rip that person off.
I've always said, music is the easy part for me, it comes naturally and always just happens, it's once I have to play the game that it makes me want to move to Siberia because as i'm sure anyone with the gift of sight can see (and hear) the game has sucked the life out of the music scene. It's all about the business these days and thats because noone is artistic or creative, or maybe creative doesnt sell in this world of mass produced product.
Do you believe in the idea of "It's never too late to start music"?
Absolutely. Do what you want to do when you want to do it and dont listen to anyone else.
Name 3 guitarist/musicians that influenced your music the most, who would they be and why?
Mick Ronson, Marc Bolan and Steve Vai (though the list is much varied than these 3)
Each for what they brought to my life by way of music. Each is very different and I will leave it to those reading this to hear why but the above, like all great music does, came to me at specific times in my life and they altered the way I thought about music and he way I approached the guitar. Timing is everything when you look back at how things effect your life in the long run.
Brian May, Angus Young, Eddie Van Halen, Elliott Easton, Al Di Miola, Jimi Hendrix, Brian Setzer.....
Would you say that anything in school helped you in your creative endeavours?
Yes. I didnt like school outside of the gross social experiement that it was and as much as I hated it at the time, being forced to learn at an accelerated pace (Private School) opened up a lot of avenues as far as being able to take every single art class that was offered in High School. I look back and think that most of my teachers didnt give a rats ass about what I was going to be in life but the few that did made all the difference. Not "making" choir also really helped me move away from musical conformity.
What is your take on the current music scene(Chicago and beyond)?
I am unaware of the "scene", be it local or national because I chose to not be a part of it and what it was about. There is good music out there but your not going to find it in all the magazines.
Describe the business side of the music industry. Do you handle a lot of that stuff?
I handle just about every aspect of the business side of what I do. In the industry today you have to be everything and know everything and everyone. There is a lot to music as a business; Copyrights, Trademarks, Service Marks, INCorporating, LLC's, publicity, booking, management, techs, lighting, endorsements, photo shoots, contracts, lawyers, taxes...and I could literally go on for about another 10,000 words on this...but then I would have to start charging. Welcome to the business of music. lol.
In your experience, what is life like on the road for a musician/band?
I like the travel but I also like my space. Strip away the things you rely on and make you comfortable and then stick a bunch of other people in a vehicle and your on tour. You wake up every day in a different place, more often than not your unclear exactly what/where that pace is. You meet and amazing array of people and it is at times an awkward social experiment but having even 1 person come to see and hear you play and to really understand what it is you have to offer is an absolutly perfect moment.
What are some of the differences between coming out with a brand new band today as opposed to yester years?
The bar is a lot lower these days and the shelf life is a lot shorter because of the lack of substance and longevity in the popular music of today. It's about being entertained not enlightened or experienced.
Are there any compilations albums dedicated to an artist/band that you would or would have like to contribute to? Which one?
The real giants like Bowie or Bolan or Ronson or Orr (The Cars) or Sabbath or AC/DC or Queen or The Thompson Twins.....
Do you think that with your music the press will focus on that or the "image" more?
I can only guess.....but does it really matter to those that dont need to read about something in order to understand what they like for themselves?
How do you plan to combat the "image is everything" clich�?
Show them what "image" really means to someone who can play.
What is the most positive and most negative change that you have noticed in the industry?
They are both pretty obvious. The positive is that it has pushed the creative, reaching types underground and to me that's where the best things always happen. The negative; look what's risen to the surface....
What are the pitfalls aspiring musicians should avoid?
1. Anyone that tells you they know whats best for you and your music then proceeds to tell you how great it is that Justin Timberlake is with Cammeron Diaz because of the exposure they are getting.
2. Anyone that tells you you cant be what you want to be when all you want to be is yourself.
3. Anyone that isnt "with you", because then they are against you. There is no in between.
4. Dreadlocks.
5. "Players" (not musicians because a musician would have a source of income to afford his instruments) without jobs, cars, pa systems, gear, goals or a clue.
6. "Players" with girlfriends who are so fucking clueless but seem to know whats best for their boyfriends and everyone their boyfriends come in contact with. lol.
7. "Players" because they never put the time in to be a musician.
8. Make sure there are at least 2 people you can trust and make sure one is your Lawyer.
How can one try to stay current and fresh within the industry?
Stay true to yourself and the music you know, in your soul, is good. Find music, dont let it come to you via whatever the trendy outlet is these days. If you like it then that's the scene that's cool because you found it for yourself.
Who have you worked with that made music an interesting life to lead?
A guy at a cleaning service that I worked for because he thought that's as far as I would ever go simply based on the length of my hair. (btw: Fuck you and your toilet brush wherever you are)
Do you have the same excitement for it all that you had when you first picked up the guitar?
So much more now though I loved every bit of the experience that got me here.
What's your opinion on the groupie thing as it applies to men and women - How do you think it differs when for women "rock stars"?
Groupie is an interesting word and i'm not sure it still applies.
I'm not a public person so I stay away from all that because your screwed if you do and your screwed if you dont because it's all about the gossip, whether it's true or not. Strange world we live in when who you fuck dictates your social status, regardless of male/female positioning, so what's stopping someone who got denied from saying they screwed someone anyway? I dont know that it is really different as applied to the gender of the artist but I personally have never been moved to want to fuck someone because of their music though music has made me want to fuck if you know what I mean...
Being a fan of someones music isnt about fucking or wanting to fuck someone to me.
What is your first reaction when someone calls you a "God" or "Genius"?
I check to make sure they are talking to me and not someone behind me.
Describe who you consider an icon?
Balck Sabbath. David Bowie. Marc Bolan. Mick Ronson. Queen.....
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SPECIAL THANKS TO: Zim Zum for taking the time out to answer my questions.::top::