Genre-bending artists Zebrahead have returned with the upcoming I EP, coming 13 November. To celebrate the upcoming album, the band’s drummer Ed Udhus has joined TGEFM to chat about their long history, the current album and their future. Check the interview out below.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview! Congrats on the upcoming release of the I EP. What should TGEFM readers know about the record and the songwriting process that went into it?
This writing and recording process was a lot of fun for us. We know how lucky we are to be able to still be doing this after all these years and we never take it for granted, to be able to still write and record music with your friends is a blast. We still sit down as five friends to try and write something that we like, and hopefully other people will connect with it as well.
It’s been nearly 30 years since Zebrahead formed. What has changed the most in the scene and industry from your perspective? What’s been the hardest thing to adapt to and what change have you found to be the most positive?
So many things are different. When we started out it was a few years before Napster kind of opened the music thing up for everyone and the birth of streaming. Bands used to try to build a fan base, get a record deal, get some label help to make and market a record, and cross their fingers. Now it is so different, bands and artists can do it all on their own and hopefully have some success. We have been pretty lucky in the sense that we have always toured and did things from a DIY perspective. It helped prepare us for the way things are today. With that experience we can be closer to a self-sustaining type of situation. I think we were lucky that way. I love seeing the new bands and artists out there working their asses off and being successful. It’s awesome.
What stood out most to you with this recording compared to your previous trips to the studio?
I think this time around we all found creative ways to challenge each other musically, which personally helped me get out of my comfort zone. I really enjoyed and appreciated that. I feel like we had more of that across the board with these recordings.
What have been some of the most memorable moments or experiences with the band so far? What’s been the most unexpected? The weirdest?
Honestly, we have a lot of crazy and weird stories. I think the thing that has been the best part of all of this is how many incredible people we have met over the years and get to call friends from literally all over the world.
We have had the opportunity to play alongside so many bands that we love to watch perform. Our crew is from all over the world as well, we are all like family so to be able to travel and wake up in new cities and perform, and do it together is one of the best parts of being in zebrahead.
Zebrahead have been such an influential act that means so much to so many of us. Does the high bar you’ve set for yourselves in the past help, hinder or affect your creativity today and to what extent?
First off, thank you, that means a lot. I think as a band we have always tried very hard to write songs that we would want to listen to and hope other people will relate to as well. We try to keep it fresh and interesting, and we are always trying new things. Most of all, we want the music we put out to be a good time for the listener. We have stayed the same in the sense, we want this to be a fun band. We want every song and every show to feel like a Friday night out with your friends. An escape from everyday life, that at times can be stressful but we all have to live and deal with it. This band is meant to be fun and feel like a little break from reality. For us as much as anyone listening or at a show.
You’ve been a staple of this scene for a while, what is your biggest regret? A gig you turned down, advice you didn’t take, what one thing do you wish you handled differently as a musician?
I think most of us in the band have had other exciting opportunities. I feel like we have always put zebrahead first over any other opportunity. We have committed to zebrahead 100%. The good and bad choices we have made have brought us to where we are today, and we are happy with where we are. We are making everyday Friday as often and as well as we can. You cannot buy that feeling. It is something that has become what zebrahead is over almost a 30-year lifespan. As long as we know we are trying and are going to continue to try we have no regrets.
What pieces of advice do you have for the up and coming acts you’re performing with now?
If you love your music and you have fun playing, touring, making records then just keep going. Try and make it a labor of love. If you are deciding that you want to make music for a living commit and try your best. You can supplement your income with other things. But if you want to do it and believe in it, don’t give up. If it just equates to making music, you love and playing shows that give you awesome experiences it’s already a win.
Are you finding the new fans meshing well with the ones who’ve been around a while?
Yes, we are very lucky that way. Our fans just want to have a good time, and they are very accepting of the new fans. It turns into a bigger party.
One of our obligatory questions in these interviews also tends to be the one I have found most important on a personal level. Who are some bands on your radar that TGEFM readers may not know about, but you think they should?
I can’t speak for the whole band but, so many great new and not so new bands that I personally think are awesome. Pears, Direct Hit, Carpool, Joey Valence and Brae, Off With Their Heads, The Flatliners, to name a few.
Beyond the EP release on 13 November, what’s next for Zebrahead?
We are working possible releasing some live stuff in the future and also working on more new music. We are heading to Brazil for a tour with Face to Face and A Wilhelm Scream then off to Europe before Christmas with our pals in Itchy.
Was there anything I missed that you’d like to share or dive deeper into with our readers?
To our Zebrahead fans – Thank you VERY MUCH for all of your support over the years. We want to be there for you because you are there for us. We appreciate you very much. To any new listeners…if you are at a show please come over and say hi, let’s keep growing the zebrahead family. You can all stay up to date on music and shows at on Facebook and on IG.
Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/
