Sherri: .. so zach, where did you grow up?

Zach: hmm, well, define grow up?

Sherri: get older

Zach: where I was born, I never lived. I moved around a lot. 9 schools in 12 years.

Sherri: well tell me about that. where have you lived?

Zach: I have lived in Cedar Falls Iowa, St. Louis MO, Holmen WI, LaCrosse WI, Onalaska WI, West Salem WI, Dakota MN, Owatonna MN, Little Canada MN, Cottage Grove MN, and now St. Paul MN. there are a few in there that I missed too, but I was young and don't remember too much.

Sherri: How did you feel about moving around so much?

Zach: never thought much about it. I thought it was normal for people to do that. I still do that, I get antsy if I stay in one place too long. The longest I have ever lived in one place was in Cottage Grove. I lived in the same house there for 5 years.

Sherri: wow, do you think that might be a problem for you in the future?

Zach: probably not. I am starting to settle down I think. I've been in St. Paul for 2 years now, and I have no plans on moving. I really like my place, and the neighborhood. If I do move, it will probably just be to a bigger apartment, or to a house in the same area.

Sherri: well that's good, How did you get into punk rock?

Zach: sort of fell into it. Just came about really. When I was growing up, my mom was still going to college, so she would take me with to these big folk festivals, outdoor concerts, bars, anywhere there was music. I was really young, basically probably from the time I was 6 months until I was 6 I basically tagged along everywhere with her. So I liked a lot of music that would be considered "punk" in nature. when I was with her, I saw bands like The Replacements, The Ramones, The Violent Femmes, and a multitude of others, however, I never really understood it until about 7th grade or so. Thats when I moved up to the twin cities, and back then there was a station called KJ104. which was dubbed Modern Rock. Thats where I first really heard bands like Sonic Youth, Bad Religion, Nirvana, etc.

Sherri: what was your first show?

Zach: my first show? by myself? punk or otherwise?

Sherri: umm i guess punk, since you had been to many with your mother.

Zach: well, lets see, the first show I ever went to by myself was in 8th grade. I saw Testament, Pro-pain, and Green Jello. that was a metal show though. I went with my then girlfriend. my first punk show though.... I'm trying to think. I'm not sure actually. Bad Religion I think. or NOFX. somewhere around 94. I can't remember exactly. One of those.

Sherri: was there much of a scene back then? punk rock scene?

Zach: there was. more so then there was now. or maybe it seemed like it. Everything is so big and vaste when you are 15 just getting into things, there were more places doing shows, mainly house shows, but everything, and everyone just seemed more interconnected. kind of like the hardcore scene now.

Sherri: Did you participate in it? help out with shows and what not?

Zach: I didn't really participate, besides going to the shows. when I started playing in a band, that was my first real taste of things, setting up shows, etc

Sherri: any good or bad memories about it?

Zach: good or bad memories about me being young?

Sherri: About the scene.

Zach: Punk was good then. now its really disjointed, people call a lot of things punk, that I would never consider punk. A lot of indie rock gets called punk in this town. The "punk" scene is really suffering. There are a few good bands, but for the most part, its nothing like it was then. Like I said before, it seems that the local hardcore scene has really picked up where the punk scene fell apart. Not really better than it was, but sort of along the same lines.

Sherri: So you don't really like the punk scene now?

Zach: oh no, I do, but it fell apart a couple years ago. people jumped ship for indie rock, or hardcore, or just went on their way. We are trying to regain some sense of community, but its tough. I don't like what happened to the scene. But there are some good bands that are working at trying to get it back. Its just that, there is nothing really holding everyone together. everyone is really segmented.

Sherri: When did you start playing bass?

Zach: 9th grade.

Sherri: after you got into punk rock?

Zach: well, I would say that most of what I was listening to back then was more along the lines of bands like The Violent Femmes, The Lemonheads, Tool, Nirvana, The Breeders, The Pixies. I had just started getting into punk at about the same time

Sherri: dammit you stole my next question

Zach: which was?

Sherri: what bands were you listening to then?

Zach:oh man, a lot. beyond what I listed. I had just gotten into Green Day, I was listening to NIN, Helmet, Pennywise, Bad Religion, Beastie Boys, NOFX, all that stuff you listen to while young because it was easily accessible. REM.

Sherri: yes, i remember that, what bands were you in before mike.?

Zach: I was only really in one "real" band before mike.

Sherri: which was?

Zach: called The Linoleums

Sherri: Did you like it?

Zach: I loved it. Greatest time I've ever had has been when I have been in bands. Even when I get all pissy before a show, it all goes away when playing.

Sherri: Did you form the band yourself? or did you just join?

Zach: The Linoleums? or mike.?

Sherri: linoleums, we havent gotten to mike. yet.

Zach: ok :-) The Linoleums was actually started by me and my friend dave Mornard. We used to go around to parties all the time, and back then, everyone always had an acoustic sitting around, so we would play these old school type punk songs, along the lines of The Circle Jerks or something, on the acoustic. He'd play, I would sing. Eventually, we decided that since we were doing that so much, we should just start a real band.

Sherri: very cool

Zach: so we took those songs, and started actually working on them, someohow came up with the name, and started playing

Sherri: What was your musical influence for the linoleums, and where did the name come from?

Zach: Our influences were all over the place. I couldnt' even begin to say. Dave and I had common ground with bands like Bad Religion, we both were part of the skateboarding culture, but we both listened to a lot of different stuff. The funny thing is, that The Linoleums ended up being more of a pop-punk band, before we really knew anything about Lookout! records than Green Day. The name just came to dave one day. He said, how about The Linoleums. It had absolutely nothing to do with anything, so we thought it was good.

Sherri: alright. how did mike. come about? Is it more of patrick's band? or both of yours?

Zach: mike. really came about because both Patrick and I were looking for people to play with, start up a band. He posted something on the old Foxfire message board, and we jammed, and it worked. I would say its both of ours. Patrick writes the lyrics, we all write the music. I deal with a lot of the booking and such

Sherri: Did you know patrick before mike.?

Zach: nope.

Sherri: How did you feel about the band back then? when did you start it up?

Zach: well, at the time, we just wanted to get it started. we didn't have a drummer at first, so we just would jam a few times, tried a couple of drummers, keep working on songs. So I mean like, it, its always frustrating finding a drummer on this town though. we started probably about august of 2000, Patrick and I. we didn't really have a full band until november of 2000

Sherri: What were your influences for this band?

Zach: well, I would say our influences are based around bands like Hot Water Music, Avail, maybe a little bit of Fugazi, and some more of the faster socal stuff.

Sherri: Any messages you are trying to get across in the music, or do you guys just write for yourself?

Zach: I think we focus more on being positive. Not giving up hope. It really differs from song to song though. Most of it is taken from personal experiences. Trying to get through, and looking back and saying, hey, I did it.

Sherri: cool, What goes through your head while creating music?

Zach: a ton of stuff through my head. Mainly just dealing with, "hey, what would sound good here" A lot of times the stuff I write just flows though. I'll be driving home, and something will just pop in my head. I'll rush home, and grab my bass. or I'll just be screwing around and something pop in my head. The other day I came up with something I'd really like to use in a new mike. song, while I was at guitar center looking at amps. I was trying one out, and just messing around, and this riff just came out.

Sherri: when was your first mike. show with a drummer?

Zach: first show was a christmas party at Patricks old apartment, with our first drummer, Dave Tesch.

Sherri: Did you play with any other bands?

Zach: nope, it was just us

Sherri: what bands have you played with before? anyone you really like?

Zach: we have played with a ton of bands. ones I really like are One Second Silence, Wandering Aimlessly, Forever is Forgotten, Wish Upon A Star ( who changed to Haddonfield, but are now apparently changing back), The Beautiful Mistake.

Sherri: they are?

Zach: yes, they are

Sherri: I could never pronounce Haddonfield right. I love the beautiful mistake.

Zach: good band, and Jonny is an amazing bass player

Sherri: Yeah, I dunno, they are just really good. I loved them ever since I downloaded their MP3's and I went to see them live, but ended up leaving early. I regret that.

Zach: ooh, the Offset too. I love those guys. see, too many to remember who all we have played with. I have a list written down somewhere.

Sherri: Did things ever get rough for you as a musician?

Zach: how so?

Sherri: I dont know, finding a drummer, booking shows and whatnot, stuff like that.

Zach: its rough right now, not playing shows, thats driving me nuts. The only time I ever really feel happy is playing.

Sherri: Ever get frustrated with the music scene?

Zach: well, booking can be frustrating, but its expected. things aren't supposed to be so easy. good to have a challenge, even if it drives you crazy sometimes. I am frustrated with the lack of good bands that I would consider punk right now. Frustrated with the lack of decent venues. Frustrated that really good bands are sometimes overlooked. It is frustrating, but thats what makes shows even that much better. You know that worked for it. you do whatever it takes to play.

Sherri: Have you guys gone on tour much, like around the US?

Zach: never a formal tour

Sherri: where have you played outside of MN?

Zach: we have stayed in the midwest, and never have played a set of dates in a row. We have played in MN and WI. Once we get this drummer thing squared away, we have been asked to play in IL, SD, IA, FL, so I'd like to start getting to some of these places.

Sherri: yeah, that would be sweet. Any good stories about playing shows?

Zach: well, I don't have anything juicy or anything.

Sherri: aww

Zach: we have had good times playing up in Duluth, its like a second home

Sherri: cool. yeah duluth seems to be everyones second home. Is it really that nice up there? I could have had an apartment to stay at and a free ride to UMD if i went to college there.

Zach: for bands, yeah. we had a great turnout at a place called Beaners. Those kids really dig the punk rock. really supportive.

Sherri: hmm.. So you guys are looking for a drummer? Any updates on that?

Zach: well, we actually are going to give our last drummer, Mike (aka SancheZ) another chance. He really fit well, but at the time when we asked him to leave, he didn't give us a different choice.

Sherri: Well any shows coming up?

Zach: well, if things come together, we will be playing on June 21st at the Fireball, with a great band called Smackin Isaiah. They are on tour.

Sherri: any new stuff coming out?

Zach: new stuff

Sherri: Cd's, new music your working on?

Zach: well, should be two comps coming out soon with new mike. stuff on them.

Sherri: ok, thats good

Zach: one is for Double 0 Records, not sure what its called. The other is for Mitch that is coming out on his label, Gratiutiously Skipping records. thats a comp of MN punk bands.

Sherri: I've heard about that one, mitch's. How is life going for you now?

Zach: life is good overall.

Sherri: Thats good.

Zach: its nice out, the sun is shining, I'm alive

Sherri: And.. the last question: If someone asked for advice about starting a punk rock band, what would you tell them?

Zach: just get some people together and play. There is nothing special about punk, thats what makes it great. it was music for people that didn't fit in, by people that didn't fit in. just get together and have a good time. But please, for my sake, don't write songs about poop.

Sherri: haha..Oh i have one more: If you had 1 super power, what would it be?

Zach: I'd like to be able to breathe underwater. I love to swim, and think that would rule, to just swim all day long. or fly. haha.

Sherri: haha