interview with ZiON, 9th september 2005
published on unsignedmuzik.com 9/Sept/05
interview © 2005 unsignedmuzik.com
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UM: We know how you met and got your name, so can we start by asking when and how you got into music and realised that you wanted to be in a band?
LZ: I was into music from the word go. Apparently, as a baby I used to scream if Simon and Garfunkel wasn't being played. Don't ask why!! Wish I could blame the drugz... The real turning point for me though was when I did something called the "Pop Mime" at school. All the other kidz were doing whatever dross was in the chartz, I went up there, did Guns n' Roses, doused the parentz in beer, got banned and thought "yes, this is the life for me!"...

UM: You say in your biography that you found it easy to find band members to complete the line up, what is the same vision that you all share?
LZ: If I knew the answer to that, I'd bottle it and sell it to every other band out there desperate for people! I think it was just the right people in the right place at the right time all with the same goalz and ambitionz. I'd known Wank for yearz, living with him even but, somewhere along the way, we lost touch. When me and Vikki started looking for people, I thought he would be perfect and, literally, out of the blue the phone rang and it was him. This was about 3 yearz since I'd last seen or heard from him! Stevie'z audition tape consisted of my favourite Metallica riff ("For Whom The Bells Toll") so that was him in and Gilez got the job as another drummer failed to turn up for his audition so I rang Gilez and he came straight over. Weird coincidencez like that happen when thingz are right and meant to be.

UM: You have obviously all played in bands before but how many bands did you have to go through before finding this "perfect band"?
LZ: Actually, only Wank and myself had been in bandz before. Both of us too many to mention, both achieving very modest levelz of success. Funny enough, we had alwayz said we should do a band together but, the time was never right until SPiT LiKE THiS. Vikki and Stevie were both very young when they joined and Vile Gilez had basically been in a drug fuelled haze for yearz!

UM: You have your own range of offensive T-shirts (smellyourmum.com) and also have a guitar player called Wank Sinatra, is shocking people something that you set out to do and if so why?
LZ: Yes, but not for the cynical reasonz that people may think. I have ALWAYZ been a person that likez to push people'z buttonz and make them question why. I don't think I so much set out to shock, more a case of reflect back what is already out there - holding a mirror up to society. I had to put up with so much shit growing up, drove me mad so I had to find wayz to get my own back. I find it funny to think that people can be offended by something as inocuous as a t-shirt!! The fact that people can find a combination of letterz offensive is quite pathetic, so I like to challenge that. As for Wank Sinatra, that'z his real name!

UM: You seem quite happy being categorised as a sleaze band, what is your definition of sleaze and who are your influences?
LZ: I believe that we are one of the true "sleaze" bandz out there, but not in the way that most people define it. Let me set the record straight on a few thingz... There are a lot of bandz out there that are wannabe Gunz n Rosez clonez or Motley Crue clonez. Thing is, they are forgetting one vital point - those bandz occured through CiRCUMSTANCE. It was not a contrived thing, it was just the way they were. Now there are all the clonez thinking that, if they dress in a similar way and play similar songz, they are the same band. Well, that is bullshit. Gn'R, Motley Crue were borne of struggle - that is why they have such a punk edge in their early stuff. They suffered! They didn't have handoutz from rich parentz and they didn't have the latest stylez from trendy rock shopz. They scoured second hand storez for their crap and they fought tooth and nail for everything they earned. They came from the gutter. THAT is what definez sleaze - your struggle and your day-to-day life. Posing with a bottle of JD and a Les Paul doez NOT. Nearly all of us have been homeless at one point or another. All had problemz with various substancez. All been so broke we've not known where the next meal is coming from. All sold our soulz for whatever piece of equipment we can. Hell, you know the fucking storiez so I won't go into them again, all I will say is that we are genuine. We mean it. What you see is what you get. We are not defined as sleaze, we define sleaze.

UM: People think that it is an easy life being in a band but it is generally an up hill struggle, and you seem like a very hard working band, what is your motivation?
LZ: When it pulsez through your veinz and it is your first and last thought, you cannot help be anything other than motivated. Unless you are willing to give up every single comfort you have and every single second of "me" time you have and unless you are willing to devote every second of the day to it, give up now! There is no other vocation I can think of that is as hard to make a living from than making music. You have to be prepared to sacrifice your life to rock 'n' roll - if you EVER think you might give up, do it now.

UM: Do you have many band arguments and if so how do you solve band problems when they arise?
LZ: They don't really arise. OK, on the odd occasion someone might get pissed at someone else, but it is very fleeting. We all want the same thing so there'z nothing really to argue about. Besidez, we're too busy arguing with all the shit bandz out there.

UM: Lord Zion has been quoted as saying, "No one makes music like we do anymore!" But you have a very good fan base, so why do you think that more people aren't playing music like yourselves and do you find that it is hard to find other compatible bands to play with?
LZ: Hey, that'z me! I think people don't play music like us coz they don't know how! I write the stuff and I don't know how it workz and what makez it work - it just doez. So, if I can't fathom it out, how the hell is anyone else?! I think that I have rather a unique mix of influencez - some obvious, some not so obvious - and it is that blend that makez us what we are. As for the other part of your question, yes, it is VERY hard finding other compatible bandz - that'z why we've been put on with everyone from The Damned to hardcore and beyond!

UM: Rock music is quite fashionable at the minute but there must have been times when people just can't see what you are trying to do, does is ever worry you that the music business goes through phases?
LZ: Everything is cyclical but, thankz to the internet, bandz can have more longevity. Most decent bandz have a hardcore fan base but, problem was, when fashionz change and magazinez stop reporting about a band, they used to disappear. Their fanz had no way of finding out what they were up to so they figured they'd split up. Nowadayz, that doesn't have to happen. That'z why so many "old" bandz have come out of the woodwork. The world will alwayz want a decent rock 'n' roll band so we will alwayz have an audience. Oh, and a lot of people still can't see what we are trying to do!! But that is because we are creating our audience, not catering to one that already existz..

UM: You are based in Gatwick, so you are basically a London band, are you originally from London and do you think that there are more opportunities for bands there?
LZ: Two of us (Vikki and Wank) were born and bred in London. In fact, Vikki still lived there until she met me. The rest of us have alwayz lived within about 15 milez of it. Obviously, it has it'z benefitz but a lot of downsidez too. First of all, most venuez / promotorz / bandz in London are so up themselvez it is untrue. They think the world revolvez around London and that everything outside of it is insignificant. Well, they can all fuck themselvez. On the whole, London venuez, promotorz and bandz suck. They lack imagination and it showz in everything they do. We all prefer playing gigz outside of London. They tend to be better organized full of people that are enthusiastic about what they are doing and are less about the pose. Also, the audiencez tend to enjoy themselvez more. Most audiencez in London are so spoilt they have a "go on then, impress me" attitude and, unless they read about it in Kerrang! or something, they can't make their own mindz up as to whether they like something. And, before any London-itez get stroppy at me, you may well be the exception to the rule.. If you are, you are one of us \m/

UM: What are your favourite memories of being in Spit like This?
LZ: I think my favourite memory so far has been doing our first video. It was such a low budget laugh but turned out great. We have a lot of great thingz that happen to us and a lot of thingz that we get excited about - being awarded the "Trashiest Band In The UK" accolade; seeing our EP rocket up various chartz, etc - but the thing that excitez me the most is getting an email or something from someone new to the SPiT LiKE THiS UNiVERSE that has fallen in love at first bite...

UM: What are your hopes for the future, is it fame that you crave or creative freedom?
LZ: Both! Luckily for us, we have more than proven ourselvez. We are not pushoverz and never will be so, creative freedom is a given. We simply will not accept anything less - no-one can tell us what SPiT LiKE THiS should be! So, that leavez fame. It is a by-product of what we do so we may as well embrace it. I want the world to know I was here after I am gone so the fame aspect doez inspire me.

UM: Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers?
LZ: Stevie has an abnormally large penis and, if you ask him nicely, he will show you picturez of it or let you admire it.

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