Kevin Griffin Ntawm Zoo Tshaj Ezra Thaum 35, 'Legends Ntawm Lub Caij Nplooj Ntoos Hlav' Ncig Saib, Tshiab BTE Music

Zoo dua Ezra frontman Kevin Griffin, tswj hwm ntau hom lag luam yog qhov tseem ceeb rau kev ua tiav kev hloov suab paj nruag kev lag luam, txuas ntxiv nrhiav txoj hauv kev tshiab kom tau nyiaj suab paj nruag thaum muaj kev nce hauv is taws nem raws li qhov tseem ceeb ntawm kev xa suab paj nruag.

Txawm hais tias muaj kev kub ntxhov ntawm cov ntawv sau tseem ceeb uas ib zaug tau pab tsav platinum cov ntaub ntawv muag khoom rau New Orleans lwm txoj cai, Zoo dua Ezra yuav muaj zog, nyob rau hauv nruab nrab ntawm lawv "Legends ntawm lub caij nplooj zeeg" US ncig saib thaum saib ib zaug tsis xav txog 35 xyoo hauv 2023.

Griffin tau koom nrog Pilgrimage Music thiab Cultural Festival hauv 2015 thiab nyob twj ywm tsis khoom raws li tus tswv cuab ntawm Ezra Ray Hart, ib pab pawg neeg loj uas muaj cov tswv cuab ntawm 90s hitmakers Zoo dua Ezra, Qab Zib Ray thiab Tonic tshwj xeeb rau kev tswj hwm ntawm lub tuam txhab gig circuit.

Ntxiv rau kev ua haujlwm ua tus sau nkauj thiab hais lus, Griffin tseem yuav xa nws thawj phau ntawv, zaj lus piv txwv txog kev lag luam Nkauj kho siab tshaj, ntawm Brown Books lub caij nplooj ntoos hlav no tom qab tso tawm cov ntaub ntawv tshiab Zoo Tshaj Ezra hauv lub Peb Hlis.

“Lub album yog hu ua tentatively Super Magick. Qhov ntawd tuaj yeem hloov tau. Tab sis kuv tau siv sij hawm nrog ib tug txiv leej tub hu ua Emery Dobyns, uas kuv tau tsim cov ntaub ntawv nrog, uas tau ua haujlwm nrog txhua tus los ntawm Patti Smith mus rau Travis," piav qhia Griffin ntawm pab pawg cuaj lub studio album thiab thawj zaug txij li xyoo 2014, ib qho kaw hauv nws lub tsev studio. tsuas yog sab nraum Nashville, Tennessee. "Muaj ib txwm muaj ob peb zaj nkauj kawg uas kuv nyiam, 'Cov nkauj no yuav tsum mus rau nws!' Txhua tus ntawm peb albums muaj ib zaj nkauj uas tuaj nyob rau hauv txoj cai nyob rau hauv cov hlau. Yog li lub album yeej tsis tiav kom txog thaum nws tiav - tab sis nws yog 90% ua tiav. Peb tsuas yog sib tov nws. Thiab peb tau ua si peb zaj nkauj los ntawm cov ntaub ntawv tshiab nyob. "

Thaum lub sijhawm qhib hmo ntuj ntawm pab pawg tam sim no "Cov Lus Dab Neeg ntawm Lub Caij Nplooj Ntoos Hlav" ntawm Chicago's House of Blues ua ntej lub hli no, Zoo Tshaj Ezra tau ua ntau tshaj li ob teev, khawb tob hauv cov ntawv teev npe raws li lawv tau rub tawm cov suab paj nruag xws li "Circle of Friends," tshaj tawm thawj zaug hauv ze li 25 xyoo. Ntxiv nrog rau tag nrho cov hits, zoo-curated npog thiab ib qho kev sib tw tshiab, "Mystified," tau nthuav tawm qhov kev ua yeeb yam lom zem heev.

"Kuv tau sau nws nrog tus txiv neej no Henry Brill, uas yog nyob ntawm nws lub xeem. Nws yog ib tug kws sau nkauj ci ntsa iab. Peb tuaj nrog 'Mystified.' Nws yog me ntsis hauv paus hauv lub neej tiag tiag thiab me ntsis hauv paus hauv cov ntawv tseeb, "hais Griffin ntawm zaj nkauj tshiab. "Muaj ib lub sij hawm thaum kuv tau sau nkauj thiab kuv xav zoo li txhua yam yuav tsum yog biography. Tom qab ntawd kuv muaj lub sijhawm zoo li no uas kuv zoo li, 'Auj, tos ib pliag. Kuv tuaj yeem nqa daim ntawv tso cai ua yeeb yam thiab sau tag nrho cov lus piav qhia txog tej yam uas tsis muaj dab tsi ua rau kuv.' Nws yog qhov nyuaj tiag tiag los sau cov lus piav qhia thiab zaj dab neeg uas tib neeg tuaj yeem ua raws li peb feeb lossis peb thiab ib nrab feeb. Thiab 'Mystified' yog ib qho ntawm cov nkauj ntawd.

Kuv tau tham nrog Kevin Griffin txog Zoo Tshaj Ezra tam sim no "Legends of the Fall" ncig saib, ib qho uas txuas ntxiv mus rau nruab nrab Lub Kaum Ib Hlis, rov qab los ntawm nws Pilgrimage Music thiab Cultural Festival, tau rov qab los rau ntawm theem thiab lub sijhawm ntxov raws li tus kws sau nkauj uas yuav pab tswj tau zoo dua Ezra 35 xyoo tom ntej. Ib daim ntawv teev lus ntawm peb lub xov tooj sib tham, maj mam kho kom ntev thiab meej raws li hauv qab no.

Kev ncig xyuas "Legends of the Fall" mus txog tam sim no li cas?

KEVIN GRIFFIN: Peb zoo siab heev nrog qhov kev ncig xyuas no mus li cas - kev muag daim pib, cov lus teb los ntawm cov neeg tuaj saib. Peb tsis tau ua ib qho kev ncig xyuas tsheb npav kom raug ntawm peb tus kheej xwb. Peb tau ua ntau pob ncig xyuas. Thiab cov no lom zem. Tab sis tsuas yog ib yam dab tsi txog peb tus kheej ua yeeb yam hauv tsev ua yeeb yam lossis lub club thiab pom cov neeg tuaj tawm.

Thiab nws tawm dag zog cov leeg sib txawv rau peb. Peb tab tom ua si ib ob xuab moos ntxiv rau kev qhia mus tob rau hauv phau ntawv teev npe thiab ntaus nkauj tshiab ib yam nkaus. Ua ib pob yeeb yam zoo heev. Tab sis koj tsuas yog ua si 50 feeb - yog li koj xav ua si xwb. Tab sis koj cov kiv cua nyuaj, cov uas txhawb nqa koj tiag tiag, lawv tsis xav hnov ​​cov nkauj ntawd - lawv xav hnov ​​​​qhov tob tob. Yog li qhov no tseem ceeb rau peb thiab peb txaus siab rau nws.

Nyob Chicago, muaj ob peb zaj nkauj kuv tsis xav tias kuv twb tsis tau pom nej ua neej nyob los tsis tau pom nyob ntev. Yuav ua li cas koj mus txog muab cov setlist ua ke lub sij hawm no nyob ib ncig ntawm?

KG: Kuv tau mus dhau tag nrho peb cov nkauj. Peb rov xyaum plaub hnub thiab kuaj xyuas qhov chaw no hauv Nashville. Peb zoo li, “Dab tsi txog qhov no? Ua li cas txog qhov ntawd? Yuav ua li cas txog qhov no? Tsuas yog tawm tswv yim. Thiab peb muaj cov npe ntev ntawm cov kiv cua thov uas peb khaws cia. Thiab ces txhua leej txhua tus nyob rau hauv lub band hnyav rau hauv. Cov Ntaub Ntawv Teev Tseg soundtrack." Cov nkauj uas kuv tsis tau xav txog thaum muaj hnub nyoog - tab sis peb siv los ua si txhua lub sijhawm.

Kuv paub tias koj hais tias koj tau ua koob tsheej rau lub caij ntuj sov no thiab nyob rau hauv ntau qhov chaw sib raug zoo ntawm qhov ncig xyuas no. Yuav ua li cas zoo li tau rov qab mus rau theem ntawm cov neeg tiag tiag tom qab tso tawm?

KG: Txiv neej... Nws tsuas yog siv tau lub zog ntawm kev ua si suab paj nruag. Kuv tau ua ntau qhov kev ua yeeb yam virtual. Thiab qhov ntawd yog kev cawmdim rau kuv - muaj peev xwm ua tau thaum muaj kev sib kis. Thiab kuv tseem yuav ua cov khoom ntawd. Ib yam li txhua tus, qhov chaw ua haujlwm hybrid lossis chaw suab paj nruag yeej ib txwm nyob ib puag ncig.

Tab sis, Vajtswv, ua yeeb yam thiab rov qab los rau hauv qhov kev tawm tsam ntawm cov neeg coob coob - thiab tsuas yog qhov kev sib tham ntawm kev mus saib ib qho yeeb yam. Kuv txhais tau tias, tib neeg yog tsiaj txhu. Thiab tib neeg nyiam mus saib nkauj nyob. Thiab qhov ntawd yog ib qho uas koj tsis tuaj yeem tshaj tawm yog qhov kev paub suab paj nruag nyob - ua Vajtswv tsaug.

Tej zaum muaj ib hnub hauv lub ntiaj teb virtual, lossis lub ntiaj teb meta raws li nws tau hu, ib yam dab tsi yuav hloov nws. Tab sis, tam sim no, tsuas yog ua si pem hauv ntej ntawm tib neeg yog qhov txias heev. Suab paj nruag yog kev cawm seej rau tus ntsuj plig. Thiab nws hais lus rau tib neeg. Nws kov tib neeg hauv kev tshwj xeeb, tus kheej heev.

Nej cov ua koob tsheej Kev sib txhuam, me nyuam ntawm 25 xyoo tas los, ua yeeb yam album tag nrho. Qhov kev paub ntawd zoo li cas?

KG: Tsuas yog amazing. Ntawm ob peb qib sib txawv. Thaum koj replay ib album, nws yuav coj koj rov qab mus rau thaum koj kaw qhov album. Koj nyob nraum mloog nws thiab, ntawm cov nkauj acoustic, koj hnov ​​lub suab ntawm chav ntawd. Peb tau sau tseg tias ntawm Daniel Lanois 'Kingsway Studios, lub studio nto moo hauv Fab Kis Quarter [hauv New Orleans] hauv Count Arnaud tsev loj nyob ntawm kaum ntawm Chartres thiab Esplanade - qhov twg REM thiab Pearl Jam thiab dig muag Melon, Neil Young thiab Emmylou Harris - Muaj ntau lub suab kaw cia rau ntawd. Yog li kuv hnov ​​cov chav ntawd thiab kuv hnov ​​​​qhov twg kuv nyob hauv kuv lub neej - yam ntawm tus kheej. Yog li ntawd nws yog qhov zoo dua los rov mus xyuas qhov ntawd thiab cov kev nco. Nws zoo li lub sijhawm tshuab.

Tab sis tom qab ntawd kuj, tsuas yog ua cov nkauj xwb, nws zoo li, "Auj. Qhov no yog txaus. Vim li cas peb thiaj tso zaj nkauj no? Qhov ntawd yog qhov txias heev. Thiab tom qab ntawd ua si nws nyob thiab yuav tsum rub nws tawm, thiab hu nkauj txoj kev koj tau siv - tib neeg xav kom nws yog qhov tseeb thiab qhov tseeb thiab txoj hauv kev uas nws yog. Thiab qhov ntawd yog kev sib tw.

Txoj kev teev hawm ua nws rov qab xyoo tas los thiab dua xyoo no. Txhua yam mus li cas?

KG: Nws yog amazing. Peb muaj Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile, Jon Batiste, Cov kwv tij Avett. Peb yuav tsis zoo siab dua. Tshwj xeeb tshaj yog tawm tsam qhov backdrop qhov twg ntau ntawm peb cov phooj ywg ua yeeb yam tau tawm tsam nrog daim pib. Peb ua tau zoo heev. Uas tau hais tias, 2021 yog xyoo loj rau peb thiab lwm lub koob tsheej. Vim txhua leej txhua tus tau ntxhov siab kom tawm mus, vim lawv tau daig hauv ob xyoos. Yog li peb tsis tau muag ntau daim pib xyoo no li peb tau ua xyoo tas los. Tab sis peb muag zoo dua li feem ntau.

Peb twb tau booking 2023, peb muaj ib tug killer lineup kom deb li deb thiab nws cia li mus thiab tau zoo dua. Peb tsuas yog ua kom ntse dua txog nws. Thiab coj cov neeg uas pab peb ua kom nws zoo dua.

Kuv nco ntsoov nej cov uas ntaus nag ib xyoos. Tom qab ntawd muaj kev sib kis. Nws yog ib qho nyuaj los txhawb nqa lub koob tsheej nyob rau hauv cov xwm txheej zoo. Txhawm rau kom nws mus txawm tias lub sijhawm zoo li ntawd, kuv xav tias koj yuav tsum tau ntse dua txog nws. Koj tau kawm dab tsi hauv ob peb xyoos dhau los no uas siv tau li ntawd?

KG: Koj tsuas yog yuav tsum tau khiav koj lub koob tsheej zoo. Festivals yog - zoo, kuv twv txhua yam lag luam tab sis tshwj xeeb tshaj yog nyob rau hauv cov festivals - koj tuaj yeem siv nyiaj ntau dhau thiab poob koj lub nroog Yeiuxalees sai heev. Yog li muaj tus thawj coj ua koob tsheej zoo thiab tus tswj hwm zoo uas ua rau cov thawj coj sib txawv nyob ntawm pob nyiaj siv.

Qhov peb pom tau hais tias, nrog rau peb lub koob tsheej, Franklin, Tennessee thiab Harlinsdale Farm yog lub ntsiab lus tseem ceeb hauv nws tus kheej. Peb tsis tas yuav mus vwm nrog décor thiab khoom. Dab tsi twb muaj lawm - cov tsev uas twb muaj lawm - koj tsis tuaj yeem ua kom muaj cua txias dua. Nws yog hais txog cov suab paj nruag thiab bands. Yog li ntawd, thawj ob peb xyoos, peb nyuam qhuav dhau mus thiab siv nyiaj ntau ntau yam uas peb tsis xav tau. Peb them nyiaj tshaj rau bands. Peb tsuas yog neophytes hauv kev lag luam. Peb tseem nyob ywj pheej. Peb tsis yog ib feem ntawm Live Nation lossis AEG lossis lwm tus. Peb ua nws tus kheej. Yog li nws tau siv sijhawm peb los ua kom peb cov kev lag luam acumen poob zoo li peb tau ua hauv booking lub koob tsheej. Thiab amazingly peb dim. Yog li ntawd yog qhov loj tshaj plaws, tsuas yog kawm yuav ua li cas.

Ua kom koj lub lag luam hnyav, saib cov kab hauv qab thiab tsuas yog khiav lub nkoj nruj yog qhov tseem ceeb. Vim tias tsis muaj qhov ntawd - Kuv tsis quav ntsej lub suab paj nruag zoo npaum li cas - koj tsuas yog yuav tsis muaj peev xwm ua tau.

Ezra Ray Hart yog lwm qhov nyiaj tau los tshwj xeeb uas koj tau txeeb tau. Qhov ntawd tuaj txog li cas?

KG: Saib, koj paub, kuv yog ib tug me nyuam daim ntawv rau muab hlau rau hauv hluav taws - hustling. Thaum kuv hais ib tug neeg yog ib tug hustler, kuv hais tias nrog kev hwm loj tshaj. Lawv ib txwm saib. “Kuv yuav hloov mus ntxiv li cas? Kuv yuav ua li cas thiaj li tau txais qhov kuv ua thiab muaj kev lom zem ua nws li cas?

Kwv yees li ntawm xya xyoo dhau los, kuv tsuas yog pom tias kuv pawg neeg tsis tau txais cov neeg koom tes uas cov pab pawg loj dua. Ntxig Alicia Keys lossis Pink lossis Tsheb ciav hlau ntawm no - vim tias lawv tau ntaus ntau dua. Yog li kuv thiaj mus cuag Mark McGrath [ntawm Sugar Ray] thiab Emerson Hart [ntawm Tonic] zoo li, “Txiv neej, cia peb muab ib pab pawg ua ke. Cia li ua si tag nrho peb cov hits thiab npog lwm cov nkauj 90s thiab tsuas yog muaj kev lom zem. " Thiab peb tau ua nws!

Peb xaus nrog kev lom zem heev uas nws tsuas yog hom hloov mus ua nws tus kheej. Yog li tam sim no peb ua daim pib nyuaj, qhov twg tib neeg yuav daim pib, thiab muaj qee qhov kev ua koob tsheej peb tau ua. Tab sis tsuas yog lom zem xwb. Nws yog lwm qhov hluav taws xob. Nws ua haujlwm cov leeg sib txawv. Thiab peb tseem yuav ua nws ntxiv.

Nyob rau theem hauv Chicago, thaum lub sijhawm qhib kev ncig xyuas, koj tau tso dag tias, thaum ntxov, tag nrho koj cov nkauj zoo li "REM ripoffs" - tab sis tom qab ntawd koj pib mloog Cov Hloov Hloov thiab Hüsker Dü. . Puas muaj lub sijhawm sau nkauj thaum ntxov nyob rau qhov twg koj paub tias koj tau nqis tes ua tiag tiag?

KG: Yog. kiag li. Kuv tau tiag tiag rau hauv REM thiab ntau dua ntawm qhov jangly, sib dua yam. Tej zaum cov nkauj tau piav ntau dua thiab tsis zoo li cov lus piav qhia. Thiab ces kuv sau ob peb zaj nkauj. Ib tug hu ua "CDU." Thiab lwm qhov yog "Lub voj voog ntawm Cov Phooj Ywg." Lawv tsuas yog hais txog lub neej tiag tiag thiab cov ntsiab lus hnyav. Lawv tau cuam tshuam los ntawm pob zeb kuv loj hlob nrog - mloog Hüsker Dü thiab Pixies thiab Hloov Hloov. Thiab cov tshuaj tiv thaiv, mam li nco dheev, rau cov nkauj ntawd… Cov tib neeg tsuas yog tsis quav ntsej peb cov keeb kwm vim peb tsuas yog nyem rau ntawm cov pob zeb hauv tsev kawm qib siab. Tab sis peb yuav pib ua zaj nkauj ntawd thiab nws yog ib qho visceral, tam sim ntawd tshwm sim rau peb pawg. Peb tsuas ua qhov ntawd zoo dua.

Cov tib neeg muaj qhov kev xav luv luv thiab muaj ntau yam sib tw rau tib neeg txoj kev nyiam. Tab sis ib yam uas tseem ua haujlwm yog tias muaj ib zaj nkauj uas xav tias muaj tseeb. Thiab yog tias nws tsuas yog txuas nrog tib neeg, nws ua haujlwm. Txawm nyob rau hnub no thiab hnub nyoog, tib neeg yuav hnov ​​​​qab nws.

Rov qab rau thaum ntxov 90s, thaum peb pib ua nkauj zoo li "Lub voj voog ntawm Cov Phooj Ywg" - uas tau tso lub hauv paus rau "Zoo" thiab "Hauv Ntshav" thiab "Kev Xav Tau" - thaum koj tab tom tsim ib yam dab tsi, thiab koj paub qhov no. Raws li kev sau ntawv, thaum koj sau thawj yam uas tib neeg xav tau tiag tiag, koj nyiam, “Qhov ntawd yog kuv lub suab. Nov yog yam uas tib neeg nyiam los ntawm kuv. "

Kuv nco qab tsav tsheb hauv ib qho qub GMC plaub lub tog raj kheej Jimmy, uas yog qhov txaus ntshai SUV. Kuv nyob hauv Baton Rouge. Tab sis peb yuav sau peb cov kev xyaum. Thiab kuv muab tso rau hauv ib lub cassette ntawm "Circle of Friends." Thiab tsuas yog mloog nws, kuv zoo li, "Qhov no yog nws. Nov yog peb lub suab. Qhov no yog qhov tseeb. "

Nws yog ib lub caij txias heev. Thiab nws twv yuav raug hu hloov cov kev coj ntawm pab pawg.

Tsis muaj leej twg saib ua ntej xav tias lawv pawg yuav nyob ib puag ncig hauv 35 xyoo tab sis koj tsuas yog nyob ntawd. Yuav ua li cas xav txog Zoo dua Ezra nyob rau hauv cov nqe lus?

KG: Nws yog ntau txoj kev xav. Ib tug ntawm lawv yog txo hwj chim. Nws zoo li, “Whoa, pawg no uas peb hu ua Zoo dua Ezra thaum kuv kawm ntawv qib siab, kuv tseem ua. Kuv nyob hauv kuv lub 50s thiab kuv tseem ua suab paj nruag. Kuv dhia ncig ntawm theem thiab kuv nyob hauv tsheb npav… ”Nws zoo heev.

Ib feem ntawm nws yog raug ntes kev txhim kho. Koj yuav tau nyob ib tug me nyuam, koj puas paub? Koj tau mus ua si pob zeb thiab yob, qhov dag uas koj npau suav txog thaum koj tseem yog menyuam yaus. Kuv tseem ua tau. Yog li, qhov ntawd zoo heev.

Tsis tas li, kuv xav tias yog koj muaj kev paub txog tus kheej, koj paub tias koj muaj hmoo npaum li cas. Peb paub tias peb muaj hmoo npaum li cas vim peb tau ua qhov no. Ib yam li txhua txoj haujlwm, txawm tias koj yog ib tus kws sau ntawv lossis kuv ua tus ntaus suab paj nruag lossis kis las, kuv tuaj yeem sau npe ua yeeb yam lossis pab pawg uas ua tau zoo dua kuv - uas tsuas yog loj dua lossis muaj kev vam meej dua. Thiab kuv tau muaj lub sijhawm hauv kuv txoj haujlwm uas kuv tau mus, "Vim li cas peb tsis tuaj yeem ua pawg no ua si hauv chaw ua si lossis chaw ntau pob?" Tab sis tom qab ntawd kuv nce ib kauj ruam rov qab thiab mus, “Tom qab ib pliag. Koj tab tom ua si muag cov yeeb yaj kiab thoob plaws lub tebchaws. Koj tau ua qhov no tau 35 xyoo. Nws tau coj mus rau tag nrho cov no lwm yam. Koj muaj hmoo txaus nyob rau hauv 1% ntawm cov neeg uas puas tau pib bands. Yog li cia li f-ng txaus siab rau nws. Thiab ua tsaug.”

Thiab qhov ntawd yog qhov uas peb tau zaum ntev heev.