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MM – Who or what
is Zallen?
ZALLEN is a project I started in between bands, its basically me,
Michael Jones playing all the instruments in my home studio with friends
occasionally playing on tracks when I'm lucky!!!
But it never was meant to be a one man band only, so I am presently
auditioning new ZALLENITES.
MM - Where in the world do you call home?
Los Angeles is my home, born and raised here, but so many of my close
friends have moved away so who knows where home might be in the near
future!
MM - Your music covers a wide variety of rock genres, how would you best
describe it and who would it appeal to?
It's very difficult for me to be objective about my own music but if I
had to describe it I would put it into a modern rock category.
People have told me you can tell that it's my music no matter what I
write and record but I'm all over the place stylistically because I just
love so many different forms of Pop.
MM - What bands have you been a part of in the past?
Well, really to many to mention but here's some; Eulogy, Eclipse, Zicko
Glick (an early incarnation of the band Berlin) Cryin Out Loud, Beyond
Belief and Cartune Moon.
MM - What bands/artists have influenced your musical tastes the most
over the years?
Beatles, Beatles, Beatles oh did I mention the Beatles? Bowie (big time)
Radiohead, Crowded house, Prince, Pretenders, Led Zeppelin, Rolling
Stones, Stevie Wonder, Edna Swap ( My friend Rusty Anderson co-formed
Eulogy with me) K.D.Lang, Bill Nelson, Me'Shell Ndegeocello, Tom Petty,
Remy Zero, T-Rex, Steely Dan, TLC, Janet Jackson, Tricky, Beck, Sly and
the Family Stone, XTC, Bjork, Cake, James Brown, The Doors, The Cure,
Garbage, Jimi Hendrix, Lauryn Hill
ARE U STILL AWAKE?!!!!!!! If I forgot anyone its not from lack of trying
to remember! LOL!
MM - As well as being a very talented musician you are also a very
talented artist. Which came first the music or the art work?
My Parents were both artists so I learned to draw and paint at about
three years old and then I taught myself to play music at around five
years old starting on the piano.
MM - You have a number of albums out at present, tell us a little bit
about each of them.
I'm not really sure what to say LOL, "I Live In a Box" is sort
of experimental and kinda fun.
"Mook" a little more introspective. The "Spintime
EP" is really the beginning of my next CD and again its pretty
eclectic.
MM - If you weren't a musician, what do you think you would be doing
with your life right now?
Well, I used to own my own Faux Finish business, doing Murals,
Marbleizing, Portraits, things like that so probably that's what I would
be doing.
MM - How would you like to see rock music
progress in the next 5 years?
To keep it fresh I believe Rock must not feed on itself but take its
influences from many different genre's outside of Rock, you know throw
things in as if you were a chef in an experimental kitchen !!!
I like electronic music blending with Rock as well (like Garbage) but if
there is weak or no melody it loses me!
MM - Do you have any plans to tour outside the USA?
I would love to as long as I don't have to pay for it myself! haha.
That's probably a little ways in the future but who knows, stranger
things have happened.
MM - What type of music do you listen to in your spare time?
My latest CDs include Supergrass, Apples in Stereo, Everclear, Radiohead
and I also listen to Classical, World Beat and Contemporary Urban, I
love NPR Public Radio.
MM - What was the first rock concert you went to?
Oh god!!!!!! I was around eleven years old and it was Led Zeppelin, I
was chaperoned needless to say. As a kid I did get to see David
Bowie with the Spiders From Mars and for Bowie fans that's like meeting
the Pope! haha.
MM - For all those budding musicians out their can you tell us what
equipment you use?
A custom made guitar by Red Duck Music and Fender and Yamaha Guitars,
Kurzweil K2000 keyboard with Orchestra Rom, Roland VS 840 Digital 8
track Recorder, Boss ME 10 guitar Effects and a Cry baby Wah Wah pedal,
various Percussion instruments, and anything that can be used as a sound
effect while not harming any living things!
MM - Lastly, what is the most important thing in your life to you?
My Music and my Marriage
equally! Well, maybe my music just slightly more, cuz without it I would
surely Die !!!
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