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Raj talks with Simon from ZDF

Raj: G’day Simon! How are you today?

Simon: Gday Raj! I’m pretty good, just got back from work, so I’m probably a bit slow at the moment.

Raj: You did an excellent job the last time I saw you, and you must have totally exhausted after those four sets! Did you think the split launch with Nosce Teipsum was successful? Happy with the split?

Simon: Cheers! Yeah, I was pretty well knackered after the launch gigs, but it was all good. The only downside to playing in two bands is that you dont get much time to grab a drink or catch up with folks, but that aside I was really happy with how the launch gigs went.
As for the split itself, it took a bit longer to finish than we intended, but I think the extra time we spent on it was worth it. We actually completed most of the recording in December, and spent a couple of months tweaking the mixing and making a few minor changes. An early mix of ‘The Last Leaves of Autumn’ was selected for the ‘Underearthed 3’ Compilation that 2RRR released last year, and we (Collins in particular) spent heaps on time tweaking the mix since then, and there is a really obvious jump in sound quality between those two mixes.

Raj: First off, why did you decide to abandon ZDF as a solo project and move to a group-based band project?

Simon: Things just sort of fell into place around the time I was putting the finishing touches on the second CD. That said, originally, the idea hadn’t been to form a band, but to get a band together to play the solo stuff, but after we’d had a couple jams, we’d already started writing stuff as a group, so it made more sense to just let the band evolve and see what came out of it.

Raj: How did the change go about? Did you get friends and the like to help out or?…

Simon: Collins (who I’d known for years) had introduced me to Chris as a potential bassist, which obviously worked out well, and Tom (from Corpse Carving) had suggested Will and Linton to me a short while afterwards. Funnily enough, Collins was actually the last person to join the band.

Raj: Was it difficult becoming a group based project? I mean, you suddenly had 4 more influences in your music! Was there much change in the music’s direction? Were you happy with that change if so?

Simon: It was actually a really smooth transition. The music was already a bit of a mix of influences, so it was more a case of that range of influences widening. That said, I think the newer songs are a little darker than before, because that sense of darkness seems to be the common thread that draws our influences together, and that somehow deepens it. The music hasn’t changed so much as it has grown, and its definitely been positive growth.

Raj: How does the writing process work for the band now? I mean, before you would have written and thought up the everything.

Simon: Most of the material usually starts with a riff that either Will or myself have come up with, and we just gradually develop something from there, but by the time its finished everyone has usually thrown a few ideas into the mix, and sometimes the original riff isn’t even in the final song.

Raj: Did you have any prior experience in bands or music writing before you began your solo-work for ZDF’s two first full-lengths?

Simon: I’d been in a few bands that never made it very far out of the garage, including a band called ‘Pusfarmer’ back in my college days, and a metal cover band called ‘Critical Mass’ that used to play at The Trades in Launnie a bit, back when I was 17.

Raj: For your solo work, what main influences did you take on board? Did those influences stay with you with the change to band-based work? What about influences personally as a musician? Anyone, or band, you particularly admire?

Simon: I listen to a LOT of bands and I largely drew influences from everything I liked listening to, from Iron Maiden to Nile, and it took a while to reach a good middle point between melody and heaviness, looking back, I think some of the songs on the first CD were probably a little bit derivative, but it was all part of the growth process I guess. I’m a bit of a shameless Devin Townsend fan, though its probably not all that apparent in my writing.

Raj: Any plans for releasing a full-length as a band? Rough dates?

Simon: Yep, we are planning on recording a full length late this year, probably around December, we’ve got a fair bit of material written but we are giving ourselves time to really develop the new songs before we unleash them.

Raj: How’s the metal scene in Launceston going? Do you think its growing? What about Tassie in general?

Simon: I’d say the metal scene is Launceston is kinda simmering right now. There aren’t really a lot of active bands up here at the moment, but interest in metal up here seems to be on the increase. Overall though, Id say the Tassie scene in general is pretty healthy, and ive heard a few whispers from interstate bands who are looking at heading down in the not-too-distant future.

Raj: Anything you’d like to tell your fellow metal heads out there? Any words to fans?

Simon: Stay metal, and never cut your own hair when you are drunk.