Zombi - St. Louis 12-3-13 (in support of Goblin) FULL SET and interview with A.E. Paterra

Zombi, the mighty synth/bass/drums overlords from Pittsburgh PA, have been pretty quiet recently, especially as a live touring act.  Drummer A.E. Paterra and synths/bassist Steve Moore have given only a small handful of live performances since 2007.  But with their recent two week-long gig supporting legendary Italian prog maestros Goblin on the second leg of their first ever North American tour, Zombi have emerged dramatically from the shadows.  Being paired up with Goblin was an inspired choice since Zombi obviously shares much of the same DNA as their 1970's forerunner, making this probably the most powerful, can't-miss tour of the year.


Head Medicine is honored to have had the chance to witness this epic match up on their recent stop in St. Louis, Missouri.  there will be a full concert review in the coming weeks, but for now, here is Zombi's performance in its entirety, and a brief interview with A.E. Paterra on what lies ahead for the band. (click HERE for Head Medicine's previous interview with Paterra, our 2012 Solo Artist of the Year, for his prolific work on his spaced out Kubrickian solo project Majeure)


part one

part two

HEAD MEDICINE'S interview with A.E. Paterra

Head Medicine:  How did this tour come about and what's it like playing with @#$%ing Goblin right now?

A.E. Paterra:  Their booking agent got in touch with us and asked us to do the tour a few months ago.  well, he said it was possible that it might happen, and then it all worked out.  It's... kind of surreal.  When we started this band, the one thing that we both talked about the first time we met was Goblin.  That was a very common link, and that was the starting point.  Then we realized we liked a whole bunch of other things, but that was the first thing we latched onto.


Head Medicine:  There was a song you guys played tonight that i had never heard.  Was that a new Zombi tune?

A.E. Paterra:  None of that material was new.  Most of it was from the Surface to Air album.  There was  the song "Infinity" that was originally on a split with the band Mazerati and is on the current Relapse reissue of Spirit Animal, and the song "Orion" which was on Cosmos.


Head Medicine:  Is there any new Zombi material on the way? 

A.E. Paterra:  We've been sending some things back and forth, but nothing is really picking up steam.  I think we both agree on the fact that if we do another album, we want to write it together.  We don't want it to be fileshared.  We have a few things floating around, but i think we will actually want to get together in the same room and sit down and play some bass and drums and see what happens from there. 


Head Medicine:  Are there at least any Zombi musical ideas brewing in the back of your head?

A.E. Paterra:  Not really.  I think we both have an idea of what we would like to do, but nothing has really been written at all.  But i think we both kind of see where we want to go.  It's something we will talk about, but i hope that maybe by spring or summer we could maybe start something, but we will see.  Ideally what would be great is to write another album and to do a small tour for the album.  that would be great, but who knows.  At our pace...


Head Medicine:  You guys have so many other projects, is there more of that coming up?  Is there more Majeure in the near future?

A.E. Paterra:  When i get back in January, i'm going to try to write for Majeure.  Maybe in the spring i would like to get out to the West Coast, i haven't been out there in...  i don't think i've ever played out there with Majeure. Steve is working on a couple of soundtracks right now for a couple of films, and i think when he's done with that and when i get through my writing process, i would love to put another Zombi album out. 


Head Medicine:  Any other plans for 2014? 
A.E. Paterra:  Not really.  i would be great to have another Majeure album out in the fall.  That's kind of my plan. 

GOBLIN/ZOMBI 2013 USA TOUR

Fri 11/29 Chicago, IL/ The Empty Bottle w/Taiga, Alex Barnett (no Goblin)

Sat 11/30 Minneapolis, MN/ The Varsity Theater

Sun 12/01 Milwaukee, WI/ Turner Hall

Tues 12/03 St. Louis, MO/ 2720 Cherokee

Wed 12/04 Cincinnati, OH/ Taft Theatre

Thur 12/05 Cleveland, OH/ Beachland Ballroom

Fri 12/06 Pittsburgh, PA/ Carnegie Music Hall

Sat 12/07 Sayreville, NJ/ Starland

Sun 12/08 NYC, NY/ Le Poisson Rouge

Tues 12/10 Boston, MA/ Sinclair

Wed 12/11 New Haven, CT/ Center Church on the Green

Thur 12/12 Philadelphia, PA/ Trocadero

Fri 12/13 Washington, DC/ 9:30 Club

Sat 12/14 Carrboro, NC/ Cats Cradle

thanks to A.E. Paterra for taking the time to speak with HEAD MEDICINE!



~kojak

Majeure - HEAD MEDICINE'S 2012 Solo Artist of the Year

A.E. Paterra, best known as 50% of the synth and drums-driven behemoth Zombi, has been churning out releases under his solo Majeure moniker at a dizzying rate.  2012 saw the release of, by my count, five new Majeure records, culminating with the release of Solar Maximum, the bands' 2nd full length album.  Paterra has complete mastery over the vast array of electronic instruments laid out before him... vintage keys, synths, knobs, switches, and drum machines that would make an analog electro tech geek cum.  Majeure is currently producing the finest Kubrickian sci-fi journey-to-the-edge-of-the-universe muzak out there, and the HEAD MEDICINE Dispensary cannot hand out enough prescriptions for this.  our highest recommendation

lots to listen to on the Majeure Bandcamp site:  majeure.bandcamp.com/music
and their Soundcloud page:  soundcloud.com/majeure

Standout Tracks:

"The Dresden Codex" from their 2010 debut Timespan is quintessential Majeure.  tranced-out washes over a frantic pulse, ebbing and flowing over a spellbinding 13 minutes.  i've gotten so much fucking drawing done to this song it's not even funny.  completely engrossing.   listen to an excerpt HERE

"Atlantis Purge" is Majeure's 20+ minute contribution to the split EP Brainstorm with his Zombi compatriot Steve Moore.  Elemental, haunting, and absolutely mesmerizing.  a masterpiece.  listen to an excerpt HERE

"Solar Fare" from the Synthesizer of the Gods EP.  Paterra's finest disco dance beat.  pop music crack cocaine beamed in straight from 1984 that just makes ya wanna dance, dance, dance.  listen HERE

"Starchild 3113" from the Tracer EP.  whoa.  an epic mindmelter.  chemicals are a must.  listen HERE

"Caribbean King" and "Extreme Northern Lights" from  Solar Maximum subtly feel up the sonic boundaries of Majeure.  "Caribbean King" moves at a different pace, with a languid, lazy day groove that stands out amongst the chilly cosmic void of the rest of Majeure's catalog, and "Extreme Northern Lights" has a startling beauty about it that transcends anything Paterra has done previously.  every note is perfect and when the song takes flight around the 3:45 mark, it is the soundtrack to the most beautiful memories buried in your brain. click HERE to stream the entire album


HEAD MEDICINE'S Q&A WITH A.E. PATERRA


Head Medicine:  what are your earliest musical memories?  when did you know you wanted to make music and who/what were your first artistic influences? 

A.E. Paterra:  My earliest memories are being scared shitless by the "Thriller" video, having my mom yell at my brother and I for listening to "Another One Bites The Dust" (she thought it was about suicide or something), tuning in late one night to The Song Remains The Same and catching "Moby Dick", waking up to "Freewill" on my alarm radio, watching Bladerunner in junior high, and seeing my first Phil Collins solo concert.  I'd say those were my earliest influences, and I knew I wanted to give music a shot when I hit 14 and bought a drumkit.


HM:  how does a majeure composition take shape?  where do you believe it comes from, how does the idea germinate and how is it developed?  is it spontaneous or heavily structured?  at what point do you know whether a piece is destined for majeure, zombi, or something else entirely?

A.E.P:  I usually just fire up my synths and play around until I get something solid together.  Sometimes I'll place random midi notes in a loop until I stumble across something interesting.  I believe the ideas come from everything I've ever heard before, combined with my own taste.  More often than not things are spontaneous. Zombi or Majeure?  Good question.  It just depends on whether or not Steve and I are working together at the time - if we are, I focus on ideas more in line with Zombi, and if we aren't then anything goes.


HM:  you have to be one of the most prolific artists out there having released, what, five albums in the last 12 months?  that's crazy.  how many hours a day/days a week are you able to devote purely to the creation of music?

A.E.P:  Well thanks - I always wish I could do more, and if I worked on music more often I would.  But I go through periods of major downtime.  In general I work in cycles.  I hit my studio hard for a week or so, then have a period where I don't even attempt anything at all.  Some days I work 8 or 10 hours, some 2, on average 4 or 5 when I get in there.  It just depends on what I am working on.


HM:  name 3 artists that you turn to when you are at creative low tide and need re-fueling.

A.E.P:  Hmm, I have to say I simply don't listen to anything at all!  Refueling for me is purging everything from my mind so I can start fresh.  It's been my experience that I hear influential music exactly when I need to.  It's funny how it happens - out of the blue a friend or roommate will be playing something, and it sinks right in.


HM:  how important are visuals in the creation/presentation of your music, on your albums and live?  do you have any aspirations to produce film scores?

A.E.P:  If I have the chance to work with a video artist during a live performance, I'll always jump at the chance if the venue is right.  Visuals add so much to live performance, especially with this type of music. It also takes the heat off of me being a one-man act.  I would love to produce music for films.  I've done a couple with Zombi, and a handful with a couple of filmmaker friends, Tony Balko and Olivia Ciummo.  Just this past week I took part in a Pittsburgh event called "Sync'd".  It's a collection of short films made by local filmmakers and I was given six to perform live to. 


HM:  what do you feel is the underlying connecting thread through the music of Majeure?  how is it different than zombi?

A.E.P:  Not sure, I guess it's just "me".  Whereas Zombi is "us".


HM:   along with Steve Moore, you run an independent cassette-only label called VCO.  could you tell us a bit about how that originated?  what is VCO's objective?  is this mostly for you and steve to release your solo material, or do you put out other artists' work?  what are VCO's plans for the future? 

A.E.P:   In 2003, Zombi released the Twilight Sentinel EP on CD, and we needed a label name. VCO was born years ago, and last year I had some material that I wanted to release.  I started talking to Steve, asking him about possible connections with other labels he may have, etc.  In the end we both arrived in the same spot - we hate soliciting labels.  Having an outlet for our music when needed really helps us. So I put out Synthesizer Of The Gods as VCO 002, and from there we released Steve's Primitive Neural Pathways.  At that point we discussed not wanting to be simply a vanity label, and started releasing music from other artists. This past year we've released 8 albums, and the response has been fantastic.  We have more releases planned, and at some point may try our hand at vinyl. 

HM:  what are your tentative plans for 2013?  more albums? tours? or a little R&R?

A.E.P:  Steve and I have started working on a new Zombi album, so that will be my main focus for the next few months.  I'll most likely start throwing around some new ideas when I have a chance.  VCO  takes up a lot of time, so there is that.  Most likely just work on the Zombi album, focus on Majeure during my downtime, and make trips to the post office.  No plans for touring, but I am open to do more if the right opportunity comes.


HM:  what single piece of music are you most proud of?

A.E.P:  For Majeure, "Geneva Spur" or "Extreme Northern Lights" off of Solar Maximum.  For Zombi, everything from Surface To Air, and "Spirit Warrior" from Spirit Animal.

~thanks to A.E. Paterra for taking the time to talk with HEAD MEDICINE!

 and now, some rare live clips:






review and art by
~Kojak
november 2012