Featured Band for 

April 2005    

ZFE - (Zuni Fetish Experiment)

Band Name: Zuni Fetish Experiment (ZFE)

Genre: Instro rock/avante-garde

Geographical Area: Newburyport , MA

Interview with (name): Jeff Morris by email on 3/23/05

1. What is the current line-up of your band (include band member names)?

Jeff Morris, guitar

Steve Toland, drums

Mike Savitkas, bass

We also have a revolving door of guests that constantly changes including a few additional guitarists, a Hammond B3 player and more but the core is a three piece.

2. How and when did you get started with your band?

In 1999 I put this band together to fill in something to do when the Cadillac Hitmen had some down time. Only recently have we started to push this band and get shows, record etc...

3. What bands or music have influenced you most?

Sonny Sharrock, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix... we play a lot of covers in addition to the originals and when we do a cover like Sonny Sharrock or Pharoah Sanders, we always try to make it our own.  

4. What is the break down of cover vs. original material in your live shows and/or recordings?

It's about 80% covers and 20% originals at this point, though we're adding more originals all the time.  

5. What recording have you done?

We have three releases: Zuni Fetish Experiment - self titled debut

Let it Burn - EP

In The Christmas Spirit - Christmas record

6. What kind of gear do you use?

My setup (guitar) is as follows: For guitars, it's usually my Epiphone Firebird VII, sometimes my Les Paul. I use a lot of effects to get different voicings. The effects change from song to song but I typically have the following at my feet... Thomas Organ wah, Pro Analog Dual Drive, Roger Mayer Octavia, Moogerfooger 12 Stage Phaser, one of several types of fuzz, Ibanez FL-303 18V flanger, MXR Blue Box, Danno reverse-delay, Fulltone Tube Tape Echo. The amp I use is a one-off custom built 50 watter made by a friend in Mississippi at Jenkins Sound Shop. I use Jenkins cabs loaded with Celestion G12H 30's.  

On drums, Steve uses all vintage Ludwig drums.

Mike plays a '62 Fender Precision bass through a Sunn amp into a two cab setup with an SWR Big Bertha and a single 12" on top.

7. What is your band’s favorite food/beverage?

Pabst Blue Ribbon, Schaefer, Miller High Life and Moxie

8. How do you get gigs?

We use the connections I've been using for years with the Hitmen at the Grog in Newburyport , Muddy River in Portsmouth , etc...

9. What are the difficulties you find playing your kind of music in your area?  

Same as any instro band I guess, finding clubs open-minded enough to give it a shot.

10. What positive attributes does your band have that sets you apart from other bands (of any genre)?

Intensity. I'll match this band with any band of any genre.

11. What have you found to be the single most effective promotional tool you’ve used to further your band’s musical path?

Our website

12. What’s the most interesting performance experience you’ve had?

Playing Bike Week in Loudon , NH at the racetrack to about 3,000 screaming drunks. It was like a combination of The Isle of Wight and Apocalypse Now.

13. What do you hope to get out of being a NESMA member?

Hopefully network to share gigs.

Jeff, ZFE

zfeband@comcast.net

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