MR. DJ SPINS HIS OWN: ZACH LUCERO DEBUTS WITH FALL CRASH INFECT
AFTER YEARS OF TOILING AWAY BEHIND THE DRUMKIT, THE IMAGO BEAT-MEISTER IS NOW FRONT AND CENTER. HAVE A LOOK-SEE.
by Aldus Santos
When they’re not out doing lengthy, facetious solos, drummers assume the most unassuming post in a band. They count a song off, and, after that, keep time to hold the disentangled pieces together. They also serve as boosts, as virtual accents. Without drummers, rock music will probably be a muddle of distorted gibberish. Without drummers, “Whole Lotta Love,” “Hound Dog,” or, damn, “Balong Malalim” would teeter on the brink of being “mere noise.” Lousy rock drummers are, therefore, inexcusable. Imagine an off-time moron pounding skins for The Clash or Aerosmith. Done? How did that feel? Yet the rewards are few and far between, and the acknowledgement tangential at best. In live rock photography, for instance, the skinsman is eternally obscured by the imposing drumkit: cymbal against cheek, tom against nose. But, from time to time, drummers emerge out of the woodwork to prove themselves as consummate musicians. Phil Collins’s reign in the post-Peter Gabriel incarnation of Genesis proved to be musically adventurous, for one. Former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, on the other hand, rivaled his deceased singer’s [radio-friendly] vitriol with his work in the Foo Fighters. And who can shrug off Raymund Marasigan’s meteoric rise to full frontmanhood post-‘Heads? Throw in Joey “Pepe” Smith in there as well. Man!
Joining that hallowed party is Imago’s Zach Lucero, who is turning out to be a totally different animal from his Imago drumming self with his debut solo record, Fall Crash Infect. Lucero is no writing newbie, and, whereas his compositional contributions to said band tend to approximate a more OPM vein, the new record in question is exploring sing-song indie territory, comparable perhaps to Broken Social Scene or an Into the Sun-era Sean Lennon. The drummer in him takes a backseat to accommodate songcraft, and his choices of subject matter—lost loves, courtships, flirtations; you know, Facebook-y stuff like that—will tickle the best of us pink. The most pleasant of surprises, however, would have to be the musicianship. Lucero on guitar, for instance, displays a daring sort of simplicity, a zigzagging thoroughfare of playful melodies and novel rhythmic patterns. His voice, meanwhile, is reminiscent of the best of the “non-singer” singers. In other words, he’s that buddy of yours who’ll floor you at videoke with his endearing pipes, though he may not necessarily bag the grand prize at American Idol. And, in all of this, a cool and certain sense of rhythm. Naturally. Zach is reborn with Fall Crash Infect, to say the least, and you definitely should take a whiff. Here is a brief chat of ours:
Aldus Santos: How are things—the album and all?
Zach Lucero: Indie all the way; ako lahat. The album is called Fall Crash Infect. I was holed up in Shinji [Tanaka]’s place for a while [to do it].
A.S.: Like you lived there?
Z.L.: ‘Di naman lived there, pero I spent a lot of time there. Ang hirap kasi mag-isa, [and] I didn’t have a band to talk to [for this project]. So, it was just me and Shinji, and my occasional guest singers who did backup in the album.
A.S.: Okay, great.
Z.L.: I’ve always wanted to do something like this—do an album and play all the instruments. It can be hard, pero fun din naman.
A.S.: So, you sang in all the songs?
Z.L.: I sang in all. [I had] guest singers who did backup, [like] Kris Dancel, Marie Jamora, Micaela Benedicto of Outerhope, Sarah Marco of Taken by Cars, Aimee Marcos, Lourd de Veyra, [and] Ene Lagunzad.
A.S.: Why didn’t you do it earlier? I mean, form a band with you as central creative force (or go solo)?
Z.L.: Why not earlier? Time. Last year, I had more [time], plus, I dunno, it felt like the right time. Ang dami kong stuff na hindi bagay sa Imago.
A.S.: Okay, like what kind of musical tendencies of yours do you think are not in synch with Imago?
Z.L.: Hmm, more on the melody line. The music naman—iba, eh, I can’t explain, [dahil] absent na rin ‘yung tatlo [Imago]. If I arranged it with them, ‘yun, magkakaro’n ng Imago-ish tinge to it. Iba-iba ‘yung songs, eh, pero still under the umbrella of rock.
A.S.: How involved are you in Imago composition-wise? I mean I know everybody arranges.
Z.L.: With Imago, more on the music. I did, or started, the riff for “Sundo,” “Anino,” “Rainsong,” “Alay,” “Highway,” et cetera.
A.S.: How do your bandmates feel about the solo record? I mean wala bang kantyawan na, “Uuy, bakit hindi dito sa ‘tin?”
Z.L.: Meron, pero not about giving the songs [to the band]; more on, “Uuy, singer!” [laughs]
A.S.: I haven’t heard you sing! [laughs] And it’s prob’ly because you do a lot of difficult [stuff] on the drums, and you can’t do backup vox anymore, no?
Z.L.: Most haven’t, except for those “Bok Boj the Chicken” songs I’d sing in NU, and “Black ang Birdie ni Jordan.” Kaya when I did this, ang dami na-curious. They’re, like, “Serious ba ‘to? Or comedy?” They were expecting puro patawa, eh there’s another side to Zach pala—nakanaman! [laughs]
A.S.: [laughs] Oo nga, pare; I mean, your DJ-ing established your personality, eh.
Z.L.: I know. [laughs]
A.S.: I mean your “character” is more popular than say, Aia [de Leon]’s—who only sing—because you talk, talk, talk.
Z.L.: I know people who’d say “Ha? Drummer ka ng Imago? ‘Kala ko nag-d-DJ ka lang.” [laughs]
A.S.: [laughs] Anyway, would you say it’s glum and totally “un-DJ-Zach”? The material, I mean.
Z.L.: Well, actually, I do have one patawa song. It’s called “Super Poke.” [laughs] As in, Facebook-poke. I just wanted to write about that whole Facebook thing. Lourd and Ene and Mick [Micaela Benedicto] guested in that song.
A.S.: Astig. Otherwise, besides this, what themes do you think you explore in the record?
Z.L.: Themes in terms of what? Chords? Beats?
A.S.: Nope, lyrical.
Z.L.: Ah, love tayo d’yan. Even “Super Poke” na medyo patawa, tungkol sa talamak na landian sa Facebook.
A.S.: Autobiographical ba? [laughs]
Z.L.: This album is mostly that.
A.S.: Talamak ang landian sa Facebook? I didn’t know! [laughs]
Z.L.: [laughs]
A.S.: Hmm, regarding “autobiographical,” what do you talk about? [Oh, and also]: you were in a semi-public relationship; does it worry you everything you say in a song will be read sometimes as being about that? We can skip this, Zach, ‘pag di okay for you.
Z.L.: Autobiographical? Yeah, just sharing and pointing out that no matter how different our experiences are from [one] another, there’s always a common thread—even if you haven’t experienced it, you’ll get there. Do I worry? Nope, because it’s not the case. In the entire album, there’s only one song-song about the semi-public relationship. I have no problem naman with that. Eh, I released the album nga for all, eh, so why keep anything.
A.S.: Right, right.
Z.L.: Correction: eh, I released nga an album for those who have 280 bucks to burn, eh! [laughs]
A.S.: [laughs] Music naman! What non-percussive, non-rhythmic instruments have you always wanted to play or go crazy on?
Z.L.: Strings. That’s what I failed to play in the album. I tapped the Silent Sanctuary boys to help me out on that one.
A.S.: Ah, but what strings do you play? Why didn’t you do it yourself?
Z.L.: Strings? Wala, frustration ko ‘yun. When I try to play the violin, it sounds like a fart. [laughs]
A.S.: [laughs] Anyway, why do you think we don’t have enough solo guys doing rock? There’s a stigma with solo guys being pop—here in the country at least—pop or old-people standards.
Z.L.: Hmm, good point. Maybe because ‘pag rock, group or banda kasi ang dating. If you think about it...
A.S.: I mean it’s still odd to see Rico [Blanco]’s name billed alongside, say, Greyhoundz’s.
Z.L.: …even in the States, konti lang—I mean compared to rock bands.
A.S.: Yeah even if it’s someone like J. Mascis or Frank Black, parang “Ay...” So how will Zach break that stigma? What’s “new” in the solo material?
Z.L.: I don’t think I’ll break anything. [laughs]
A.S.: Not even...hearts? Sorry, corny! [laughs]
Z.L.: Hearts?! [laughs] Nah, I just wanted to do my songs, and do something “un-DJ-Zach”-like.
A.S.: Are these old? Or did you write them with this project in mind?
Z.L.: Some are old riffs; some I did in a day; some never even made it to the album.
A.S.: Naiinggit ako! Gust ko mag-solo! [laughs]
Z.L.: You should try it, pare. It’s crazy! You will end up talking with yourself a lot—debate with yourself, argue with yourself, and laugh with yourself. Kaka-sira din ng ulo. Buti si Shinji okay ‘pag nagkakaganu’n ako.
A.S.: So what did Zach tell Zach most of the time? [laughs]
Z.L.: Mostly “Zach, okay ba ‘to?,” “Zach, ‘di ko alam, eh,” “Eh, Zach, pa’no na?,” “Ewan,” and here is where Shinji comes in, “Shinji?”
A.S.: [laughs] Ano’ng reaction ni Shinji ‘pag kinakausap mo sarili mo? Or was that all in your head, the talking?
Z.L.: Ah, no—I would really talk aloud.
A.S.: Ah, wow. I can imagine.
Z.L.: Pero hindi ‘yung parang Me, Myself, and Irene na schizo talaga. I’m so used to butting heads and arguing with Tim [Cacho] and the rest of my bandmates na I can’t help but just squeeze myself silly making sure about what I’m doing.
A.S.: Tapos pagsabat ni Shinji, “‘Di ka kasali sa usapan! Nag-uusap kame ng sarili ko!” [laughs]
Z.L.: [laughs] Shinji just patiently waits until okay na ako. It’s better for him actually—the clock drips moolah when I do that. [laughs]
A.S.: Anyway, seriously: what pluses does the solo thing have?
Z.L.: Pluses. Well, ‘pag nag-aaway kami ng sarili ko, walang personalan. We resolve things relatively fast. Walang samaan ng loob. [laughs]
A.S.: Tipong pagkatapos ng session, nagbibiruan pa rin kayo na parang walang nangyari. That’s always good. [laughs]
Z.L.: Yes, yes, tapos inuman kami. What a guy, that Zach! [laughs]
A.S.: So you and Shinji mixed and mastered, siyempre? And you produced, I suppose?
Z.L.: Nope, Shinji mixed and mastered. If I mastered my own album, that would mean more arguing between me and Zach—and I was running out of time.
A.S.: [laughs] What are your general production ideas this time for this record? What did you want to sound like, or not sound like?
Z.L.: I just wanted everything to sound cohesive. I based what chord and instruments I used on the principle that it would all sound cohesive. I used a lot of open chords, synths.
A.S.: Okay. How did it feel to keep overdubbing over yourself? Does Imago track live in the studio? O overdubs din?
Z.L.: When you’re doing everything, aliw! Because you see the song being built from [the] ground up. And, since you’re doing everything, ideas pop up. It can be draining, though. Imagine tutok ka for five hours.
A.S.: I can imagine. [‘Pag] may kasama ka nga, nade-drain ka pa rin, eh.
Z.L.: Yeah, true. Iba rin dynamic ‘pag grupo.
A.S.: Will you do this again?
Z.L.: Yes! Pero next time, I want to do instrumentals, more progressive stuff.
A.S.: Ah, wow, intriguing. I’d wanna hear that.
Z.L.: Pero ipon muna ako.
A.S.: Zach, last. Why the title?
Z.L.: Fall Crash Infect. Seriously, wala lang, it sounds good to me.
