Page 42 - Black Velvet Issue 87

BV87 pg40,41,42:BV87 pg42 21/12/2015 17:54 Page 3

BlackVelvetMagazine.Com - 42
Perfection is something why they chose to move dates on the
you often see people trying tour. “We didn’t have a choice, since
desperately to reach, but never the borders shut,” Ali explains, since
quite grasping. Matty opens up many other bands and artists can-
about how he realised nobody celled the remainder of their tours in
is really perfect. “I learned that respect for the victims. The tragedy in-
at a very early age, when I fluenced the mindset on tour. “For me
tried to speak and I couldn’t. personally, it was kinda scary, very dif-
So I would just cry, and my ficult and a surreal time.”
mum would ask me why and Matty says, “I think because we
I’d just go ‘ahhhhhhh’” he jokes talked about it, obviously everybody
in reflection on his memories. has families at home. When the dis-
“I think I learned when I cussion came around, we said, ‘Look,
was in school, I really loved to the country isn't allowing anybody to
play basketball and there’s an play until Tuesday. Once Tuesday
age I can remember when I happens, let’s see if they continue
kinda realised people are way with that or if they don’t.’ Tuesday
better than you and that’s came around and we wanted to play
when I was like ‘god damn, I because we felt that the more you
fucking want to be a basketball feed into something like that, the more
player!’ There is no way in hell the reaction from the people. It’s going
I’m going to be able to play to take them a lot longer to get
basketball.’” Ali ponders before through this horrific thing if there’s not
continuing, “I think that was some sense of normalcy, like going to
when I realised we have limita- a rock show and not worrying about if
tions and imperfections.” somebody is going to shoot you.”
The title track on Zebra- Ali shows his compassion and
head’s new album has some then explains what happened the
hard-hitting lyrics. Ali raps ‘Sink night they played in Paris. “It was
down to the bottom of the amazing when we went to Paris, the
ocean with me, you can’t imag- people that worked there were people
ine how many lost causes we’ll that shared an office with the people
see’. He remarks what he that worked at or with the Bataclan.
wanted to portray in the track. So everybody that worked there knew
“I think a wider explanation of somebody that was either injured or
the lyrics, like if things aren't killed there. And so they were so nerv-
working out in your life, go do ous to put the show on. They were in
something new and see what the back, I remember they were
happens there. Don’t stay in smoking and talking, and writing these
the circumstances that are just quotes on the wall that were very sad
shitty for you,” he states, imply- but also inspiring. And when the show
ing you shouldn’t waste your started, it was so emotional, you
life waiting for something to wouldn’t believe that moms had
change. brought their little kids to show them
On the contrary, he sug- to not be afraid. I know it was scary as
gests that sometimes people shit to go and play the venue, but
are helpless in these situations there were people there who lost peo-
though, such as his referral to ple that showed up. We had no right
‘the faceless’ in the song to be as scared as them. It was some-
‘Wasted Generation’ and who thing I don't think any of us will ever
they represent. “I think maybe forget,” Ali affirms that you can over-
they are people who aren't come fears if you join together.
necessarily represented. Peo-
ple that don't necessarily have, he band have been around al-
not only a voice, but you aren't Tmost as long as Black Velvet
made aware of. There’s a lot of (two decades!) and show no signs of
people like that,” he says. slowing down. “I think we’re just going
‘Wasted Generation’ gives to be touring for the record,” Matty
off a political vibe, but Zebra- says, regarding 2016.
head don’t want you to think They tell us they’ll go to Japan for
they’ve given up on the current a tour, “then Europe again for the
generation. “No way, be- summer festivals,” Ali reveals. Cur-
cause… well, it depends if rently celebrations for the 20th year
you’re drinking really heavily! It anniversary of the band are un-
all depends on how you look at planned however they will include, “a
it. Lyrically, I like songs that lot of shows and I’m sure the party will
everybody has their own find us along the way!” Ali says.
meaning to and they have their Matty pipes up his plans, “I’m
own interpretation, that they gonna detox for a while.”
can take parts of it. Me person- Ali rolls his eyes and laughs,
ally, no it’s not wasted, like I “That’s not going to happen!”
said unless they’re drinking re- Zebrahead’s momentum is not
ally heavily, then they get slowing down any time soon. An ex-
wasted,” Matty discloses. citing year ahead in store for the Cal-
ifornia ska-punk band!
ebrahead have been Visit www.Zebrahead.com for
Ztouring since mid-Oc- more info!
tober, and some dates were af-
fected by the attacks on the Words & Live Photos By Annina Cremona
Bataclan in Paris. They explain

ZEBRAHEAD