Zero One Zero – Interview with James and Rob
Ralph Beauchamp
zero one zero are one of New England’s premier hard rock bands. The powerhouse foursome have just released a new full-length titled traces of yesterday. This album is full of melodic gems. The songs are full of spicy energy while hitting the listener with an avalanche of crushing rhythms. Lead singer Rob “Boots” Zawisza has a terrifying voice. His inflections are imbued with a huge cinematic edge. It also has a vibrant and tense tone. James Ferrentino’s guitar playing has great accompaniment and great solos. His playing is fearless while remaining completely relevant.
The accompaniment of Mark Russell (bassist) and Mark Ahlers (drums) is very ambitious. Russell’s bass is imbued with ravenous ferocity, while Ahles’ drums are of a unique nature. Every beat is a thunder-ridden monster. These two turned every track into a blazing sprint.
all songs on traces of yesterday Provides barrage of sonic density. Tracks like “It’s Me Again” were created zero one zero As a ruthless songwriter. The track is aggressive while still having plenty of rich textures. Ferentino’s solo absolutely destroyed it. Another brave song is “Crumble.” Zawisza’s sound is bold and dirty, with an addictive beauty to it. Ferentino’s guitar riffs are in full swing, while Russell’s bass delivers a gnarly punch. Fiery ballad ‘Fortunes Burn’ shows another side zero one zero. The singing is full of emotion and the beat is very strong. The drumbeat of Ahlers is filled with the light of justice. The bluesy “You Knock Me Out” is another impressive behemoth. all in all, traces yesterday is a fascinating product.
Rob Zawisza and James Ferrentino were happy to be interviewed exclusively by AMP.
AMP: We last spoke in 2020 and we’ve seen a lot happen since then, including a new album, traces of yesterdayjust released on Deko Records. How did this happen?
James: It’s been a long road. We started recording in 2021, during the pandemic. This definitely puts a damper on things. We’re going to the music room in Yarmouth, Cape Cod. We started working with the late, great producer Paul Nelson. I think it was our drummer Mark’s brother Charlie who connected us with Paul. Paul was producing Charlie’s Wife, who was a respected blues guitarist, and Charlie did a cover of our “Who” and Paul was blown away. He met with us and liked our new material. Paul also has deep roots in the Bible. music scene.
Rob: Initially, there were a lot of problems in the studio. We were no strangers to recording, but it was tough at first. Finally we worked things out. When we thought we were done, James and I came up with a few new songs. Once Mark and Mark (our rhythm section) added their parts to the new material, we started playing it live and loved the audience reaction. So we decided to add them to the album. It took Paul some time to convince him to set up a new conference. We basically told him we weren’t done yet. That’s another reason it took so long. We just came up with better ideas and tunes.
AMP: Moving on to your producer Paul Nelson, who passed away unexpectedly this year. Our condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues. How much of an influence did he have on the new album?
Rob: The first time we met was via Zoom meeting. Then we wrote a bunch of songs and sent them to him. At a later meeting, Paul mentioned that the songs were great, but too long. He wanted us to cut some verses and cut some bridges. We did as he asked. So, he really helped with some structure, which in turn helped us become better songwriters. At the next gathering, he was pleased with what he heard. I think he’s very influential.
James: Absolutely! His scheduling experience was of great help to us. Paul, especially to me, is a really good guitar player. I had a small studio at home, and while I was recording my parts, Paul came down and sat on the couch, and from there we went back and forth about how to enhance my voice. I don’t think he won the Grammy for nothing.
Rob: Paul is also very energetic. He is always so optimistic. That’s why we were so surprised to lose him so quickly. He looks healthy.
AMP: Can you give us some insight into your new full-length? traces of yesterday?
Rob: When we were dating Paul, we had just contracted COVID. We had some time to focus on songwriting. Plus, knowing that things will eventually move forward fills us with fire within us. The four of us released a huge amount of energy because of this spark. From that point on, the songs became easy. Lyrically, I don’t like to write about things I don’t know. So it tends to be about how I feel and my personal stuff. At my age now, I perceive the world differently than I did when I was 21. When I write, I try not to ramble.
AMP: We asked you last time “What are your musical goals” and you laughed and answered “Be rich and famous.” Has that changed?
Rob: That’s funny. It’s still comedy to me. As I said before, we are all more mature. My goal is to sing in this ensemble and be surrounded by such amazing musicians. Whatever happens, so be it. We’re not chasing anything. It’s all about living in the moment. Just trying to write better songs.
James: It’s always been about the music. I just want people to hear our songs. At this point in the game, nothing else really matters. I want to be able to play our music, have people come see us, and have everyone have a good time.
AMP: Do you feel like these new songs have evolved musically compared to your previous songs?
James: If I have to say one thing about the band, it’s that it’s hard to put a label on us because the sound is completely different from one song to the next. This is not intentional. That’s how we are. We all come from different backgrounds. This bleeds into the songs. I can go from blues to jazz to metal riffs with no problem. Same with the rest of the band.
Rob: Also, what evolved it all was the fact that James owned a lot of guitars. When he comes to practice, he has a different voice. This creates a whole new feeling. Even though we come from different backgrounds, the four of us understand each other better because of time. So as we’ve grown as humans, our music has grown too, but some of the gems from our back catalog are still going strong. Also, we make music for ourselves.
James: The next record could and should sound completely different than this record. As Rob said, inner growth shows up in our songs.
AMP: How would you describe the band’s intrinsic energy?
Rob: I think we ran pretty high. We were frustrated because it was hard to get decent gigs, but when we played we all burned. We are always hot together.
James: We sometimes play with young orchestras and we always keep the energy going. We’ve played with death metal, hardcore, nu metal and punk bands. We’ll play with anyone just to show off our material. Everybody from these shows always bumps into us.
Rob: One thing I must say is that the Northeastern music scene is still pretty cool right now. All the bands support each other. We are all human and we should look out for each other. I’m proud of the positive relationships we have with so many other amazing artists.
AMP: Collaboration has reached a fever pitch in today’s music industry. Who would the band most like to collaborate with?
Rob: Lee-Ann Lovelace. She is amazing.
AMP: Are there any touring plans?
James: There are no plans yet, but hopefully there will be one in the near future. Our next step is to look to build a team to further achieve our goals.
AMP: What’s next for Zero One Zero?
Rob: Keep moving forward. Keep playing live and pushing records.
James: Promote the album. Our last record opened a lot of doors for us and we hope the same traces of yesterday. I want to play more games because that’s where we really shine. We are professionals on stage and we impress the audience with lots of great music.
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