A-Z Drummer Mark Zonder Talks To Paul Mace About Sophmore Album ‘A2Z’2’
I really enjoyed Trial By Fire, A – Z’s debut album, proclaiming it at the time as one of my albums of the year. Now I have the chance to discuss A2Z’2 the sophomore release with Drummer Mark Zonder. It is great to see the continuation of the excellent artwork by Hugh Syme. The Zebra remains in the background.
I have always loved his stuff, he did the first cover, he was absolutely doing the second one. When you see the full artwork on the jacket there is other images that tie it all together, with this kind of band the presentation and packaging is very important. What I really like about this album is the music is heavier; it has a bit more teeth to it and the album cover really portrays that, it fits perfectly to the music.
Have you worked with Hugh before?
Yeah, he did a couple of the Fates Warning albums, we kept in touch over the years, he was the first person I thought of when I started A-Z, my whole idea was do it big. You don’t have a big budget or a big label or anything, but make it as huge as you can do it. I just love his work, he has a signature look, especially for this band.
I see there has been changes in the band.
There’s been a couple of changes, after the first album two of the guys weren’t participating [Vivien Lalu keys and Joop Walters guitars have been replaced by Jimmy Waldo keys, Nick Van Dyk and Simone Mularoni both guitars] or able to hold up to what we needed to do, so it was time to change members, I wasn’t going to be held hostage in my own band, some things are meant to be for whatever reason. Now I have surrounded myself with guys that I love, guys that I know. More importantly guys I trust and ones that trust me. They have been brought in to do exactly what we want to do and how we want to do it. It is very obvious when you watch the video of ‘Nothing Is Over’ you can really see the guys hanging out backstage, you can see the camaraderie and friendship.
It’s your band, you have been playing drums since the age of 7.
All I remember back then is being out in the garage with these suitcases and wooden spoons, just banging around, then I started lessons, then didn’t practice, then I started again. I played in all the school bands, the Elementary School actually taught drums. I was raised in a great time and I just continued on with it. It’s always been a love of mine and I am still doing it to this day. I play every day; it’s always in my mind always in my head. I am putting all my time and energy, blood sweat tears and money, everything I can to move it forward.
I think the new album is a bit more complex and not so immediate.
What we have is the new album is deeper, heavier, with a bit more playing, but it is still has the big choruses and big hooks. I think it has a bit more melody, especially on the guitar playing than the first record. It’s a great natural progression, a great step, the guitar and keyboards have a greater attack. I have listened to it 100 times at least, I am always looking for something I don’t like, but I can’t seem to find it.
Before we go into the album who were your earliest influences, who inspired you then and today?
Nothing really inspires me today, I challenge myself, I am my own worst critic, some people will understand this and some won’t, most musicians play for themselves not for anybody else. Early on the things that come to mind are the first three Journey albums with Aynsley Dumbar, there was kind of fusion, Rock, Metal, it just kind of opened my eyes to that linear drumming, it could be heavy and groovy, but it could also be in the pocket, not just a bunch of noise. Neil Peart didn’t really influence me in his playing but it was more the fact the drums were at the forefront. Aynsley [Dunbar] it was his technique with his left foot and the high hat and the ride, which led to Afro-Cuban. Then you have Cozy Powell and Tommy Aldridge, I was a big Nicko [Mcbrain] fan when he was playing for Pat Travers. With Maiden it’s Metal, that’s ok, but with Travers it was a lot funkier, ‘Makin’ Magic’ was cool. There’s a lot of guys I take ideas from. I don’t really listen to new bands, when I listen to music it’s from the 60’s, 70’s 80’s, quite a wide range, it’s about the songs. I love bands like UFO, Thin Lizzy. Rainbow, I like Chaka Khan, it’s about the songs.
I raved about the debut, how did the sound and direction come about?
Firstly, whoever you have in the band you try to utilise their strength; you don’t try and make them do something they are not comfortable with. You don’t put them into a mould, I don’t say to Ray [Adler] sing like Robert Plant. ‘Nothing Was Over’ was written in a major key I thought it was a bit too happy, I liked the song but said can you play it in a minor key, tweaks like that. I think a lot of it has to do with Jimmy Waldo’s keyboard sound, like Jon Lord. That Hammond Organ distorted through a Marshall sort of thing. Waldo brings a heaviness, on the first record it was more like Genesis, Yes and Gentle Giant. Guitarist Simone Mularoni has a lot to do with it, it’s not just his lead work, it’s his melodies in the background, it adds a layer of melodic hook that when the listener listens, they don’t realise they are humming a melody line that is going on in the background. We are not just writing songs, they are all supposed to be hit songs, with big hooks and melodies.
Apparently, you looked at many vocalists before settling on Ray [Adler], I am surprised he wasn’t your immediate choice.
Well originally, I didn’t want it to have anything to do with Fates Warning, I didn’t want people to say he is just trying to recreate that band. But after lots of auditions it became obvious that Ray was the one, he can always sing in the pocket to the drums. He was raised on this kind of music AOR, pop rock whatever you want to call it.
His range across the album is excellent.
We just give him the music, I don’t say try this try that, I don’t tell him where the verses and choruses are, like everyone in the band I want them to be free. Be as creative as want to be. Try a million things, weird things, that is creativity.
You are constantly striving to test yourself and the other members do the same.
That’s right but I am the guy who gets the most enjoyment as I listen back to it and go Wow! That’s cool!
It feels like everyone has their own has their own identity within A-Z is that because of their separate influences and experiences?
Absolutely! That’s what I wanted, id didn’t want me or someone else to tell everyone else what to play or do. When you deal with professionals at this level you just let them go and then figure it out. It is a very democratic refining of the music, you add bits here, shorten bits there at the mixing.
No formula, just see how it develops and progresses. What is the writing process like?
What would happen is Nick would have a basic idea; I would add drums and maybe some other things in half time or double time. Then we piece it together, it wasn’t uncommon to add an intro, we have verse, chorus, this would be in demo form then we add the bass, guitars, keyboards, then we send it to Ray, He might want to shorten or lengthen parts to fit his lyrics, it’s all a refining process.
Is there a difference in how you write for A-Z than Fates Warning?
A lot of it is down to Ray, in Fates Warning Jim Matheos [guitarist] would write things and tell him how to sing. With this Ray is completely free to sing about anything he wants without limitations.
‘Nothing Over’ was the first single, why that song.
The first single needs to have energy, I also have in the back of my mind that people know we have changed members, so it is the first time they are hearing this band. It was a tough decision; it could have been ‘Fire Away’ or many others. You never want to lead with a ballad. I like the intro, it’s different it brings the listener right into it.
On both albums all the members have impact and identities was that easy to achieve?
In a word no, ideas and playing were sent to me and I would go I want more, that solo is too nice, to short or whatever. Especially with the bass I wanted to hear the high notes the focus is entirely on you.
You have said you wanted the music to have the impact of a car or beer commercial, something that ingrains itself into your head and memory.
It is the commerciality, being something that everyone can understand, there is nothing worse than when you are playing music and ninety percent of people have no idea what is going on, you have to appeal to the masses.
The sequencing of an album is all important, when I originally played the download, it was in alphabetical order, it made no sense, but then bang! It was perfect.
You’re right about the sequencing I took a lot of time getting that right ‘Fire Away’ ties in with ‘Running In Place’, like when a band is performing live, you don’t open with a ballad. I love the album but I have to say when it comes to the album ‘Now I Walk Away’ can be the ‘Silent Lucidity’ [Queensryche] for this band, the song can appeal to men and women anyone who has been in a relationship, it is a power ballad for 2025, it starts with that Phil Collins, Genesis percussion, Ray sounds great, the guitar sound reminds me of Don Henley’s ‘Boys Of Summer’ such a beautiful guitar line, with that pretty affective drum fill that I play, that goes into that half time, heavy sound with a lot of air and space. To me that’s the song, put it in a movie.
I have that as the perfect album closer, we can all make that connection, is it personal in any way. At this stage in your career, it must be incredible to make music that you just want to play and hear.
It’s a good thing, it has both sides, it has a lot of work that is fine, it can be frustrating at times the way the music business is. It’s a creative art, we spend time and energy, what does everyone else think? Whether that is great concert attendance, great album sales, reviews, or whatever.
It is probably easier for the public to hear new music via the likes of Spotify, but it seems that only our generation has the ability to listen to an album in its entirety. Does that bother you.
We are playing that game, we have released ten singles, there is no ten-minute songs, no big concept, the songs can stand on their own. So, if they hear something they really like it’s up to them to get the album, someone might like ‘Learning To Fly’ with a twelve-minute epic people get bored. It’s a matter of crafting that short sweer song with a great hook, they hear it in the morning and the afternoon and start humming it almost subconsciously, then they got that’s that song.
Things have changed a lot since you began in the eighties, what is the biggest positive and biggest negative?
The biggest positive is you can have bigger control over your career, I can get on social media and promote the band, in the old days you had a record label and they would say ok we’re done, the cycles over, everything just stops. You could go through the motions, make a record, put it out and they wouldn’t do anything. In this day and age even if they do that you still have the power to do something. On the negative side everyone and their mother can put out a record, everyone thinks they are the next big thing and you have all this technology so guys who have only been playing a couple of years can make a record, if you want to call it that, it floods the market and that’s not a good thing. Back in the day even to be on Metal Massacre 2 there was no technology, you had to go in and record it. You couldn’t fake it; you couldn’t play a little bit and put it together. You had to be at a certain level to complete the record.
When it comes to equipment who are your go to brands?
I’ve been with DW drum workshop for years, they are the best, I’ve been with Zildjian who are absolutely the best. When it comes to microphones it’s Lauten Audio, for drumsticks it’s Data, Remo for drumheads.
A couple of quick questions, what is your career highlight?
A-Z, this record.
What is the weirdest situation you have found yourself in?
Getting an album out, giving 110%, the album charting, then all of a sudden, the guys don’t want to be there anymore, without explanation.
When are you touring, especially the UK?
We are working on that now we realise it is important; it is 70% of launching a band, everybody is in to it, Metal Blade, the record is great, we’re talking to agents, I think it might take a while for the album to hit and then people are going to say we need to book this band.
Paul Mace
A-Z lineup:
Ray Alder – Lead and Backing Vocals
Philip Bynoe – Bass Guitar
Nick Van Dyk – Guitars
Simone Mularoni – Lead Guitars
Jimmy Waldo – Keyboards
Mark Zonder – Drums
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