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Pardon our mess...upgrading site. Give us a week or so to back up fully. Until then, enjoy the new interviews! |
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Issue: May 2008 |
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patientZero Is Infectious |
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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: The following interview features my own band, patientZero. I'd like to make it known that this interview was actually done by Katharine for a different website, however was never used for reasons beyond Katharine's control. Upon Katharine's arrival to bsm, she mentioned still wanting to use the interview as it is one she feels readers will enjoy. This is not lame self-promotion (this time). Katharine has the choice of what she wishes to post on her page. With that said, I hope you enjoy the interview! It was nice to be on the other side of the questions for a change! - Aaron Farrier |
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What is a girl to do with three musicians from Ohio? Interview them of course. patientZero is the group I am referring to. The band layout is like this; Chris Sarvak (CS) - vocals and guitar, Aaron Northcutt (AN) - guitar, and Aaron Farrier (AF) - drums. The day before I planned to interview the band I met a girlfriend at Café Express for a late dinner. While I was there, I flipped open the laptop and surfed to patientZero's site. She and I had clicked on a few songs that played from a video I-pod on their page. The table next to us leaned over and asked what band was playing. When I told them patientZero, they were immediately interested. One of the girls wrote down the site and mentioned plans to contact them on myspace. The other wanted to know their next gig in Houston . It seems those two loved the song (that I can't stop playing) called Great Inflatable Ape . Outside of hooking up my laptop to the speakers of the restaurant, I managed to get it loud enough for all of us to enjoy. patientZero, infectious? I think so; my evening at Café Express proved it. |
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KB: You guys have some big product names you each are endorsing. How did that happen? AF: Well I have been with Attack Drumheads since 2003. A friend of mine turned me on to their heads and helped make that happen. About a year or so later, I signed with Bosphorus Cymbals. I played some of their cymbals at the NAMM show that year and got hooked! They have amazing sound. What's great is that not only do they have very high-quality cymbals, but they really treat their artists with the utmost respect. I just hung out with them a few weeks back and they were telling me how happy they were to have me as an artist and if I ever have any problems, to please bring it to their attention and they'll get it worked out. You just don't find that these days! Every other company I ever work with has their work cut out because Bosphorus has really raised the bar. They have been really supportive of my career ever since. As for Knucklehead, Aaron or Chris can best answer that. I'm not real sure how that all came about. |
 Aaron Farrier w/ Michael Vosbein (President of Bosphorus Cymbals) NAMM 2008 - Photo by: Wayne Dennon |
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AN: Knucklehead Strings contacted us through myspace, and asked if we would like to endorse their product. Glad we did they are actually the best strings I have ever used! CS: The Knucklehead string endorsement fortunately came to us. They contacted us and sent some strings. Aaron Northcutt and I loved the tone! There was a great even tension they provided on the neck that was really appealing. |
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KB: I know it must have been wild for you playing at The Chuggin Monkey. How did a few mid-western guys from Ohio fair when they first played a gig in Austin , TX? AF: Well getting to the gig was the hardest part. We had better luck playing “Pick-up Stix” with our butt cheeks then finding our way around down there. Austin isn't exactly easy to navigate. The club itself was really cool. It was small, but personal. The staff was very friendly and those who were there seemed to enjoy themselves. Unfortunately, we played early in the day so we didn't have a huge crowd. But we stuck around until late in the night and let me tell you, that place turned into a wild party! I can't wait to go back this March when we play the area again. I believe we're at Darwin's on March 15th. . AN: It was fun. It's a real music town. But there was not much of a crowd at 2 pm on a Wednesday to play to.
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CS: We had the time of our life over there. It was great to be on the road and do what we love. It was especially good to go into that kind of rich musical atmosphere. It's a musician's networking heaven too! We played during the day so the crowd wasn't huge, but it was still way worthwhile. The only drawback was to sell Aaron Northcutt on the streets to the Chinese triads for gas money. First of all, we had no idea that the triads had spread their "foot print" to the long horn state! What's more is we had no idea how popular Aaron Northcutt was with the Chinese triad males!? Needless to say, we even had enough money to get gas and splurge on some frozen pudding pops for the ride back. |
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KB: How different is it from playing in Ohio?
AF: It's night and day to me really. A lot of the music scenes here in Ohio are so hard to break through in. The bands try to work together and do what they can to get good turnouts, but live, unsigned music just isn't what it used to be like it was in the 90's here. If you're a signed, national act, you're set! You got a lot of big cities, but the unsigned really struggle. Austin however, has a reputation for welcoming the unsigned and the patrons love it! People there seem to thrive on the unsigned. You know, going out to watch a band not knowing anything about them. I really hope Ohio turns back to that again. Until then, we'll continue to play and struggle while visiting our neighboring states and cities. |
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AN: Playing Ohio is kind of weird. Some city's like Austin or New York are very supportive of new music and encourage bands to be original. Ohio wants to hear the same songs by the same two or three artists. So if you don't resemble one of those bands finding an audience might be a struggle at times.
CS: Well, the music scene in Austin is completely conducive for musicians. The town just has way more advancement especially during SXSW to be beneficial. Ohio has some great places to play, but it'd be hard to get noticed just by playing in the Ohio scene. KB: When can we expect your next CD be out? AF: It'll be awhile! We're going to record again starting here in the next few weeks. I don't see us releasing the recording until we're signed to a labe this timel. The whole point of this next recording is to shop around, get a deal and start doing this for a living, as cliché as that sounds. We're not looking to get rich, but rather make a living doing what we love. And it doesn't have to be a major label deal offering millions, but could be an indie label that's willing to put forth some time, energy and money getting us out there. I'd rather see money go to marketing than to our own pockets (for now). I'm sure in the mean time, we'll find creative ways to keep the listeners coming back for more though (wink, wink). And if you guys are good, we'll give some sneak peaks. hee hee hee AN: Hopefully sometime in 2009 (Fingers crossed) CS: We will be going in the studio here soon, but like Aaron " Peabody " Farrier was saying, it'll be more for shopping purposes. Yet, we should have some on hand to sell at shows. KB: What is the best advice you would share with a new band? AF: PRACTICE! Become as tight as you can and stay true to your form. Don't worry about what's popular right now or anything. Just do what you want to do, and be the best at it. It'll take longer, but you'll get much more respect in the end and you'll feel better about yourself. At least I think that's good advice. I guess if things work out for us then we'll know. haha AN: Know yourselves and your limitations. Be well rehearsed and always have a professional attitude with everyone you do business with. CS: Get yourself out there constantly and be ever vigilant about preparing your presentation. It takes a good while to learn the right aspects on stage. Heck, we are still learning ourselves. If you skimp on the networking side though, just know you will not go anywhere. Build in your local market first. Go to shows; get to know the musicians and trade shows. Then from there, branch out to festivals and traveling. |
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KB: Okay, Aaron [Farrier] I know you have a wild story about a night on tour, will you tell me about it? AF: Ha-ha! Well…I haven't had too many wild nights with pZ (yet). I mean I remember when we were in Austin , we were all walking around networking with industry types and with each individual, we were making a point to buy them a drink to open up the conversation. Well, Aaron (Northcutt) doesn't drink and Chris doesn't do much so that left me to do the drink buying. Let's just say…we networked A LOT that night and I wasn't the most sober person by the end of the evening. At that point, I'd buy the drink, start the chat, and Chris would step in to finish things up because lord only knows what I'll say. Hahaha! |
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More recently while I was in Anaheim, CA.where I was hanging with Nate Morton who was the drummer for the Rockstar INXS/Supernova House Band. We're just chatting and the next thing I know, we're sitting next to Chad Smith of the Chili Peppers and lots of drinks are being bought! We had a great time. We went ended up at a Sabian Cymbal party at the Sheraton Hotel. What a cool night! I could tell you the story of how I fell off my drums years ago, but...I'm pleading the 5th on that one. haha! KB: What has been patientZero's biggest motivation in continuous great music? AF: You! People like you who believe in us and our music. There are so many ups and downs in this business. But when someone takes a minute of their time to say they appreciate your music, it makes it all worth it. It's a very rewarding feeling. Without the listener, there's no need for us. So we try to keep things as personal with everyone as we can. AN: Challenging ourselves by always going one step further with the music. We could play three-chord rock and probably would be making some money by now. But I have to be able to sleep at night. CS: Completely the people that appreciate and support the music and our unending love for our passion. I can safely say that if we did not have music in our life we'd drop dead. I'm also lucky enough to play with such great players and friends that really drive the motivation. |
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KB: There is a couple of photos on your site that intrigue me. One is very sexy of patientZero laying flat out on a roof top or cement, and the other seems to be taken on top of a roof. I love them both. Are the pics trick photography? Whose idea was it to shot those particular shots? AF: Sexy, eh? Well thank you! That's our Beatles tribute shot. But to answer your question…Nope! No trick photography. And all of those pictures come from the mastermind behind the camera, Sharon [Elaine]. She is an amazing photographer and sees everything a little differently than most. That's why we use her! All of those pics on the site were done at a small beauty salon in Xenia , OH believe it or not and all her artistic eye. Now there was some color enhancements done, but that's the only editing done to those pictures. |
 Photo By: Sharon Elaine |
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AN: Isn't everything a trick? No they are real. We climbed out a window and as they say "That's when the magic happened." CS: Yeah, aren't they great! In Neanderthal utterances I'd say... *clear my throat* Sharon AMAZING!!! She is a total sweetheart too. By the way...Thanks for the comments on the pictures :) Got a "sexy" in there even! KB: What one song has been most well received than any others? AF: Hmm…hard to choose just one. "Great Inflatable Ape" seems to be universally loved among a few others. That one has such a cool groove to it though. My personal favorite. Another one would be "Suspension of Disbelief." I think the guys agree on that one. AN: Yeah I think it is between "Great Inflatable Ape" and "Suspension of Disbelief." CS: Fortunately, people have been very kind on several. I guess I'd choose "For Which it Stands" and "Suspension of Disbelief". I just notice more of a response with those two. The former has quite the energy, and the later has a subtle, sex- rock approach that seems to be appealing. We also like to add in some fun/cool covers in here and there. Most of the time we don't play the song straight through, but will layer it in the whole set. We have done songs from "War Pigs" to "Umbrella" by Rihanna. AF: Yeah the covers, when we do them, really seem to go over well. Especially in that we either just play a little teaser or spread the entire song out throughout the set. I think the crowd has fun with that but it can be hard to keep straight on where we leave off! |
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KB: When will you be back to Texas? AF: We'll be back down there during South by Southwest. We're playing on March 15th at Darwin's actually. I think it's free admission so feel free to come by! I think we're playing at 3:00pm. AN: Yup! We'll be there! CS: Don't forget to come and say hi. We get lonely. I will be at SXSW and will make time to sit down with patientZero. As for now you can check out upcoming concerts by visiting their site at www.patientzero.net |
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