Interview with Sam Zurick

When I last dropped in an interview with an artist that will be featured in America Is Just A Word, it was with Dismemberment Plan frontman Travis Morrison. Today’s post features selections from an interview with Sam Zurick, a multi-instrumentalist extraordinare of Chicago’s esteemed post-hardcore scene. Zurick is probably best known for his work as a bassist in the revered and short-lived Cap’n Jazz and his work as a guitarist in Joan of Arc, on top of his role in the massive web of Kinsella brother-involved projects ranging from Owls and Make Believe to Friend/Enemy and Ghosts and Vodka (and then there’s his solo project People Dick). Basically, Zurick has been an instrumental part in what’s been a creative, challenging, and inventive musical community that’s provided the seeds to numerous emo bands since Cap’n Jazz broke up.

Sam gave me an enthusiastic thumbs-up for sharing as much of the interview as I please. Here’s a little sample:

*What made you want to pick up an instrument?

Sam: “I had no intentions of playing an instrument until I met Tim (Kinsella). We met Freshmen year of high school and became buddies. Whereas I was just a music fan, he wanted to dig in and actually make music. So, he brought me into his basement and showed me his guitar and amplifier. I soon started to roadie/dance for his band ‘Toe Jam’, and from there I picked up the bass and we started Cap’n Jazz.”

*I know there were several names for what would eventually become Cap’n Jazz, but who came up with that name? What were some of the previous band names?

Sam: “The only previous name I remember is Spazzmatic Jazz Machine…which Tim came up with I think. For whatever reason we thought Jazz should be in the name and we were eating Cap’n Crunch one morning and I was like ‘Cap’n Jazz’ and it stuck.”

*Musically, what styles or methods of songwriting influenced what you were making Cap’n Jazz?

Sam: “We fed off of Vic’s guitar playing mostly, he was classically trained and knew his way around the guitar much better than anyone else at that age. We knew we wanted it to be loud and aggressive, so I guess we were influenced by ‘Rock and Roll’ music?”

*How did Davey enter the Cap’n Jazz fold?

Sam: “Tim wanted to change the sound and add another element, and he was a fan of Davey’s band ‘Ten Boy Summer’, so he asked him to join us and it worked out.”

*Was the Chicago music community receptive to Cap’n Jazz, or did you feel that you had to build your own community?

Sam: “It was more of a suburban scene instead of a Chicago scene; we all lived in the suburbs and the scene we were in was very receptive to us at the time. There were Northwest Suburban bands, and Western Suburb bands, and we all were connected through basement shows, VFW halls, and skateboarding. The whole Chicago scene was out of our league, we were just teenagers and couldn’t get in bars even if we were asked.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h8TifkP6e0]