INTERVIEW: ZEBRAHEAD (PUNK ROCK HOLIDAY 2.2)

 

Zebrahead is one of the bands I liked for a long time, but never got to see play live. For me they are a force that somehow managed to stay together over 25 years, despite all the changes over the years. And now, with the new singer and a guitar player Adrian they raised once again and are killing it!!! What I like about Zebrahead is the magic that comes from blending punk rock with metal, hardcore and rap making it fun and catchy, danceable, leaving you no time to catch a breath. Once they start you better be in shape... For me, their show was one of the best on PRH 2.2 . And I got to talk to Ali Tabatabaee and Adrian Estrella and they were super friendly and very chatty. I enjoyed doing this interview...thanks guys!

Hi guys...so, this is your first time on Punk rock holiday? When did you come and how is it so far?

ADRIAN: We came last night around 10 and we caught the last few songs from Flogging Molly, then hung out with some friends and got to bed like really late, woke up really early. We went down by the river – it's super cold and super beautiful!!!

You have a new logo, I guess it comes with the new chapter? Can you tell me about that, the new Chapter in the band?

ALI: Yeah, we got really lucky with Adrian joining the band. And the experience of starting to write with him and figuring out how to write together has been super positive, because you never know how that is gonna be, you know, but everything has been great! Like honestly, I couldn't ask for a better partner to write with. And this is really our first tour with him, we did a couple of shows together, but this is our first tour.

And how did this happen? I mean, did you have an audition or were you guys like drinking somewhere and just decided that he will be your new singer?

ADRIAN: Yeah...something like that... Dan gave me a call one day, and he was like „hey man, what are you doing? Wanna grab a dinner?“, and Dan and I've been friends for years, and I was like „yeah, I'm down for it“. So we went to a little restaurant and we were doing shots and eating fried pickles, and we cheersed with one shot, and as soon as I took the shot he was like „oh by the way...you're the new singer of Zebrahead!“, and I was like „what?“...“yeah, you are the new guy!“ And I was like „ok, I'm down!“ And then we all met up and the first time we hung out we started writing right away, it was right in the fire and it was really comfortable...because you never know how that's gonna go...the new group of guys, especially the group of guys who have been doing this for so long together and I'm the new guy. It was a little bit nerve wracking at first, but literally that first day we all hung out it was super positive and everybody was so welcoming. So it just works...That first show we played at Slam Dunk it felt like we've been a bend for years, it was perfect!

 

OK, so lets get back to the Chapter. Chapter 3...what's the story behind that title?

ALI: Well, we called it chapter 3 because, it's obviously that Adrian is the third singer that we've had in the band, and we thought that it was appropriate title because it was the new beginning and not only with the Adrian in the band but like post pandemic and... There were times we were like „are we ever gonna be able to tour again?“ . Like „are we gonna write more music?“.  What's gonna happen? And when Adrian joined the band and how quickly we started writing and working together, it was pretty obvious that we were gonna continue on. And then the songs were turning out better then we've have hoped and so we wrote the first batch of songs and we wanted to release it as soon as possible. So we've put the six songs on an EP and released it and so far the response has been great! The thing I'm really excited about is starting to play shows because I think we are really gonna vibe together well! And this is our first show on this tour by the way, so we are super excited...

First show of the tour and the first time here on PRH, welcome to the Punk Rock Holiday family...

ALI: Yeah...thank you, everyone is so nice here...

ADRIAN: Yeah...thanks, we're stoked!

You guys tour a lot, who do you wanna tour with and with who you toured the most times and had the most fun with?

ADRIAN: In my past, prior to, I did a lot of touring with Real Big Fish and Millencolin and Less than Jake. Those bands are just awesome! Bands that I would wanna tour with, whoah...that's so hard...

ALI: I would have loved to be playing with the Beastie Boys!

ADRIAN: A Day to Remember would be cool.. Anti-Flag, I love those guys, so that would be a fun tour as they are one of my favorite bands...

Zebrahead exists since 1995? How would you compare or what do you think of the scene nowadays versus the 90's?

ALI: I kind of feel that it has done a full circle. There was always the scene, but it wasn't super popular, and now I feel like is getting super popular

ADRIAN: oh yeah, the punk rock community is thriving! And it's awesome to see it! Punk rock and pop punk have been through so many stiles since the 90's to, and it's coming back to that all over again.

ALI: It's interesting that now there is more hip hop involved and it wasn't so when we first started so...back then punk was more raw.

How long will you be staying here in Tolmin?

ALI: I think one o'clock is when we are leaving, so...we have a long, like 14 hour drive ahead...

You'll be missing the party?

ALI: Yeah...we're sorry about that...

ADRIAN: But we really partied last night. Right here, they had like a little afterparty and I just grabbed the microphone and I started pulling people on the stage and getting people to crowd surf at the party, and than I got to the circle pit in the room and I was singing all these songs like NOFX...I was there for maybe like 30 minutes, but everyone was really super cool! It was fun...

If you get that feeling tonight, the one you had last night, will you crowd surf?

ADRAIN: Probably not, just because I have two brand new guitars and I want to keep them in mint condition! (Ali laughing his ass off!!!) Plus, I can't leave microphone long enough to go crowd surf...

ALI: And you might not make it back!

ADRIAN: Yeah, I probably wouldn't make it back...

I wish to you a full Punk Rock Holiday experience on stage, because as you know there are no fences at the stage and at some point you'll have people dancing on stage with you.

ALI: Yeah...we've seen that and we're loving it!! We're gonna bring love, we're really excited to play...oh and if you get thirsty, come and have a drink with us, because we'll be having a bar up on stage.

OK, thanx, I will! Have fun tonight and a great show. I know I'll be having fun... Thank you guys!

ALI: Thank you...we will...

ADRIAN: Thanks!

                                    Written by I.