The Moshville Times - Headline Act: ZacTheLocust

You’ve got your money’s worth with this one as every member of ZacTheLocust throws their answers at us for today’s Headline Act…

Simple things first – where are you guys from?

Keryn – South Wales is the short answer. We’re a bit spread out, none of us really live near each other! Haha! I’m from a small village in the Valleys called Ogmore Vale.

Ash – I’m from the plentiful village of Tonyrefail.

Rob – From the far away land of Abertysswg, these days I reside in Nelson.

Archie – We’re all fairly spread out around the South Wales area. I’m in the Rhydyfelin area.

How did you meet?

Keryn – Myself, Ashley and Archie met through a mutual friend who was actually the bass player at the time. Unfortunately it didn’t work out with him so that’s when Rob came in on bass. Rob I knew from being in a previous band. Cory came in on vocals and completed the line up. Sadly, as we were just getting going we had tragic news, Cory passed away very suddenly in May this year so it’s back to just the four of us now.

Archie – our mutual friend reached out to let me know that ZTL were looking for a lead guitarist.

How long have you been playing as a band?

Keryn – Since 2021. It was myself, Rob, Archie and Ashley to begin with. Cory joined at the end of 2022.

Archie – I joined I think just over 3 years ago.

Before you get sick of being asked… Where does the band name come from?

Archie – I think that is a question for Keryn.

Keryn – I’ll let Ashley take this one. Even though I came up with the name I just love the way he tells the story! Haha!

Ash – T’was a warm summer’s Eve in 1980 something, the year of the flat gold goose. As the legend goes Keryn, known to many as Zac in his wonder years, obviously because of his sheer finesse and raging sex appeal. Zac (the artist formerly known as Keryn) was and is (as we all are) a fan of Sacha Baron Cohen and his character Borat. There is a Borat sketch where Borat acts out a Kazakh tv drama by the name of “Locust” for an audition. After watching this Zac (the artist formerly known as ‘Keryn’) decided it was time for his bi- monthly shower in his best mankini. So upon entering the shower with his special sponge and favourite rubber duck called Liam, he had an epiphany strike both chesticles at the same time…ZacTheLocust was born!!!

Keryn – And there it is! How’s that for a slice of gold!?

What are your influences?

Keryn – If I listed them all this would be a very long read!! Very wide range of influences. Green Day, Metallica, Sum 41, Offspring, Queen, The Beatles, Oasis, Blink 182. I think they all shine through a bit in our music.

Archie – There are so many bands and artists it would be impossible to name them all, but some of my favourites would be Blink 182, Sum 41, Green Day, Oasis, The Jam, Black Sabbath and so many more.

Ash – Blink-182, Sum 41, Puddle of Mudd, Red hot chili peppers, Green Day, Stereophonics, Oasis, Blur, Thin Lizzy, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Black sabbath, Rush, Metallica, Slipknot, Rage against the Machine, Elton John, Funeral for a friend, The Beatles, Queen, Sex pistols, Nirvana, Rainbow, Toto, Wishbone Ash, Free… just to name a few.

Rob – Foo Fighters, Free, Blink 182, Metallica, Red hot chilli peppers, Green Day, Bowling for soup, Led zeppelin, Black sabbath, Yes, Nickelback, Rage Against the Machine, The Offspring, The Eagles, Queen, AC/DC, Audioslave, Primus. There are more but that paints enough of a picture.

Describe your music. What makes you unique?

Archie – I think with how broad and varied each of our music tastes are, it reflects in the music we write. We take inspiration from a multitude of bands and genres and try to incorporate that in our songs.

Ash- It’s a blend of all our influences which makes the music that comes out of us very interesting, as those aspects of influences can be heard in our music… and it’s damn good!

Rob – As Ash said it’s just such a massive mix of all our influences and we made it. We had such a great time creating it as the five of us. We will always go forward with Cory in our hearts.

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Do you have any particular lyrical themes?

Keryn – I try to write positive lyrics. Songs on the album are about many subjects. Our children, friendship, love, our jobs, looking back on our youth, trips to California and much more. I wouldn’t say there’s a running theme. Just things I’ve experienced in life and I’d say things a lot of people can relate too.

Ash – It’s all mostly about Liam (Keryn’s favourite rubber duck).

Keryn – And that too, yes!

What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?

Keryn – Full of energy! We like to grab people’s attention!

Archie – I’m not sure how many shows we have played, too many to count lol. But I would say our live shows are filled with energy, we are all really passionate about our music and try to pass that energy onto the listeners.

Ash – To that I would say come and find out, you won’t be disappointed!

Rob – 30% Rock, 20% punk and 50% moist.

What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?

Archie – We played this rugby club I think maybe last year. There was no stage so we were on the floor with the crowd and that place was rammed, so many people and they were wild. They were loving the music and they were just crazy. Pint glasses were flying everywhere and they were even diving off the chairs into each other. Keryn’s lip was bleeding from people bumping into his microphone, that was a wild one lol.

Keryn – Yes luckily my teeth survived that one!!

Ash – Well we were towards the end of a gig, playing on the floor (no stage) so everything is very intimate y’all know those types of places. Everyone was rather intoxicated and in the midst of all the mayhem a senior lady in the audience decided I needed help with the drumming and proceeded to whack my cymbals with both bare breasts.

Rob – I second the bare breasts playing Ash’s cymbals, I’ve seen a lot of stuff but man that was something.

What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?

Keryn – Fender Guitars, has to be a humbucker in the bridge though, no single coils! Currently using a Bluguitar pedal amp through a Marshall 4 x 12 for live shows.

Archie – I use a prs guitar and a blackstar combo amp, I also use a few pedals.

Keryn – A few pedals!? His pedalboard is like a spaceship, I’m scared to go near it!

Ash – Tama drums, Zildjain cymbals, DW hardware, Vic Firth sticks …. In that order.

Rob – ESP bass, with stacked Audere preamp, Laney bass heads and Ashdown cabs, and Ashdown Hyperdrive pedal and the trusty boss TU2.

What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting at the moment?

Keryn – Our Single “Lazy Days” Is out now and the next single (which is also the title track of our album) “All I Am” will be out on August 23rd. Our album is available now on CD and will be out on all streaming platforms August 30th.

Archie – Our album is due out on August 30th it’s called All I Am, and it’s in memory of our late brother and frontman, Cory James.

What are your plans for the next 6 months or so?

Keryn – We want to play live as much as we can to promote the album. We want to keep Cory’s memory alive. He put his heart and soul into making the album. He’s left a hole that can never be filled. His family and everyone who knew him have been so supportive of the band and really want us to carry on. We owe it to him to do that.

Archie – Gigs, gigs and gigs, and hopefully get in the studio to record some new songs.

Ash – Couldn’t have put it better… And go fishing.

If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!

Keryn – I’d love to open for Green Day!! To support us I’d say one of the local bands who are from our area. Someone like Edit The Tide or The Black Vultures. Two of my favourite bands from the South Wales Scene!!

Archie – Tough question, I’d love to support Sum 41, and I’d give anyone the chance to support us lol.

Ash – Tough question, I have to agree with Zac, Green Day would be perfect for us, and as far as the band before us… whoever Green Day says it is… it’s their gig.

Rob – Who ever fits the bill, as long as they are up for a good after party

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