Sunday, March 29, 2009

20 Questions with Zac Seif



We're proud to end our "20 Questions with..." series of interviews with this guy right here. He's ranked #2 unsigned pop artist, #1 unsigned electro artist, and #2 unsigned indie artist in Texas, single, and currently recording his new EP. But you can call him Zac Seif. This Italian, Middle Eastern, German acoustic guitar playing born and raised Texan has what it takes to really make it in the music industry with his attitude of knowing the importance of connecting with fans and perfecting vocals through good old fashioned practice makes perfect.


So give us a bit of background info, how did you get your start in music? Who or what is your earliest musical influence?
I got interested in music 5 years ago with System of a Down. ((very lame , I know)). Over the years, my music has changed and matured very much. I started off in metal, then switched over to what I'm doing now, more acoustic//pop type stuff. My main influence would probably be the postal service sleeping with Jason Mraz.

Out of curiosity, what is your nationality and are you originally from
Texas
? How do your roots help or hurt your musical career?
I am 50% Italian, 25% Middle Eastern and 25% German. I have lived in
Texas
all of my life. My roots have not effected it very much yet, but it may in the future. I'm not sure.

From who, what, or where would you say most of the influence comes for your music?
Well, I’m influenced from bands I sound nothing like. My favorite artist is John Mayer, but I don't sound anything like it. I have a good mix from bands like Josephine Collective ((poppy)) to artists like Jason Mraz ((more chilled out, well, for the most part))

What is it that fuels your passion for what you do?
I love making music. I love when people enjoy my music; it's such a cool feeling to have people sing along to your stuff when you play it. To be honest, that really helps drive me. I love meeting new people and seeing new places as well.

In this day and age, a lot of people have the style of music in which they use pitch correctors and auto tuning. We noticed on your myspace profile you clarify that you are not an artist who uses either. Why did you feel that you needed to clarify this?
This is my touchy subject! I think it's perfectly fine when people have the style of music where they drown music in autotune ((T-pain, Breathe Electric)) I love both of them. That's the style. When people take it outside of that style and turn it into 'cover-up's' it becomes embarrassing to us. Us being the people who really work on singing hours a day etc. I have heard so many people clouded with autotune and pitch correction that it takes away from the music. It takes the blue note away, the note that is not quite perfect but gives the music soul. Pitch correction on the other hand is used by many people, mostly in studios, to correct small errors in the studio. I just kept re-singing it over and over again until I had it perfect, so it wasn't a machine.

We also noticed that on your myspace calendar, it said you’re “recording more”. Are you currently recording for an upcoming EP or cd? If so, when can fans expect it to drop?
I record all the time. I am still working on an EP. I am sorry it's taking so long!

Where does the inspiration for your songs usually come from?
Life experiences, loved ones, and x-girlfriends. I say x, because I don't have one right now. I have been in love before, and that emotion carries with me through my music and gives me the ability to express things I normally wouldn't be able to.

Which song have you written so far means the most to you as an artist? Is there a particular lyric that you wrote that really touches home?
It's a song called "We Need To Go Now." It is not released yet, it's still in the works right now. One of the lines is "my arms are steady but my hands they won't let go".

For those who haven't seen your live performance, can you tell them what they should expect?
They should expect a fun time. They should expect to have their singing hats on as well. After all shows I love hanging out with all the kids and taking hawt picz.

When people meet you, what is the first thing they will say about you/your music?
Hmmmmmmm. I would hope they think I’m a pretty cool dude. I hear from a lot that my music gets stuck in their heads which is good for me! ha

What has been your best or most memorable show?
House of Blues with Jason Mraz. We made it rain out there.

What’s your opinion of the current music scene in
Texas?
I love
Texas
music. We have bands like The Secret Handshake , FTSK, Artist Vs. Poet, Play-Radio-Play, and the list goes on. There are so many different venues and a lot of good listening fans!

With technology like Myspace and Facebook many artists have told us that they would be no where without them exposure and connecting with fans wise. How would you say the internet has contributed to your music career? How important to you is it that you make connections with fans?
Fans are everything. Myspace ha changed the way music works. You need to be on top of your game talking to people all the time. Without fans, you’re not a band. I talk to my fans on and off the website all the time. I make a lot of appearances at shows and when people recognize them I always say hey, give them a hug, and take a pic!

For all the curious ladies out there, is there someone special currently in your life?
Neigh. Single.

What are some of your favorite things to do when you’re not being a heartthrob and serenading fans with your voice and guitar?
Haha well phrased. I like to watch movies all the time. I can out quote ANYONE on Step Brothers, Anchorman, troy, and Starsky and Hutch. And I literally mean everyone. I wish they had real competitions for that stuff. Besides that, I go to a lot of shows, and I hang out at a local coffee chop called the White Rhino.

What are you currently listening to? (Top 5 artists in your most recent playlist)
Artist vs. Poet, The Rocket Summer, Dashboard Confessional, Forever the Sickest Kids, and John Mayer

What’s something that your fans would be surprised to know about you?
I played World of Warcraft for a long, long time. I am a closet-gaming nerd. I raided pre-wotlc and had mostly t6/sunwell gear.

What are some goals for your music this year?
Meet new people, tour the
United States, and just keep doing what I'm doing!

Where do you want to be in five years?
Not sure. Depends where music takes me. I am going to DBU in the fall to study international business.

What is the overall message you want to send to fans?
Tough question. You know, never shout never really did say it well. We do live in a sad world =( I notice is every time I leave my house. It bothers me to see people upset. I want to make something people can connect to, RELATE TO, and give them a smile.

Any other last words?
Sorry this interview took so long. I fail at life. Thanks for all my fans that supported me. Right now I’m ranked #2 unsigned pop, #1 unsigned electro, and #2 unsigned indie, here in
Texas, ALL BECAUSE OF YOU GUYS!