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Sons Of Zion - Interview: Summer Tour Q & A with Sam from Sons of Zion

19 Dec 2014 // An interview by Dilemma

So you are back on the summer tour buzz this year, 8 stops and ending with the Tauranga One Love Festival, how excited are you for this tour?

It's such a great pleasure to be playing alongside the bands we aspired to be like as youngins in the game. Not just excited about playing with them but looking forward to the epic times we're about to have travelling and hanging out with them :)

When was the last time you did a big summer tour?

We went on out Two Drop tour last summer with our good bros Tomorrow People and Chad Chambers. We travelled all over the North Island delivering reggae goodness to one and all. Guess you could call us "Reggae Santas" lol.

Is there a new album in the works, or have you just missed touring?   

Yes. A New album is definitely in the works. We really want to take it to the next level in content and production with our future works so we'll be working alongside some of NZ's best for inspiration and input. Some good things to come :)

Have you been away playing gigs overseas? How was that? Any favourite places that you went to while you were touring?

Yes we've travelled a lot this year visiting Japan for the first time and experiencing their amazing culture, food and hospitality. We've been back and forth to Aussie as well playing 3 massive shows just recently in Perth, Brisbane and Sydney for the Natural NZ Festival also featuring The Black Seeds who we're touring with this summer :)

What are overseas crowds like compared to locals at home? Or are the gigs usually just filled with drunk Kiwis??

We're usually going over to Aussie for a festival or show with other great NZ artists and yes! All the Kiwis come out. Feels like we've never left home really. But it's amazing the support and appreciation we receive from overseas fans all over. Home is where the real partying happens though. We've had some ridiculously crazy crowds here!

The Black Seeds and Katchafire are playing too, what is it like when 3 bands full of all dudes come together, are you in vans/cars or a bus?

Yep we've got a pretty detailed run sheet this summer with hired vans we pickup and flights to catch. It's always good to catch up with the bros, heaps of crack-up inappropriate conversations and overuse of dry jokes. Gotta have a window or some air con in those vans too otherwise you're forced to put up with sweaty bum crack haha.

If there was an amazing race style challenge between the 3 bands, which band would win?

Silly question. Sons never lose.

You are playing in New Plymouth (Oakura) on New Years Eve, how will you be spending New Years day?

I would love to have a break because I'm sure we'll be having a massive NY eve but that day's dedicated to travel for our last shows in Opononi and Mangawhai. I'm sure there'll be time for a stop at the water hole for a swim or an ice-cream from Pokeno or something :)

Do you have new music that you are working on, or will there be a lot of new songs on the set list?

We've just dropped our latest single Stuck On Stupid with the video on the way, We'll be jamming it throughout the tour plus re-featuring some of our older originals which are sure to get the party going.

If you could bring one other band/singer on tour who would it be?

You're guaranteed an epic time with the Illegal Music Crew. A whole bunch of crack-up dudes and talented musos and for some reason and unlimited supply of Ciroc haha.

Do you feel like your musical style has evolved over time, how would you describe that music that you are making now compared to when you first started?

It most certainly has. As we've matured through the years we've opened our minds, listened to our fans, stripped our music back a bit and added a more electronic element to our sound. It's important we make music we love ourselves firstly but also stay relevant. Music has changed so much since we started out so we must adapt.

My favourite song is So True by The Black Seeds, what song by Sons of Zion do I need to listen to, and what songs do you like playing? Is there one song that is a bit more special when you do play it?

I love to get the crowd partying, we have a song called Running right at the end of our set which is bound to have everybody's hands in the air!

Other than this tour, what else is coming up for you over the next few months?

Apart from a few more live shows we have a few projects on the side involving social media... We're really going to start pumping the internet with fresh video updates on our YouTube channel. We're working on a weekly release series covering some of our favourite songs and featuring some of our favourite NZ artists and up and coming talent.

If you were to add another instrument into the band, what would it be and who would play it?

I would love to have a symphonic orchestra as part of our live performance. I would die a happy man if that happened haha.

Is there a  summer concert you would like to go to, play at or organize?

I was in tears at SoulFest this year featuring my all time favourite artists including D'Angelo, Angie Stone and Musiq Soulchild haha. Partly because the music touched me, if I could go back to that day I would in a heartbeat.    

 

About Sons Of Zion

Sons of Zion have well and truly earned their place in the upper echelons of New Zealand music. From their humble Kiwi beginnings, to playing shows across the globe and dominating charts, Sons of Zion have amassed an impressive 48.5 million streams on Spotify, more than 15 million views on YouTube and 100,000-plus followers on social media.

For members Rio, Sam, Joel, Matt, Ross, and Caleb, it’s a track record that has established them as one the southern hemisphere’s most-loved and well-respected bands. In autumn 2018 the band made their mark with latest single Drift Away. Drift Away has been the #1 most played song on New Zealand radio for 3 weeks running, achieving the #1 NZTop20 NZ Single and almost 3 million streams and over 130,000 video views.

The track is featured on their brand new album Vantage Point, alongside a slew of their other hits including Now and Is That Enough (Ft. Aaradhna) – both #1 NZ & Urban Airplay Singles. Vantage Point hit #3 on the iTunes Album Chart, as well as entering the Billboard’s Reggae Chart at #9. Sons of Zion made their mark in 2009 with their self-titled debut album, following it up in 2013 with their full-length studio album Universal Love, which included the smash singles Be My Lady, Good Love and Tell Her - the latter two songs achieving #1 Urban and #1 NZ Airplay respectively. The hits continued to flow with Stuck on Stupid, Fill Me Up, I’m Ready and Hungover, winning over new and old fans alike.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Sons Of Zion

Releases

Vantage Point
Year: 2018
Type: Album
The Jukebox Suite
Year: 2017
Type: EP
Universal Love
Year: 2013
Type: Album
Buy Online @ Mightyape
Sons Of Zion
Year: 2009
Type: Album

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