On The Radar #78 Z-Star

DESCRIBED by Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page as “a force of nature” at the Brighton Music Awards - where she scooped the 2014 best live act trophy - Z-Star, aka Zee Gachette, is headlining The Old Market Presents on Wednesday.

Below she talks about the influence the city has on her music, and new EP 16 Tons. Keep reading for an exclusive competition to win tickets to next week’s show.

“I love Brighton. It is home for me now and being surrounded by so many free spirits, creative energies, musicians, artists, activists, independents is inspiring.

“Music has always been a sort of filtering of emotions for me. Happy, sad, angry, loved-up, messed-up whatever it was inside that I needed to work through or burn out of my system. My mother always played classic tunes on the piano and local jazz musicians would come over to compose at our house in Trinidad. My grandfather was songwriter and wrote a hit for Shirley Bassey in the 1960s - Kiss Me Honey - so perhaps it was inevitable.

“I like to mash-up heavy bluesy desert rock stoner doom indie funk soul and psychedelica. I’m influenced by a lot of different types of music from Led Zeppelin to James Brown to Grizzly Bear to Marlena Shaw to Jimi Hendrix to Jack White to Nina Simone to Portishead to The Doors to PJ Harvey.

“My biggest gig was MTV Live in Palermo to150,000 people. It felt like it was over 40 degrees and the crowd went ballistic. There were 250,000 at another festival in Italy called Notte Della Taranta (Night of the Spider) - crowds that size become a sea with waves of energy.

“The EP 16 Tons is an indication of what people can expect from the new album 16 Tons Of Love and much more. There are some different flavours on the EP but the foundation of the sound is within blues rock leaning into psychedelic soul. There’s been a lot of time in between the first three records, living and touring abroad - I've worked with a wide range of musicians from jazzers to rockers, and that really influenced the sound. I also feel that my voice has deepened from smoother vibes to a raspy rawness. My first band was very loud blues rock trashy disco then I stripped back to acoustic but always with an energy, then a friend of mine lent me his 1952 Blonde Telecaster and I was hooked again on rock ‘n roll.

“Our Pledgemusic campaign exceeded our goal - thanks to fans, family and friends. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it especially if you’re independent. There a few things I would do differently having been through the process, but bottom line is that it works if you work it. The music industry has been blown apart by the web explosion, but the splinters of the majors have become seeds for the independent artists and platforms like PledgeMusic, YouTube and Soundcloud give us water to grow.

“This year we’ve been touring Europe and Australia. The plan is to ramp it up next year, with a big focus on the UK, also West Coast USA and Brazil would be awesome. Plus developing our label, Muthastar Records, with my partner Lucy Anderson and the team, releasing more records, expanding the Z-STAR collective to feature more Brighton-based musicians - I’m currently working with Mark Meilack and Lee Spreadbury (GURU). There’s an EP I want to record in collaboration with other female vocalist friends to raise funds for domestic violence with Rise Brighton. And I really want to start a Sunday evening drum jam on the beach, bringing a bit of Venice Beach to Brighton!”

Z-Star plays The Old Market Presents, at The Old Market, Upper Market Street, Hove, on Wednesday, July 29, alongside Annaca and Vels Trio from 7.30pm. Tickets £8. Call 01273 201801.

She is also bringing her acoustic trio to Handcross’s Earth Spirit Festival on Sunday, August 22, and Cowden’s Into The Wild Festival on Friday, August 28.

The electric five-piece band will also be at Zu Studios, in Phoenix Place, Lewes, on Saturday, September 12.

Find out more:

www.zstarmusic.com

www.facebook.com/zstarmusic

www.soundcloud.com/z-star

www.youtube.com/zstarmusic

To be in with a chance to win a pair of free tickets to see Z-Star on Wednesday she wants to know what excites and inspires you about our seaside community.

Entries can be shared on Z-Star’s Facebook page (above), tweeted to @zstarmusic, or linked with the hashtag: #BrightonBestBits, or link to Zee Gachette on Instagram.

Competition ends on Sunday, July 26.