AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVE ZERO
Q: Mr. Zero, how did you ever get mixed up with The MBL's in the first place? A: I remember it clearly. At the time I was playing guitar in a great underachieving Chicago band called The Regrets. I was sitting at the bar at a little dive called Silvie's waiting to go on and bitching loudly about how I can never stand any of the bands who go on before us when the Losers started playing. Half a verse into "Sweet on You" I made the bold proclamation that this is a band that I do NOT hate. Later in the evening our two bands consumed enormous amounts of booze and formed a mutual respect. We booked a number of shows over the next year and finally Chris invited me to sit in on 3 songs. I like to believe my style complimented theirs and I think everyone felt comfortable immediately. As The Regrets dissolved, The Losers just got stronger and stronger and I couldn't stay away. I still live in Chicago. They're the only band in America that I would drive 400 miles alone to play with for 30 minutes. Q: Influences? A: Too many to name blah, blah, blah... Rolling Stones, Uncle Tupelo, The Ramones, Overwhelming Colorfast, The Clash, Muddy Waters, Sex Pistols, Johnny Winter, Howlin' Wolf, Hank Sr., Soundgarden, Black Sabbath, Social Distortion, etc... Q: Who are some of the great bands you've played with in the Losers? A: Two Cow Garage, Rumbledaddy, Bobloblaw (Bob on Blonde), F-bombers, The Staggerers, The B-sharps, F-Bombers, The Black Clouds, Sparrow Bellows (soon, hopefully). Also, suck it Nickelback, I hate you. Q: Clearly, you guys don't make shit when you play a gig and sometimes it's at the tail end of a 400 mile drive to play for 3 people. Why? What keeps you going? A: Years ago, it was the rockstar dream, but that's not even a factor anymore. Now, it's about spreading our message and trying to share a little excitement and joy for a lot of people who might not have much else going on in their lives. The economy is tough. Pop and rock music are in a sad state. TV is idiotic. There aren't many ways for real people to have a meaningful experience with their friends for a few dollars. I like to believe that we can give them something to help get them through the upcoming week. It's a very real and deep form of communication that money or looks can't buy. Warren Buffett might have 30 private jets, but he'll never mean what Chris Bentley means to people. Guys (or girls) may want to savagely violate Fergie or Rihanna, but at the end of the day, their albums aren't fit to practice anal hygiene with. They make garbage. When life has it's way with them and they look like us, know one will remember them. No one will ever forget an evening with The Hooligan, Diesel Von Bag, or Jeff Hyde's mustachio. I think we do something of substance. It's very rare for a grown man to have an outlet this real and meaningful at this point in his life. Also, they drink a lot o' booze and that's alright by me. Q: What are your thoughts on the new album? A: I'm thrilled to be a part of it. It's one of the best artistic endeavors I've ever been involved with. It's very raw and has some screw ups on it, so I think it captures the feel of our live shows, sans the general intoxication. It is clearly a Chris Bentley product, but I think the rest of the band really added a signature to this one more than any of the previous albums. We've all grown musically through playing so many live shows together in the last couple years and I think that comes through. It really shows how we've progressed individually as well as together. With that being said, I think it also brings back some of the simple country/folk roots that made me a Losers fan in the first place. Check out "South Dakota" or "George's 3am". That's vintage Bentley. It never would have fit on Wreckage (although I love that album). We also let our guard down a little and got all sensitivo on a few tracks like "Losing Heather." Sometimes Dalin and I hold Sammy's beard and just cry to songs like that for hours. Q: I'm hearing some buzz about some weird hidden track with Zero vocals, what's the story there? A: Jeb. Wreckage is The Buzzbin Magazine Editor's Pick " I'll be honest, I didn't really get it until about the third song. This is so different, yet so familiar I had a scrunched up face while listening to the first two songs. Then One For The Librarian started and I was hooked. By the time that song was over I was flying through this album looking for the next gem of a song.Upon first listen the melodies will immediately suck you in. They're simple and that is definitely not a bad thing. You'll easily want to sing along with this album during first play. Second time through the lyrical masterpiece pops out. There is no doubt that Chris Bentley is a lyrical genius. A lovesick, drunken mess fuels the entire album. The Losers are about three things, beer, whiskey and love. This band makes me proud to be from Canton." - Michael Nasvadi // Buzzbin Editor The Most Beautiful Losers - Playin' With Hearts These guys remind me of a mix of REM, The Black Crowes and The Georgia Satellites all mixed, but these cats are not from Georgia like all the foresaid (I coulda said early Bruce Springsteen, or even Cobain but we'll leave Jersey and wherever else outta this). Basic straight up rock n roll, like they display on "Watch The Stars" is the modus operandi for the complete disc. They shout out to almost every momma's little helper on "Something For The Pain" (which reminds me, it's past time for me own medication), and dedicate "Dynamo Jim" to the depressive reality of the illusion of alkeehawl. In fact, the study of the shot and strong one weight heavily throughout, making the complete album a sing along to the inebriated. They infuse blues (Your The Antidote) and the art of pacing (Sober Up For The Show) throughout, and you know these guys aren't newbies. Nuff Said! - Underground Sound I grew up in the Midwest. I know how boring and awful winter can be. I know what it means to hole up in your basement for months on end, drink, and bang away on a guitar until your fingers are calloused and numb. There's a reason the Replacements are a product of Minneapolis.The Most Beautiful Losers hail from Canton, Ohio and have clearly spent some time chugging whiskey, banging on guitars, and listening to the Mats. If they tour with GLONO faves Two Cow Garage then you might as well lock your liquor cabinets now. -Posted by Derek Phillips http://www.gloriousnoise.com The Most Beautiful Losers Playing With Hearts "This Canton, Ohio bar band put out a great disc with a stripped down guitar, bass and drums sound that makes the occasional banjo, dobro or harmonica they slip into the mix all the more interesting. The sound is reminiscent of Lucero or maybe Nirvana with a sense of humor. Much better than a band named after a Bob Seger song should be. They have a great website with music. " -Jitter- www.slackercountry.com “The Most Beautiful Losers wear their hearts on their sleeves and obviously adore The Replacements and Lynyrd Skynyrd ... they don’t cry in their beer, they spit in it!”- - -Tom Dawson - Columbus Other Paper "Excellent music that makes me feel that there is still hope out there for songs written right, a little whiskey left, and dreams broken down. I would love to join this band.” - - Brendan Casey, DJ at WQKE College Radio New York "I got this killer cd… it’s BAR ROCK with slow personal lyrics interspersed but it doesn’t detract from the quick style and southern picking. Give them a “shot”!” - - Dave Royce, Hold Your Dog Breath Online zine "A drinking band with a Rock and Roll problem is their Tagline. Pretty accurate if you ask me :) Although the quintessential The Most Beautiful Losers experience happens live, their Albulm, Playing With Hearts, is a good fix when you need it at home relaxing with your misery or triumph, or on the road when the wind calls to you. Here's a quick Synopisis -- This albulm features 13 (my lucky number) tracks of Chris' earthy volcals, guitar with part twang resemblaing the likes of Neil Young and hints of late Cash, with Brad's solid bass, and Todd's frenzied staccato drumming. IF I had to be so lame as to put a label on it I'd call it post modern cow punk americana. Or if Neil Young, Bill Malloonee, Social Distortion, and Uncle Tupelo decided to combine their genteic material, and then turn it up to 11 as Spinal Tap would say. My own accurate label for them -- suprisingly cathartic sonic whiskey. The albulm starts out with two brisker paced songs Everything Ive done and Watch the Stars, and the always familar line in my own life from the first song --"Everything will fall apart it's all just a matter of when and where and who and why and what." Actually, that line points out a lot of why I like this band-- very fitting lyrics to most peoples lives. They are defintely an every-man (and woman's) type of band. Following this song is the bouncy, Water Me Down of needing to get out of a small town, then the slower heartbreaker, Something for the Pain. Then the album virtually demands that you turn the volume to ear shattering levels as you listen to the next track, the bombastic Dynamo Jim. Two other gems in this collection need specific attention in my opinion -- Sweet on You, an inspired by Evil Dead and Army of Darkness love song filled with catchy hooks, and then the obvious fan favorite Noah Judd. Nothing will ever really describe the soudn of this chilling epic, kind of And Justice For All style ballad taking a wrong turn in the Appalacahian Mountains with a thin veneer of americana spread over it. One of my favorite types of songs, it starts off slow and plodding building to a crencendo of emotion and roaring guitars, with Todds great drums thundering through the whole time. IF you really wanna know them, pick up the albulm form Cdbaby, or amazon. I have one of their tracks on my front page right now. You can find them on my friends list too http://cdbaby.com/cd/tmbl is a great link to get an album or even find thier main website. And to really get this band, watch them live. If you wanna have some fun, ask 'em to play a cover. You'll get, an, er friendly response that will be worth the price of admission alone. " Matt Orwig - A FAN REVIEW! "They play awesomely when they get hammered before a show; the drummer starts up with a Beavis impression:) And they invite you to drink some of their beers(their van is stocked full of alcohol)always a way to make friends:P " Leeann - Fan Review from MySpace "They're great live, their music rules. I love their preformances. It was funny to walk past them to the restroom, and do a fast hop away from their frenetic playing. Losing an amp cord while jamming out is a sign of dedication. " ? fan from MySpace - Penpan Inu © 2006 The Most Beautiful Losers |
