Newcastle Upon Tyne trio ZUDZ offer up a fascinating psych-rock sound that fuses encapsulating guitars and intense vocals and they describe as “heavy psychedelic country music.”
The band hails from a long history of improvised heavy psychedelia in the Newcastle scene. It began when vocalist and guitarist Kit Endean and drummer Mike Smith first met in 2018 when their respective bands played the same gig. They shared a love for and knowledge of underground guitar music, along with “a desire to play songs with ending.” Last year, they brought in bassist and vocalist Fintan Dawson to complete the band and help sort Kit’s ideas and demos into playable material with lyrics.
And on the sound they’ve honed since, Kit gave us a few examples of how their music has been described: “Heavy psychedelic Country music; refined and artfully twisted; and leftfield hard-rock anthems.”
Our latest taste of this is their second single Bound For Old Glory. It starts out with a slow guitar lick then a laid-back verse supported by light guitars. The vocals intensify leading into the chorus line “This train is bound, Bound for old glory again,” which sets up a funky repeating guitar riff. A heavier section of vocals almost sounds like the track is concluding, but ascending guitars set up another funky, effects-laden guitar riff that brings it to a heavier ending.
On the track, Kit tells us: “Bound For Old Glory is a song that stretches way back to an idea from 2011 musically. Inspiration comes from a number of places, but I borrow a bit of sentiment from Woody Guthrie’s autobiography and his anthem Bound For Glory, not resting on your laurels and not being dragged down by your failures. It always goes down really well when we’ve played this live – I think because of the earnest and honest delivery of the emotional core of the song every time we play.
“I’m very excited for people to hear our first recorded version of the song – it’s been a long while coming. People can expect some nods of influence to Ty Segall, The Orb (aus), Townes Van Zandt, Lift To Experience, Edwin Starr, Dr John, Television and of course Woody Guthrie, but with a strong helping of Geordie passion.” Check it out in the stream here:
That was preceded by debut single Yellow Chariot, which opens up with edgy guitars, then a driving riff that continues under lively vocals that end with a cry of “Where did you come from, What did you see?” The driving riff continues alongside the engaging vocals, then a funky little guitar lick joins in to bring this short and sweet track to an end.
The ZUDZ sound is inspired by a vast range of musical influences and genres, as Kit explains: “Early on, personally, The MC5’s free jazz versions along with their Kick Out The Jams attitude, the battle of the bands mentality that always aims to throw everything into the show taught me what kind of live experience I hope to connect to people with. Jimi Hendrix and Mitch Mitchell, John Reis and Rick Froberg, Ginger Baker, …Trail Of Dead, Stereolab and millions and millions more to mention. And I think Rachmaninov is my favourite classical composer.
“As a guitar devotee, any magicians of their instruments I find inspiring and love to watch and learn. I listened to a lot of Tamla Motown growing up, which built my knowledge of song structure and pop music. Alan Lomax musical archives – international collections of scenes and sounds from the world over. The heavy influence of American underground music 1957-present. North East sea shanties and folk songs, The Keelers being a favourite. It’s hard to pick out anything more specific – everything we hear is music of sorts.”
And on what inspires them to write music, Kit adds: “Making music is something I’ve done since being young. It’s a healthy therapy and always provides some form of art from emotion or situation, a very positive equation to spend time on. Hopefully, music will be a way to see the world and meet good people, and of course – playing music is definitely a high.
“There’s lines in our songs that are comments on parts of history that I find fascinating, emotions that needed addressing too – also there’s definitely a lot on socialism and the corrupt world that we’re all living in. Always hoping for a brighter future from the civilisation we’re currently living through.”
ZUDZ will follow up their first two singles with a third in Westage, which will be out before the release of their upcoming debut EP SUM, which is released on 27 October. You can also see the band live at The Star & Shadow Cinema in Newcastle on 7 October, Gosfirth Civic Theatre on 26 October and Zerox in Quayside on 18 November.
And Kit adds: “We’re working through my old ideas and making up new music. We’ve got a lot to get through and a long road ahead of us with fresh wheels – and we’re excited for the journey. See you when we get there!”
You can follow ZUDZ on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and check out their music on Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud and YouTube.
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