Zachery Allan Starkey - Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar.
Farrell - Keyboards and Sequencers.
Anna Lipster - Keyboards and Sequencers.
Jessica Nagel - Backing Vocals.
Influences
New Order, Depeche Mode, The Cure, Public Image Limited,The Pet Shop Boys, David Bowie, Joy Division, Nine Inch Nails, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Neil Young, Bjork, The Smiths, The Talking Heads, The Sex Pistols, Stuart Price,The Sisters of Mercy, Le Tigre, Morrissey, Gary Numan, Concrete Blonde, Ladytron, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Pulp, P Funk, Timbaland, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Patti Smith, Wire, Elastica, Blixa Bargeld
“ Zachery Allan Starkey's Cocaine!, it is brilliantly called—brilliantly titled, brilliantly executed, brilliantly everything...I predict it will become an international hit and on corporate mall playlists everywhere, like Forever 21..Girls react to the Richard Simmons-style aerobics disco beat—they dance...Cocaine! is an anti-drug song, and for that we can be grateful....Bottomest of bottom lines: You need to hear this."
-The Other Paper (John Petric), October 15th, 2009
"Cocaine!, Zachery Allan Starkey's second single from the more playful sophomore LP he's working on, is a marked step up from his first offering NO TEXTING ON THE DANCE FLOOR! "Cocaine!" is sleek and sharp. And though Starkey's vocals are still an acquired taste at best, he does a pretty good LCD Soundsystem homage here. That Casio drumbeat and those skittering keyboards make good bedfellows."
-The Alive!, October 14th, 2009
"Nightclubs are often fraught with sweat, strobes, and the occasional illicit substance....Since releasing his first record Solitaire in 2007, Z.A.S.'s songwriting has shifted from downcast introspection to social observation, as evidenced in Starkey's last single “NO TEXTING ON THE DANCE FLOOR!” which came out in May.
“Cocaine!” explores the “ridiculous and funny” times that he has been at clubs and parties surrounded by people who’ve indulged in nose candy. But even though he wants people to dance and have a little chuckle, his intentions are deep. "
- Columbus Underground, October 12th, 2009.
PRESS FOR NO TEXTING ON THE DANCE FLOOR!:
“The first taste of the new Starkey is his new single, "NO TEXTING ON THE DANCE FLOOR!". The song tackles technology's strange effect on interpersonal communication. Matched with synthesizers and drum machines played by hand….forgoing computers and even cutting out mastering, Starkey is using mixes directly from co-producer Bryan Moss' four-track and eight-track machines……the result is raw, lively recordings that verge on outsider art but definitely capture Starkey's intended vibe…meet Zach Starkey 2.0.”
- The Alive! Newspaper, April 30th, 2009.
“Upbeat electro-dance tunes with wry, and possibly ironic, commentary on the club and social scenes.”
- The Columbus Dispatch, April 30th, 2009.
“What is there to say about Zachery Allan Starkey that hasn’t already been said? ..Musically, he’s somewhere between Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore and a troll doll. Still, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone in the music scene with greater determination or brassier balls than Starkey. Love him or hate him, his new single “NO TEXTING ON THE DANCE FLOOR!” is worth a spin.”
- The Other Paper, April 30th, 2009.
PRESS FOR SOLITAIRE:
"Original dance music influenced irreparably by New Order, Public Image Ltd. and Depeche Mode. New wave to the core, the record shows Starkey's love for both the music of yesteryear and an idyllic image that dance tunes done right can move people in many ways. It's also the local project closest to Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy: a full-length epic that was squeezed out, after three years of recording and three producers, by the city's most controversial figure not involved in politics.......The 12 tracks stand as an homage to the late '80s by a musician who one day would like to become, as he says in the goofy manner he adopts when comfortable, "the Bob Dylan of the dance floor." What it lacks in forward thinking it makes up for in sheer complexity: Nearly every song contains numerous drum lines, guitars and a crushing number of keyboards and synthesizers......There's a big-city feel to much of it, though that's not what will surprise most listeners. What will be somewhat shocking is that this collection of dance songs—delayed so long, surrounded by so much hype and hate—is pretty good."
-The Columbus Alive, April 26th, 2007.
"12 songs and 79 minutes of complex, multi-layered instrumentation, that's quite an ambitious project.....It's also a very lyrical record, something you don't hear a lot in dance music.......the most controversial musician in Columbus."
-The Other Paper, April 26th, 2007.
"All of the time Starkey has spent in nightclubs clearly has given him an innate understanding of dance music, and he knows what people want to hear."
-U. Weekly, April 25th, 2007
"Relying on synths and machinated beats for his backing, Starkey's points of references come from the early '80s, situated somewhere between Vincent Clarke-era Depeche Mode (see leadoff cut "Nuclear Star" and "In the Dark"), Human League (see "The Eyes of God") and Gary Numan ("Bye Bye Love")....the album is musically engaging...electronic lushness."
-Stephen Slaybaugh. Donewaiting.com. April 2007.
"An unusual brand of electronica that is American-made, it's light on the bass and drums with more emphasis put on the lyrics."
-The OSU Lantern Newspaper, Graham Beckwith, April 2008.
"One of the most interesting and distinctive musicians I have ever met, his record Solitaire set the city on fire."
- Dan Thomas, Host "Talk of the Town" with Danno, WCRS LP/FM 102.1/98.3. November 2008
PRESS BIO -
Zachery Allan Starkey is a Songwriter/Musician/Artist who specializes in writing and performing his own distinctive brand of electronic dance music. Influenced by groups such as New Order, Depeche Mode, The Pet Shop Boys, Nine Inch Nails, Public Image Limited, and the Cure, Starkey's songs are melodic, incredibly catchy electronic dance songs with articulate, intelligent, sometimes humorous lyrics. They feature many interlocking synthesizer and sequencer melodies, 4/4 dance beats, elements of House and European Disco, and Starkey's unusual voice.
Zachery Allan Starkey received great regional critical praise in 2007 with the release of his debut full length record, Solitaire. He scored again in 2009 with the release of his witty single NO TEXTING ON THE DANCE FLOOR!. Starkey is currently finishing up recording and production of his second full length record, due for release in early 2010.
Starkey is also a seasoned photographer, his brand of "Film Noir Photography" has been shown and sold in galleries across the United States.
I <3 No texting on the dance floor! Haha id definitle bedroom dance to that right now if i wasnt busy. So i shall do so later =] lol. The nerds that make music are always the best =]
*& YESS!! SOMEONE ELSE WHO THINKS BABY HIPPOS ARE CUTE! haha. most ppl i know think there ugly and yes bubba elephants are cute. I saw the one born at taronga zoo a little while ago it was so cute! Still so small haha i watched him take a bath =] Days been good though, apart from studies. Hows yours? Take care
Thank you so much for the inspirational comment! It is VERY hard to meet people trying to explore different areas of success, and I can easily say I agree with your statement about how refreshing it is. I hope your music does very well, and I always enjoy music like yours in the background when I'm hard at work. You better have a beautiful day as well!
Hi, thanks for your message ! I'm not very good for write in english, but i can say that i like your music too ! Your music's style is original ^^ For the moment, i have no time to create new musics, but i think about it...
Well hopefully both of us will become very successful! Weird is a good thing though, conventional is boring. Your music reminds me of depeche mode mixed with some NIN...I might be interested in making a remix of one of your tracks in the future, when I finish all the other stuff I'm working on. So let's keep in touch!
No texting on the dance floor! Hahaha. Great name ;)
Had to stop by and see what all the fuss was about. Maybe we can come back out to Columbus sometime and play a show with you! Oh la la. Been a while since we've been in OH.
Anyways. Cheers to you sir. Don't be a stranger either.
HI, MY DEAR FRIEND! NICE TO MEET YOU. THANX FOR ASKING, I AM FINE AND ALL IS GOING VERY WELL. I LIKE YOUR MUSIC VERY MUCH AND THE TRACK "SOLITAIRE", I ADDED TO MY PLAYLIST. HAVE A GREAT AND LOVELY DAY. HUGS & KISS
Your new song is very interesting :) Buuuuut I like it, it has a weird beat to it haha. I wouldn't laugh *crosses fingers* haha why would you want to visit Whittier? Not a lot of things here :P
Online Now!![NikiVamp© =]:](http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/24/s_5237963727894b3eaa08d70dac366b6d.jpg)
HI, MY DEAR FRIEND! NICE TO MEET YOU. THANX FOR ASKING, I AM FINE AND ALL IS GOING VERY WELL. I LIKE YOUR MUSIC VERY MUCH AND THE TRACK "SOLITAIRE", I ADDED TO MY PLAYLIST. HAVE A GREAT AND LOVELY DAY. HUGS & KISS
