Dave Lancet (ex Hearse) - Bass/Vocals, Dennis Marmon (ex Blisters, Parasites) - Guitar, Laz (excelsior!) - Drums, Andras - Projections/Video/Webmaster. Some Photos by Christine Stuht
Influences
Sex Pistols, Ramones, Sonic Youth, John Cage, Henry Mancini, Television, John Barry, Big Joe Turner, Sexton Ming, JS Bach, AOD, Teenage Jesus & The Jerks, Tom Waits, Brian Eno, Iggy & The Stooges, Harry Partch, bottles of absinthe
Sounds Like
Mission of Burma, Phantom Tollbooth, The Melvins meet Black Sabbath, vocally a little like a combination of Captain Beefheart and Screamin' Jay Hawkins
I guess it was during the spring of 03 at an art exhibit I was hosting at my loft that the seeds of Zed Never began. This drunken pillock approached me about an idea he had for a band involving digital sample loops as audio bedding behind guitar-oriented rock n roll. Although I was leary, and later to discover rightly so, I found it quite intriguing. Thus, he asked me if I, along with my guitar player from Peny Dredful & The Bloody Valentines, Dennis Blisters Marmon, would be interested in participating.
Now due to Peny being pregnant at that time, it seemed like a good project to take on just to keep our chops fresh, so Dennis and I said, What the fuck? and we agreed. The lout would write the lyrics and sing. Dennis and I would handle the musical structures to the songs. Little did we realize we would be asking that very same question (WTF?) months on down the road, but in a different context. More on that later.
Our first rehearsals took place in classrooms at music departments at various local college campuses and after a while, Dennis and I began asking that WTF question to ourselves. Yeah, in some ways, it made sense as we had yet to find a drummer and we were working on the material, but still, it did seem rather dodgy, but I insisted on continuing. I admit it. I like seeing things through to their conclusions and this project seemed far from finished. Still isnt. Regardless, we did voice our concern over the locations and finally agreed to start practicing in a proper rehearsal space. We also insisted it was time to bring in a drummer.
Enter Laz. After one session, the guy seemed to fit in despite tentativeness in his drumming. This was only natural as he was the stranger among fools. I sensed something out of Laz: a willingness to learn, an open-mindedness, and unflappable determination and drive. My hunch proved correct. In no time, his level of confidence and drumming acumen shot through the roof. Laz proved valuable in more ways than just his musicianship. As the music took shape, the alacrity of gigs he was able to book was astounding.
By this time, though, cracks were showing from our wanker of a singer. His use of sound equipment without properly learning the devises was frustrating. There was a lack of discipline within the lyrics, such as words thrown in from out of the blue with no rhyme nor reason constantly in flux (and no, this wasnt ad-libbing, but more like faking it), throwing lines from other songs by more established artists creeped in just about every song. There were the erratically inconsistent stage performances. Phone calls to band members making us question whether he would even show up for gigs. I mean, real drama queen type stuff. Like I said earlier, What the fuck?
Finally, in late March 05 the pillock called our drummer just before he was heading out the door for a show we were doing in Philadelphia, PA. Apparently, it was put into the dullards head by his girlfriend that Laz was trying to take over the band, which was the furthest thing from the truth, and said Fuck you, bitch! and hung up. Needless to say, Laz was dumbfounded, but headed to Philly anyway.
When Dennis and I arrived at the venue we were to play, Laz informed us of what just occurred. We three simply looked at one another and almost in unison said, Lets still do this.
We played our set mostly as an instrumental act, save for my backing vocals and in between songs told the audience that there was supposed to be a lead vocalist on stage with us and that they just had to use their imaginations. I also made comments about milk cartons and to check with their local ASPCA. Despite our shortcomings, we were still very well received and the management asked us back.
Since that infamous night, I re-wrote all the lyrics to our songs and took over the front man position. Frankly, I think we are much better off and those who have seen us agree.
Recently, Laz's brother, Andras, has taken the initiative to make computerized video projections as backdrops for our live shows and I believe is learning to use a sampling device to augment our newer material.
Zed Never is far from finished and we will continue to write new songs, record, and play out in a club near you. Enjoy.
Cheers,
Dave Lancet
Addendum: Okay, it's been about a year since I wrote all of the above and Laz, Dennis and I have come to the conclusion that we three were really experiencing a collective hallucination.
Cheese,
Dave Lancet
p.s.
Really!
my page
ZN SHOWS 2008
August 29, Friday - Otto's Shrunken Head - NYC
July 5, Saturday - Clash Bar - Clifton, NJ
June 25, Wednesday - Trash Bar - Brooklyn
June 6, Friday – Championship – Trenton, NJ
May 29, Thursday - Knitting Factory - NYC
April 4, Friday – Mean Fiddler - NYC
January 30, Wednesday – Fire – Philadelphia
January 20, Sunday – Manhattan Room – Philadelphia
January 11, Friday – Underscore – NYC
ZN SHOWS 2007
December 7, Friday – Mean Fiddler – NYC
November 17, Saturday – Don Pedro – Brooklyn
November 2, Friday – Axis Lounge – Carlstadt, NJ
October 5, Friday – Images – Fairview, NJ
September 29, Saturday – Guero @ Julep – NYC
September 20, Thursday – Clash Bar – Clifton, NJ
August 19, Sunday – Manhattan Room – Philadelphia
July 22, Sunday - Trash Bar - Brooklyn
July 12, Thursday - Club Midway - NYC
July 5, Thursday – Otto’s Shrunken Head – NYC
June 29, Friday – Images Nightclub – Fairview, NJ
June 21, Thursday – The Charleston – Brooklyn
June 15, Friday – Five Points – NYC
June 9, Saturday – Kilkenny’s Alehouse – Newark, NJ
May 9, Wednesday – Tritone – Philadelphia
April 21, Saturday – Whiskey Dix – Philadelphia
April 20, Friday – Five Points – NYC
April 14, Saturday – Siberia – NYC
April 6, Friday – Five Points – NYC
March 22, Thursday – The Pat Duncan Show - WFMU
March 17, Saturday – The Barbary – Philadelphia
March 9, Friday – Images Nightclub – Fairview, NJ
March 3, Saturday – Fat Baby – NYC
February 23, Friday – Alphabet Lounge – NYC
January 31, Wednesday – Bar 169 – NYC
January 19, Friday –Siberia – NYC
ZN SHOWS 2006
December 15, Friday - Fat Baby - NYC
November 18, Saturday - Cup Entertainment Complex - Linden, NJ
October 21, Saturday - NJIT - Newark, NJ
September 15, Friday - The Loop Lounge - Passaic, NJ
September 8, Friday - Otto's Shrunken Head - NYC
August 3, Thursday - The Fire - Philadelphia
July 13, Thursday - The Lucky Cat - Brooklyn
May 10, Wednesday - The Fire - Philadelphia
May 9, Tuesday - Pussycat Lounge - NYC
April 28, Friday - Otto's Shrunken Head - NYC
April 18, Tuesday - Fat Baby - NYC
April 5, Wednesday - CBGB - NYC
March 30, Thursday Siberia NYC
March 23, Thursday The Fire Philadelphia
March 17, Friday Rock Star Bar Brooklyn
March 13, Monday Knitting Factory NYC
March 7, Tuesday Continental NYC
February 24, Friday Red Zone Queens
February 7, Tuesday Real Rock TV Comcast Cable 26
January 20, Friday Grand Central - Brooklyn
January 6, Friday Sputnik Brooklyn
January 3, Tuesday Continental NYC
ZN SHOWS 2005
December 17, Saturday Double Ds Morristown, NJ
December 9, Friday Grand Central Brooklyn
November 18, Friday The Rotunda Philadelphia
November 17, Thursday Pyramid Club - NYC
November 13, Sunday The Trash Bar Brooklyn, NY
November 8, Tuesday Continental NYC
November 2, Wednesday Sputnik Brooklyn, NY
October 27, Thursday The Waterbug Hotel Annex Jersey City, NJ
October 21, Friday Tommys Tavern Brooklyn, NY
October 1, Saturday Jersey City Arts Tour Jersey City, NJ
September 29, Thursday Bloomfield Ave Caf Montclair, NJ
September 22, Thursday The Fire Philadelphia
September 2, Friday 169 Bar NYC
August 28, Sunday Ottos Shrunken Head - NYC
August 26, Friday The Red Zone Queens, NY
August 18, Thursday Pussycat Lounge NYC
August 12, Friday The Hook Brooklyn, NY
August 10, Wednesday Don Hills NYC
August 5, Friday The Hook Brooklyn, NY
August 4, Thursday Siberia - NYC
July 27, Wednesday The Rail Bound Brook, NJ
July 23, Saturday Pussycat Lounge NYC
July 16, Saturday Wild Spirits - NYC
July 14, Thursday Grand Central Brooklyn, NYC
June 19, Sunday Ottos Shrunken Head NYC
June 9, Thursday Grand Central Brooklyn
June 3, Friday The Manhattan Room Philadelphia
May 19, Thursday Grand Central Brooklyn
May 4, Wednesday Grape Street - Philadelphia
May 1, Sunday Ottos Shrunken Head - NYC
April 24, Sunday The Saint Asbury Park, NJ
April 16, Saturday Arlenes Grocery - NYC
April 8, Friday Siberia - NYC
March 31, Thursday The Manhattan Room Philadelphia
March 24, Thursday CBGB - NYC
March 15, Tuesday Lit Lounge - NYC
March 7, Monday Maxwells Hoboken, NJ
February 13, Sunday The Saint Asbury Park, NJ
February 12, Saturday Arlenes Grocery NYC
February 8, Tuesday Continental NYC
February 5, Saturday The Hook Brooklyn, NY
January 27, Thursday Don Hills NYC
January 17, Monday CBGBs - NYC
January 12, Wednesday Lions Den - NYC
ZN SHOWS 2004
December 27, Monday – Siberia – NYC
October 10, Sunday – 31 Central Ave - The Loft - Newark
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