Crimson Moon: How did the band get started?
Zach: I started the band in 2017 as a solo project. I had been playing drums in various bands for years and just got to the point where I had to do my own thing. So I worked on my demos, recorded an album then put together a live band with friends of mine and started playing live.
Crimson Moon: What kind of music do you play?
Zach: We are a deathgaze band which is a mixture of deathrock and shoegaze. It’s raw and powerful but also layered and nuanced. We fall into the post-punk / goth / alternative scenes.
Crimson Moon: How has the band response been?
Zach: We’re making fans one by one. We’ve been getting a lot of support from online radio DJ’s which has been awesome. We have some loyal fans who are always enthusiastic about what we’re doing.
Crimson Moon: Where did the band name come from?
Zach: There is an unreleased Sega Genesis game called Vasum. I thought it sounded cool and unique. I changed it to Vazum because Vasum was already being used by different things.
Crimson Moon: Introduce the band members.
Zach: I’m Zach Pliska and I sing, play guitar, synth and drums. Emily Sturm sings, plays bass and synth. We are a duo.
Crimson Moon: How many albums/CD’s have you released?
Zach: We have 5 albums which we’ve self-released since 2018. Our upcoming album, V+ will be the sixth.
Crimson Moon: Tell me about some of the songs on the latest CD?
Zach: V+ has 10 songs. We recorded them during the latter part of 2019 and into 2020. Me and Emily split the writing duties 50/50. We recorded the album in my home studio. I spent a lot of time mixing the album. I’m experimenting with analog recording gear and incorporating it into the process. We want to get away from the digital sound.
Crimson Moon: Who writes the music? Lyrics?
Zach: Me and Emily share writing duties with the music and lyrics. I often bounce my lyrics off Emily, she has a great vocabulary and can quickly rhyme words. We each bring our own flare to the songs.
Crimson Moon: And where do the lyric ideas come from?
Zach: My lyrics mostly come out of a place of frustration. If something is bothering me it will make it’s way into the song. I think the same goes for Emily. We have some songs about the music industry and how a lot of music these days is a regurgitation of the past. Others are about baby boomers and how they’ve destroyed the environment. Some songs are more personal and based in real life experience. For instance, Emily’s neighbor was murdered and that became the inspiration for Haunted House.
Crimson Moon: Has the Covid Pandemic impacted the band at all?
Zach: It’s given us the time to really focus on VAZUM and take control. Before the pandemic I was playing drums in various bands and it was really just a distraction from what I should be doing. We’ve been writing, recording and making videos non-stop for the last year.
Crimson Moon: Do you have any side projects?
Zach: Thankfully, no. I’ve been in so many different projects over the last ten years that it’s a welcome change to just have one project to focus on.
Crimson Moon: What is the music scene like where you guys are from?
Zach: Detroit has a lot of bands and artists, in addition to a lot of venues. It’s extremely insular and cliquey which I think is natural for any local music scene. It’s a good place for a band to develop their sound and start playing live. I’ve made a lot of friends from the scene. People here like to party and drink a lot which sometimes gets in the way of the music and being a functional band.
Crimson Moon: Who are some of your musical influences?
Zach: We’re into mostly 80’s and 90’s alternative bands. Christian Death, Gary Numan, Bauhaus, Soundgarden, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Skinny Puppy, David Bowie. We have other influences outside of these though. We’ve dabbled in jazz, classical, hip-hop, techno and so on through different periods of our lives.
Crimson Moon: What is the band like when you play live?
Zach: Currently we use a drum machine a la Dr Avalanche. It’s more of a minimal sound. Just me playing guitar and Emily on bass. We don’t have additional backing tracks.
Crimson Moon: Have you guys ever played in another country?
Zach: VAZUM has played one show in Windsor, Ontario. We’d like to play in Toronto. I’ve toured with another band called The Muggs in Spain. We’d love to go to Europe.
Crimson Moon: How has the fan response been to the band?
Zach: Our fans have been very enthusiastic and supportive. We just need to cast a wider net to draw more people in.
Crimson Moon: What made you want to be in this band?
Zach: I’ve played drums in other bands for so long that I could no longer stand being in the back. I had to step forward and be the leader. There was no other way.
Crimson Moon: If you weren’t in this band would you still be involved in the music industry?
Zach: Yes, I’ve played in bands non stop since middle school and will continue for the rest of my life. But VAZUM is a life-long project. It’s not something I will ever quit.
Crimson Moon: As a musician what advice can you give to fellow musician just starting out.
Zach: Not to depend on other people too much. To be self-sufficient and learn as many skills as you can. This means learning to play multiple instruments, sing, record, know how to work technology.
Crimson Moon: What does the future hold for the band?
Zach: We are going full throttle. We are relentless. This means more albums, videos and touring in the US and beyond.
Contact them at:
https://www.facebook.com/VAZUMROCKS
https://www.youtube.com/c/vazum/
https://www.instagram.com/vazum_rocks/
https://twitter.com/vazumrocks
