http://www.coffeehouseplayers.com/index.php?activity=27&splido=show1&sid=1
As with all of our spotlight artist we did an interview and here is how that went:
CHP: What prompted you to pursue music?
Bozarth: I guess it's in my blood, in a way. My mother plays sax. My dad plays bass, guitar, and keyboards. I used to play clarinet in elementary school, but I stopped doing that after 6th grade. I got my first guitar on Christmas 2000 and haven't put it down since.
CHP: Have you always done solo work, or was there a possibility of an ensemble?
Bozarth: I had two bands... one starting in 2002, which ended in May 2003 when my more successful band started up. We were called 'Distorted Mind'. We played across Delaware, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and New York City. The band ended in Sept 06, and I've been trying to get a full band together since then. I like playing solo, but I find it to be more fun to be playing with other musicians.
CHP: What brought Distorted Mind to a close?
Bozarth: Internal conflicts, mainly. I was the one to book everything, pay for everything... It just didn't seem like anyone was grateful. I've been writing my own music for a while, outside of the band, and I just felt it was time to explore that material and bring it to an audience.
CHP: What kind of people are you looking to work with?
Bozarth: For the orchestral project, I'm mainly looking for a drummer that can hold a solid rhythm with some solid double-kick endurance. I'd also need to find a violin, cello, and flute. Those are the most difficult to find. The bass and guitars can be found easily, so those aren't that big of a problem. Just dedicated people, really... It's hard to find people that actually care about what they're doing anymore.
CHP: Do you have any particular musical philosophy?
Bozarth: Not neccesarily a "philosophy", but I write everything to entertain myself. If I cannot listen to it as much as the other music I listen to, it isn't any good. If other people like it, then hey... that's pretty cool, too. I try not to close myself in, musically. I try to broaden my horizons as much as I can. I love the sound of Middle Eastern and Spanish-influenced music, so I try to include that into things that I work with.
CHP: What inspires the songs you write?
Bozarth: It's hard for me to pinpoint what exactly inspires an individual song. I just sit down and write. Half of the time, I don't even know where the music comes from. My song, 'Process', is one of the better songs I have, and I don't even listen to anything that sounds like that. Lyrically, I'm inspired by life and the ways things pan out in different situations. Life is a really interesting thing to analyze... it's just sometimes difficult to put down in words.
CHP: So do you draw more from personal events, or reflection on life as a whole?
Bozarth: I try to do that as much as I can, that way it doesn't sound so fake. I wouldn't try to write about something that I know nothing about. Sometimes, I draw a blank and sing stream-of-consciousness and I'd come up with some really cool things. I only do that if I'm unable to come up with a good topic.
CHP: How did the song Process come about?
Bozarth: I sat down and recorded a single guitar track and looped it indefinitely. I built upon that with a more simple track, layered them, and it sounded pretty cool. I threw the lead on top of that, and it just sounded like something I've never heard before. For the most part, the song is really simple, but mixing those three guitars together, it just sounds really special. As for the lyrics, I was watching some snow melt and compared it to life... Snow is beatiful and nice to watch... individual flakes floating in random paths from the sky, then collecting on the ground. Eventually, that beauty will melt away without a trace. Life is very similar to that.
CHP: What projects are you currently working on?
Bozarth: I'm currently writing music for my solo acoustic project, a technical death metal project, music for another metal band I'd eventually like to get started, and an orchestral death metal band. It has full string sections and everything. I'm really itching to get all of this music to the public, but musicians around this area are really difficult to find.
CHP: Do you do much live performing?
Bozarth: Not as much as I'd like. I love performing for people. I've only played acoustically a handful of times, so I'm still getting used to the transition from being the frontman of a death metal band to being a mellow acoustic musician. Different crowds and reactions. I enjoy it all. I love going to concerts. It helps you forget about every day problems and just relax. I just hope to recreate that situation for others.
CHP: What do you hope people will hear in your music?
Bozarth: Honestly, I don't hope for anything. I just want them to hear my songs and tap their foot. Maybe tell their friends about the songs... I'm not doing this to become famous. I just want to entertain people for 3 to 4 minutes at a time.
CHP: Tell me about your relationship with Coffee House Players
Bozarth: Mike's(Mich) a good dude. He asked me to become a part of this cool idea to help local musicians and organize acoustic nights in locations that normally wouldn't see live music. It's a great idea, and I'm more than happy to be a part of this group. I'll do whatever I can to help.
CHP: So apart from music, what do you get up to?
Bozarth: I love old horror movies, specially Vincent Price's old flicks. I've also been working on some small standup comedy routines, and I'd like to start doing Open Mic Comedy nights somewhere. I also travel as much as I can. My girlfriend's pretty fun, too. It's just a shame that she goes to college in Pittsburgh. We only get to see each other once a month. We met on the message board for our favorite band, Nevermore.
CHP: so in addition to nevermore, what's on your playlist?
Bozarth: The 3 Sabbath albums with Dio. I haven't listened to those CDs in a while, because I never thought I'd actually get to see them play that stuff live... but now they will be! I'm beyond excited. I'm also listening to Manegarm (Sweden)'s latest CD. Amazing folky black/death metal. I've also been listening to Winds, Anathema, and alot of Solitude Aeturnus, since I'll be seeing them in Chicago next month.
CHP: what are a few of your guilty pleasures?
Bozarth: I just it's just a big thing that a metalhead can't listen to certain bands or whatever, so it's kinda weird that I listen to Elton John, REM, and Keane. Other than that, that's all I can really think of. My movies are either horror or comedy, and I don't watch TOO much TV.
CHP: Any closing comments or messages to public?
Bozarth: I'd just like to say thanks for taking the time to interview me. It's been a blast! If anyone is curious about the metal project I am working on, you can check out http://www.heavymetalmilitia.com/bozarth or if you want to check out my acoustic stuff, go to http://www.myspace.com/bozarthbreathing.
Full Aim log of the interview
As with all of our spotlight artist we did an interview and here is how that went:
CHP: What prompted you to pursue music?
Bozarth: I guess it's in my blood, in a way. My mother plays sax. My dad plays bass, guitar, and keyboards. I used to play clarinet in elementary school, but I stopped doing that after 6th grade. I got my first guitar on Christmas 2000 and haven't put it down since.
CHP: Have you always done solo work, or was there a possibility of an ensemble?
Bozarth: I had two bands... one starting in 2002, which ended in May 2003 when my more successful band started up. We were called 'Distorted Mind'. We played across Delaware, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and New York City. The band ended in Sept 06, and I've been trying to get a full band together since then. I like playing solo, but I find it to be more fun to be playing with other musicians.
CHP: What brought Distorted Mind to a close?
Bozarth: Internal conflicts, mainly. I was the one to book everything, pay for everything... It just didn't seem like anyone was grateful. I've been writing my own music for a while, outside of the band, and I just felt it was time to explore that material and bring it to an audience.
CHP: What kind of people are you looking to work with?
Bozarth: For the orchestral project, I'm mainly looking for a drummer that can hold a solid rhythm with some solid double-kick endurance. I'd also need to find a violin, cello, and flute. Those are the most difficult to find. The bass and guitars can be found easily, so those aren't that big of a problem. Just dedicated people, really... It's hard to find people that actually care about what they're doing anymore.
CHP: Do you have any particular musical philosophy?
Bozarth: Not neccesarily a "philosophy", but I write everything to entertain myself. If I cannot listen to it as much as the other music I listen to, it isn't any good. If other people like it, then hey... that's pretty cool, too. I try not to close myself in, musically. I try to broaden my horizons as much as I can. I love the sound of Middle Eastern and Spanish-influenced music, so I try to include that into things that I work with.
CHP: What inspires the songs you write?
Bozarth: It's hard for me to pinpoint what exactly inspires an individual song. I just sit down and write. Half of the time, I don't even know where the music comes from. My song, 'Process', is one of the better songs I have, and I don't even listen to anything that sounds like that. Lyrically, I'm inspired by life and the ways things pan out in different situations. Life is a really interesting thing to analyze... it's just sometimes difficult to put down in words.
CHP: So do you draw more from personal events, or reflection on life as a whole?
Bozarth: I try to do that as much as I can, that way it doesn't sound so fake. I wouldn't try to write about something that I know nothing about. Sometimes, I draw a blank and sing stream-of-consciousness and I'd come up with some really cool things. I only do that if I'm unable to come up with a good topic.
CHP: How did the song Process come about?
Bozarth: I sat down and recorded a single guitar track and looped it indefinitely. I built upon that with a more simple track, layered them, and it sounded pretty cool. I threw the lead on top of that, and it just sounded like something I've never heard before. For the most part, the song is really simple, but mixing those three guitars together, it just sounds really special. As for the lyrics, I was watching some snow melt and compared it to life... Snow is beatiful and nice to watch... individual flakes floating in random paths from the sky, then collecting on the ground. Eventually, that beauty will melt away without a trace. Life is very similar to that.
CHP: What projects are you currently working on?
Bozarth: I'm currently writing music for my solo acoustic project, a technical death metal project, music for another metal band I'd eventually like to get started, and an orchestral death metal band. It has full string sections and everything. I'm really itching to get all of this music to the public, but musicians around this area are really difficult to find.
CHP: Do you do much live performing?
Bozarth: Not as much as I'd like. I love performing for people. I've only played acoustically a handful of times, so I'm still getting used to the transition from being the frontman of a death metal band to being a mellow acoustic musician. Different crowds and reactions. I enjoy it all. I love going to concerts. It helps you forget about every day problems and just relax. I just hope to recreate that situation for others.
CHP: What do you hope people will hear in your music?
Bozarth: Honestly, I don't hope for anything. I just want them to hear my songs and tap their foot. Maybe tell their friends about the songs... I'm not doing this to become famous. I just want to entertain people for 3 to 4 minutes at a time.
CHP: Tell me about your relationship with Coffee House Players
Bozarth: Mike's(Mich) a good dude. He asked me to become a part of this cool idea to help local musicians and organize acoustic nights in locations that normally wouldn't see live music. It's a great idea, and I'm more than happy to be a part of this group. I'll do whatever I can to help.
CHP: So apart from music, what do you get up to?
Bozarth: I love old horror movies, specially Vincent Price's old flicks. I've also been working on some small standup comedy routines, and I'd like to start doing Open Mic Comedy nights somewhere. I also travel as much as I can. My girlfriend's pretty fun, too. It's just a shame that she goes to college in Pittsburgh. We only get to see each other once a month. We met on the message board for our favorite band, Nevermore.
CHP: so in addition to nevermore, what's on your playlist?
Bozarth: The 3 Sabbath albums with Dio. I haven't listened to those CDs in a while, because I never thought I'd actually get to see them play that stuff live... but now they will be! I'm beyond excited. I'm also listening to Manegarm (Sweden)'s latest CD. Amazing folky black/death metal. I've also been listening to Winds, Anathema, and alot of Solitude Aeturnus, since I'll be seeing them in Chicago next month.
CHP: what are a few of your guilty pleasures?
Bozarth: I just it's just a big thing that a metalhead can't listen to certain bands or whatever, so it's kinda weird that I listen to Elton John, REM, and Keane. Other than that, that's all I can really think of. My movies are either horror or comedy, and I don't watch TOO much TV.
CHP: Any closing comments or messages to public?
Bozarth: I'd just like to say thanks for taking the time to interview me. It's been a blast! If anyone is curious about the metal project I am working on, you can check out http://www.heavymetalmilitia.com/bozarth or if you want to check out my acoustic stuff, go to http://www.myspace.com/bozarthbreathing.
Full Aim log of the interview
