Zak Perry Master Master

Tue, 2/1 2:44PM • 1:31:39

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

guitar, play, song, called, music, zach, record, ned, musicians, real go getter, fretless, people, galveston, france, songwriting, band, absolutely, tour, talk, Zak Perry, Ned Evett, Joe Satriani, Europe, France, Glass Neck, Fretless, Fretless Guitar, Randy Hulsey, Randy Hulsey Music, Backstage Pass Radio, Backstage Pass Radio Podcast, Podcast, Interview, Dennie Teer, Galveston, Texas, Chris Hughes, Beautiful Things, Zak Perry & The Beautiful Things

SPEAKERS

Randy Hulsey, Zak Perry, Ned Evett, Adam Gordon

Randy Hulsey  00:00

Hey everyone, it's Randy Hulsey here your host backstage pass radio and today I've loaded up the portable studio and headed down south to Jamaica beach to visit with today's guest. First of all, I wanted to give a heartfelt thanks to Danny and Connie tear for having me set up shop in the middle of their living room here to conduct this interview with wonderful musicians. My guest today is a Missouri native that found his way to the sunny beaches of Galveston Island. He is a prolific songwriter and an accomplished guitarist. Before the pandemic he had created a large following in France, or he had taken up residency for a while you guys hang out with me as I'm going to visit with my friend Zack Perry when we return.

Adam Gordon  00:39

This is backstage pass radio, the podcast that's designed for the music junkie with a thirst for musical knowledge. Hi, this is Adam Gordon. And I want to thank you all for joining us today. Make sure you like subscribe and turn alerts on for this and all upcoming podcasts. And now here's your host of backstage pass radio, Randy Halsey.

Randy Hulsey  01:09

Zack, Welcome back to Texas, buddy. It's good to see you again.

Zak Perry  01:12

Hey, how you doing Randy? Doing good. Appreciate you.

Randy Hulsey  01:15

And I also am joined by guitarist Ned Evatt. Yes. So it's great to have both of these guys here today. I guess you guys met just recently, right? This was a recent meeting between you two guy. Yeah, it

Zak Perry  01:27

was my first show. Back on the island. I came down. I'm down here to mix my record, which I'm sure we'll touch on that later. But uh, yeah, I was playing the shark. He's tavern. And this cat walked in and looked just like Tom Which to me. We started talking and he said he had a guitar down the street. And he's, he's got quite a guitar. And so yeah, it was a it was good, right from the get go.

Randy Hulsey  01:51

Yeah, we'll talk about that guitar a little bit. Because being a guitar is too I looked at that thing while ago. And it's like, is this a toy that he brought in, you know, because I've never seen anything like it. So I'll definitely take a picture and post this if you don't mind that I posted on the Backstage Pass radio site for the listeners to see what we're talking about. I think a picture's worth 1000 words. The tone is phenomenal. I've listened to you guys play a little bit before we got started. So very cool. But we'll talk a little bit about that. Zach, I think you and I met for the first time possibly at the poop deck was the first time that you and I ran into one another. And then I guess some time passed. And I had booked a few shows for you around town. And then a couple of times I came down and set in a little bit with you and Chris. So that's kind of where we where we got our meeting. And I guess we kind of been buddies for, I guess a couple of years now. I'm horrible with dates, but it's been a couple of years.

Zak Perry  02:48

Yeah, I can't remember the exact first time but yeah, sure. We got some history already. For sure.

Randy Hulsey  02:54

Now, I want to go back some years. You know, you're a young kid growing up. What was Zack Perry's first instrument. Do you remember that being a kid but

Zak Perry  03:05

yeah, I was in eighth grade and they had a guitar class, beginning guitar and you know, back then you got to pick your electives for your classes. I thought that sounded pretty easy. So my dad bought me a two string. K acoustic guitar classical guitar. It only had two strings on it. And he paid $15 for me. But yeah, that was my first instrument. It was a two string guitar.

Randy Hulsey  03:36

Two strings. Hmm. I'm not real sure what you do with a two string but I guess that's better than a one string. All right, if you got

Zak Perry  03:43

it was funny, because I remember trying to write a song. Yeah. Before I even learned a chord which is,

Randy Hulsey  03:50

well, I guess you could still play power chords, right?

Zak Perry  03:54

I didn't know the power cord exam was back then. But yeah, I just was making up melodies from

Randy Hulsey  04:01

probably a lot of melodies with two strings. You're gonna play some melodies. How about unit? Do you remember your first instrument growing up as a young boy?

Ned Evett  04:08

I was 11 my parents gave me a ukulele. Okay, you mom. And she taught me a bunch of tunes that my grandfather had taught her on the ukulele like old jazz standards. Wow. So yeah, I did that and I just begged him for an electric guitar for like four years finally I bit the dino. I bit the bullet and got a paper out and bought my first guitar so I could become Eddie Van Halen.

Randy Hulsey  04:33

Wow. So what kind of music were you guys listening to you were a kid in the Midwest, right? What did you come up listening to as a as a young guy just getting into music.

Zak Perry  04:43

I grew up in St. Louis and we had a radio station back then called KC and it's still there. It's it's not same station. It used to be they were real visionaries back in the day and I grew up listening for everything from Neil Young to rush you know, of course the zeppelin was always there. stones. Classic Rock basically.

Randy Hulsey  05:03

Did you deviate much from the classic rock scene? Or was it did you stay pretty close to the

Zak Perry  05:09

the rock in the class as far as the playing or the list of the what

Randy Hulsey  05:13

you were listening to what you're really into back then, you

Zak Perry  05:15

know, that was very diverse because my father he he turned me on to Ray Charles at a very early age. And that was that was a life changer right there. Oh, Ray Charles. Yeah, he's got the grease.

Randy Hulsey  05:28

Oh, yeah. Well, you know, going way back and you get a guitar and you're starting to play both of you guys. What, what were you wanting to learn on the guitar? Once you did start playing the two string or the five string or whatever you had? Right? It was

Zak Perry  05:45

for me it was I always gravitated towards the songwriting. You know, I I never tried to be a great virtuoso guitar player, maybe because I realized early I wasn't gonna be that, you know, I'm more of a meat and potatoes player, I think you'd say but I gravitated more towards songwriting and Melody myself. Okay. I don't know about that here. Because he's he is a virtuoso.

Ned Evett  06:10

I used to call myself virtuoso, so and so because there's so many virtuosos in the 80s. Right when I know like, so for me, it's like, there got to be this deal where people almost got to good in the 80s in terms of their facility on the guitar, and songwriting had kind of taken a backseat. And then in the 90s, I kind of feel like Kurt Cobain, and the grunge band kind of brought the song back into rock and roll. Yeah. And then I think things achieved a better balance. Yeah. At that point, but yeah, so you know, like, I was Guitar Player magazine kid, I was a guitar store, kid. I wasn't a record store, kid. So yeah, I learned. I absorbed anything I could about the guitar. Yeah. And then I came to guitar songwriting through Richard Thompson, who was a really great songwriter, but also a phenomenal guitar player.

Zak Perry  07:01

So Richard Thompson was he is, where's he from?

Ned Evett  07:07

He's English. English. Okay, it was in Fairport Convention.

Zak Perry  07:10

That's right. Yeah, that's right. Okay. Very interesting.

Randy Hulsey  07:14

Well, you guys, I know that Zach, you're, you're a full time musician. That's what you do for a living net. I'm just now getting the pleasure of meeting you today. And we'll talk more about your music. But is there a trade? Like, did you guys come up with a trade other than music? Or was it always music only?

Ned Evett  07:34

Yeah, I started playing clubs when I was 15. You know, I had a kid in my later in life, and I and I took a job in a recording studio to pay for having a kid. So it was still music, but it was like, you know, paycheck. Yeah.

Zak Perry  07:48

And for me, it was I worked construction for years and years swinging a hammer, but never quit playing music. And I guess about 15 years ago, I just realized that I had to put all my energy into one or the other and it was music was my passion. cybernet. Since then, well, I

Randy Hulsey  08:08

would think playing guitar is probably a little bit easier than swinging a hammer.

Zak Perry  08:11

Yeah, it's hard to get motivated to play guitar when you've been swinging hammer all day.

Randy Hulsey  08:15

Absolutely. So you're a little worn out by the especially with the Texas heat. That's not for the faint of heart either. Right. Now, you left the Midwest and went to Austin for a while was there from the Midwest? Was it Austin, the first stop or did you

Zak Perry  08:33

know initially eventually found our way to New York City, I was signed with a band up in New York City and I had a publishing deal up there. And I was up there about six years. But you know, I wanted to be in a band in New York City putting a band together is to get dedicated players yet, you know, I had to pay their Cartage yet to rent a rehearsal room and they're all playing in five other bands. So I had met my guitar player, Vern Bernard, which you know, Vern, and we left New York City in search of a band. And we went to Memphis, Tennessee, St. Louis for a while, and we ended up in Austin. Okay,

Randy Hulsey  09:10

so there was a few stops before you found your way to Austin. I was kind of wondering, you know how you came to Austin versus a New York or LA but it sounds like you were in New York and said, maybe this is not it? Let's go elsewhere by Austin. It's a big scene in Austin or there was I don't know what it's like these days, but I'm sure that music is still pretty prominent. And Austin. Well, it

Zak Perry  09:33

was when I first went there in 2000. I think it's changed quite a bit since the Microsoft everybody's moved in. Yeah. Yeah. When I first went to Austin, they sold guitar strings and all the convenience stores. I heard of original bands and I was like, I went back to St. Louis. I said to the band, so we got to move there. And we did. Okay.

Randy Hulsey  09:54

And how long did you wind up staying in Austin?

Zak Perry  09:56

Bob 10 years. signed on the label down there. Right and we Got down there. And that went belly up when 911 happened. Okay, so yeah, it's been a

Randy Hulsey  10:07

long road. Yep. And you left you, I think you, did you leave Austin and came to Galveston or was there a stop between.

Zak Perry  10:15

Now I was living in Austin and I was playing every Sunday down here in Galveston and I just got tired of driving back and forth.

Randy Hulsey  10:23

So that's what brought you here originally were there were shows here that you were

Zak Perry  10:26

Austin, there's so many bands that go there to make it that they'll all play for free. So it's hard to get a paying gig up in those parts.

Randy Hulsey  10:34

I found that interesting, too. I played a show. Last, I think it was last October. I played in Nashville. And I found out after talking to a lot of the musicians there that a lot. I mean, hardly any of those people are paid to play in those clubs on Broadway, you know, now the bigger names of course, but the ones cutting their teeth, you know, it's like it's an exposure thing to them. You wanna you want to be exposed, you'll come in here and play an hour for free and then you'll go down the street and play the next one in the next one. And so it was interesting to find that out for sure. nashvegas nashvegas, my hometown, is it okay, Nashville, and I relocated to Galveston from Nashville. Okay. And kind of what exact saying about Austin, it's like the when I went to town gets gentrified, kind of that money pushes musicians out. Like when you get big money coming in, and they're tearing down all the old cool music venues and building high rise condos.

Ned Evett  11:31

It kills the very late ordinances, the whole Yes, it kills the very thing that people move to the town for

Randy Hulsey  11:36

a while. They're coming there by the truckloads last I when I was there, I was talking to somebody and they said that Nashville is the fastest growing city in America. Is that right? Yeah. And I'm telling you, there were probably 10 skyscrapers going up in downtown Nashville. It's unfuck unbelievable. The building that they're doing there and, and everybody's moving there. You know, we used to know Nashville is the country the country people lived in Nashville, but now you know, the Vince Neil's and the kid rocks. And all those people are living in Nashville. So it's, uh, there's

Ned Evett  12:08

some positive things about that mix. Like a lot of La producers now live there. And there's some cool parts about it, too. I don't mean to be totally negative, but sure, for that sort of the scene and then it can be difficult. But

Randy Hulsey  12:23

yeah, interesting. So how long have you been a resident of Galveston now?

Zak Perry  12:28

I came here right after Hurricane Ike, which was a oh nine, I believe. Okay.

Randy Hulsey  12:35

And would you say that now, Galveston is a temporary home for you?

Zak Perry  12:41

Well, yeah, I started touring Europe, in 2015. I believe it was, and I've actually spent more time over there than I have in the states since then. So for

Randy Hulsey  12:51

sure. And we'll talk a little bit more about that. Now. I wanted to jump over to you real quick. It's, uh, you know, we were having some conversations before we got going.

Ned Evett  13:00

You said you're bad with dates. Take her to a movie.

Randy Hulsey  13:05

Well, that's actually yeah, that's bad advice. Not those kinds of dates. Well, probably bad. I don't know. Now that I think about it. It's my understanding that you'll be playing this evening with Zach and this will be for the first time. Correct. Actually, you played last night late last night? Yeah. Shark these two, okay. Thursday night.

Ned Evett  13:27

48 hours ago.

Randy Hulsey  13:29

Okay. All right. So y'all, y'all are like seasoned veterans now like, like, this is not even a conversation anymore. At this point.

Zak Perry  13:36

I've had our rehearsal.

Randy Hulsey  13:39

So it also in conversation, you had talked about I think I understood, you'd been on three world tours, with Satriani, Joe Satriani talk, talk a little bit about your band. You're the supporting act for Joe Satriani talk a little bit about that. And

Ned Evett  13:58

I started touring the show in 2002, over in England. So this is my 20th anniversary of going to, you know, England in the UK and Europe. Okay, on tour and I've done it as a solo, just me and my fretless guitar. I'm a fretless guitarist. I've done that. And I've also had a trio, which I called triple double. And that that's more like a Texas blues thing, rock and roll. I've done I've done both. So this tour being my third tour, I'm going to go back to that original format of just me, my friends guitar and do about 2025 minutes on stage.

Zak Perry  14:33

Okay, and I'll be on tour with my band, same time and try and get net up there. Do some festivals with us.

Randy Hulsey  14:39

That would be cool. I heard you guys kind of talking through that a little bit before we hit the record button. That would be certainly cool to get hooked up over there was Ned. Tell me first of all, how you got hooked up with the whole French Connection, you know the France thing, right? Well, it's

Zak Perry  14:57

just a little A moment in time I was playing a little bitty dive bar here in Galveston. And I had just finished the show and I was wrapping up my PA and a man and woman came in. And they were from France. His name was Fabrice cat and Martine catties. He into being my manager. But he came in, he said, he travelled all the way from France, to see me. And I said, I'm done. I started thinking about it. And luckily, cooler heads, cooler heads prevailed. And I sent my stuff back and played a couple songs for him. And he went back to France and started coordinating tours for me.

Randy Hulsey  15:42

It was it I feel sorry for him thing that he came all that way to see you. And you're more grateful. And yeah, I was humbled by that. I'm sure that's a long way to come to see anybody play, right. Well,

Zak Perry  15:52

they, you know, they were over here. But that was one thing they wanted to do while they're here to see me play because they'd heard me on the internet. And I was surprised when I got over there. How far the internet reaches the day, people were coming up to me with all of my CDs. I don't even own one of them.

Randy Hulsey  16:10

And what was the medium that he found you on? Was it on a website? Was it an interview that you had done? Was it like a Spotify? Or?

Zak Perry  16:19

For sure? I'm not sure about that. Maybe Facebook? Okay. I have a friend who knows how that stuff works. But

Randy Hulsey  16:25

yeah. You never know how you're going to be a first degree network friend with somebody online. I mean, I've got just from the the conversations and things that you and I have shared, I think is Julian May. You may you may. Yeah. So we're friends with on Facebook. It's funny how you read absolutely.

Zak Perry  16:46

The whole network of supporters. It's, it's a beautiful thing.

Randy Hulsey  16:50

It is it is and it's something that we didn't have, as you know, back in the 80s when I was learning to play the guitar in the late 70s. I mean, we didn't have all these cool things. I mean, I guess sometimes they can be a hindrance I guess. But largely there are positive thing. I mean, you can you can reach all over the world now. Whereas, you know, before you went to, to book shows, you literally had to what Melaka sad or mela CD to somebody or try to get books somewhere. So it

Zak Perry  17:19

certainly changed the whole music industry to you know, absolutely. The record deal was kind of a thing of the past. You know, everybody makes strong records in their own house these days. Yep.

Randy Hulsey  17:30

And can almost do as good a job there's as you can in the the big studios. Almost. Yeah,

Zak Perry  17:37

you got that $200,000 budget. Yeah, you can hear a

Randy Hulsey  17:41

show here. Yeah.

Ned Evett  17:41

It's like leaving it all on table. Shall.

Randy Hulsey  17:45

How long were you in France for the first time? Do you remember the first tour that you did there? Yeah. The first

Zak Perry  17:50

tour was three weeks, which said, when I first got it, I was like, oh my god, I'm gonna be in Europe for three whole weeks. And boy that goes by quick. The second one turned into six weeks and last time I went I just moved there. I lived there until the pandemic hidden. Which kind of shut everything down for everybody.

Randy Hulsey  18:11

Did you know going over there where you'd put your head down at night that was that all prearranged. When Therese cat

Zak Perry  18:18

my manager, he has a beautiful French villa. Right on the Belgian border and systems a wonderful place and that's where I stay when I'm there.

Randy Hulsey  18:27

Okay. And was there a particular city that you call home there? Was it pro sorry,

Zak Perry  18:34

pro sorry. Yes, it's right on like I said, right on the Belgium borders maybe 50 residents maybe that's not a store is not a restaurant or gas station or anything.

Randy Hulsey  18:47

He has the running water there. Yeah,

Ned Evett  18:49

we got little towns have like in France have like Roman bridges still functioning the Rome. Absolutely. I like one little one lane Roman bridge. Okay.

Randy Hulsey  19:02

Yeah. I've never had the pleasure of going over there. So I'm living vicariously through you to go here a

Zak Perry  19:07

history buff. I recommended. Yes. Just history everywhere.

Randy Hulsey  19:11

Now over the years, you've developed a nice following in France. And that led to sponsorships by I think one of them was a local music company there that

Zak Perry  19:25

actually shows. They're more than local. It's key music. I think they have 30 stores throughout Europe. And they sponsor me when I get there. They supply my whole backline whatever I need. So okay, it makes it really, really easy.

Ned Evett  19:39

I was a PV artist for 12 years. Same deal, and you can't the value of those endorsements is just you can't even begin to explain it. So yeah, shipping your own

Zak Perry  19:51

getting was getting your stuff over there. You know, I

Randy Hulsey  19:53

think you and I had a conversation. The last time you were here and you think you had mentioned something about You show up to the show and they already have all your stuff there and on on stage is it like

Zak Perry  20:08

most of the festival you play, of course has their own sound system but one of the luxuries of being over there this week, we have a you know, Roadies. It's It's pretty nice. It's pretty sweet.

Randy Hulsey  20:21

And how did that how did that hookup come? Was that a Fabrice thing?

Zak Perry  20:24

That's for Bri Shan he said, Dominique, that does everything for us. She gets our beer. If we asked him yeah, he's just he's one hell of a good guy.

Randy Hulsey  20:36

We all need that guy, right? With a good buddy that will do anything for you.

Ned Evett  20:40

Europeans will they'll do anything for you? Yeah, make sure you're happy and put on a good show. It's, it's amazing.

Randy Hulsey  20:46

So I think that's a kind of a great segue, because I think that you were talking about the beer there that they named after you. So you have your own line of beer that I don't know where they sell it. But tell the listeners a little bit about how that came about and what kind of beer is it and found here in the States or is it strictly and for right now

Zak Perry  21:08

it's just in Europe. There's another manager for breweries approached me and brewery in Elkin wha France wanted to name after beer after me the band is accurate to build things. So Zack Perry's beautiful beer. And it's a Belgian style wheat ale with hops from Texas and Belgium, because I want to incorporate a little Texas into it. So lately, and it's selling well. It's in, you know, hundreds of stores and restaurants and bars you can get in Dunkirk. And I thought that was pretty cool. So yeah, it's I'm very humbled and flattered by the asset. It's a good thing. And you know, it's a little extra income here and there too.

Randy Hulsey  21:53

Absolutely. You reference beautiful things. Who are the beautiful things? Where did that name come from?

Zak Perry  22:00

When I first started going over there, Zack Perry band and I, the first tour I went solo, I met some, some musician, cats from Holland. I mean, it was it was amazing. They showed him my show. They had their instruments, and they knew all my songs. That's humbling in and of itself, right. They set up and it was like we've been playing together for years. And then I met a French rhythm section Julian and Lucas. And so my American band came over to and we had just this whole traveling roadshow of all these musicians and girlfriends and children and the dogs and it was just a beautiful thing. And I just kind of segwayed into that. There's so many van became the beautiful things. There's so many people involved.

Randy Hulsey  22:46

Yeah. What does the band your band here stateside? What does it look like today? The band that you'll? I'm assuming you'll take a band there this next hitch? Or will you use the guys that live over there already?

Zak Perry  23:00

Well, I'm going to be using the guys that are over there for most part of this because this first, it's going to be at least four months tour and a couple of guys can't get away from that long. So for the most part will be the French rhythm section. And they'll come over and supplemented for a couple of weeks are in there.

Randy Hulsey  23:19

Can you tell the listeners who those guys are over there by name and what they're playing? What instruments they're playing in the band. Julian,

Zak Perry  23:26

may you on drums and Lucas Butina on bass guitar, okay. And also, we're gonna be joined by Julian's brother on guitar and hopefully Ned Everett here. Yeah, yeah.

Randy Hulsey  23:39

And what about the the state side? Man, I know you've been paired with Vern for a lot of years. Who else Scott? Scott, Scott

Zak Perry  23:46

Ray and Jason Sharon. They both live in Austin. They've been on every record I've done in the States. Matter of fact, this one we're getting ready to release will be the first one that they haven't played on. So it's kind of bittersweet, you know?

Randy Hulsey  24:00

Yep. And how long will you guys spend over overseas?

Ned Evett  24:04

Well, again, once I'm over there, I like to stay there as long as I can legally because you have to be you have to be careful. If you overstay in Europe, they it's difficult to get back in Absolutely. So you have to really cross your t's diarized the paperwork so I'm going to try to stay as long as I can and and you know, playing with as many shows as I can bolt myself on to would be would pride on dream. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  24:27

That's interesting. The French crowd or the European crowd, I should say, versus an American crowd talk a little bit about that. Oh, boy.

Zak Perry  24:39

Well, I'm American. I love America. But a lot of people miss it a lot of good music. Yeah, I mean, over there. It's it's, it's drastically different. The way the crowds listen. You know, if I do an acoustic show with 100 people in the audience, you know, it'll be silent. in there while you're playing, they listen. Yeah, they respect the artist. And and the vigor festivals, you know, it's like, like the old days are all pushed up to the front of the stage, you know, have our for you start, it's just a bit more of an appreciation for music. I think over there.

Randy Hulsey  25:19

I have some buddies that played in a, I guess you would call them. I don't like to pigeonhole people into a genre, but let's just say they're probably, maybe metal or you know, heavy metal, and they're their rock gods in Germany, like when they go there and play the huge festivals here. It's like, you know, they have their following. But you go over there, and it's a whole, whole different world, like you said, people are bellied up to the stage, pushing and shoving and 1000s of people, you know, and these people are like, hoppin, yeah, that's when you did your first tour in France. I think it was 16 2016 timeframe. You started in northern France? Was there a reason that you started in northern France versus someplace like Paris, you know, well, I,

Zak Perry  26:13

I, of course, I didn't have a name, where to speak of, and that's where my manager lid was up north. So he had just started booking net vicinity, and we just branched out from there. We ended up doing our CD release in Paris. So it was, it was a good turnout.

Randy Hulsey  26:30

Do you think that it's the music style or genre that you're playing that they're thirsty for? In the UK? What do you think the draw is? I mean, I don't want to phrase that question. Like you're a shitty musician. You're a wonderful musician. But you know, I didn't know if it if it's like a Texas blues thing that that's really they don't get that over there. Well, then you never thought much of

Zak Perry  26:59

anything is Texas oriented? You know, they, they love that kind of music. Course, Stevie Ray Vaughn had a lot to do that. And absolutely. And you know, just grown up watching Wild West movies, you know, the Texas thing so they really dig it. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  27:18

Let's talk about the music a little bit. So I believe you know that your music is a blend of rock and has some blues and country sprinkled in there. I don't know what what genre you would call that. Not that genres even matter. But I guess they might call that the mud. The mud genre, right? Like you're you're you're a little bit of everything. Would you say that you're a blues artist? Or would you say you're a rock artist?

Zak Perry  27:43

Wow. Definitely not a blues artist in the musical sense of the you know, when you think of blues, you lot of times think of one four or five, you know? Yeah. But lyrically, there's no doubt. The Blues, there's a lot of blues in my lyrics for sure. And I think that's, that's where that comes from.

Randy Hulsey  28:03

What age do you remember writing the first song that you ever came up with? And do you still remember the song that you consider the first song that you ever

Zak Perry  28:11

read? I do. I was 14 and it was called coyotes. Tail title. And I don't remember it.

Randy Hulsey  28:21

So it's not still in the repertoire, right? Absolutely. About unit. Do you remember the first song that you ever wrote?

Ned Evett  28:27

You know, I started Songwriting with a band like everybody does a build piece. I think the first song we wrote was called outside inside. And it sounded like the door is that I got done for like, 10 minutes, guitar solos.

Randy Hulsey  28:44

Right. And how would you classify the music that you said earlier blues that you? Is it primarily a blue sound that you have? Or do you work outside of the blues?

Ned Evett  28:55

I work kind of like Zach, it's like, winning. I love playing with Zach. It's like, he never allowed himself to be ground into a mole. Yes. And he goes, That's and to me, that's, that's what we're great music comes from, it's from borrowing from your passions. Absolutely. As you hear, so, you know, I'm the same way I refuse to be pigeonholed. Yes, particular thing. Amen.

Randy Hulsey  29:17

I think that's a common denominator though. Like I've had quite a few musicians on ahead, John Evans on roots rock, Honky Tonk kind of guy and refuses to be put in a box, you know, and as in, I guess some would listen to his music and say, it's a little different, you know, but it's like it that's what resonates with him. And it's it's very unique. And I think that's what makes the world go around is the uniqueness of music life. It doesn't have to be a cookie cutter thing.

Ned Evett  29:49

Like in Zach's case in Europe, it's like, yeah, if they see Texas songwriter, they will go one time to see the Texas song where they're not going to come back. You know, four or 500 people did That way, they have to actually respond to the music. So you know, Zach's got that going yes, at that level, and Europeans, I think are just a little more in tune. Maybe it's because it's exotic to them, but they hear this sort of truth that's coming out of somebody in a straightforward manner, whereas maybe as Americans, we're blind, we're like, deaf to our own music, in some ways I

Randy Hulsey  30:21

am. So I start, were you gonna say something? I mean, I struggle with that as a musician, too, because you may not pay any attention. But I don't know if you've ever noticed when I come to Zack Perry show, I'm very attentive to what you're doing. And I'm very much into who I come to see, I don't come to talk and finance things, you know, what I'm saying there is, and I think I'm very unique, because people just don't, they don't. And that's why I'm so

Ned Evett  30:46

on their phones, and they're watching the game. So that's part of your background.

Randy Hulsey  30:50

And my mentor, told me who's who's since retired from the music business. He's the reason I ever even picked up a guitar and started playing but he said, I don't envy you play in right now, at all, because you sit to people with faces in the phones all night long, are watching TVs, like, you could watch TV at home, but you go to a bar, and you still watch TV like in it. So it's interesting to see videos that you've done over in Europe, right? And these people are all just kind of gathered around you in these small little pubs. And they're all into what you're doing. And I'm like, I would rather have five of those people than 250 or 300. That just yeah, you're back. You, you know, I

Zak Perry  31:35

used to, I used to get really angry about it. On stage and openness, I mean, back years, I've even stopped and call people out, you know, I got over that. But it's sad, you know that. You have to get over that to where you have to resign yourself to, you're working again, almost, you know, you're just there to get the money instead of there to connect with people in the crowd. You know, that's what it's all about is connecting your music with somebody.

Randy Hulsey  32:06

I agree. It's like a poet reading their poetry and people talking to her. And it's like, it's a little disrespectful. I mean, to each his own, like, we're not going to change the world. We're not going to boil the ocean. Right. Right. But you know, when you see that it, it's a little disheartening, I think,

Zak Perry  32:23

going back.

Randy Hulsey  32:26

Exactly. That's a whole different, we could go down a rabbit hole without we're not going to get into that one. But this for both of you guys to songwriting come easy to you. I know, I've heard a couple of comments from your peers that say you're probably one of the best songwriters that they've ever heard. But but that doesn't necessarily mean that songwriting comes easy. So talk to talk to the listeners a little bit about what goes into your songwriting. How hard is it? How easy is it, Ben? And then I'd like to get you to share the same thoughts around your songwriting?

Zak Perry  32:59

Yeah, I get asked that a lot. You know, how do you how do you write your songs? And? Yeah, I don't, I don't know. I don't think anybody really knows. I mean, sounds so cliche that they come to you, or they, you know, I hate to question it too much for fear that it will stop.

Randy Hulsey  33:19

Get it don't mess up a good thing.

Zak Perry  33:21

But I, you know, I just, to me, it's all about the melody. I mean, the melody is what carries the songs, but people remember. And once you find that little melody, you start building from there for me, you know, and sometimes we'll start with a phrase, you know, I try and write something out. But it's, there's no straight method that I use, I don't sit down and try and write a song because if you do that, it's going to sound like you sit down and try to write a song fabriion. Getting back to what Ned said, you know, people want to connect with something real. Able to feel that

Randy Hulsey  33:57

about you, Ned. Well, you

Ned Evett  33:59

know, I have, I've got 12 solo records that are you know, and they're on Spotify, I get 10 cents a year for each record.

Randy Hulsey  34:09

Will you split it with me? Tonight, I'll buy you a water on the way.

Ned Evett  34:15

You know, it's funny, but like, 10 of those records are all pulling from my personal life. Like writing songs about whatever relationship I'm in or whatever, girls drive me crazy. And all this touring that we do as musicians pulling from those experiences. And at a certain point, I had to go you know what, I just can't do it again. And it kind of started to learn just to sort of, like write more songs about like history, or or write like a writer does from the perspective of a character Sure, and not having to live it

Zak Perry  34:42

if you're writing the same thing over. Yeah, absolutely. That's where it gets hard. You know, sometimes you got to write that song.

Ned Evett  34:54

It actually does get harder in a sense, because you don't want to repeat yours. Yeah, you

Zak Perry  34:57

don't want to be redundant. Even if you're sounding like yourself,

Randy Hulsey  35:02

yes. Have you ever thought about that, like, of all the years that music has been in existence, like how do songs not step on each other lyrically and I know they do, but you would think that all the songs have should already be written. Right? Amazing. It is. It really is.

Ned Evett  35:19

Yeah, like we're still doing bass drums and guitar, like, two years later. We're not done yet. Yes. There's more in there.

Randy Hulsey  35:26

Absolutely. Alright, so let's jump into discography a little bit. In 2002 you recorded a record called seven years and there was a song that was featured on that called when the Lord comes stomping and I was wondering if you'd be so kind as to play that live?

Zak Perry  35:43

Sure. Absolutely. I wrote this song I wrote the song in New York City try got a ticket for barbecuing on my fire escape

Randy Hulsey  36:06

that sounds like a song Are we ready bro? Are you guys are

Zak Perry  36:14

I just want to call when the Lord come stop and keep in mind Ned's never heard this or plated some salary awesome here we go please don't take my fishing pole Ronnie that sucker when I get oh walk my bousema Honey home wait for the Lord come take my soul Amen please don't take my rotten boots on need them boots was time scoop. I put them boots on a country road when for Lord contact my soul hell yeah I hope he don't go stomping on me I was born a poor man's son don't take no shit from any loan. I rarely turn the other cheek and I hope that the Lord has forgiven me Amen My mom and soul man when I was young, you don't have step four anyone smell half a mile away and the Lord don't like that in a way hell no. When the Lord come stomp in I hope he don't go stubborn on me when the Lord come stomp in a world where the Lord can stop and I hope he don't go stop Hold on let me stop on it so Hausa logs and let me grow old with my dog when I sit there in her company and wait for the Lord to come stomping on me he comes I hear the Lord starving please come on my way all right now when the Lord come stop in when the Lord come stop when the Lord can stop and I hope he don't go stubborn on me when the Lord come stop in when when the Lord come stop go stop

Randy Hulsey  39:43

it Zach and Ned there Yeah, that's a foot stomp for sure. Zach, I love that song that was off the air. Seven years. Seven years. Yep seven years in 2002 in 2006 You released dogwood and then fast forward 2014 Broken Glass parade there was a little bit of a hiatus 2006 to 14 What was the gap there?

Zak Perry  40:17

You know, it's just a life I guess we were the songs are written we were trying to get money together again in the studio. And at that point, we decided just to save our money and buy our own studio. And so that's we released everything since dogwood in house so to speak, you know?

Randy Hulsey  40:40

And there was a song off broken glass parade called Daydream braid. Remember that one?

Zak Perry  40:46

I do remember that only that 1/4 Yeah, these are songs are kind of a band oriented song. We'll try Yeah. Broken Glass choice Daydream brain here we go. Show this ban a few but maybe it was you all along. The Kantian fear that maybe I was wrong. I get lost in her eyes when she told me about the things she'd seen. She said I know that we're all the same, but there ain't nobody here like me. There ain't nobody like me. She said. Life is a crazy game that sets you up and knocks you down just like a domino. She said we ought to run away. When nobody knows us. We'll wake up in the morning where the wind blows us. Come on, come on

42:42

she was born in the state of grace in the place she calls out okay. She was raised by restless when with a daydream Braden.

Zak Perry  42:57

She told him about the things she's seen. We're all the same, but there ain't nobody like me. Very nobody like me. She says laughing is a crazy game that sets you up and knocks you down just like a domino. She said we ought to run away. When nobody knows us. We wake up in the morning where the wind blows us away. Sing me a melody and baby singing with your eyes. Adrienne Bates and

44:20

she get lost in my eyes when I think about the things I knew. She said I know that we're all the same but there ain't nobody like you. There ain't nobody.

Zak Perry  44:35

She said laugh is a crazy game. The set you love the knocks you down just like she said we run away. Well, nobody knows us. We wake up in the morning where the wind blows

45:05

Look down to Mexico to a place called Lido no

Randy Hulsey  45:37

that's day Daydream braid off the broken glass parade record. Nice job there fellas.

Zak Perry  45:44

Thank you You're pulling out some

Randy Hulsey  45:48

I didn't say this was gonna be easy no more interviews with Halsey. I don't want to deal with that guy anymore

Zak Perry  45:55

how many itinerary

Ned Evett  45:57

how many records back was that?

Zak Perry  46:00

That was off of broken glass parade so that's 2014

Randy Hulsey  46:03

by records there was another one off of I believe that it was off broken glass right as well. That has always been one of my favorites. And I think there's a story behind the song that that you always share your your show Zach but it's all I can be. Yeah, you play that one for us?

Zak Perry  46:29

Certainly. I wrote this song six minutes is a song

Randy Hulsey  46:41

was there anything in particular the song was written about? Well

Zak Perry  46:48

when I wrote the song I thought man that's silly little song that's stupid. But then I realized it was the story of my life so I put it on a record right yeah it goes like this it's kind of a tongue in cheek kind of thing good right and wrong wrongs

47:29

I'm pretty good at writing song

Zak Perry  47:41

but I'm pretty good and smoking

47:49

fun sayings

Zak Perry  47:53

my mama taught me how to sing God manner if

48:06

I can play this Olga Cha could be good awesome me so I saved the lawful and I've got

Zak Perry  48:29

let's see some songs into a couple shots

49:12

drink more than I should

Zak Perry  49:18

and my friends all tell me Zack any words cut me to the bone trying to be good be was me God so let's say some sounds and smoke a little pots. This song is over. Let's do that shot

Randy Hulsey  50:16

one of my favorites. There's so well written song. Good job on that guitar there and then

Ned Evett  50:22

that song killed last night.

Randy Hulsey  50:25

It always does. I remember

Zak Perry  50:29

I wrote it so I get free shots.

Randy Hulsey  50:35

You also were working on I guess when you were in the Midwest, and I guess you and Chris Hughes. We're working on some new material called see shack recordings. Right? I don't think that that's been out yet. But can you talk a little bit about the songs that you guys recorded and where they were recorded and a little bit about that effort.

Zak Perry  50:55

My buddy Chris Hughes is a great guitar player. He also played bass and Zack Perry band back in the day and he has his own studio set up in his house right by the seawall here in Galveston. He calls it C shack studios. And we went in and did a little six song EP, three songs of his three of mine.

Randy Hulsey  51:13

And you guys played all the instruments on that effort, right? Or did you bring others into play some time we

Zak Perry  51:18

had a guy come and play little keyboards, but mostly Kristen and I lay down my vocals and my guitar and I had to cut out to the Midwest to do some shows. And he, he filled it in when I was going I still haven't had a chance to hear.

Randy Hulsey  51:33

It sounds good. And for those that are listening right now that are familiar with my music, this is the same Chris Hughes that plays my shows with me and Zach's absent so I kind of stoled him and while Zach was gone and Chris, Chris a play I guess we're playing about 50 shows a year together. Yeah, yeah, I think we're playing just about every every show I book except one we're we're playing together. Also.

Zak Perry  51:57

He's a great picker. Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  51:59

he really is. And he even makes me sound good. Which is, which is good. I mean, where did you guys come up with that idea? Was it Chris's idea? Was it your idea? collaborative thing, Chris?

Zak Perry  52:11

He's Uh, he's always been trying to record recording releases first CD, so we decided to get in there and get it done.

Randy Hulsey  52:23

Speaking of getting it done off of that release, that hasn't been released yet. I think the title you said is She's a go getter. Is that right? She's a real she's a real go getter. I'd like for you to share that one with the listeners if you'd be so kind. Ah,

Zak Perry  52:39

Randy. This song I doubt if I'll ever I guess I am releasing it on see shack recordings. But I got a fellow songwriting buddy up in Austin, and he's got a big back towards the lake out there. And we sit out there and write songs and drink beer and smoke stuff. And his wife was just going crazy around her watering the plants and feed the dogs and I was like that she ever slow down and he said she's a real go getter. And then in the next breath, he said, Honey, give me a beer. So I just had to write song just came out about 15 minutes. There's another one that hasn't heard. See if I can remember will ever since the get go? She's been on the run. She's a real go getter. She likes to get er done. I try to do what I can. But I'm just one man. as well. I'll never forget your season real go getter. So go give me a beard here. Give us Sunday. Go get my guitar tune it up and bring it here. I mean, I'm always seeing your love song about you and me. She knows I'll never forget. She's a real go getter. In the morning, I'm still in bed. At two cups of coffee. The bills are paid and the dogs are fed. While the rooster still snows. She's do it all on my shoulders as well. I'll never forget her because she's a real go getter. So go give me a beer. Give me some knee go get My guitar tune it up and bring it here to me I'm all singing your love song by you and me. She knows I'm new forget she's a real go get water these days will change my way. I'm going to get up in the morning instead of sleeping all day. But for now, things couldn't be better. I got me a woman she's a real go getter Go get me a beer deer. Give us something to eat. Go get my guitar, tune it up and bring it here to me. I'm going to see your love song by you and me. She goes on to forget she's a real go getter.

Randy Hulsey  56:20

Be a fool to forget. She's a real go getter. Thanks for sharing that, Zach. I'm gonna get off my request our again. Yeah, thanks for sharing that you laid a thumb drive down on the table when we walked in. And you were talking about songs that were done in France. And I'd like for you to share a little bit about what's what's on that disk. What are we going to listen to here soon for now tell the listeners a little bit about what you were doing in France and was this there in pandemic when everything was locked down that you guys were doing that when

Zak Perry  56:57

we moved over there? Me and my guitar player, Vern. We took our whole studio and we rented this 300 year old farmhouse so we had our studio set up. So when we when the lockdown happened luckily we were locked down in a recording studio. So we recorded 29 new tracks during that lockdown and this 15 have on here it's the new release can be called waking up the vultures and that's why I'm in Texas right now down here mixing the new record. Okay. And it will be released in spring.

Randy Hulsey  57:28

Well, we look forward to that. Let's shift gears maybe well, first of all, is there something on the 15 or one of the 15 songs that you'd like to share a pic of yours that you'd like to share with the listeners? Are you tapped out on playing right now? Either way is fine.

Zak Perry  57:45

No, I'd like to do something new but uh this record is a little bit heavier than the format we have here with the acoustic so maybe I could do something new, more acoustic version kind of thing.

Randy Hulsey  57:56

Whatever you want to do. All right floors yours

Zak Perry  58:01

all right. This one's called tremolo and this is on recorded on released it's brand new.

Ned Evett  58:20

I think it's the first song I've played with you. Yeah, sure.

Zak Perry  58:24

Maybe once again, we got Ned Everett over here playing playing the hell out of that fretless guitar.

Ned Evett  58:31

The Ned special is the name of it's the name of my guitar

Zak Perry  58:36

alright, this was called tremolo goes like this

Adam Gordon  58:55

my dream I woke up and fell asleep and I couldn't tell what she said follow me I'll lead you lost in the train me. looking for signs on the road has no name Last say well I will see you this way lost in the trash take my hair to me she said she said awasu Wave lost in the fog follow me

Randy Hulsey  1:02:41

nice thank you and this one's off of the the new release phrase. I just wrote this about a week ago. Okay. And it's called tremolo tremolo and will it be on a release?

Zak Perry  1:02:53

Absolutely. Okay, it's gonna be the biggest greatest hit of all time. I

Randy Hulsey  1:02:57

love that. Yeah, like built built billboard number one sounds like a single Yeah, it does.

Zak Perry  1:03:03

Classic classic rock

Randy Hulsey  1:03:05

right I love it. Yeah, love

Ned Evett  1:03:07

radio Ben Alou? Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  1:03:10

I appreciate Yeah, let's change gears just a little bit and talk about guitars. What do you play in there as a this

Zak Perry  1:03:16

is a 1972 talk a meanie but a lot of guitar guys will notice the lawsuit guitar because Martin they didn't actually get to assume they cease and desist and talk to me because it's it's basically a Martin guitar. Yeah. And it's a good one.

Randy Hulsey  1:03:35

Yeah, from from a distance it looks like a Martin and Lily until you walk up on it. And I never until you pointed it out the fonts on talk Amenia on the on the headstock. It's like they didn't even change it. I mean, if you're gonna do it, you might as well just do it all the way right.

Zak Perry  1:03:54

It's been quite a songwriter for me. I've written a lot of songs on this

Randy Hulsey  1:03:58

guitar. Is that the main stage is that the working guitar there for you on stage

Zak Perry  1:04:02

on stage Okay, more it's it's old and tired. I just played at home write songs on it. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  1:04:09

And I think there was also a guitar that was designed here on the island for you was it by Falcon Falcon it right?

Zak Perry  1:04:19

Yeah, he did Zack Perry signature release acoustic guitar. They shipped it over to France for him and they they bought him up pretty quick,

Randy Hulsey  1:04:26

did they? I had my eye on one and never pulled the trigger. I don't know what was going on at the time. But the guy

Zak Perry  1:04:32

cuz he was telling me that guy came in and put $500 down.

Randy Hulsey  1:04:36

I know I didn't but I was in contact with him. And God, No, that wouldn't be

Zak Perry  1:04:42

like, Well, I haven't seen that check yet.

Randy Hulsey  1:04:46

That wasn't me. Don't Don't don't hunt me down on that one. No, we talked about pricing. And I don't know I think I might have bought a tailor had a tailor held for me and I don't know what going on at the time, but it was a beautiful, yeah. Beautiful guitar. Yeah, for sure.

Zak Perry  1:05:05

They're really nice.

Randy Hulsey  1:05:06

Yep. Let's talk about your instrument, Ned. Because that is a that is a that's an instrument right there. So you you guys are not here with us. But when I first so so today again, I mentioned at the beginning of the show that today was the first day that I've met Ned, it's been a great pleasure what a great player you are to it's been a joy to listen to the the tunes, but when he pulled this thing out, I really didn't know what to think. Because even as a guitarist of 37, some odd years, I've never seen such an animal. So we'll share a little bit about the description and the background on this guitar.

Ned Evett  1:05:45

Well, this is a fretless guitar, so it has no frets on the fingerboard. And about Jesus Gosh, it's been almost 23 years ago, I started using glass fingerboards instead of wood, because slide players use glass slides and I started making the actual fingerboard out of glass. And that enables me to slide my fingers over and essentially play slide guitar with my fingers

Zak Perry  1:06:17

I've noticed that sometimes you move you have a slide almost serving as a cape. Oh, yes, I

Ned Evett  1:06:23

about five years ago I came up with this thing called the slide Keiko because because my finger boards are flat, I use one of those old Dunlop cables stuck through the middle of a Dunlop slide and enables you to move the Kebo and you can do like behind the nut bands. Get standing still because you place to

Zak Perry  1:06:57

sit on a beach somewhere.

Ned Evett  1:07:03

I haven't done a fretted guitar gig in 20 years. So I get people come up to me all the time. Go Hey, where's your regular guitar? Or where's your real guitar to go? They

Zak Perry  1:07:12

say Well, where's your glass neck?

Randy Hulsey  1:07:16

So are you are you the inventor of

Ned Evett  1:07:18

this am?

Zak Perry  1:07:19

I am great, amazing.

Randy Hulsey  1:07:21

I've never in my life. Yeah, there's amazing. There's a

Ned Evett  1:07:23

community of fretless guitar players. I didn't invent the fretless guitar, but I invented the glass neck door. And probably the best known fretless guitar player I could think of is my friend Adrian Balu, who produced my last record in Nashville called treehouse. And he's a fellow fretless guitar player played with David Bowie, the talking heads and Nine Inch Nails. He's man. Oh, yeah. He's amazing, man. And, and anyway, so he produced my last record. And it's great to have somebody at the knobs who understands where you're at where it comes

Randy Hulsey  1:07:54

from. Absolutely. So are they in production? Is this the only one or you sell them?

Ned Evett  1:07:59

Here's the deal. I used to run a website called fretless guitar.com. And we built guitars for John for Shanti or the Red Hot Chili Peppers. We did. One for Dweezil Zappa, one for Martin Gore of Depeche Mode, and a bunch of jazz players. And we stopped, I stopped, I basically got out of doing it because I'm just not a guitar shop guy. I'm a very I'm a road musician. And I kind of had to choose between sure being a player performer and being a guitar. I honestly, I probably should have taken the guitar as they were getting a lot more money than I was Is

Zak Perry  1:08:29

this similar to sunny landers behind the technique.

Ned Evett  1:08:35

A lot of slide players do the thing where you play behind the slap the you know the slide, right? There's harmonics back there. And I've seen someone do that. The cool thing about a fretless guitar is you can actually move the harmonics.

Randy Hulsey  1:08:49

You can't do that on a real guitar.

Ned Evett  1:08:51

Amazing. If you have frets and you can't do it. So anyway, I do fretless guitar because I'm obsessed with it. And I've put so many years into it and developing it that this is just become my thing. It's

Randy Hulsey  1:09:05

amazingly unique and the sound is well it looks like it's a lot easier to tote around than a steel guitar would be right.

Ned Evett  1:09:14

Right you pedal steel guitars are pretty heavy.

Randy Hulsey  1:09:16

Yeah, Franklin. Yeah, I'm actually play and I played a couple of shows with a pedal steel player for the first time and when they break this thing out and all the pedals that that go with it and all that it takes a little. It's a little bit of an effort to get it all set up and carry around. audible sound, it's a

Ned Evett  1:09:35

choir of angels. Yeah. Cool. I had Brad Paisley's pedal steel player Randall Currie on my last record, which was came out in 2020 called All American radio and he played pedal steel guitar. So it was a really cool hook up to here. fretless guitar and pedal steel on the same track.

Randy Hulsey  1:09:51

Wow. Now does the glass actually does it Ben.

Ned Evett  1:09:56

Glass is remarkably flexible to a point. So it's just flexible as it needs to be for a guitar. You know if anything that would crack the fingerboard probably crack your neck. The biggest enemy is chipping. If you chip the edges like the mic stand goes funkiness. And I have had boards break on tour and I carry a little kit with me that enables me to change your fingerboard in about six hours.

Randy Hulsey  1:10:19

I would have to think that it would have to it would have to move some because you even though it's a fretless guitar, you still have to quote unquote fret the string Oh yeah,

Ned Evett  1:10:29

well, you have to think it's really flexible, like I can do like neck bends. And it stays and doesn't break. And so yeah, I've tested the limits.

Randy Hulsey  1:10:42

What would that guitar so for those that can't see, it's your typical kind of a Strat bodied guitar. If you see this in your mind's eye, and it's a regular six string electric, but how do you tune this? What? Oh, is it an open tuning that you're using

Ned Evett  1:10:59

open tuning, I use an open E tuning, which is the Robert Johnson tuning, although he came out a lot, but that's that that's tuning so it's it's not the G tuning which I also have used in the past but I just really I've sort of transferred all of my guitar soloing knowledge over to the open tuning and froze guitar you can you can do this beautiful thing. It sounds like a Theramin because there's no frets in the way moving the notes around. So that's another good sort of advantage of that I like and it's very vocal. It's harder than crap to play. I won't lie. Yeah, kids don't do it.

Randy Hulsey  1:11:41

What goes into learning to play? Is it really just sitting down and just playing with it until you get it all figured out? The same principles apply with regular guitar?

Ned Evett  1:11:51

Well, most more was slide guitar, you bring a note to you. So you tune it on the fly. So it's more like slide guitar in terms of the practicing type thing you know? Yeah. So

Zak Perry  1:12:00

So I was wondering, who is your favorite slide guitar player?

Ned Evett  1:12:04

My favorite slide guitar player Bonnie Raitt. Really question I know, she's, I don't know, her influences were quite direct. She learned from some of the greats like yeah, no. Like, John Hopkins. Yeah, like learning from them from them. Yeah, she came along in the right time. So I've always loved her style. One note, you know, it's her and so yeah, she's definitely and

Zak Perry  1:12:28

Derek trucks is an alien

Ned Evett  1:12:29

Derek trucks. He's literally the Buddha of the slide guitar. I'm telling he's the man we all go to the top of the mountain to say Buddha.

Zak Perry  1:12:37

It's quite, quite amazing. I love to hear you guys play together.

Ned Evett  1:12:42

So it I don't know if I'm ready to get this right. I honestly don't know if I'm ready. But I'm trying I'm trying to get there. And you know,

Randy Hulsey  1:12:51

well, that guitar has been a treat for me because well probably like you I don't know. Did you have you seen anything like this before he jumped in with you and heard of it. I haven't either. Like it's brand new to me. I was shocked. But I like to say that there's a first for everything. And this has been a treat to hear it and it accompanies you. Very nice. I mean, makes makes everything you do sound really nice. Of course you're playing in Texas. You're playing shows in Texas right now. Talk a little bit about travel plans coming up.

Zak Perry  1:13:23

I leave Texas on November 2, I go to St. Louis for a couple shows. And then I go down to Florida for about six weeks shows Siesta Key Florida. I'm hanging out with a guy name. We haven't confirmed yet but a guy named Bobby Schneck, that also grew up in St. Louis with me and he's now the Joe Perry's guitar techs. Okay. And he's a great player himself. So we go down there and try and hang out with him and play some shows and wait and return to Europe in March. I

Randy Hulsey  1:13:48

go best. Are things still locked down over there right now? Or is it kind of weird?

Zak Perry  1:13:53

It's, uh, yeah, we we canceled our fall tour over there. Because, you know, the French people are in revolt over the vaccine mandate. They're pretty up in arms over there. So we decided to not hassle with it. You know?

Randy Hulsey  1:14:09

That makes sense. And how about you, Ned? What's next on the travels for for you?

Ned Evett  1:14:14

I'm calm working on a new record as well. I've got unlike Zach, and they're mixed. They're mixed down. I'm doing an instrumental record with the fellas guitar. And I'm going to have that out. Hopefully, you know, definitely by April when I go back over to Europe to tour. So I'm just in Galveston working on that in my home studio. I've got a gig at the Old Quarter, December 12. With Rex though, and because I do acoustic fellas as well, which is really fun. I have an acoustic dobro so yeah, I'm gonna I'm just you know, I'm loving life. I love life on the island here in Galveston and just, you know, trying to stay in good shape and getting ready for when everybody's touring again.

Randy Hulsey  1:14:52

Yeah, for sure. It'd be nice to get all the musicians back out doing their thing. Just kind of you know, we were coming out of that pandemic a little bit and then The variant came around and everybody started getting COVID again and it's it's just been crazy and especially for you guys that make a living on a stage you know, I've been fortunate where I've had a nine to five job that pays my mortgage and then play music on the side. So I've never had to rely on that. But it's good to see you guys getting back out there and it was getting some cheeseburger money on the tip jar. Where can the listeners find both of you guys on social media? Where can they find the music? If they want to hear it? talk them through that.

Zak Perry  1:15:34

You can go to my website which is Zack perry.com ga KP try? Of course you can. You can go to iTunes and Spotify and steal right from us there. Were I'm sure NADs on all that stuff, too. It's

Randy Hulsey  1:15:52

my buy it when you can steal it right?

Zak Perry  1:15:54

It's amazing. I guess I get checks for six cents.

Randy Hulsey  1:15:58

You spend it all at one time.

Ned Evett  1:16:00

I can't buy it tonight. That's what I want to know the six cents. I wonder who

Randy Hulsey  1:16:05

else that said he made 10 cents. So he's making more than you are cheeseburgers and water on that tonight.

Zak Perry  1:16:15

Where is that money going? Right, Sweden. I guess.

Randy Hulsey  1:16:19

It's a Swiss bank account. So

Zak Perry  1:16:21

it's a travesty. What's happening artists out there right now.

Randy Hulsey  1:16:25

They get ripped off? For sure. Terribly.

Ned Evett  1:16:28

Do you do final sack

Zak Perry  1:16:29

this? This will be the first one waking up the brochures will be the first one that I have coming out on vinyl. That's cool. I'm really excited about that.

Randy Hulsey  1:16:36

Wow, I just started collecting vinyl. Well, that'll be nice to get my hands on that.

Zak Perry  1:16:40

I never come out of the record would come out and you'd open all

Randy Hulsey  1:16:44

the liner notes for the greatest Yeah.

Zak Perry  1:16:47

Kids these days.

Ned Evett  1:16:50

No kids actually dig vinyl. Like

Randy Hulsey  1:16:52

I saying now for coming back. Yeah, for sure.

Ned Evett  1:16:55

Yeah, the new record is gonna sound great on vinyl. I'm probably not going to do vinyl. I do I use a site called Bandcamp. Yeah, I've heard of there because they actually pay you.

Randy Hulsey  1:17:04

Yeah. Yeah. So you actually can buy a cheeseburger. Cheeseburger,

Zak Perry  1:17:09

everyone. We're also hoping to put the new one out on eight track.

Randy Hulsey  1:17:16

You probably have one in your garage. You look like an eight track and then he probably has an eight track somewhere from the old school acetate.

Ned Evett  1:17:28

answering machines use those tapes. Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  1:17:31

see some quickfire questions?

Zak Perry  1:17:32

40 sevens right turn now. Okay.

Ned Evett  1:17:36

Because we're on like 1313 minutes.

Randy Hulsey  1:17:37

Zack and that'll be playing over Jamaica been

Zak Perry  1:17:42

Jim Oka been in beach, Texas. It's

Randy Hulsey  1:17:45

right at right at six. So single answers for both of you guys. You can both chime in if you want to elaborate you know, it's a I've got time if you've got time, but if you if you want to just a single answer. That's cool. Beatles or the stones, Zach. Bowie. Okay, Beatles or the stones Zack.

Zak Perry  1:18:04

Wow, man. I don't know. That's that's. That's tough. Man. That's tough as a songwriter. It's hard to match the Beatles, but they didn't have Keith Richards. So that's a tough one. Man. I'm going to plead no comment on all right. That's fair.

Ned Evett  1:18:20

Enough. Wise. I'll take the I will take the catalog of The Beatles and The the myth of the Rolling Stones. Right answer because they created a viable myth out of American style music and made it real for people for all this time. I agree with them until we are

Zak Perry  1:18:40

actually a band that paid tribute styles to their blues influences. You know, like absolutely Zeplin did not Robert Johnson.

Randy Hulsey  1:18:50

Yeah, yeah,

Ned Evett  1:18:52

definitely is more like we came up with this stuff. Yeah. That's keeping your cards too close to your chest.

Zak Perry  1:18:58

Absolutely.

Randy Hulsey  1:18:59

How about from a guitar perspective? Van Halen or Hendricks? Hendricks

Ned Evett  1:19:04

I'd have to take Jimmy as well, too. I love Eddie god rest of both their souls. But

Zak Perry  1:19:09

absolutely. Once again, for me it comes down to the song.

Ned Evett  1:19:14

Hopefully Eddie was a fine rhythm player and songwriter, very underrated to really layer the Hendrix you know, we you know, his tunes.

Randy Hulsey  1:19:22

They have them. Summer, winter, fall.

Zak Perry  1:19:26

Had to go with summer.

Ned Evett  1:19:28

I hate winter. So I live in that's why I live in Galveston this summer. 100%

Randy Hulsey  1:19:33

I figured you guys would say some are being Galva stones.

Ned Evett  1:19:37

Yeah. Except for the hurricanes.

Randy Hulsey  1:19:41

TV or radio,

Zak Perry  1:19:43

radio all day long. And that's hard to find good radio these days too. But there's absolutely nothing on TV or watching

Randy Hulsey  1:19:51

nothing. I think it dumbs you down the more you watch it it just it's horrible. I in fact, I got rid of cable a couple of years ago and I don't know I don't have time for it, and I don't miss it at all.

Zak Perry  1:20:03

I used to like to watch the news. But now that's even

Randy Hulsey  1:20:07

worse. That's even worse than the shows on TV

Ned Evett  1:20:10

really is where we're streaming fit. And is that like a third choice? Because I don't watch TV like with

Randy Hulsey  1:20:17

net net wants. Ned wants to make his own question he wants he wants the hybrid question radio, right? Yes, thank you. Thank you. Perfect vacation, Zach.

Zak Perry  1:20:30

Boy. Jamaica beach I've traveled so much through Europe now that it's really hard to choose a place so much beauty over there. But I love the south of France TR desh reason that region or the sauce region of France, eastern France. I think

Ned Evett  1:20:50

you got a vacation spot, Siem Reap Cambodia, home of Angkor Wat. Okay, so really, it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's it's worth and it's your money goes it forever. And Angkor Wat is just insanely cool.

Randy Hulsey  1:21:05

So that money all that money y'all make off those royalty checks, you can live there in Cambodia for a little while, right? rice plantation Fantasia, right? acoustic or electric.

Zak Perry  1:21:17

I incorporate both of them in my music so much that acoustic for writing. I write a lot of my songs are written for a band. And then there's songs are written for for acoustic kind of setting. So well, you had some tough questions

Randy Hulsey  1:21:37

told you to bring your guitar in your brain today.

Zak Perry  1:21:39

I'd say it all started with acoustic so I'm going to go with acoustic

Ned Evett  1:21:44

I'd have to say electric. I've always been trying to escape escape the acoustic in a sense, although for songwriting, it's just like it's, it's essential you have to be

Randy Hulsey  1:21:53

and I guess I've done just the opposite. I've escaped electric and just been an acoustic guy for all different beasts. Early Bird or night owl?

Zak Perry  1:22:02

Well, when you're a night owl, you, you, you are an early bird because you're up all night. So

Randy Hulsey  1:22:08

you're being tech, you're being technical. Now. You know what I

Zak Perry  1:22:12

mean by this, you have to be somewhat of a night owl.

Randy Hulsey  1:22:15

Well, I see you online sometimes at six in the morning. And I don't know if you've been up until six or if you're waking up at six. And you and you may not want anybody to know that. That's your own little secret, right? How about you ned? Early Bird or night? Owl? Total night? Oh, really? That's pretty typical with musicians. Although I'm the opposite. I'm, I'm the early bird. So I'm an exception to the rule, I guess, favorite place to play. And you can plead the fifth on that one because we sometimes probably as musicians don't want to hurt the feelings of the places that bring us into play. But is there is there a place that sticks out in your mind that has been your favorite place to play?

Zak Perry  1:22:55

Well, I mean, in general, I love the outdoor open air festivals in Europe. They're amazing. But I played a show it to the tremendo theater in Paris, which was pretty amazing place to play show.

Ned Evett  1:23:07

Whisky jacks, a little bar and Sun Valley, Idaho. I used to go there all the time. And we'd get these random random groups would come through there and and I always loved playing in that little town. Interesting. You know, people just love music. They're just in the middle of nowhere. It is in the middle literally, of nowhere. Yeah, a ski resort. And so it's full of like, it's got this weird layer of like hippies, and Bruce Willis

Zak Perry  1:23:36

left houses there. You know, he actually Bruce Willis came into one of my shows on Sixth Street and asked one time and and we had a pretty badass heart player in the band at the time on my CD. And I know that he plays harp, you know, Bruce Willis, so I went up and gave him one of my CDs and, and I watched him get up, walk out and throw the trash.

Randy Hulsey  1:24:00

Are you being serious? Wow. Yeah. Yeah, it's just a dick. I'm going on. I'm going on air to say Bruce Willis is the real dick. In fact, I just watched that yesterday. As a matter of fact, I feel we

Zak Perry  1:24:18

might have had a bad day or I don't know what happened. But

Randy Hulsey  1:24:22

do you have a favorite song to play live?

Zak Perry  1:24:26

Usually the latest one I've written.

Ned Evett  1:24:29

Okay. I have a song called slacker jazz. It's cool because it's one chord and I can show it to European musicians in a pinch. One chord D the D minor D fall in the sand. They're all keys.

Randy Hulsey  1:24:43

Oh, yeah. Formal training or play by ear.

Zak Perry  1:24:48

Completely by air for me. I can't read music or I just try and hear the melodies. Yeah, same with you.

Ned Evett  1:24:55

I'm formerly self educated. Okay. Just Frank Zappa, quote. Everything you want to learn about music theory is available in the in in the library or on YouTube. And the challenge is if you do go if you go down that route to unlearn it, so it doesn't screw up your songwriting or your your, your, your ability to play by ear.

Randy Hulsey  1:25:16

What did you say earlier you said something about something to Juilliard or something like that.

Ned Evett  1:25:22

There's there's such a thing as too much Juilliard and rock. Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  1:25:26

I get it. It's too, I guess fabricated, right. If it's to Juilliard, it's probably a little fab. Maybe the inability to just wing it. Yeah, kind of like, like you were doing with Zach because you don't know the songs. Right? You're winging

Ned Evett  1:25:42

a great song. You're you feel like you've already heard it. You know, that's like when you hear a new song as a guitar player. It's same thing. So you know, this song somehow? Yeah, right on.

Randy Hulsey  1:25:51

Number one influential band, or musician, individual musician.

Zak Perry  1:25:57

I'd have to say, my mother, because she would sit out at a piano in the garage, and she'd sit out there on Sundays and play, play and sing. And that was my earliest influence because she was really good.

Randy Hulsey  1:26:14

Was Was that a musician at all?

Zak Perry  1:26:17

Dad was a he was a nightclub crooner. Okay. Want to be Sinatra? He could seem to Yeah, do it, huh. Yeah. And he had a nine year old woman named Odessa that played piano with them. So it was interesting. So you

Randy Hulsey  1:26:32

come from a musical family? Yeah.

Zak Perry  1:26:34

Not. Nobody did it professionally, but they gotta had music in them. Yeah. Well,

Randy Hulsey  1:26:40

they don't have to be professionals to be influential. Right. It's true about you.

Ned Evett  1:26:45

You know, I always go back to the well, I always when I'm like, not feeling it. I go back. I listen to Jimi Hendrix. I listen to the band of gypsies a lot recently, a lot of his live at Winterland shows and something about him live. Always just fills my tank up. And I go back and I feel refreshed. So I have to give that you know, it's do

Randy Hulsey  1:27:06

you know? And I know you're a big Justin Bieber fan, right? Zack huge believer.

Ned Evett  1:27:19

I'm a believer by the monk. Believer. Oh, yes. His fans are called Billy are believers. Oh, believe in Justin. Yeah, I

Zak Perry  1:27:28

guess I'm not as big a fan of

Ned Evett  1:27:31

Justin Bieber. I will say this. He's a super talented. You want to be a prop artist? They're going to limit your choices. Yeah. And I don't feel like he's used his power enough. Yes, power. He's Justin Bieber. He could do anything he wants. Although to be fair, maybe he's doing exactly what he wants. So who might have said

Randy Hulsey  1:27:48

greatest song of all time to you guys. Is there such a thing? I don't know. But if you had to pick one, if you had to pick one.

Zak Perry  1:27:56

Oh, man. Where would you start on that?

Randy Hulsey  1:28:01

I've heard I've heard some of my guests say Amazing Grace. Totally out of left field.

Zak Perry  1:28:06

I do a version of that. Yes, you do. I'd love The Story of Stuff story behind that. It's a great story, but Well, I don't know, man. That's a tough one.

Ned Evett  1:28:17

I think you may man. I think amazing. Grace literally might be that song. Like I'd be Yeah, it's first. It's best. What else is there?

Zak Perry  1:28:26

So we'll go with that.

Randy Hulsey  1:28:28

You got a favorite song? Danny, you're sitting over there. Quiet.

Zak Perry  1:28:32

That is that's probably Yeah. The backstory and yeah, everything's involved.

Ned Evett  1:28:37

Yep. Leonard Cohen's hallelujah is cool because it gives you the blueprint for the chord progression in the first verse, it goes like

1:28:47

this, the fourth the fifth, the minor fall the major lift the baffle King and poses.

Ned Evett  1:28:56

So literally has the structure of the song embedded in the

Zak Perry  1:29:01

brilliant that is.

Ned Evett  1:29:03

That's amazing. four chord, the five chord, the minor chord,

Randy Hulsey  1:29:07

the nice things about that in the song,

Zak Perry  1:29:08

you know, sets it up right in the first verse. Yeah.

Ned Evett  1:29:13

And then he thinks about minor falls a major lift? Yeah. Yeah, it's a song about sex. Which is so funny, because a lot of times we see like little kids will sing it. Yes. And they sing it in church. And I'm like, are you listening to the lyrics of the song?

Randy Hulsey  1:29:25

You know, what's funny is I had a little girl come up to me at no label brewery in Katy. And she said she was probably 12. She said, Can I sing a song with you? And I'm like, oh, yeah, which song do you want to do? And she said, about hallelujah. So she sang that we I played it I pulled it up on the internet. I didn't know the chords, played it. She sang it verse, you know, verse for verse, and I didn't know that about the song and it's kind of interesting. The

Zak Perry  1:29:51

lyrics are pretty dark and heavy, man. Yeah. Very adult.

Randy Hulsey  1:29:56

Yeah. Maybe Maybe

Zak Perry  1:29:59

up there too. Another one that's just getting worn out by everybody's doing covers everybody's doing that. It's like he's got a bunch of other songs we could do

Ned Evett  1:30:09

our song. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  1:30:12

Well, Zach, in that I want to thank you guys for taking the time. I wish you both continued success here in the States Anna and abroad Of course, I asked the listeners to like, share and subscribe to the podcast. Also, make sure to follow Zack and Ed on social media get out there and buy those songs. Download those songs. Look out for the new stuff that's coming out for both of these guys.

Zak Perry  1:30:34

We're probably gonna end up doing a record together to over Europe, so it's awesome. Okay, you

Randy Hulsey  1:30:38

heard it. You heard it first right here.

Zak Perry  1:30:40

It's Radio Live ravenous, bro.

Randy Hulsey  1:30:42

Yeah, so as always, you guys can find the show on Facebook at backstage pass radio podcast on Instagram at backstage pass radio on Twitter, at backstage pass PC and on the website at backstage pass. radio.com. Again, Zack in that thank you guys for joining us, and have a great show tonight.

Zak Perry  1:31:00

Hey, very much. See you soon.

Adam Gordon  1:31:03

Thanks so much for joining us. We hope you enjoyed today's episode of backstage pass radio. Make sure to follow Randy on Facebook and Instagram at Randy Hulsey music and on Twitter at our Halsey music. Also, make sure to like, subscribe and turn on alerts for upcoming podcasts. If you enjoyed the podcast, make sure to share the link with a friend and tell them backstage pass radio is the best show on the web for everything music. We'll see you next time right here on backstage pass radio