Zamarro, a weird weird monicker that rhymes with the Italian word tamarro, is the name of a mighty band of rockers coming from Switzerland. Exploders, maybe you can remember their name among our top albums! That great work was titled "Lust In Translation" has been produced by the famous Jack Endino. While you're waiting for their Italian tour, don't miss this interview, cause you can find out they miss their home made cheese and chocolate...you know "Home Sweet Home..."

Hi guys, welcome on The Rock Explosion! Would you like to talk about your former musical experiences, having been part of some other band and so on…
Michael: Markus started with a punk-band called Bettnässer. After they split-up he was singer and rhythm-guitarist in Lunazone. With Lunazone he allready recorded the "Rockahula"-album with Jack Endino. Marco was playing first in some HC-grind-core-bands. Then he also had an experience with some pop-rock-stuff. Before he started to play in Zamarro, he was the bass-player in a ragga-band. But then he quit to smokin' pot and get into Rock'n'Roll. I was the drummer in a garage-trash-band called Hi-Grip in the late 80's. Then I was in Hellmute (Stoner, Punk'n'Roll) for five years and before he started to play in Zamarro he was on the road with Phased (Stoner-Rock).

What's the meaning of your monicker, and why did you choose just this one?
Michael: In spanish it's the word for taxman, gangster or simular. In South-America the word is used also for trowsers made out of a lamb. But few weeks we also came aware (from our friends of Bad Dog Boogie) that in Italy the similar sounding word tamarro is known for guys who like wearing 70's disco style clothes (and dancing like John Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever").

Now let's talk briefly about the genesis of your new album "Lust In Translation". First of all, the title has made me remember of that movie "Lost In Translation". Is it just a coincidence? Did you watch it?
Michael: Ok I can try to tell briefly what happened: start the jet, fly to LA, play several shows along the West Coast in the US and meet Jack Endino in Seattle. You are warmed up and Jake is a great soundman and human being. Nothing can go wrong, really nothing. With Jack you know, the result will rock like hell and we were happy and motivated to be able to work with such a guy. Concerning the movie it is a coincidence. While we were mixing the songs in Seattle (and Jack started his work alone) we went downtown to enjoy the city. In front of a sex club, the Lusty Lady, Stephan (our Manager and Booker in Switzerland) took a picture of us…so, when we were back home, we looked together at those photos and laughed about the sex club-picture: Zamarro in front of the lusty lady with the main movie titled "Lust In Translation". And we found our album title…and it's true: the lust we feel by doing rockmusic, you can hear on this album. The other movie, "Lost In Translation" you were referring to, is quite okay, and we hope to go to Japan very soon too.

How the Italian Zamarro Fans can buy your album, will it be distributed in our Country?
Michael: The "Lust in Translation" album is distributed in Italy now by Andromeda Dischi. If you don't get it in your record-store then let your dealer know, that he can order it over them. www.andromedadischi.it!

How were the 11 tracks of the album born? What inspires you while you're composing and writing lyrics?
Michael: The beginning is all about jaming. Markus brings a rough idea in the rehearsel room and on the base of this idea we play and play. We record this first moment and think about the structure, the ultimate hook and vocal parts until next time. And then, we hope to put together a great song. The lyrics are mostly the last part to finish the song. The lyrics correspond mostly to a certain feeling or a situation we are living in. We take this murmure in the soul and translate it in a rocksong. While I sing, I try to take the energy from this original source.

I've been particularly impressed by the song "Laku Noc". Why did you choose to entitle the track this way? It has a strange dark atmosphere which reminded me The Cult. What can you say about that?
Michael: This is a love song and about a nice Croatian girl. And the distance Basel-Zagreb is fucking long, isn't it? Laku noc means good night in Croatian. And when you play the guitar in different moods, the instrument brings different melodies.

I know you played a lot abroad, and I'm curious to see if you found some great differences in the various kind of public. For example how has been the American audience reaction to your shows compared with the one in Europe?
Michael: In the US we had the feeling, that the audience is much more respectful to you, if they come to see a band. But they also wanna see a good show, that means (even if you aren't virtuous musicians) you have to do a good job on stage. If not, you'll get a feedback from the people quickly. In Europe you also have to do a good job on stage, but first you have to get the audience on "your side" and then you probably get their respect too. In Switzerland, you are a "swiss-band" and you'll be a "swiss-band" forever!

Do you think there are striking differences between the European and the American rock scene? If so which are the main ones in your opinion?
Michael: The American rock-scene has a much longer "tradition" than over here in Europe, that's probably also the reason why the working in much professional way. In the US the know rock-musicians as a profession, in Europe you have to be into the "offical charts" first before the people gone respect you as a professional.

Cult producer Jack Endino decided to produce and record your first album in Seattle. How did you meet this great figure of music biz who worked with bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Zeke… And tell me how has been like recording in the "Grunge Land"?
Michael: Markus already worked with Jack Endino with his last band Lunazone. So, we had personal contact to this magic since the beginning of Zamarro. When we recorded the first songs, we sent the material to Seattel because we were convinced that Jack is the man for us. He is able to put a special power and energy on the record, you can feel the rocking heart on stage on the album. And Jack saw the potential of the song and was ready to work with us. It motivated us a lot to create good riffs and melodies, to work on our songs. It's great to be in the studio with a guy with such an experience. Even when you feel stressed, your are relaxed cause you know in every moment: this record will turn out rock'n'roll. And he is able to push you on your limits. By the way, we know now a lot of nice places in Seattle. It's a great city.

What can you tell us of particularly odd or memorable occurred during your live career , during a show or in the back stage?
Marco: After the show in Linz (Austria) I had to realize that the combination of wearing cowboy boots while dancing and being drunk can easily end up in laying on the back in the middle of the Bar.
Markus: When I played a show with Lunazone in germany, I climbed up the stage during a big open-air. I got so fucking tired up there and lost all the power hanging somewhere over the stage. Next time, I will do some training before.
Michael: One, During a show we played with The Fire Sermon in Santa Cruz (CA), one of the crash-cymbals was flying away (into direction of the audience), because on this drum I could play, there wasn't any fixations for the cymbals on the stands. Two, on our tour with Adam West, we wanted to start the show, but right on the first hit in the first song the beater of the bassdrum-pedal stuck into the bass-drum-head. So I had to fix the broken head with some duck-tape and start the show once again. (After the show, our soundengineer Stefan told me, that the bass-drum was sounding great with this duck-tape on it).

Are there any bands you would like to share the stage or cooperate with? And why?
Markus: No doubt: Unida, Supersuckers and Ac/Dc!
Michael: I'd like to play with Clutch, Fu Manchu and Motorhead!
Marco: Of course The Hellacopters, The Flaming Sideburns and Sweatmaster.

What about your future projects? It's still too soon to talk about material for another full-length? Could you make us some anticipations?
Michael: In October/November 2004 we were on tour in Europe with Adam West. We also released a split-7" with him on the German label No-Balls-Records, but it is allready sold out! At the moment we are working on new songs for our second album. If everything will going well, we gone record this album in the beginning of October 2005 with Jack Endino again. The release of this album should be in the beginning of 2006. Right now (until the next recordings) we are looking forward to play as many shows as possible. If we gone find a label, we will release a split-7" with Hielo Negro from Chile (the heaviest pot-smokers on earth, we know!) this year. As soon as we know more about the release of this 7", we'll let you know!

Which have been your musical influences since the beginning of your career and even before? What did you listened to as adolescents?
Michael: We all just love rockmusic from the Sixties, the Seventies and some stuff from the Eighties.

Fav drink, albums, porn stars and movie soundtracks:
Markus: As drink i love the morning green tea, concerning albums... "Back In Black" (AC/DC); "Sky Valley" (Kyuss) and "King of the Road" (Fu Manchu). I love all the brunets chicks and I like "The Erotic Adventure Of Zorro"!
Michael: Generally I drink mineralwater and beer. My fave albums are "Nighttimes" (Killing Joke), "S/T" (Dirty Power), while as soundtrack I like Spinal Tap's "Wild Zero" (feat. Guitar Wolf) and I adore all the hot blond girls!
Marco: Beer, beer, beer! I love to listen to The Hellacopters "Paying The Dues", Motörhead's "Ace Of Spades" and Sisters Of Mercy's "Floodland". As pornstar I dig Master Rocco, and the best movie soundtrack in my opinion is Rocky III's "The Eye Of The Tiger".

The countdown has started: you're going to conquer the world. Which kind of advice would you give to young rockers at the early beginnings?
Michael: We'll se if we really conquer the world, haha ...! At least we are rolling wherever we can! To young bands we just like to say: Start to play "live" as early as possible. Play every show you can do (without loosing money!). Promote your band wherever & whenever possible (flyers, posters for your shows, build a website, etc.). Try to get your songs on compilations, as long as your are an "unsigned band". Try to work with a management, who believes in you as a band.

Living and touring all over the world what makes you miss of Switzerland?
Michael: Chees & Chocolate, and sometimes our own beds. Sometimes we miss our friends and the people we live with back home. In some countries you wish to get some "healthy" food, like at home.

Thank you very much guys and we hope to see you on stage in Italy soon! Now you can end the interview as you like, writing whatever you want:
Michael: We are looking forward to rock some stages in Italy by the end of February 2005. Look out for the dates!

Intervista realizzata da Margherita Realmonte
Tradotta da Pacino from Bastet