A NIGHT WITH ELECTRIC CHERRY BLOSSOM
When I first met ‘Electric Cherry Blossom’ there was a slight frantic energy; the Austrian cowriter and guitarist Fabian was fixing a broken string pre-gig, apparently they had only just managed to sort a replacement. When later quizzed about the bands ethos, it was said unanimously that the hectic, last minute, anything could happen sort of way it was running was for the best, as it induces the most creativity, perhaps through necessity. Fabian said “I feel like the magic kind of happens in the moment's time, you don't really plan.” They told me that they would almost always practice either the day before or the day of each gig. The lineup for tonight was Zach on lead vocals and guitar, Fabian on second vocals and guitar, Enzo (Pedestrian) on Bass, Mylo, who Zach met in film school, on drums and Rosie (Blousey) on Sax.
Electric Cherry Blossom live at the star in shoreditch, london
Photo by: Elliana Maria Martell
Zach, the frontman from St Louis Missouri, called his band ‘a sort of revolving doors situation’, and that this helped add to the chaos they thrived in. He told me there were 25 members in the rosta, of which any could play at any given time. He said: “If you have ever played for us, whether in the studio or live, you are now a permanent member of the band.” Though Zach is the main writer, he encourages all the members to have creative input into the songs. Everyone I spoke to who knew the singer said things about how ‘enigmatic’ he was, and how he just has a different approach to music and his life in general. These qualities have landed him in some crazy situations such as meeting and befriending members of Brian Jonestown Massacre and even going on tour with The Dandy Warhols.
“We just want to make music that just makes people feel something, makes people feel connected. To me the most important thing in music is honesty and vulnerability.”
-Zach talks of how Elliot Smith inspires him to write music with truths, instead of just writing for the sake of it; to fill a space.
Electric Cherry Blossom live at the star in shoreditch, london
Photo by: Elliana Maria Martell
“The whole idea came about because of one of my best friends, a musician named Tess Parks. She played with Brian Jonestown Massacre. She's one of my musical heroes, but also, I've become really good friends with her. And we were all hanging out, the bands, and we were listening to their new album. They were showing me the new album before it came out. And we were laying on the carpet, looking up at the ceiling, just like. relaxing. I saw on the ceiling there was a stained glass light fixture in the shape of a cherry blossom. And I was just surrounded by people that I just admired so much, and it was just… such a great day. It was just so inspiring to be around, you know, these amazing people. And I looked up at the ceiling and I was like, that's it. Electric Cherry Blossom. I'm going to make a band. I'm gonna record my EP, and I'm gonna release it.” -Zach.
The first song they played was an untitled track they had written 2 days before the gig, very fitting. It, like much of the set, had a kind of smacky off kilter feel, akin to Fat White Family, Cabbage, and a major influence of theirs, Brian Jonestown Massacre.
The second song ‘The Pigeon Song’ offered a softer contrast gearing up for ‘Harvesting Fields of Love’, a spectacular song written and sung by Fabian, the only one he does lead vocals in. Zach employs the use of a harmonica as both a wacky sounding slide for harsh screeches, and also does a solo towards the end of the song using it as was intended. The darkness and wild creativity of this track really made it stand out for me.
In the middle of the set was a ridiculous (but brilliant) cover of Surfin’ Bird where Lydia from French Toast joined them on stage with a tambourine and Zach put down his guitar to join the crowd, which they loved. I think whenever a member of a band gets off stage to join the madness it almost always lands. The whole set was brilliant, so they got an encore, a cover of Totally Wired, which they got all of 30 seconds into before the soundie cut them off for the curfew. Zach called it ‘an unplugged version’.
Electric Cherry Blossom was a really exciting gig, full of fresh feeling energy and a great depth between the songs of their set; though their music had similarities with other popular bands of the moment, their energy is what really makes them stand out and for sure is something you want to witness. Their employment of non standard instruments for a rock band, and the way they use them, gives them an edge bringing something new to the London music scene definitely worth seeing and hearing.