​Zig Zags

By Ben Rheault

Every so often, local venue The Aquarium, sneaks out of the confines of its location situated above Dempsey’s Public House to give the public a free taste of the delights it has in store. It’s a good way to introduce people to musical flavors they may not yet be aware of, and give exposure to up-and-coming bands before they get too big to play smaller stages.

This month, The Aquarium is proud to present Los Angeles based Zig Zags (no relation to the rolling papers…sort of.) Formed in 2010, garage punks Zig Zags already have an impressive resume, releasing a self-titled full length on In The Red in 2014 that was produced by fellow traveler, Ty Segall. They have also recorded with proto-punk pioneer, Iggy Pop. And now their second album, ‘Running Out of Red,’ released this spring, was put out on John Dwyer’s (Coachwhips, Thee Oh Sees) imprint, Castle Face Records.

Zig Zags’ founding member, Jed Maheu, took some time while on the road to answer a few questions through the magic of the internet.

High Plains Reader: How has the tour been so far? Any memorable shenanigans?

Jed Maheu: Great! We have only been out for a couple days but the shows have been good. Drives are super long right now between dates so it's hard to get into too much trouble since we're getting up super early. If you would have asked me 15 years ago I would tell you that I had to jump out a window ‘cause a boyfriend was coming home from work and then wait in the parking lot of the club for three hours until the van found me. But now I just listen to podcasts.

HPR: Have you made your way through Fargo before? If not, do you have any expectations based on anything you've heard about the place?

JM: I've been through Fargo on my own before but never played any shows there. I think I won some money playing video poker or something. We're stoked to play all the places that maybe don't get shows all the time. The folks seem to appreciate the effort, and I grew up in a super small town so I know what it's like when a band came to town and really blew me away. Hopefully we have the same effect on people.

HPR: You worked with Iggy Pop on a cover of Betty Davis' (70’s Funk artist and spouse of Miles Davis not to be confused with Bette Davis) ’If I'm in Luck I Might get Picked Up.’ How did that come about, and what was it like working with such a huge musical icon? Were you nervous?

JM: I guess Light in the Attic Records had planned on doing something with Iggy but it didn't work out and they like the band but didn't really put out records by new bands, just reissues. So when the idea to do the split with Iggy came up they asked us. I was nervous just to do the song justice since not only was it with Iggy Pop but it was a Betty Davis cover so we were really working with two legends on that one. Never met Iggy. We recorded the music in LA and he did the vocals in Miami.

HPR: Who are your greatest musical influences? Off the bat I hear bits of Motorhead, The Misfits, Blue Cheer, Judas Priest, and The Dead Boys to name a few easy ones. Anybody weird, like Philip Glass or The Monkees?

JM: Metallica is probably my all-time and all the bands you mentioned we like a lot, but we listen to a lot of old country like the outlaw stuff and lots of 60s garage and like Tangerine Dream and shit like that. Not too much metal in the van ‘cause it just gets kinda stressful ya know!

HPR: Any big plans on the horizon? The new record has barely been released, but do you have any other projects in the works?

JM: We're gonna probably record something right when we get off this tour. Most likely a single ‘cause it's fun to go out and play the f*ck outta the songs and then try to record them with the same energy. Then go to Europe in October and then maybe a short little tour in December and then catch up on Netflix.

Get your fix of loud and fast stoner-infused garage punk with Zig Zags on Wednesday, August 17th at Dempsey’s. Breaking in your eardrums will be local miscreants Pass the Flask and Pisstory. This is a free event for those 21 and up. Be there or be there. Those are your only options.

IF YOU GO:

Zig Zags with Pisstory and Pass the flask

Wedneday, August 17, 10pm

Dempsey’s 226 N Broadway, Fargo