Interview: Ethan Heller (The Snozzberries)
No one would have held it against them if The Snozzberries had called it quits by the end of 2020. Less than a year removed from the release of their debut album, This Is Now, the Asheville-based psych-rock quartet had lost their rhythm section following the passing of beloved drummer Sean Mason, as well as bassist Carey Walter’s exit to focus on his career.
Faced with the challenge of picking up the pieces, Ethan Heller (guitar/vocals) and Ian Taylor (keyboard/synth/vocals) stayed strong and moved forward with the band, recruiting a new rhythm section in Asher Hill (bass) and Jerard “Sweeze” Sloan (drums).
Currently in the process of writing a new record, the aptly-titled Return, The Snozzberries are back to playing shows, introducing local fans to the latest incarnation of the band. On Saturday, July 16, they’ll head back to Asheville Music Hall for what’s being billed as a “Psychedelic Circus.”
Intrigued and utterly terrified by the vivid imagery of being in a hallucinatory state while in the proximity of clowns, I caught up with Heller to find out if my imagined version of the “Psychedelic Circus” was on point, as well as to talk about The Snozzberries’ perseverance over the past few years.
Jonny Leather: How difficult was it to pick up the pieces after the loss of Sean?
Ethan Heller: To put it briefly, it’s been a journey. Sean was one of a kind, both musically and as a person. There was a long period of time when we weren’t sure if we’d ever be a band again. But we all agreed that to truly honor Sean and his musical spirit, we had to carry on his legacy. Sean would often say that the music was bigger than any of us individually, and that we have a duty to spread love through playing music. Ultimately, we know it’s what he would have wanted us to do.
Of course, Sean’s death also happened during the height of COVID. Our bassist, Carey, like so many other musicians, decided that he ultimately wanted to back away from touring and focus on his career in solar power. As the founding members of the band, Ian and I again had to grapple with the band’s existence. Serendipitously, our former bassist, Asher, approached us about playing and writing music together again. We’d always loved our group dynamic and synergy, so having him back has been excellent.
The next step was to find someone who we felt fit the role for drums. We are so lucky to have reconnected with our friend Jerard. I met him a few years ago when we did some one off gigs at Foggy Mountain [Brew Pub] and instantly had an undeniable musical connection. Jerard is the only drummer we ever really considered for the position — while he has his own style totally unique from Sean’s, the common factor is he knows how to “drive the train.”
With our lineup finally figured out, we have been able to focus on writing and recording new music. Working with Josh Blake at Echo Mountain [Recording] again, we’ve started tracking a new album, Return, and will be releasing singles and music videos in the coming months. The tone is much darker, the lyrics have far more maturity, and, overall, we are so stoked to share what we’ve been cooking up.
JL: Listening to This Is Now, I hear a mix of West Coast ‘60s psychedelia, jazz fusion, and modern jam bands. Could you speak a little about each members’ music background and what they’re bringing to the overall sound of The Snozzberries?
EH: Sure. This Is Now was a lot of fun to record. We tracked the whole album in a day and a half at Echo Mountain, and did maybe one day of overdubs and vocals. It was a whirlwind, but as a debut album it perfectly encapsulated where we were at when we recorded it.
The fun part about our band is that, because we all have so many different influences, we have formed our own weird cohesive way of playing together. The band has always had an interesting dichotomy when it comes to influences. For This Is Now, Ian and Sean came from a jazz and music theory background, while Carey and I were more or less self-taught and more influenced by rock.
The music we’ve been writing for Return has more influence in prog-rock and ‘70s metal. Our new rhythm section is creating something wild. Jerard has brought in a thunderous, electrifying sound on drums, and Asher’s love of jazz, house, and sludge has influenced our writing style immensely. Ian and I have always had a special interplay from our varying backgrounds. He’s got so many jazz licks, substitutions, so many colorful chords, etc., while I come from an angle of punk rock and psychedelic rock. Somehow, all of this converges into whatever the hell you want to call our sound.
JL: There’s a distinct energy and playfulness that helps music like yours thrive in the live setting. How challenging was it to capture that feeling on record?
EH: We like to do full live takes of the tracks and overdub solos, vocals, etc., as needed. That’s why we love Echo Mountain so much. The church room has a special magic to it. We’re able to spread out but still be present with one another while we’re recording. We also commit the cardinal studio sin of not playing to a click, which allows us to ebb and flow naturally. I don’t think our band would ever sound “right” if we tracked each instrument separately.
JL: With Warren Haynes being from here and major touring acts coming through regularly, this feels like a good city for a band like yours to build a following. How has your experience with Asheville’s music scene been?
EH: Asheville has been very kind to us. The Snozzberries by name started as a one-off bar band, but people really latched on to both the name and the sound, so we began taking it more seriously and writing original music. We were given a chance by Asheville Music Hall, and then we were given a chance by The Orange Peel, and then Salvage Station, and each time the response has been huge. I can’t say enough how thankful we are for the love Asheville has shown toward us.
The best part about Asheville’s music scene is the supportive nature the bands all show toward one another. Nobody is trying to cut anyone down — we all understand that a rising tide raises all ships. If one of our bands does well, we all are doing a little better by proxy. If you go around town and see us out, you’ll notice that all of us musicians are friends. We all hang out together and show support at each other’s shows when we can. It’s truly special.
JL: For those who have never experienced one of your “Psychedelic Circus” shows, could you share with readers what that all entails?
EH: It’s going to be wild. Our friends Dr. Bacon will be opening the show. They’re fantastic. Following that will be our “Psychedelic Circus” show. We will have projections, clowns, live painters, and more psychedelic multimedia. The line between audience member and participant will blur. We’ve got some fun surprises planned as well that I can’t elaborate on. All I can really say is you don’t want to miss it!
IF YOU GO
Who: The Snozzberries “Psychedelic Circus” + Dr. Bacon
When: Saturday, July 16, 10 p.m.
Where: Asheville Music Hall, 31 Patton Avenue, ashevillemusichall.com
Tickets: $20
(Photo by Josh Levy)
