B5Erik

I saw the KISS "Rock the Nation" tour last night, and they were great, but there was a third band on the bill that I had never heard of, ZO2. Now, remembering just how bad some of the unknown opening bands were on the 1996 Reunion tour, I wasn't expecting much.

Boy, was I surprised!

ZO2 is a great Hard Rock band with very well developed songs and the band is a power trio that is really tight and powerful. They kind of remind me of a modern day Grand Funk Railroad (if they had started in 2000, rather than the late 60's). They've got a real 70's Hard Rock vibe to them while still having a modern edge. Hard Rock, 70's Metal, Funk, and even Grunge influences abound - and it's all works together really well.

The vocal harmonies are great - and that's where the comparison to Grand Funk really kicks in: It sounds a lot like Mark Farner and Don Brewer when they sang together on the same songs, and the vocal melodies are similar in style to Grand Funk. The music is heavier than GFR, and much more modern, but it also has that soulful, funky vibe that GFR often had.

If there is any justice in the music industry (which I know there isn't) these guys will be huge.

Maybe they'll still be huge anyway!

They really are that good. Check out their website zo2.com if you're interested in reading more about them.

I will definitely be featuring them on my show.

B5Erik

Four years later, I still love these guys.

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Groucho

I'm glad "Hard Rock" was specified in the title, otherwise we'd have no idea as to the genre.

Shamus McAnally

I wish the live clips could truly capture the energy/sound of their show. What an experience!

I wish I coulda seen them on the KISS/Poison tour, on the big stage. Woulda been sweet!

jdodd

B5Erik

I just got the 2 ZO2 CD's in the mail, and I'm halfway through the debut, Tuesdays & Thursdays and I've got to say - ZO2 is a freaking brilliant band.

They really are the best Hard Rock band to come out in the last 15 years, IMO. Killer stuff.

Numanoid

Was that last clip filmed at a fat chicks convention?

The Cow

They are good, they've been on my heavy playlist for several years. I'm surprised they have still stayed together with their outside interests. Hopefully, they will put out something new soon.

BTW, they are opening for Kiss again this weekend in Nevada, go go go!

Shamus McAnally

Glad to hear it Erik. I'd love to hear your opinion about which disc you like better, after giving them a few spins.

chino77

wow those vids were almost as bad as their music was. there are seriously a few fans of this band here? that god awful butchering of tom sawyer is beyond bad, the guitarist cant even come close to playing that song. why the hell are they playing it?

B5Erik

Uhh, 'cause they like the song and enjoy playing it, maybe?

I thought the guitarist nailed the rhythm part, and did a decent job on the solo - and the rhythm section was fantastic!

As a 30 year fan of Hard Rock I can honestly say that these guys are the real deal. Great songwriters, great performers - a great band. They won over KISS crowds night after night in 2004 - as an unknown unsigned band, no less!

chino77

i like to masturbate but i dont do it in public.
to say that was a decent job is being very kind.
well im 31 yrs old and have been raised on hard rock so i guess i got one leg up on you.
also to say they won over kiss crowds isnt really anything to brag about. considering kiss is known as one of the worst bands in popular rock history.

B5Erik

First, nice threadcrap.

Second, I've been a Hard Rock fan for 30 years, I'm not 30 years old.

Third, KISS crowds are known as being pretty tough on unknown bands (or even some known bands - Sammy Hagar got booed off the stage opening for KISS in the 70's).

Fourth, ZO2 is a great band. If you're really a big Hard Rock fan you can pick out many of their influences (Aerosmith, KISS, Zep, Starz, 70's funk, Red Hot Chili Peppers, STP, Alice in Chains, etc), and hear how they bring something fresh to the mix. They've got TWO great singers and utilize that in almost every song (there are some great harmony vocals there, which is one of the big KISS influences).

But, again, thanks for threadcrapping. You must really be jealous of the guys in ZO2 - to the point where you feel you must take shots at them.

These guys aren't just a bunch of amateurs, either: The band features brothers Paulie Z (vocals, guitar) and David Z (vocals, bass guitar) with Joey Cassata (drums, percussion, vocals), the their previous individual achievements are also noteworthy: David as former bassist in the enormously successful Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Joey in the Las Vegas company of the critically-acclaimed Blue Man Group and Paul as a featured vocalist on Howard Stern’s popular song parodies.

The Cow

Find a female, it's even better!

Happy 31st birthday! But most here are older than you, and not really sure why the hell that is relevant.

You don't like Kiss, got it, that's fine. Amazing how one of the 'worst' bands have been hugely influential and still are talked highly about 30+ years later.

chino77

sorry for the threadcrap.
ok ive been a hard rock fan for 25 yrs sorry you are superior to me.
in my opinion kiss fans booing a band off stage would make we want to listen to them.
influences dont make a band good sorry. i guess the bad guitar in tom sawyer was "fresh to the mix"?
why would i be jealous of some band that opens for kiss a few days every few years then crawls back to bars and small clubs? also i wouldnt want to be anywhere near the disgusting so called human beings that call themselves paul and gene.
wow song parodies and blue man group!! neither of those are impressive sorry. i guess i can give you TSO because they actually have fans who go see them.
i love when people in the music section get so upset about people talking shit about music they like. why the hell do you really care? i think they suck really bad and you dont...so sorry everyone doesnt agree with you. if you go to the other forum people talk shit all day long and nobody cries threadcrap. i voiced my opinion...maybe say hey those live versions werent to your liking but you should check out their studio stuff.

chino77

i have a woman but sometimes my hand is a lot of fun.
my birthday was months ago. its relevant because i wanted to point out i wasnt some kid listening to fallout boy.
kiss were cool and influential in the 70's. find me a decent band that is on the public radar that was influenced by post 70's kiss.
also i should have said post 70's kiss is known as pretty bad music. although even 70's kiss isnt known as very good (but its tolerable). i will give you influential though. with the make up, spitting fire and blood, and other stage antics what 12 year old wouldnt want to be them? take all that away and it would be a different story.

B5Erik

chino77,

If you don't like them, why bother to post?

And if you really do feel the need to express your opinion about them, do you really have to be so obnoxious about it? That's what made your first post a total threadcrap, IMO.

You don't like KISS or ZO2, that's fine. Just say so and let it go. You don't have to start insulting the band or their fans.

Personally, as someone who loves AC/DC, KISS, 70's Aerosmith, Ratt, Van Halen, Dokken, Led Zeppelin, Badlands, Deep Purple, etc, I think ZO2 is a great band, and a great breath of fresh air in a stale music industry.

And they are fantastic live. Tons of energy, tight musically, and great vocally. And their songs work even better live than they do in the studio (and they work very well in the studio).

chino77

you know what. im going to say sorry. im sure you would hate alot of music i like. sorry to have been a dick.