“Tiziano Tarli, the keyboard player and co-composer, along with Lorenzo Moretti (also a songwriter and guitarist in Giuda), answered the first two and the last question. I answered the others, Additionally, we have Pablo Tarli on drums (who is Tiziano’s son), says Emanuele Sterbini, ZAC’s bass player and guitarist, who we also know from Sterbus.

ZAC is an Italian Pop/Rock group that draws inspiration from various artists, including Squeeze, The Beatles, Jellyfish, and The Beach Boys, among others.

How did this record come together?

The record was born out of the need to follow up ZAC I, our debut album. That record came out two months before the pandemic, so we couldn’t work on it at all for the whole live promotional part. The excellent reception it received, however, gave us the confidence to continue the project and write new songs. This time, we wanted to try new synths – such as ARP Odyssey, DX7, Juno, Jupiter – and drum machines to refresh our sound. This is one of the main differences between ZAC I and ZAC II.

What was the moment you knew you were onto something?

Actually, from the very beginning, we were clear about what we wanted to write and play. After composing new songs, it’s usual for us to go to the rehearsal room and play them to see whether they work or not, trying different arrangements, chord progressions, vocal lines. Some songs were dropped, others were kept, and bit by bit, the record took shape and eventually was ready to come out.

The meaning of success has changed over the years. What would success look like for the new record?

I think that every band is never really looking for fame or money: we just want our songs to reach as many people as possible. Music lovers are always hungry for good songs, and we hope to be one of their fave suppliers! We also take great care in our packagings, so our vinyl and CD editions are really well thought out. The gatefold vinyl version of ZAC II is really a beautiful object to hold in your hands – complete with full lyrics and wonderful illustrations by Dario Faggella – so sharing it with our listeners is another of our main interests. We hope to tour a lot so people will be able to find it at our merch stand. The CD edition is very nice too. Doing the things you love in a way you’re satisfied with is always a success.

How do you decide when a song is finished and ready to be recorded?

There’s always a moment during rehearsals in which we look at each other with a big grin on our faces because we made the song happen. We live for those moments. Then we refine them and try to perfect the arrangement, listening to our rehearsal recordings. Sometimes we feel like it’s the song itself that tells us, “Ok, I’m ready, record me!”

How do you balance experimentation with commercial appeal in your music?

When we write, we don’t think in terms of “commercial appeal”: we do what we like, and a certain pop sensibility will always be in our musical DNA, so it will always show in our tunes whether we think about it or not. So, our experimentation has more to do with the sounds we decide to use, what chords, which structure suits the songs best. In a way, ZAC II is a more mature and complex album than ZAC I.

Cassettes are back. Which five songs would make your first mixtape?

Let’s start from the beginning, trying to reach nowadays in five songs! 1. “And Your Bird Can Sing” – The Beatles; 2. “I Like the Sound of Breaking Glass” – Nick Lowe; 3. “Pulling Mussels (From a Shell)” – Squeeze; 4. “Joining a Fan Club” – Jellyfish; 5. “Ain’t That Enough” – Teenage Fanclub

Suppose you were to introduce your music to new listeners through three songs. Which songs would those be and why?

We think we tried different approaches to our songs for ZAC II, both in songwriting and arranging… So, I think a new listener should listen to

“The World is Standing Still” – that is also our first single – because it has massive synths, an anthemic vocal part, and a very punchy beat to it. “It’s only words” finds us playing with drum machines, robotic sounds, and a hypnotic and ominous bass/synth riff, counterpointed by a very open and melodic chorus. And then there is “Melting in the sun” that is pure Beatles, complete with horns and string parts, a very 1967 Maccaesque bass line, and a really playful singalong coda when we got three different vocal lines interwoven together… very Beach Boys!

If you could tour the world with two other bands, who would you ask, and why?

If we could only use a time machine, we’d love to tour with Big Star and Badfinger… Today? I don’t know, maybe Squeeze or Electric Light Orchestra, though a tour with The Lemon Twigs would be really great as well. They’re one of our favorite bands, and “Everything Harmony” is probably their best collection of songs so far.

If you could pick three singers to sing harmony vocals on your next record, who would you ask?

Brian Wilson, Roy Wood, Kevin Barnes from Of Montreal, Colin Newman from The New Pornographers, maybe… For sure, we dedicated a lot of time to vocals and backing vocals. I think people will love the harmonies they’ll find on this record.

The record is done, the music is out. Is the best fun done now, or is it just beginning?

Going into the studio to record is always a lot of fun and a wonder; it’s a creative world that has always fascinated and excited us greatly, but going live on tour to play music is a blast! We can’t wait to take the record on tour, so we’re just getting started!