Playlist: Zac Colwell
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Zac Colwell is a multi-instrumentalist, award-winning composer, and Creative Director at Sonic Union. Here he talks touring with a circus as a teen, George Michael fandom, and using his Roland Juno-60 and Moog Source.
What’s the best music video you’ve seen recently and why?
A sound designer friend showed me Ollane - Holy Discover which I was really impressed by.
Really beautiful cinematography and it is the best visual representation of an anxiety dream that I’ve ever seen. Even down to the feeling that there must be some elusive deep meaning.
Credits
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- Production Company FMT.Jetlag
- Director Vladimir Ivanov
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Credits
powered by
- Production Company FMT.Jetlag
- Director Vladimir Ivanov
- Executive Producer Arseniy Zyabbarov
Credits
powered by
- Production Company FMT.Jetlag
- Director Vladimir Ivanov
- Executive Producer Arseniy Zyabbarov
What’s the first music video you remember being impressed by?
I remember loving a lot of music videos from the 80’s like Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer and Faith No More - Epic.
Men At Work - Down Under I remember, and of course, Ray Parker Jr. - Ghostbusters held a special place in my heart.
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Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer
Faith No More – Epic
Men At Work – Down Under
Ray Parker Jr – Ghostbusters
And what’s your all-time favourite music video?
My all time favourite video was for my childhood hero George Michael - Faith.
Credits
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- Production Company Black Dog Films/USA
- Director Andy Morahan
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Unlock full credits and more with a Source + shots membership.
Credits
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- Production Company Black Dog Films/USA
- Director Andy Morahan
- Record Label Columbia Records
- Artist
Credits
powered by
- Production Company Black Dog Films/USA
- Director Andy Morahan
- Record Label Columbia Records
- Artist
What other directors/artists do you look to for inspiration?
I love the illustrations on the book covers of the sci fi novels that I read as a kid. Illustration is an inspiration for my musical ideas because I get more of a hand-made feeling from them than other artforms for some reason. Maybe it’s some kind of kinetic feeling, and it reminds me to just apply myself right away.
What are you listening to at the moment?
I’m listening to whatever my friends send me! Often their own work. But also loving the new Adi Oasis album, and I always look for obscure music from the past that may not have been popular at the time but resurfaces, often due to an association with film or picture of some kind.
What’s your favourite bit of tech, whether for professional or personal use?
I rely on my vintage synthesizers a lot. Roland Juno-60 and Moog Source. I couldn’t work without them. Also some older tech - my saxophones and flutes.
I am a Pro Tools user and am really grateful for that technology as well as dozens of software plugins that are just amazing tools in modern music creation.
What artist(s) would you most like to work with and why?
Unfortunately George Michael has passed away. Otherwise I’d have to say my dream is to produce an album for someone like Julio Iglesias that would satisfy both his older listeners and younger ones as well.
How do you feel the music industry has changed since you started in it?
I feel that so many gates have opened due to the internet which wasn’t a factor in the music industry when I started. This also has an effect of creating an illusion that listeners are closer than they are, which could lead to disappointments or wasting one’s time, however. One simple change is the incorporation of computers into a live show, which I think is finally finding a better balance within live “bands” than when their use really gained popularity in the 2010’s.
Where do you see the music industry being in five years’ time?
I can’t predict where the music industry will be other than guessing that it will be even more stratified. We went from local vs national artists, all relying on radio and physical recordings and live shows, to many many branches and niches thanks to the Internet, where you don’t need either of those aspects of distribution and people can create their own cult followings and sell out large venues mostly on their own. So I would imagine there would be more clubs opening dedicated to more fringe tastes. Also grunge. Grunge seems to be making a comeback with the very young, mixed with a kind of modern singing.
Tell us one thing about yourself that most people won’t know…
Most readers won’t know that I toured with a circus when I was a teenager.
