Z*Trip: Shifting Gears

When it comes to DJs theres no comparing DJ Z*Trip. Hes different from the rest and shines brighter than the best. Sixteen plus years of DJ'ing has prepared Z*Trip to take on the world. After more than a year he has finally completed his album, Shifting Gears, featuring hit song, Walking Dead to be released this spring. Fortunately, Z*trip was able to take a short break to talk to HHDX about his album.

First off, congratulations on the completion of your album; I understand it took some time. Can you tell me who some of the people you worked with were?
People that stand out as far as being very monumental to me are Chuck D from Public Enemy, Whip from the Fantastic Romantic 5, Grandmaster Kas from Cool Crush Brothers. Some of the classic guys who started basically the Hip-Hop scene. Having some of them on the record is key. Then having somebody like Chester from Linkin Park on the record is huge, but I dont want people to get confused. The biggest reason both of us did a track together is because were actually both from Phoenix so it was more of a reason of he and I connecting and doing a track because we wanted to do something together and it sort of stood out and was a little different from what people expected of us.

What is the sound of your album?
Its a Hip-Hop record. It sort of spans around the time I got into Hip-Hop. So were talking maybe mid 80s up to now. Its sort of in a weird way chronological in that it starts out on some very classic party rocking sort of old school Hip-Hop vibe and then throughout the course of the record it sort of skips into things a little more current and things that are some darker tracks and things that have sort of an apoctolyptic feel at the end and then it brings up to date. Its definitely a Hip-Hop record but I was trying to span the globe of early 80s up til now.

That is different. How did you originally get into DJ'ing?
Basically it was me being a lover of music. Collecting records early on and people would be like hey lets have Zach come over hes got a huge collection and do you wanna play some records at our house party and I bring some records over and before I knew it I was making mix tapes for people and those parties turned into school dances turned into weddings turned into night clubs turned into me opening up for bands at shows. It just sort of snow balled into itself. I never planned on this being what I would do, ya know.

And what about tours, do you have any planned, are you on tour?
Ive been on the road for quite a bit. Probably for the past seven or eight years, pretty much nonstop whether it be doing tours or off dates. I've pretty much DJ'd everywhere. All over Europe, Japan, Australia, all through the states of Canada whatever so its like Im on the road constantly and if anybody knows me they probably either seen me on the road or heard of some of my stuff somebodys bough at a show. Its a good thing Ive covered so much ground for this record in particular it looks like Ill be out from June all the way to the end of the year.

Eight years is a long time to be touring do you ever have time for a personal life?
I try to fit that in from time to time. It gets a little bit difficult to balance, but thankfully I gotta a girl whos really supportive and understanding and deals with me being gone for weeks at a time.

Yes, thats true. It is important to have a strong support system. So do you ever get homesick?
Of course, thats part of it. Being on the road and being at home are two different homes for me. Its a weird balance because sometimes when Im physically at my house Ill want to be on the road doing shows, but then there times Ill be on the road and Ill miss being home so I love both places but I try to have a balance.

I understand that. As far as your goals, what are they specifically?
I wouldnt say I had a goal per se, but I guess to be different and give people different music and open their minds to different music. Thats really the biggest thing I try and do. Try and not sound like anybody and try to take risks, take chances.

So what would you say your biggest achievement has been thus far?
Ive achieved all sorts of different stuff. This being my first major label record, signing with a major label, putting out records throughout the airs, remixing people different bands and stuff I never thought I would remix, working on the Motown catalogue and doing some remixes for Motown was a huge goal that I never thought I would achieve, opening up for The Rolling Stones, playing in front of 450,000 people. Its not everyday a DJ gets to play in front of half a million people.

Of course, those are some huge accomplishments. I understand with one of your albums you had some problems with clearance. Did you run into the same problems with this album?
On this record originally I set out to make a record that was very sample based and sample heavy, but we couldnt clear everything so the concept of the album changed. It was a little bit of that we ran into, but it ended up becoming a completely different album so it made a little easier. I think anytime somebodys trying to do a record like that you run into problems.

Was that the worse part of making the album?
Its probably one of the worse part. I cant say its definitely the worse part but its one of.

Well, what would you say the worst part was?
I think for me it was that the process was a bit stressful. Since it started out as one process for one project and then midway through, like a year into it, it changed and I had to regroup and start over again. That was the hardest thing and the samples were the reason for that. I think the mere fact of having to regroup and start over a year into it was most frustrating.

I cant began to imagine your frustration. What was the best part that evened out the worst part?
Being able to say I finally have the record done. Its the finish line, ya know.

Again, congratulations. What would you say was the gateway to your success?
I cant really say it was one particular thing. It was a string of events. One part me hustling being out on the road and working every gig I could possibly work, another part me remixing something getting that into somebodys hands, another part me putting out a mix CD. It was a combination of things everyday. It wasnt like one day I got one big break and that was the thing that got me through.

Its usually not one big thing. Do you have any advice to offer to up and coming DJ's?
Be as original as possible try not to sound like the next guy. Try to make sure your sound is your own.