Exclusive Conversation with Zach Adams

Artist Spotlight: Zach Adams

It’s the guitar solo that grabs the attention in “Phantom Love,” the new single by Alaska-based artist, Zach Adams. With nods to Prince, Adrian Belew, and the Eric Clapton solo on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” the frenetic phrasing and industrial sound elevate the angsty and personal track into the territory of proper rock anthems.

In this exclusive Q&A, Zach Adams opens up about the stories behind the music, lessons learned along the way, and what keeps their passion alive.

MusicsWeek: How did you get started in music?

Zach Adams: Officially, I began at age 12 when I played percussion in band class. I switched to guitar when I was 15, playing in the occasional class concert or pep rally until I graduated high school, and have been picking up additional instruments more or less at random ever since.

MusicsWeek: What inspired you to become a musician?

Zach Adams: My parents, at first. When I was little, my dad played drums for a local metal group named Hammerfist (who I would briefly play bass for when they reunited in 2015), and is also a producer and DJ, and my mom has been a singer for most of her life. Seeing the movies "School of Rock" and "Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny" when I was 12 sparked an ongoing obsession with the guitar, so Jack Black probably deserves some credit as well.

MusicsWeek: Can you tell us a bit about your background and upbringing?

Zach Adams: The parts I'm willing to talk about are astonishingly boring, which is why my website claims I was raised by an anthropomorphic ostrich named Philip who taught me how to time travel. In the real world, I was born to and raised by parents who had relatives who all lived in places and did things. Eventually, some things happened, and nearly 3 decades later, I've turned out to just be some they/them out causing some may/hem.

MusicsWeek: What's your favorite memory related to music?

Zach Adams: My 7th birthday, when my (human, not ostrich) dad and his band brought me onstage at a biker rally to shout "not by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin!" during their cover of Green Jelly's "Three Little Pigs".

MusicsWeek: What's your biggest passion outside of music?

Zach Adams: I'm also a fantasy writer, and (most of) my music is meant to accompany my book series The Ivyverse. Book #1 "Dead Man Walking" was published in 2023, and its sequel, "A World Apart" is currently in progress. 

MusicsWeek: How do you stay motivated and inspired?

Zach Adams: A combination of emotional and financial desperation fueled by an Adderall prescription and a caffeine addiction. The Spotify AI DJ and Smart Shuffle features have also been great for finding new influences (lately, I've been fixated on The Warning, Sabrina Carpenter, Ghost, Nothing But Thieves, and Måneskin)

MusicsWeek: What's your favorite song to play live?

Zach Adams: Unfortunately, I haven't been able to play live for various reasons since 2017 when my bandmates in 3 Kisses moved to another state and the Great 2020 Covid Apocalypse prevented me from rejoining them. Before I joined that group, I was in a band called The Seizures and we always had fun playing a cover of The Beatles' "Helter Skelter"

MusicsWeek: What's your creative process like when writing songs?

Zach Adams: About half the time, I start from guitar riffs I wrote by hand (I keep short demos in my phone), programming drums on my computer to learn later, and expanding the piece until it feels done. Otherwise, I pick a title from a list I also keep in my phone, pick a key from a cheat sheet on my computer, and test out chord progressions until I find something I like. With that process, I usually start on a keyboard and go from there to bass and then drums, with guitar parts coming later and vocals/lyrics almost always coming last.

MusicsWeek: Do you have a favorite album or artist that influences your work?

Zach Adams: I could make a full list, but we'd be here all day. The top two bands to have really affected me were The Beatles & Sparks. Seeing Paul McCartney in 2017 and Sparks in 2022 were some of the greatest experiences of my life. I also have a short list of artists who I believe have 100% enjoyable discographies, where even their worst songs are still pretty good (in no particular order; Arctic Monkeys, Metric, Silversun Pickups, Porcupine Tree, System of a Down, Alice in Chains, Faith No More, and Floater).

MusicsWeek: What's the most challenging part of being a musician?

Zach Adams: Honestly, almost every part. Coming up with new material, finishing and recording that material, learning a new instrument, getting people to listen, assembling other musicians whose goals and schedules align with mine, tearing myself away from my current game (right now it's Skyrim, before that Spider-Man 2, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Palworld, etc.) in order to actually get something done, the list goes on. Music can also be very expensive, whether you pursue it as a hobby or as a career. But if I didn't love what I do, I wouldn't bother.