Haven’t heard of Automatic Static? The trio hails from “muthaf*%in’ Sacramento California” (proclaimed more out of anger than affection) and, on this particular night, has traveled 530 miles or so just to punish the Viper Room and all the unsuspecting hipsters that showed up — and the quota this evening seems unusually high. The band churned out a particularly groove-laden set that had everyone in the crowd shakin’ their respective booties. Patrons found it difficult to resist their catchy hooks of “Keys to Heaven” or the pummeling riffage of “Kill ‘Em All.” A myriad of influences spring to mind, though of the good kind: Singer/songwriter Z Rokk sounds a bit like The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson; their brand of raucous rock is somewhere between the stoner sludge of Black Sabbath (how many bands wouldn’t exist without Tony Iommi?:)); there’s even a bit of the Zeppelin-esque in there, at least in slivers and bits. And if you’re into Them Crooked Vultures, I’ve little doubt you will love them : Like TCV, the emphasis is on rock and ink. Lots of tattoos, yelling, and pretty much just straightforward rock n’ roll. I caught up with A.S. singer/songwriter Z Rokk recently after their show and talked about the band’s influences, nefarious history, and exactly how miserable life in Sacramento is.

Can you describe your origins as a band, living in a one-room apartment in Sacramento?

Z Rokk: AUTO STAT was started in my one bedroom apartment about 5 years ago in downtown Sacramento.  I didn’t want to create a band until after I had written and created an entire record.  I wanted to try and play all of the instruments on the record as well.  So I did.  I was lucky enough to get a production deal with Brian Dobbs who had co-produced/engineered Weezer, Metallica, Veruca Salt, AC/DC, and we recorded a lot of my first record as Auto Stat at the Bomb Shelter Studios owned by Eric Kretz (drummer for Stone Temple Pilots).  After forming a band to back me up we showcased for several major labels and were offered a development by a major label in 2007. I didn’t feel like the deal would have been beneficial for both parties, so we politely passed and I decided to do things on my own.  I also had wanted to finish my degrees in college, which were put on hold back in 1999 when Simon Says signed a major label deal with Hollywood records. So I did. I went to Cal State Sacramento and majored in Pre Law and Government and I started writing more and more.  I also decided that a simple three-piece line up would be best and more of my vision.  Getting a “deal” wasn’t and has never been the motivation for Automatic Static.  It’s always been about being selfish to an extent and myself wanting to produce, write and play mostly on the records.  On our 2nd album “The Murder of California” we did just that and I produced/engineered the entire thing at my own studio Rock Inc. Studios in Sacramento Ca.  It was mixed by FAR guitarist Shaun Lopez at his studio The Airport Studios in Burbank Ca.  We were offered a deal by indie label Authentik Artists and it was a perfect fit.

Can you describe what the songwriting process is like? You bring a lot of influences to the table, but seem to have found your niche in the industry writing for other artists too.

Z Rokk: The songwriting process is simple.  I basically will write most of the tunes and show them to Jess Gowrie (drummer) ad Frank White (bassist) and they’ll add their own flavor to them.  We share ideas and will develop the tunes as a band in live rehearsals but the basic skeletons, vocal melodies, and structure is already written by myself.  I had started writing music for other bands when my old band Simon Says had disbanded in 2002.  I had been approached by a few major label acts to write material for them. Later I was approached by some Pop and Hip Hop artists to co-write and/or, produce.    So I guess I kind of fell into it and really loved it.  It allowed me to try other artistic sides and expand my challenges as a producer.  I really enjoy it.  I think that co writers are becoming more and more popular to be used especially with baby bands or newly signed bands and having an objective writer in the group can be very helpful. Not everything I write gets used, yet I take every opportunity as an audition.

How would you describe your sound? I hear a lot of the old Sabbath in there, especially in the guitars.

Z Rokk: Absolutely.  I am very much a fan of bands like BARKMARKET, SLEEP, BLACK SABBATH, DEFTONES, T REX etc.. I think that I have a tendency to write melodic guitar riffs based on one string and then open up into chord voicing in a chorus or “bigger” sounding part of the song.  Ive always felt that the beauty of heavy rock is in a great guitar riff supported by a great vocal melody.  Automatic Static’s sound is based around a slower detuned guitar sound that has a slight bluesy feel to it so you can tend to hear a “stoner rock” type of sound of course.  Automatic Static being a three piece, I looked up to bands like Barkmarket and Nirvana or great examples of how even a three-piece band can be simple and sound HUGE.  We take a “less is more” approach to the construction of our songs on records.

So what’s the ‘heaven’ you’re describing in the song “Keys to Heaven”?

Z Rokk: “Heaven” in the song “keys to heaven” is basically the idea of what the public or right wing of the public would have you believe “heaven” is.  I think that all too often the conservative movement in the United States trys to manipulate us into feeling guilty about our actions as humans and use religion as a control device to get support for their causes or beliefs.  In the song “keys to heaven” I am being sarcastic when I refer to having the key to your Heaven, because I believe there is a severe double standard when it comes to what people think happiness should be where as happiness is whatever you think it is, thus “heaven.”  I think that people should be able to believe whatever they want and because one’s view might differ than mine or yours, doesn’t make them wrong or destined to go to Hell.  It just meant that Heaven is whatever makes you happiest and not what someone tells you it should be.

I hear you own a rock school in Sacramento. How did that get started?

Z Rokk: When I was about to finish college after going back, I had an idea about a company that would allow me to focus my career goals as a producer yet be able to have young people involved as well.  I called it Rock Inc.  .  Rock Inc is a recording studio however we also have private music school named Rock Inc School of Rock.  We have a half dozen or so teachers teaching everything from Piano, guitar, Bass, Drums, Vocals, Audio Engineering and we have a “join a band” program where students get into groups and play as a band.  They write songs and develop their skills as players in a live atmosphere as well as private lessons.  What is great though is that I have a large state of the art studio to work and produce other artists, as that is my main career in addition to Automatic Static.  I am a producer by trade but I am able to also be lucky to have a hand in shaping the young minds of the next musical generation and hopefully allow them to learn to from people who have toured, made records, produced, played with huge artists etc…. and really know what the student needs to know and wants to learn.  We are over 200 students strong now and both my band mates in Automatic Static also teach there.  Check out www.rockincmusic.com

Out of all the bands you’ve toured with, is there one you’d say surpasses everyone else in debauchery/raucousness/tomfoolery?

Z Rokk: I don’t remember any “one “ band that was disorderly or wild.  I really had a blast touring in general and all of the bands that I have toured with have always been great.  We toured with Filter, Staind, Limp Bizkit, Type O Negative and many more.  I loved all of those guys as people and as musicians.  I still keep in close touch with many of the guys I toured with to this day.  I was really saddened to hear about Pete Steel’s of Type O Negative recent death.  He was such a gracious guy to me on tour and I will miss him.  I hope he is blasting the Goth metal in Heaven!

Governor Schwarzenegger refuses to live in Sacramento and travels daily to his home in Los Angeles, because he believes “Sacramento is Death” (an exact quote). Do you agree with him or is Sacramento not as bad as he’s claiming it is?

Z Rokk: I’d have to agree with the “Governator” on this one.  I wish I could say that I love Sacramento………It’s a beautiful city yet very small town mentality which I cant stand, and unfortunately I feel that in recent years the music scene is very parasitic.  I think that there is something electric to large cities and the artists they breed as if a city is very large like LA or New York or Atlanta etc… you cant always be worried about what others think.  It forces artists to concentrate on their craft rather than what a small select group of hipsters think.

Following that theme, can you tell us what made you decide to title your album “The Murder of California”?

Z Rokk: To me California represents a lot of what the world perceives as beautiful yet it’s a fake beauty. Blondes, boobs, plastic, big rims, flashy stuff, etc…. I think that a lot of the lyrics on that record were geared to the notion that I really don’t like phonies.  I believe that people in the world associate what is glamorous with a lot of whatever we do in California.  I think that there is so much more out there to look at for beauty and glamour.  So many things that are NOT materially based inspire me.  I wish that more music were based around non-glamorous subject matters.  More about matters of the heart and less about cars, chicks, bling, etc…I think that music that relates to the listener’s heart is remembered forever and will become the soundtrack for a moment in the listeners life, rather than a song that makes them just want to go buy something.

What are the plans for the future? What’s it like having achieved success in an industry where MTV isn’t so relevant and most artists have to rely solely on internet social networking/MySpace etc. and touring to spread the word?

Z Rokk: Plans for the future?  Well, the plan for the future of Automatic Static and myself are to keep making records and keep producing great music. I want to learn how to make better and better records in the studio and try and make a change in music where fans rediscover why listening to a record in the order that the artist intended matters.  I love that fans are able to buy individual songs as access is always great yet I think that, especially in rock bands, the sequence of a record and the peaks and valleys the artist had intended while creating a body of work is very important.  I would love to some how revitalize the fans to have a desire to give the entire album the chance it deserves.  On the converse side that also means that the artists have to write 10-12 great songs instead of going with the recent motivation that only 2 or 3 songs matter and the rest is filler for the record.  I think that I see that a lot in recent years as a producer and I hope I can contribute to inspiring artists to do what career rock bands like STP, Deftones, Far, Pearl Jam, Foo fighters, U2 and many more have done.  If you build it they will come.  Truer words could not be better to describe my hopes for the future.

Words by Jeff Nau, Photos by Sidney Bensimon