Overall update
(Category- All)
So I recently received the music video for the SPRIGGSEY song "76 Swords Of Silence", it came out so well that I think I'm gonna save it for the album version of the song. I was also planning to get a music video made for my ZONTOX song "Alienating Fate" but I'm so happy with this guys work that it only makes sense to use these videos for songs that will be on the albums, rather than just being something on the side. I'll be using the song "Demons" as the video clip track for ZONTOX, it's unlikely that I'll have more than one video for each album, but if a good opportunity arises at the right price who knows. Being an indie musician basically sucks, especially when you have 3 different music projects that you're trying to run individually, and on your own. So yeah money is an issue..
I'll eventually be releasing some new "in the studio" footage and maybe even some live recordings onto youtube. I plan on recording some cover songs but thats after I'm done with the albums, feel free to have your input on what you think would make a good song for me to cover in the forum. I've updated my websites quite a bit, they now feature a chat room and this diary where I'll basically be typing whatever is on my mind. I have a lot of old entries that I've taken down that I'll probably put back up, some of them quite personal and some also quite immature. I took them down because I'd like to be known as the person I am today, but I've decided if some nim wit wants to judge me on things I said years ago then thats their problem. I like to think people change and grow for the better, at least thats one of my main goals in life. Later on down the track I may piece together some of these entries for a book.
Anyway as for the chat room, if you wanna chat about my music or whatever else I'll be online every now and then. I'm not sure if enough people actually visit the site to keep a steady flow of traffic in the chatroom, but I guess its there ready for the time when things really start to get rolling. I have some basic merch up for my projects, these designs are temporary and I'll eventually get some better designs up, right now my main focus is finishing these albums.
I'm more or less finished with my home studio setup, I've spent thousands getting it to the point where it is now. I'm not using super top of the line equipment but I have what I need to do what I want, its easy to get caught up in the technology side of things and forget why you even buy the equipment in the first place, to write and record songs.. If you're spending more time trying to keep up with the latest jazz than you are making music then thats when you've gotta wake yourself up.
For those asking me if I'm going to be playing live, yes I will be. I'll be in need of a fill in bassist and drummer, I have a few people lined up but basically I'll have to see how it all gos when we rehearse. I enjoy the freedom of writing and recording on my own, yes in some ways it makes things more difficult but in other ways it makes the whole process more enjoyable for me. Anyway that's about it for now, I'll be back when I have more to update on.
- Tim Spriggs
76 Swords Of Silence
(Category- SPRIGGSEY)
So I've just finished a new track, it's something I put together pretty quickly and am in the process of getting a music video made for. It was composed using Sonar 8- Producer unlike the demos which were put together using FLSTUDIO. It's a little something on the side and I haven't decided whether it'll be featured on the album or not. Enjoy!
SPRIGGSEY- 76 Swords Of Silence.mp3
- Tim Spriggs
Alienating Fate
(Category- ZONTOX)
So I just put up a new demo song, this song won't be on the album and is just a little something I've done on the side. I wanted to experiment with harmonizing two guitars on this song, guitar wise it isn't as complex as anything from the album, but more so just a little experiment to keep the creative juices flowing.. The entire song was composed and recorded in Sonar 8- Producer Edition, from the drums to the guitar tone, no add-ons were needed.
For the album there will be just one guitar part for a majority of the songs, I think it'll be a little something different rather having two guitarists like every other single damn metal band on the planet. Pantera, Tool and even 36 Crazyfists have all proven that you don't NEED two guitarists to write great songs, you just have to be a little more creative to make it work. Ideally two guitarists is always better, but I do have the hefty task to find fill in members to play live. I'll pride myself on having to actually sing and play the songs, while not relying on a backup guitarists to cover for my fuck ups. After all there is a thing called a bass player in a metal band, and TASTEFUL harmonizing..
- Tim Spriggs
This project.
(Category- SPRIGGSEY)
Strangely I have a lot of Electronic music laying around and nothing to do with it, so I decided to start up this project. Electronic music isn't really something that I've ever been a huge fan of, but I've always enjoyed making it. So here it is, something a little different from my ZONTOX metal project and s/t rock music. I have more demo songs on the way and hopefully a music video in the coming months, I plan to release an album eventually. But as far as this project go's, its more or less just a little something on the side to fill my time with.
- Tim Spriggs
Blogs + Goals.
(Category- Personal Diary Entries)
So I've decided at some point I'm going to take all these blog's I've written and piece them together for a book. I have over 3 years worth of material that I've taken down for a few reasons. While they were a pretty good depiction of how I felt at the time, they have little to do with the person that I am today. A lot of it was quite personal, and think that it'd be more suited to a book rather than the internet environment. After all, no one on the internet seems to be allowed to have their opinion! ESPECIALLY musicians..
The idea is there, and most likely won't happen until I've released 4 albums under both my projects, including 2 live dvd's and cd's. I plan to do all this before I'm 30. Why? Because I'd like to cross over into acting.. I'll still be making music, just not releasing an album every single year. But until then, it's all music and gaining the necessary qualifications so that I'm ready to take the next step into acting. I'm a huge fan of film, always have been, especially action movies. So if anyone out there is in the know, hit me up.
It's a crazy road to go down, but it's what I want to do. You only live one life, so why not follow your dreams? If you don't make it then at least you can say you tried.. Sticking to the normal way of doing things just doesn't do it for me, I'd like to leave behind a legacy before my time is up, be remembered after I'm gone. And I'm gonna do it for those who say I can't..
- Tim Spriggs
General life update..
(Category- Personal Diary Entries)
Nothing too exciting happening here, I'm still in the midst of completing the ZONTOX album. I never realized how much work it'd be writing, performing and producing an entire album on my own, along with pretty much every other aspect from promotion to web design etc. I think it takes some sort of mental deficiency to continually push yourself so hard when there's no real reward at the end of the day, only a hope I guess of (one day) meeting and fulfilling your dreams. I've always said you only live one life, so why not follow your goals.. If I was to become hugely successful at some point with my music, I'd have to say that it didn't come without huge sacrifice and hard work. Everyone wants to live the rock star life, but I think if a lot of people took the time to realize just how much hard work go's into becoming successful in the music industry, the very "rock star" thought doesn't seem so appealing. I'm obviously no expert, but I think I've read and experienced enough to know that it's just not all sunshine and roses. But then again, I guess that's what sacrifice is all about. I'm sure there's more than a few examples of those who had everything handed to them on a platter, but I think anything truly spectacular takes hard work. You'll know what I mean when you hear the music.
- Tim Spriggs
ZONTOX album artwork and track list.
(Category- ZONTOX)
01- For What We Suffer
02- Obliteration And The Death Of Strife
03- Demons
04- Enemy Of The State
05- Led By The Blind
06- The Inevitable
07- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
08- The Welcoming Of Degradation
09- Death Wager
10- Timeless Tortures
11- Success Is Revenge
12- The Remembrance
Progress- 31/1/09
(Category- Tim Spriggs)
Well I've completed writing the ZONTOX album and I'm currently in the process of replacing the demo recordings with the album versions. Basically I'm moving straight into writing and recording the Tim Spriggs album after that's complete, I've already gathered a heap of old material and have the basic skeletons for all the songs to be featured on the album. On top of that I have the skeletons for a second ZONTOX album. I've spent a lot of time rehearsing the ZONTOX songs over the past couple of weeks and will look at playing some live shows hopefully some time soon. Its going to be a pretty full year, I'm working to try and get both albums out there, along with video clips etc. I'm currently also in the middle of Mixing and Mastering a few albums for some other bands. That's about it for now, I'll be back when I have something worthwhile to say.
- Tim Spriggs
Interviews
(Category- ZONTOX)
Just a couple of interviews I did a while back, might give you a little more insight into the music.
Interview 1
So, who are you anyway?
ZONTOX, an Australian Metal project in which all music is written, performed and produced by myself (Tim Spriggs). Born and raised in the small town of Halls Gap in Australia, living pretty much in the middle of nowhere gave you not a lot to do, music was a great escape. The meaning of the word ZONTOX? There isn't one.. Basically it's just a random word I made up, I wanted something completely different so that if you were to search up the name on the Internet, the only results you would get are of the music. People have told me it sounds ridiculous, but when it comes down to it, I think the music itself will give the name a real meaning.
Describe your sound for us.
More or less a combination of all my influences with my own little twist.
So you rate yourself then?
No not really.. I'm happy making music that I like, if other people like it then thats great, if not then so be it! I think there has to be a certain element of confidence in anything you do if you want to succeed with it.
Who are your influences?
I've more or less liked heavier music since early primary school, the first time I heard Metallica I was blown away! As far as my main influences go though, Pantera would have to be the biggest. That band was on fire, many have tried to emulate what they did and have failed miserably. I think that band was one of those things that once was and will never be again. Other bands I gain inspiration from are Machine Head, The Haunted, Meshuggah, Deftones, Slayer, Sepultura etc. The list gos on.. I try to take a little bit from everything I hear. I think that its good to keep an open mind with music, otherwise you'll wind up sounding like another number in the countless array of clones in the music world.
Tell us one of your musical secrets.
I don't know if there's really any secrets, if you want to be good at anything then I guess the key is PRACTICE. I think my secret to life is music, it keeps me sane. It's the yin for my yang!
What’s in the future?
Well an album is not too far off from being finished! Hopefully then I'll be rehearsing some bass players and drummers to take on tour to unleash the material to you all!
What’s your claim to fame?
I don't consider myself famous. But if you'd like to know how I've made it to where I am, hard work I guess. If you want something enough who's' to stop you other than yourself? I think most great things take a lot of time and effort, and if they don't then they just won't seem like great things.
Musically, where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
Honestly I don't know, I try not to think too far ahead. Live for the day I say, I do know that music will be a big part of my life for many many years to come! Whether ZONTOX will still be around then? It's pretty likely..
Myspace or Facebook?
Myspace is better for music, facebook better for keeping in contact with people you consider actual friends, not fans, bands etc.
Interview 2
What’s the name of your band?
ZONTOX
What’s the origin of that name?
To be honest it doesn't mean anything, it's just a random word I made up. I figured that there's enough unoriginal bands names out there right now, I think the music will give it meaning.
Have you changed the band’s name before?
Nope, I went as far as trademarking the name so there's no turning back now.
Please list the name, age, and respective instrument of each band member.
Tim Spriggs- 25 years old, Vocals, guitars, bass, production, mixing and mastering.
What genre of music do you consider your work to be?
Metal, people can pigeon hole it to the 50 different genres that metal spans off into, to me there's either good metal or bad metal.
Who are your major influences?
Pantera is a huge one, others include Machine Head, The Haunted, Metallica, Sepultura, Slayer, Deftones, Down, Hatebreed, Meshuggah etc.
When did you form your band?
The idea has been around for quite a long time, I've been writing and recording music for nearly 10 years now. It started off more so as a hobby, just something fun to do in my spare time. Right now I'm starting to take things a little more seriously as I'm in the process of completing my first full length album.
What inspired you to make music together?
I love art, I think that music is one of the best forms of expression. What inspired me to make heavy music? I think it's best way to let off steam, and I've always had a bit of a temper.
What can you tell me about your instruments? (i.e., Are you subject to
brand loyalty or will you play with whatever’s available?
I don't think it's what you use, to an extent maybe, but I think its
more what you can do with it. I like my Schecter guitars.
What made you choose the instruments you have now?
They felt the most comfortable for me to play, I liked the sound etc.
Was it cost or was it a style/model/brand/color preference?
A combination of all, I'm not a very materialistic kind of a guy, and tend to break a lot of things, I wanted something that I wouldn't have to look after too much nor mind if someone threw a beer at it at a live show.
Who writes your songs?
I do, it's a one man deal. It's a bit of a bummer seeing bands that you like continually changing members, I figure this way the music will always be around as long as I am.
What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs?
I think a lot of the songs are quite personal, most of them are about overcoming your inner demons. I have trouble writing about happy things.
Do you think these topics will change over time?
I guess so, obviously as you get older you change. Will I be writing
happy metal songs in the future? Probably not.
Could you briefly describe the music-making process?
It varies, sometimes I may start a song with the lyrics, other times I may piece together different riffs I've written and form a song that way. It depends on what I have the inspiration to do first.
What are your rehearsals generally like?
At this point I don't have a bass player and drummer to cover for the live shows. As far as rehearsing the songs, I usually set my computer and gear up to play the other instruments while I play guitar and sing.
Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals
more spontaneous?
Music is a daily thing for me, if I don't pick up my guitar then I feel kind of empty. The longest break I've had from not playing my guitar in about the last 5 years would be 10 days.
How has your music evolved since you first began playing music
together?
Well obviously it's my goal to improve, if your not improving then I think your going backwards. I try to set some time aside each day to learn something new and to expand my musical knowledge. I think my music has gotten better.
What has been your biggest challenge as a band?
Being a one man project, I don't have to face a lot of the challenges that
bands do. Getting everyone to rehearsals, member changes, conflicts of interest. I like it this way, all I have to think about now is finding some musicians good enough to tour with.
Have you been able to overcome that challenge?
It's not something that I've faced yet, but I do have quite a few people interested.
What’s your ultimate direction for your band?
To out-do myself with every album, I think if your repeating yourself then things can get boring. Theres bands that don't evolve from the time they release their first album, I think if you are going to repeat what you've already done then why bother.
Are you seeking fame and fortune?
I'd like to be renowned for being good at something, theres so many bands out there today, I'd like to be one of those that stand out.
What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?
Try to find your own sound, ignore trends, be open minded with your music and be yourself.
How can fans-to-be gain access to your music?
www.zontox. com
www.timspriggs. com
Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
www.myspace. com/zontox
Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge for offering financial or
emotional support?
My girlfriend and parents for putting up with my crap.
Any last words?
Metal on!
Album Update- 12/01/09
(Category- ZONTOX)
Lousy update time for the few people that care! Things are moving along nicely and I'm more or less in the middle of touching up some of the drums and lyrics for the new songs. I've decided to cut out a few songs from the original track list, there will now be 12 songs on the album, the other 3 that I had written will be saved for the next album. I have the skeletons for another 12 songs to feature on the next album also. On top of that I have basic versions of all songs for the Tim Spriggs (rock) album which will hopefully be complete this year also.
Sound wise I'm pretty happy with the songs, you'll definitely hear the influences in there. But you won't hear me completely ripping off just one band, influences are good, but completely ripping off your favorite band is just lame. There are a couple of songs that sound similar to Meshuggah, one song has a solo in there that sounds like it could be in a Necrophagist song, while other parts ring true to Pantera and Machine Head. I'm trying to cover a whole different range of genres with this project, I have no interest in being pigeon holed into one of the 5,000 ridiculous categories that metal spans off into these days. Some people may call this a progressive metal album, as cliche as it is, I'd just call it metal. But I'll let you be the judge of that.
- Tim Spriggs
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Tims Links
- www.spriggsey.com Official website of Tim’s Electronica project SPRIGGSEY!
- www.timspriggs.com Official Tim Spriggs Website!
- www.zontox.com Official website of Tim’s heavy metal project ZONTOX
- www.zontoxproductions.com Home to Tim’s music mixing and mastering business!
