Our scribe Scott Alisoglu caught up with ex-SHOTGUN MESSIAH ("Heartbreak Blvd." etc.) frontman ZINNY J ZAN. Zinny has spent many years away from the scene but has recently returned with an unabashedly traditional yet fresh hard rock record - City Boy Blues (FastLane Records).

-What's the reaction been like to City Boy Blues?

-So far the reviews been great from the states but the album have only been out for a month so I guess we have to wait and see.

-Based on the album title, I'm guessing that you're a city boy. Is this an accurate assessment?

-I always been a city boy. I grew up in Stockholm City and since then I have lived in London, New York, Los Angeles and then back to Stockholm again, but since 2 years back I am living on the country side and rather like it. I felt like I had to give it a try.

-The album has a good mix of blues-based stuff, up-tempo rockers, and ballads. Was it your intent to make an album with a diverse offering, or do you just go with whatever comes to you at the time?

-I am a diverse person so I guess that answer both questions.

-You were heavily involved in all aspects of the album, including writing, performing, mixing, and producing. How long did it take to make the album from the beginning of the song writing production to final production and mastering?

- This album was done in different stages so its hard to say. There are songs on this album that were written back in 1997, but I guess it would have taken me 6 months from writing the songs to finish the album up. Yeah, nowadays I like to have total control of everything around the music procedure.

-What's the song writing process like for you?

-I usually just fuck around with a few riffs and then I start sing to it. It comes easy really.

-Are there any tracks on the album that you are particularly fond of or that have a special meaning to you?

-Yeah, I guess all of'em in their own way. I feel like I don't wanna write anything that doesn't mean shit anymore.

-One of the album's guest musicians is Mikkey Dee of Motorhead. How did you two get together?

-No, Mickey is not on this album at all. He was meant to be but he was out touring with Motorhead or I was out touring with a TV show that I was on so it never happened, hopefully on the next album, though. Me and Mickey go way back so it is nothing strange with that.

-You dedicate the album to Phil Lynott. Tell me about your feelings toward the man and your decision to dedicate to the album to him.

-Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy was one of my main influences and I got to know Phil back in 1983 so I felt like this album was bound to be dedicated to the great rocker.

-Before I read the album liner notes about the Lynott dedication, "Hollywood" really grabbed me with its Thin Lizzy sound and delivery. Was this intentional on your part? Is it coincidence that Thin Lizzy also has a song called "Hollywood?"

-A lot of my songs that I write come out as Lizzy songs so I'm surprised that this album didn't sound more Thin Lizzy than it actually does. The name "Hollywood" was no coincidence.

-How did you hook up with FastLane Records?

-Via Internet...so be careful out there.

-When did you first decide that you wanted to be a professional musician? Tell me about the early years of Zinny J. Zan.

-I was 9 when I decided that I would be a rocker. My early years are easy to sum up with so many plans, too little time.

-How did you end up with Shotgun Messiah and what was the experience like for you?

-They found me and for the other question, Heaven and Hell.

-Will you be touring in support of City Boy Blues? Sweden has produced an incredible number of rock bands, especially the black and death metal kind. To what do you attribute this explosion of Swedish music talent and how do you fell about your country's large selection of black and death metal bands?

-I will go on a Scandinavian tour in January to March and then we´ll see. Regarding the black metal thing, they do their thing I do mine and yeah, there are a lot of 'em in Sweden.

-Are there any Swedish bands that you really like?

-Yeah, there's a band called Gemini 5. They´re cool and they rock.

-Are you happy with your place in the rock world?

-No but I'm about to change that.

-Any last words?

-Fuck no! I'm not dying yet, HA, HA


Scott Alisoglu