ZO2

David Z, bassist/vocalist of the swaggering rock trio Z02, calls the Brooklyn band’s inclusion on this summer’s Kiss/Poison tour a classic underdog story.

That’s because the three-piece doesn’t even have a record contract. That little detail didn’t stop them from releasing their debut work, “Tuesdays & Thursdays,” on their own Splivycool Entertainment, Inc. Kiss singer/guitarist Paul Stanley heard the CD and invited ZO2 to open the legendary shock rockers’ summer amphitheater tour. The show makes a stop Saturday in Verizon Wireless Music Center, Noblesville.

Being an unknown artist serving as the warm-up act, particularly for a band known worldwide for its pyrotechnic live spectacle, may seem a little daunting. As ZO2 guitarist/vocalist Paulie Z (David’s brother) reveals, the tour has been a rousing success so far.

“The response has been overwhelming, to say the least,” the New York native said during a crudely-arranged conference call from the group’s RV while en route to the Portland, Ore. performance. “You never know what you’re going to walk into at the beginning, and especially being Kiss fans, the three of us combined have seen hundreds of shows. I’ve seen bands booed off stage, and that’s not pretty. Even though you know in your heart you’re as good as you are, that doesn’t mean you’ll get the response you want. That first night in San Antonio was a standing ovation and that set the tone for the rest of the show. Every night so far, it’s been the same or better.”

“We feel like we’re in ‘Wayne’s World’ showing off our backstage passes to everybody just because we have them,” David Z chimed in.

ZO2, rounded out by drummer Joey Cassata, makes no bones about calling Kiss their idols. Although the rock visionaries have somewhat taken ZO2 under their wing, Paulie Z explained the hierarchy is in place backstage as well as on stage.

“(Kiss will) say like, ‘Don’t touch the pasta,’ ‘the meat’s bad,’ things like that,” he said. “We’ve had more interaction than you’d think. Poison the first day came up and said, ‘Anything you guys need to make you feel more at home, just let us know.’ With Kiss, it’s just a different way of being nice. They’re both extremely nice, but with Kiss we don’t hang out as much. It’s more like we speak to them and they do their thing. But they’re like the Godfathers — you don’t really see them. You kiss the ring, but that’s about it. We don’t play catch or whatever.”

The members of ZO2 aren’t from total obscurity, having worked with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Blue Man Group, Joan Jett and members of Megadeth and Testament. Resumes like that have helped the band on such a massive tour coming so early in its incarnation.

“I think every little thing helps,” Cassata said. “We’re obviously experienced in playing in front of big crowds, so none of us get the nerves and stuff that I think normal people would get playing in front of the size crowds we play in front of every night now.”

This time around, ZO2 is getting a charge out of playing its own material.

“For me at least, the main difference between playing with like Joan Jett or TSO, is it’s our own music,” David Z explained. “It’s stuff that I’ve sat home in my bedroom in my underwear playing for the first time, and now thousands of people are hearing it. All the other gigs were amazing in their own ways, but it’s still other people’s music. So I think that’s the biggest thrill for me and for all of us — it’s our creation on stage and you can’t take anything away from that.”

Factoring in the Kiss angle, ZO2 was raised on the anthemized stadium bombast of the ’70s, and it’s apparent in the trio’s 12 slabs of dominating cock rock on “Tuesdays & Thursdays.” The group is quick to cite a strong influence from the Seattle influx of the early ’90s and the current crop of flamboyant showmen like The Darkness. If anything, Paulie Z detests machine-made music disguised as rock ‘n’ roll.

“You can tell the difference between a record that was Pro-Tooled to death and every snare and bass drum lands exactly in the right spot because it was caught up,” he said. “Or a record you can listen to and say, ‘These guys went in and played it.’ We did that on our album, clearly.”

ZO2 did contemplate performing under a gimmick, such as calling themselves Toyz and dressing as action figures on stage (it was hard to tell if they were serious or not, as the conversation, in parts, turned to “The Godfather,” pies and personal turn-ons amidst a jovial environment on the band’s traveling RV party). It was an early attempt at coaxing the public back to rock concerts. Filling seats hasn’t been an issue on the Kiss/Poison carnival, but Paulie Z laments a bygone era of rock ‘n’ roll, before an all-consuming media rendered the concert format near extinct.

“You always hate to go back to MTV, they’re like the devil,” he started. “But if you think about it, before the video was a big thing, you really couldn’t see the bands. You didn’t know what they looked like, so you would go to concerts. Now you can see a live feed anytime you want. You can see their videos, reality shows, interviews. The only reason to go to a show is if the band is known for putting on a kick-ass show.”

Standing ovations as an opening band and a personal invitation from Kiss prove ZO2 has the goods to back up its confident and colossal sound.
- JOURNAL REVIEW (By Wade Coggeshall)

The self-released debut album by ZO2, entitled Tuesdays & Thursdays, has me feeling nostalgic and slightly confused: can high quality overcome a lack of innovation?
Brooklyn-based power trio ZO2 has produced an album that will satisfy either your 80's hair-band fix or your pre-grunge rock roots, whether you like it or not. The lineup consists of the brothers Paulie Z on guitars/vox and David Z on bass/vox, along with Joey Cassata on drums. All are excellent musicians with a surprising resume, having put in time with such groups as Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Blue Man Group and Joan Jett. This summer ZO2 was appropriately given the opening spot on the 2004 Kiss/Poison tour (ending August 4th) - not at all bad for an unsigned band.
Generally, ZO2 seems to combine the sounds of just about any 80's bar rock band with an early 90's album like Extreme's Pornograffiti. The first track/single "Takin' Me Down" is a straight-ahead solid rock song made most effective by the gritty vocal gymnastics of the brothers Z. "Living Now" is one of the better rock songs on the album with sounds that range in style from Sammy Hagar to Core-era STP. The fourth track, "Dirty Water" caught me by surprise. The catchy verse vocal has the same honest and pleading quality of Dave Coutts from the Talk Show record. This gives way to the full sounding chorus complete with lush vocal harmonies and string arrangements. I consider this well-built power ballad the best song on the record.
Overall I find ZO2's music to be somewhat lacking in originality, being built almost entirely from elements of past rock. Borrowing from your predecessors for a foundation is definitely a forgivable trait in all music...but to me ZO2 doesn't seem to add any new elements to the equation. Don't get me wrong, this music does have charm and will grow on you, especially if you dig rock revival bands like The Darkness or Jet. And yeah, I love indulging in the rock of my childhood, as there are lessons to be learned - but Hell, it's 2004! Let's pay homage to the gods of rock and continue evolving.
- NOW ON TOUR (By Nic Danielson)

Man, I don't know what it is about these guys, but this has become my summer album. I have probably spun this disc more than any other this summer, and I'm still not really sure why. "Takin' Me Down" was the first song that ZO2 played live for us at the KISS show, and the song still draws me in every time. I swear, if only I could get rid of the slight modern-ness to their sound, I would be loving this CD completely. I like the fact this band (composed of two brothers, Paulie Z. and David Z.) have two singers. For some reason, hearing various singers balances albums out more for me (maybe it's from my KISS-loving ways). When I look at the lyrics from these guys, I can't understand what a single song is really about, and for some reason I'm really down with that. On "Temptation," one of the brothers sings "'Cause I can take you there," and for some reason they do take me there. This is a rocking album and I can't get the songs out of my head. I keep coming back to this album for more listens. Okay, I admit it, I'm addicted, and yet I'm not even sure what I'm addicted to. There are some really cool guitar moments on "Temptation" where Paulie Z. doesn't solo really fast but just makes some really cool noise. "Living Now" is an upbeat rocker with a tempo-changing chorus. I like the line, "Hey kids with nothing to do/Anything and everything is waiting for you." "Dirty Water" is as close to a ballad as you get, and yet this isn't really a ballad at all. I love the chorus of this song. "Radio" has a great funky beat provided by David Z. I must say this album showcases more bass rhythms than any other in recent memory (check out "Liar"). Like Mike said, "Radio" is a more carefree song and is better because of it. The lead singer shows off some great vocal range on the "Fly On Your Wings" chorus.

I agree with Mike that these guys have potential, and we really dig that. I also love the fact that this is an independent release, and I hope these guys get signed, because they deserve to.

I have to say that this is an excellent booklet, especially for an independent release. I have never seen anything like this, and I love my CD booklets. Great job.

So far this is my favorite CD of 2004. Good job guys. Keep up the good work!

- GLAM GOOSE (By Derek)

If you haven’t seen this band you will, and if you already have, you will see them again. Hailing from Brooklyn and The Village, these New Yorkers are about as “Midwestern” in nature as they come. No drinking, no drugs, good backgrounds and family….and they rock like they’ve been on tour for years.

Front man Paulie Z. (brother to bass player David Z.) belts out some of the cleanest vocals I’ve heard in a long time, naturally. Handsome Italian drummer, Joey Cassata and sexy bassist/vocalist, David Z.back up Paulie to make this band one of the strongest up and coming rock bands in years. Their stage presence is “all that” and more, aside from their good looks and their natural talent, they possess the ability to capture their audience from the very first song and keep them captivated for the whole set. The Indianapolis crowd was very receptive.

They made their tour connection thru record producer Bob Held, long time friend of Paul Stanley. Z02 went from playing the lower east side’s Arlene’s to touring with KISS thanks to Paul giving them 40 dates instead of the four or five they planned on receiving. This all happened in less than a year, something most bands only dream of. Record deal….not yet, but who needs one when you’ve got this kind of support from rock’s all time superstar, Paul Stanley.

They travel by RV, take turns driving, run their own website, make all arrangements….and come out smelling like a rose on stage every night. The “Z” brothers are not only touring with their life long favorite band KISS, but the brothers also mirror the business minds of Gene and Paul. These college grads (art and music) see this as a “business” and treat it as a “business”. When you team up intelligence with their God-given talents, you get nothing but success and Z02 will rise to the top in a very short period of time. LMI wishes them all the success they deserve.
- LIVE MUSIC INDIANA (By Kim Harvey)

I first heard about this band because they opened the famed KISS/POISON tour this year. I had heard rumors that the drummer and the bassist were both part of the killer Kiss tribute band, KissNation. Although this is true, don't expect the band to be pulling out Kiss licks for this effort. This album is more like a Stone Temple Pilots meets Fuel record and really a good companion to the new Velvet Revolver. Great, Rockin' tunes and a singer who knows how to use his voice for more than just punctuating good guitar licks. Singer/Guitarist Paulie Z is sometimes a deadringer for both Paul Stanley and Scott Weiland, but his voice is all melody and he uses it to create the hooks in the songs rather than let the instrumentation do so. I like this unique approach. I haven't heard it done this well since Enuff-Z'Nuff and the aforementioned Stone Temple Pilots. Every song is a keeper on this record and although two have slower moments, they all rock! This record is highly recommended to anyone who just loves good rock music, be it Modern, Active, Metal, or Pop. Head over to http://www.zo2.com or http://www.amazon.com to pick up a copy now!!! - EDGE MAGAZINE (By Bam Bam)

Tuesdays and Thursdays is the debut independent release from brothers Paulie and David Z, and Joey Cassata who together create the formula to rock and roll with their brand of infectious sounds. A Brooklyn power rock trio, the band is versatile in that all three members are capable lead vocalists who provide their own take on the music while also bringing it instrumentally.
Although currently unsigned the band has recently been on a national world tour with KISS and Poison and has reportedly received standing ovations at many of the tour stops on the road. After hearing their CD, I am starting to understand why. From the opening solid rock track “Taking Me Down” to the very end of the sultry “Sweet Lover”, you can hear the definite classic rock and especially the KISS influence, hard to escape since the album was produced by none other then the legendary Bob Held. Although it bears the influence, there are so many other flavors in the mix especially considering that David is the former bass guitarist for the East Coast Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Joey was an understudy for Las Vegas’s Blue Man Group.
Other highlights include the slow groove of temptation and the nostalgic feel of “Dirty Water” probably my favorite off this offering for its epic feel and honest quality. Overall, I think ZO2 should make a lasting impression with this record and should be applauded for producing such a quality recording on their own. It is a solid rock record with memorable hooks and catchy songs. The sound is universal rock and roll with a classic old school sound blended with modern rock punch. For more information go to www.zo2.com
- CRAVE MAGAZINE (By Robin Steeley)

If you’ve been out to see Kiss this summer, hopefully you showed up to see opening band ZO2. The hard rocking trio is made up of the brothers; Paulie Z. (vocals and guitars) and David Z. (vocals and bass), along with drummer Joey Cassata. Those who have seen October Thorns play know what I massive talent Dave is as a musician and performer. ZO2 is not the aggressive prog metal of October Thorns, but rather a kick ass groove rock band focused on catchy songwriting and memorable musical hooks.

From opening track “Taking Me Down” you will be reminded of everything from Lenny Kravitz to Grand Funk Railroad. The brothers work tremendously well together as vocalists and they have a tremendous range. The awesome “Temptation” has a seductive riff right out of October Thorns but then settles into a Sevendust like groove. “Living Now” is a high energy rocker, then it’s off to the Pride And Glory like southern rock of “Dirty Water.” “Radio” and “Liar” get into some funk and let Dave’s awesome playing room to shine. “Fly On Your Wings” has a killer groove while the guitar playing is highlighted on “Breakdown.” Even a song like “Wait,” which has that eighties melodic metal/ hard rock vibe, is played with talent and sincerity. I even am reminded of a more subdued Greta on “Head Up.” This disc is very highly recommended and ZO2 are destined to be huge.

Album Score: 9.5 out of 10
- TRANSCENDING THE MUNDANE (By Brett VanPut)

ZO2 is the brainchild of the Brothers Z, Paulie and David along with drummer Joey Cassata. The members of this group are not strangers to the performing world by a long shot. David is the touring bassist for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra while Paulie and Joe are members of the popular KISSNATION (a NYC Based KISS Tribute band). The CD “Tuesdays And Thursdays” is quite the tasty piece of Rock and Roll. It also sports an amazing production for a group of guys who are releasing this independently without major label backing. One does not always see the level of quality that they have made sure to place on this piece. It even sports a fully colored and lyric filled booklet that is covered with artwork. Really nice looking and well-thought out.

The CD is full of catchy riffs and some powerful vocals. Everyone sings and there are great harmonies through the whole piece. I am always a fan of this full sound and think these guys do it quite well. Highlights on the CD are most specially “Dirty Water”, “Taking Me Down”, Fly On Your Wings” and the funky “Radio”. Paulie’s voice cuts like a razor at times and is smooth on other occasions. Dave’s bass as solid as can be and Joey’s drums nice and clear on every track.

The group recently completed a successful supporting gig for KISS and Poison. Not bad for a start off. I advise fans of solid rock and roll music along the lines of Aerosmith and King’s X look into this piece for they should not be disappointed. I enjoyed this record and felt it was a lot of fun and energetic to listen to. I look forward to catching an entire set sometime soon.
Rating: 8/10
- MAXIMUM METAL (By Ken Pierce)

We don’t often write about “unsigned” bands on these hallowed pages. And that’s done with good reason. After all, there are dozens-upon dozens of signed bands struggling for a little recognition, and we always figure they deserve our support more than anyone else. But when the unsigned band in question----and by that we mean a group without any major or indie label affiliation----happens to land the opening gig on a summer-long national tour with Kiss and Poison, we figured they might be worth checking out. And in the case of ZO2, that notion proved to be right-on correct!

The fact of the matter is guitarist/vocalist Paulie Z., bassist/vocalist David Z and drummer Joey Cassata have the kind of natural, real-deal rock and roll flair that is too rarely heard these days…especially from an American band. But much like Euro-flavored rock revivalists like the Darkness and Jet, and home-grown riff-mongers such as Silvertide, this Brooklyn-based unit seems determined to bring a bit of much-needed swagger into the hard rock fold, a fact that can be heard throughout their self-financed debut disc, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

“Getting the chance to tour with bands like Kiss and Poison is an amazing thrill for us,” David said. “And it’s an amazing opportunity as well. We know the odds of a band in our position getting a chance like this. There are so many young bands on major labels that would kill to do this. But we’ve gotten the chance, and we’re gonna do everything we can to make it work for us.”

So exactly how does a band from the “mean streets” of Brooklyn, NY find themselves on a tour with the likes of Poison and Kiss? After all, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons have always been known to be pretty fair judges of rock and roll talent, and obviously it was they who provided the ultimate thumb’s-up to ZO2’s summer-long road romp. According to the ZO2 boys, they were as surprised as anyone upon learning that they had landed this potentially career-making gig, though they believe their ambitious, Noo Yawk-style publicity machine may have aided their quest to land such a plum touring assignment.

“We’re pretty aggressive when it comes to promoting the band,” David said. “And we’re surrounded by people who believe in us as much as we do. That’s the kind of passion and dedication that you need to make a mark these days. All-in-all that makes for a great situation. Our manager is a friend of Paul Stanley’s, and he had gotten our album and he evidently liked what he heard. We would have been happy to land one or two dates on the tour, but one thing led to another, and before we knew it we had landed the opening slot for all 37 dates…and even getting paid for it!”

While David may make ZO2’s recent accomplishments sound rather matter-of-fact, no one can deny the significance of this unit’s achievements. But after checking out the contents of Tuesday s and Thursdays, it’s easy to understand why Stanley---and just about everyone else who’s checked out this group’s work---ends up reacting excitedly to the brand of music ZO2 makes. On such tracks as Takin’ Me Down and Fly On Your Wings, this unit manages to simultaneously draw inspiration from the halcyon ghosts of hard rocks past, as well as pay homage to many of today’s trend-setting acts. It’s a neat trick if you can pull it off, but ZO2 clearly have their rock and roll priorities lined up in the right order…and it’s about to pay big dividends for this go-for-broke power trio.

“We’re the kind of band that’s ready for anything,” David said. “let us play in front of 10,000 people and we won’t let you down; put us in a packed club and we’ll blow the roof off. All we’ve ever asked for is the chance to get up there and play. We’re not waiting for labels to bang on our doors---we’ll just do it ourselves! We’re totally convinced that there’s not a situation that won’t bring out the best in us.”

- HIT PARADER (By Rob Andrews)

Every so often, you come across a band that reminds you of the simple
pleasures of rock & roll and all the magic that it possesses. This is the
case with New York's ZO2, who are bringing back a sound that is generally lost by a number of today's bands - bands that are more concerned about genre labels than the actual music. "Ain't It Beautiful" is the band's second independent release, and don't let the term indie sway you; the group comes from some truly inspirational foundations. Dave Z (the bassist) is also a member of The Trans-Siberian
Orchestra, while brother Paulie and drummer Joe Cassata each have ample backgrounds from numerous working bands, which at times were busier than established industry "professionals." The group was also the opener for the entire run of dates for the KISS Rock the Nation tour. The CD follows up their debut "Tuesday's & Thursdays" with a similar theme of melodic hard rock that will appeal to all fans who loved what KISS and Aerosmith did in
their earlier years. But their sound is by no means retro, it's just a skillful blend of the old meeting the new and showing just how fresh it can sound when you focus on the basic formulas. We can also add in the fact that they use three-part harmony vocals, and these guys give the listeners easily memorable choruses. Paulie has the kind of voice that many rock singers aspire to; he can be bluesy at times, passionate at others, and when it's called for, he can scream like a banshee. It is the kind of diversity you want in a frontman and he surely delivers on all fronts with numbers like "Get Up Now" and "If You See Kay." While these are two of the band's most inspired rock tunes, I'd also put "Comin' Home" and Isolate" up there on the list - the best as each of them just took me away with the vibe that they brought. The guys also show respect to the rock founders on "Get the Led Out," a number that uses some sweet Zeppelin feels and style. The album sounds fantastic and was produced and co-written by Bob Held. It's music that you will want to play loud, sing along to and memorize all at the same time. I'm convinced that bigger things await ZO2 and their fans. Anyone else want
to come along?
- METAL EDGE (By Ken Pierce)