Fractures
Beyond The Valley is shaping up to be one the powerhouse festivals on the touring schedule. One of the hot prospects on the bill is multi-instrumentalist Mark Zito going under the moniker of Fractures. Fascinated by different genres and sounds there is no doubt that 2015 is shaping to be a big year for Mark as he shares his plans with Across The Ocean.
It sounds like it has been a really busy time for you recently?
It has been pretty hectic and the next few will be much the same. I’m sitting here figuring out how I’m going to cope mentally and physically. It will be a baptism of fire but I don’t really have any other choice.
Do you feel that now you are gaining some attention overseas there’s a lot more pressure to release your music here and get yourself out there?
Um, yes and no, this is a bit of trial run to see if there is a small amount of interest. I’m assuming that I will be playing to half filled rooms and things like that. That is an achievement in itself really because I never envisaged anyone having any interest in my music. If its spread that thin internationally then it will be about building a decent foundation over the next few years.
Is there still the belief that you need to achieve success overseas before you can back home in Australia?
Yeah, it’s one of the drawbacks but at the same time it intensifies everything especially Melbourne where there’s so much happening. To be able to find any amount of success locally is great but trying to replicate that overseas is even more of an achievement. It’s like this weird fishbowl that we’re stuck in and you have to put in a lot of work to get out of it and hope for the best.
How did you get a leg up overseas? Do you put it down to social media? Luck?
A bit of both to be honest, the internet has probably been my best friend throughout this tour. I have had a bit of radio play, video clip on TV and whatever but I wouldn’t say that has been pivotal and putting my album online. Facebook and Twitter and all that business is in my mind at the moment and that will be the way that things will get done for the next little while. If radio stations get on board that’s great, if not there’s still quite a bit of leverage to gain from the internet.
Do you have a lot of confidence in people buying your music and making the album process viable?
I don’t really have anything to really compare it to as this is my first real crack at putting my own music out there but as far as I’m concerned playing live is where the money is made. The music is the base and the hook to getting people along to the shows. Spotify and Sound Cloud nullify any hope or dream you have of sitting back in your home watching the stats go up and the money come in. You need to have your live show in your back pocket and present that if you really want to have success.
How would you describe the music that you play?
The words most commonly used is that it is pretty dark and atmospheric, that’s the music I gravitate towards. This project, but I do like making other sorts of music, when I make a song that fits the bill which is a bit dark and worldly I don’t really query it. The EP is a collection of those sorts of songs and by no means upbeat. It’s nice, dark but won’t put you in a depressed state or anything.
Will there be an album release in 2015?
I’ve got the songs sitting there and I could have tacked them on to the end of the EP. It’s an eight song EP as it is anyway. If someone said that was an album I probably wouldn’t disagree but when the momentum is a bit more stronger and obvious I’d say I would release something even if it was another EP. As long as it keeps putting me in an upward direction and people keep turning up and liking it that would be great but there are no definite plans.
Do you think you will take your release somewhere different sonically?
I never go out deliberately to put something in one type of box or style, that’s generally the luck of the draw. I might do a song that is totally differently and pull something out of thin air. There’s no conscious effort to change it up or steer it in any particular direction. I’m sure plenty of bands say that but you just do it any way as you get bored of making the same thing.
Did you have a lot of involvement in the film clip for It’s Alright?
I can honestly say that I had zero to do with that. We were lucky to have that fall in our lap and we went back once it was finished with one or two songs it could have worked with. I never thought that would be a single but then the director put it in the clip which changed my thought process to it’s got to be now. It was too good an opportunity to pass up on and he nailed it.
Playing Beyond The Valley Festival must be a great way to finish off the year?
It should be good, being on the first bill is great and no doubt the festival will become a powerhouse. Even if it doesn’t it is a pretty good line up to be a part of. I would be happy to be a part of any festival and was lucky enough to get snapped up by them. I’m playing fairly early on which is great because I will be able to enjoy myself and let my hair down so to speak.
Whether it is rummaging through vinyl at record stores such as Clarity and Title finding hidden gems to scouring the internet to find that album by the next big thing or chasing bands to get that elusive autograph and photo his passion is music all the way.
- Aversions Crown - January 27, 2017
- Sick Of It All - January 19, 2017
- Refused - January 11, 2017
