We interview Taxi Violence guitarist Rian Zietsman to discuss transcendence, art and his influences.
Image by Leigh Groenemeyer
With so many rock bands coming and going, what do you believe really sets Taxi Violence apart from the rest?
We have survived a lot of that coming and going. I think we transcend trends slightly, because we don’t attempt to follow them. We’re very much a take-it-or-leave-it kind of band.
Which bands have been influencing Taxi Violence’s own music and performance lately?
That’s hard to say…we’re in the process of writing a lot of music now, so I guess each of us bring our own influences to the jam room. I’m quite into Tame Impala and those kinds of bands at the moment.
Rock still has a lot to give and one of the definitive lessons lies in performance, can we expect something crazy from you guys in the future, besides dressing up as a bunch of school girls for Halloween?
Each situation on its merit! Cannot discount that possibility.
So CD’s are dead. Thank goodness for iTunes Music, but what format will you guys use in the future?
I think the online streaming services are the way of the future. A monthly subscription that covers all of your musical desires is a pretty cool concept. Also, LPs are still going strong.
How do you go about keeping your music original with such wide influences?
Everybody ‘borrows’ from their influences. It’s about putting a fresh spin on something that you might have picked up from someone else.
Can you remember a particular band or concert that changed how you listen to and perform music? Or is there other media that inspires you?
Yes. When I saw Muse at the Coke Fest a number of years back, I remember walking away from that thinking “what is the point of me still trying”. They were that good. But in the end it just inspired me to be better than I was and to keep trying to improve.
What do you personally consider to be the incisive moments in your artistic career?
Getting my first guitar and making a lot of noise with it.
How do you see the relationship between space, sound and performance?
Is this a science test? Sound fills a space by permeating through the air. The sound is the result of a performance. They are all good together.
Tell us about your next big show and why we should be there?
Robertson Rocks! Because it’s going to be a blast.
You can catch Taxi Violence as the headline act at this year’s Robertson Rocks festival.
