As a drummer, Nashville-raised Zack Murphy keeps the guys in Blackfoot Gypsies grounded in reality. However, all that bottled-up energy doesn’t go to waste. When his schedule permits, Murphy is the frontman and mastermind behind American Goon. Combining elements of thrash, country, and good ol’ fashion rock n’ roll, American Good is Nashville’s most promising noisemakers.
I had the opportunity to talk with Murphy ahead of the release of American Goon’s debut LP on his newly christened label, Visceral Recordings. Among other things, we discuss the indie scene, labels, blackeyes and rugby?
For those who haven’t listened, what is American Goon? How would you describe what you do musically?
American Goon is Rock n Roll. It’s loud and dirty, the way America can be. Nothing is perfect and it never will be, let’s embrace the chaos and move forward together, even if we’re still throwing punches at each other we can still take care of each other and make the world a better place.
Do you approach American Goon differently than your work in Blackfoot Gypsies? How do those guys feel about your solo career?
The guys in Blackfoot Gypsies have been very supportive of me and my desire to try the American Goon. This may sound weird, but I don’t view it as a side project, Blackfoot Gypsies is my main thing. But American Goon, is simply something to do stay busy when my calendar clears up. I got really tired of working day jobs in between tours and I was always writing/recording so I just started it kinda like my basement tapes or something like that. Enough people were asking me to form the band and start playing shows, so we might as well record an album.
I don’t know if it will be an only album or the first of many. I hope to release a lot of art while I’m alive, and I’m almost 36 so I feel like I have a lot of making up to do. I’m a drummer first and foremost so I express myself better through that medium. But sometimes, a song pokes up. Sometimes it fits with what we do in BFG sometimes it’s more in the American Goon wheelhouse. As far as what’s specifically different? It’s a bit heavier rock n roll. I wish I could write more traditional blues/country/rock n roll like my cohorts in BFG, but I haven’t tapped into that as well as I would like to. I do feel like the AG songs are a bit rowdier and closer to a lot of music that comes naturally to who I am as a human.
We covered the “Blood Eagle” a few years ago in our Sevens & Splits column. What’s changed since that single?
I don’t know that much has changed other than that first recording was just me in my basement playing and recording everything. After I put out that single I had a lot of people asking me for live shows. I’m glad they did because it made me put a band together and figure out how the hell I was gonna pull it off in a live setting. I believe the best bands are live bands. There are too many studio tricks that allow people to sound good recorded. I’ve never used any tricks in the studio, and I pride myself on having a great band that can pull off a great live show.
So, after playing some shows, I decided we ought to make a record just to capture what was going on. I love records and live shows. I wanted people to be able to hear what we’re doing even if we couldn’t be there live for them. The new album is a full band playing together and I really love that it’s four individuals coming together with their own written parts in a collaborated effort.
Do you have a favorite song on the record?
Do you love your mom or your dad more? Which sibling of yours is your favorite? Which ex would you most like to see fail at life? Thanks for the hardest question ever haha. In all seriousness, I’m proud of all of them. I want to go a million directions after hearing each one of them. The single is “All Wrapped Up” and I’m very happy with that song. So there’s your PR answer. I’m proud of the previously release songs, “Blood Eagle”, “RoundaBlackout”, “The Work of The Lord”, and I’m very excited about “Heavy Pull”. I think it really captures a lot of my outlooks on life.
Okay, I have to ask. What’s the story behind the album cover?
Short answer – I really don’t know. Long answer – I enjoyed my 20s thoroughly. I enjoy my 30s thoroughly now, but those are two different lives. I played rugby for 10+ years and its the best sport in the world. It’s also very violent. That may be why it’s the best sport in the world. For one year I couldn’t get rid of a black eye. It all started in one game when I tackled an opposing player and my face landed on his cleat, which was a big metal spike. After 15 stitches just under my right eye, I had a black eye for a while. Every game I played I managed to re-blacken the same eye or blacken the opposite eye.
Let me set the story for ya…I’m not a big guy and I played rugby. I wasn’t great but my team put me on the field and I carried my weight proudly with every black eye that I gathered. Some were incidental, some were punches that were thrown after I “started it.” I enjoyed getting under opposing players’ skins. Needless to say, over the years, the black eyes were plentiful. I feel that if you play a sport like rugby you should collect them like badges of honor and dishonor.
Rugby is the bar fight of all sports!
I also enjoyed getting into the post-match bar fight here and there. However, believe me when I say that peace is not underrated. A year later with a streak of no black eyes, which we can call the white eye year. I woke up with my head in a pillow covered in blood. When I came to and looked in the mirror to find the picture you see in the album cover. I awoke my roommate, Luke, and asked him what the world I had gotten into. “All ya told me is that you got in another bar fight and the dude’s friends jumped you.”
That sounds like the perfect friendship!
Luke is still one of my best friends to this day and all that he can tell me from that night is that I might have picked on the wrong 2-10 guys. I had also lost my wallet that night, which was later mailed to me. I had to get a new license in the meantime and had no choice other than to take a new U.S. Government Official Identification Picture with a fresh black eye. I asked several rugby teammates what had happened and the only thing I could gather is that I seemed to be feeling no pain when a fellow Knoxvillian put a cigarette put out on my neck before we all parted ways and I made friends with some of Knoxville’s punchier residents.
What made you want to start your own label? Do you plan on releasing music from other artists? If so, what’s the criteria?
I started my own label because I funded the album on my own. Some musicians have done it and it seems like they always put it under a label. I don’t know why they do this, other than maybe it looks good to the outside world? I don’t really jive with the idea that believing in yourself is not enough for other people to believe in you, but sadly, the world we live in today seems to be driven by a lot of followers. On the upside, I’d love to release music from other artists. The only criteria would be I’d want to listen to the music myself, have the resources to release it properly and treat the artists the way that they should be treated.
Your debut (as well a release by BFG) was on Fat Elvis Records, did that label inspire you to start your own?
Absolutely! Sean Russell at Fat Elvis opened my world up to a lot of people that dig vinyl releases. He always does such a great job of making the experience worthwhile for the artist. The world is a better place for people like Sean Russell. That’s not hyperbole at all. He really believes in a lot of art at the level that the artists need someone to believe in them. I want to turn people on to new art and music that they may not have heard of. I think it makes the world a cooler place when I get turned on to new bands that way.
Social media seems to be a big part of indie labels these days. What’re your thoughts on the good and bad of that particular medium?
Social media is weird. We live in a weird world. I feel like I talk 24/7 about everything I do, yet it also feels like an echo chamber. I felt that the strength in the early days of social media, which feels weird to say, was that you could advertise and build an audience for anything you wanted just by being a part of it. That seemed cool, like free advertising. Now with algorithms and influencers, it seems like you just have to pay the man if you want to be heard. Maybe, it’s dying, maybe it’s for the best because I know that social media wasn’t all good. I’d love to see bands be able to plaster showbills all across town and have that work again.
I’ve been obsessed with the indie Nashville scene since the first time I heard Superdrag as a kid. How intertwined are you with all the bands in that scene like Gyasi, Lees Of Memory, Dead Deads, Hurts To Laugh etc? Is there any you’d consider working with?
I love how Nashville has always had a burgeoning underground scene. I first saw Superdrag on MTV in 1997 and it blew my mind a Tennessee band could play Rock n Roll and get to that level. And Bare Jr. too! I remember them getting mega airplay. Being 13 at the time, I didn’t know how I could be a part of the Nashville scene. I figured it just wasn’t my time. It probably wasn’t. I don’t regret that and I’m very proud to have grown up in Nashville. The caliber of music and musicians that come out of this town is unmatched. Nowhere in the world do you have the quality of musicianship/writing that you do in Nashville. That’s why I’m still here amidst the condos. I’d love to work with all of them!
Whats the American Goon/Visceral Recordings mission statement?
American Goon exists to Rock n Roll.
Visceral Recordings we put out real music.
Why should the people out there choose American Goon?
American Goon is real. We made this full length with all that we had. It’s not perfect, but my favorite things never are. My favorite things are well aware of the imperfections and use them as a benefit instead of a hindrance. I have wanted to put out a record of songs my whole life and I’m thankful for the sacrifices that I had to make it happen. I picked up some black eyes along the way, but I’m very proud that I have put this out into the world.
For more information on American Goon and to purchase the debut LP, visit AmericanGoon.com