Interview

1. Tell us about your childhood, and when you decided on music as a career.

I knew from an early age I wanted to play music. My father was a concert pianist who studied with Leonard Bernstein and my mother was a jazz singer, so I guess it was in the blood so to speak. I started on drums at age 8 and when I discovered guitar at 12, that was when I knew for sure that music would be my life.

2. What other instruments besides guitar do you play?

Vocals, bass, piano, percussion, and a little saxophone

3. You have a wonderfully unique and appealing sound. Who are some of your influences?

Definitely the Beatles first and foremost, and other great songwriters, like early Elton John and Queen. More modern influences include Jeff Buckley, U2, and Jellyfish. Basically anyone who writes great, melodic songs with feeling.

4. Give us a quick run-down of a day in the life of Zach Ziskin.

Well, my day job is a recording engineer, so usually it involves doing some recording or mixing for others to start. Then the later part of the day is where I focus on songwriting, promotion of my music, band rehearsals and/or gigging, or some combination thereof.

5. What are your preferred charities and why?

Any charities that help children or otherwise helpless people in need.