Hotwheels racecars and lego blocks are among the common toys that five, six-year-old kids play with. But for EC student Zach Bozeman, the toy that he often played with at that age was his dad’s drumset.
The 19-year-old Bozeman, who started at the age of five, is a multi-talented musician.
He first started with the drums because his dad had kept the drumset in Bozeman’s room. Instead of playing with toys and videogames, Bozeman played the drums.
“I can still remember banging on the drums because my dad kept them in my room,” Bozeman said. “Those were his drumset from when he was young and had no room for it so he put them in my room. So instead of playing with toys that kids my age at that time played with, I decided to start banging on the drums.”
Along with playing the drums, he could also play the acoustic/electric guitar, piano, but currently, his passion is playing the bass guitar which is the instrument he plays with his band, “Canor”.
He learned to play the piano at the age of eight, electric guitar at ten, then eventually at the age of 14, picked up the bass guitar and it became his favorite instrument.
“I took lessons when I was young because I really enjoyed music at the time and I really fell in love with it,” Bozeman said. “Once I took those lessons, it opened the doors for me to expand on those talents.”
When Bozeman was in fifth grade, he played in a band named, “transition” and he says that it was cool at the time because they were the only band in elementary and throughout middle school. He played drums for the band and describes the experience as if he was a real life-rockstar.
“In middle school, we were the only band so we were well known,” Bozeman said. “It was cool because everywhere we went at the time, we felt like rockstars and we were popular, it was very exciting.”
Once the band split up when he was around the 10th grade, Bozeman and some of his friends started a “rock-a-billy” band named “Marvin Holly and the Sunshine Blasters.” In the band, Bozeman played the bass guitar and that was around the time when he became serious with it.
“When we started that band and I played bass, that’s when I started to really get good at it,” Bozeman said. “So ever since then I have been really focused on the bass including now with my current band.”
He recalls a memorable experience when he was in the 11th grade. For the fall school play, “11th night by Shakespeare”, Bozeman played the bass along with the live band in the backround. He says that the band received great reviews and that was around the time when he knew he had the potential to be serious with his music.
“In the 11th grade, the director of the play wanted to put a little twist on it so he decided to add a live band in the backround,” Bozeman said. “It was great because the band added to the emotion and the atmosphere of the play which made it very good. I knew then that I had a real serious talent in music and that I should really try hard to expand on my skills.”
Since his experience with the fall play was so successful, he decided to try out for the spring play and he also made the band. In that play he had the opportunity to be a lead bass player and to also do a lead bass number which showcased his talent.
“After the fall play, which worked out tremendously well, I tried out for the spring play and that was even better,” Bozeman said. “I had the chance to be a lead bass player and to also do bass solos.”
Sadly, his high school band, “Marvin Holly and the Sunshine Blasters” only lasted about a year because school all of a sudden got really busy for him and he also started to work during that school year. Music was on hold for Bozeman during his senior year and at the time wondered if he would have a future in music.
“All of a sudden, it got busy for me and I also got a job at the time which didn’t help,” Bozeman said. “Senior year was all about school and work for me along with graduation so music was on hiatus for about a year.”
But in the August of 2007, that hiatus was put to an end. Bozeman’s girlfriend (Amy Crum) was really good friends with a guy named Collin Kleinan who was in a band named, “Canor” and found out that the group had been playing without a bass player for three years. They went out to dinner as Bozeman got a chance to get to know the other members of the group. He already knew Mike Pearlson (guitarist) from grade school, but he also got the chance to meet Kleinan (drums) and Alex Heiner (lead vocals, guitarist). After watching the band play and getting to know its members, Bozeman joined the group.
“Once I found out that they didn’t have a bass player, I wanted to see how they sounded,” Bozeman said. ‘I really liked their style and I knew I would be a great addition to the band so I joined them.”
Bozeman says that “Canor” is a unique band because its listeners wouldn’t be able to compare it with a mainstream band. The Indie/alternative pop rock band has a song titled “Shambles” which Bozeman says is a song that has a potential to be a hit song.
The song is a rhythmic, upbeat-song that is danceable and also a lot of people could relate to it.
Although Bozeman is very optimistic about the band, he also says that currently, they are all full-time students here in EC which makes it difficult for them to schedule practice times.
The band practices only on Thursdays which makes it hard for them to gain any momentum. In order for them to record songs, they drive all the way east to the desert “Joshua Tree.”
“When we go to the Joshua Tree, it takes about two to three hours just to get there,” Bozeman said. “Then we record from about 12-7 and drive back home. We want to record a few more songs because the only thing we have right now is a live performance which doesn’t sound that good so we want to record something good so hopefully, we can send them out to music producers and companies.”
As for school, Bozeman is undecided on his major but would like to major in the field of music or art since he loves to draw.
During class, he can be found doodling “gross monsters” on his lecture notes and he has strong passion for cartoons. Along with his busy, 14-unit schedule, he also works at a flower boutique 30 hours a week which makes life ultra busy for him.
“That’s why I would rather stay home and just relax because life is so busy for me right now,” Bozeman said. “Everyday is a long day so I would rather spend it at home with my girlfriend Amy (Crum) and watch a movie instead of going out and spending money. My friends are very understanding about it which makes me feel more at ease.”
Bozeman realizes the potential that he has for music and art, but he knows that nothing will be given to him. He knows that he has to work extremely hard for everything that he wants in life.
“I’ll see where life takes me. I’ll just continue to focus in school since it is my number one priority right now,” Bozeman said. “As far as the band goes, I would love to tour around the world and become successful with my bandmates knowing that we made it.”
