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Richard Roberts is a writer, painter, musician, teacher, and producer. He follows a philosophy that he calls "the Tao of Zero Ohms." That translates literally to "way of no resistance." From that philosophy, he also adopted his pseudonym: Zero Ohms. He began his musical endeavors at the age of 11 when he began taking clarinet lessons. Four years later, he learned the guitar and got into singing and playing pop and anti-war folk songs. He lists Phil Ochs, Donovan, Richie Havens, the Beatles, the Moody Blues, Leonard Cohen, and Jethro Tull as his main influences of that era. After seeing and hearing a concert in which Paul Horn accompanied Donovan on the flute, Roberts took up the flute as his main instrument. Horn, Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, and Ray Thomas of the Moody Blues had great influence on Roberts. Over the years, Roberts has also learned technique from classical flutists Jean-Pierre Rampal and Bettine Clemen. But Roberts has become quite an accomplished synthesist. He adds his flutes and woodwinds to his electronic soundscapes and gets a very unique and very tranquil sound. Much of his early work was on his private label but he has used MP3.com's D.A.M. technology for releases. Later, he released CD's on SpaceForMusic. Unafraid of the Impending Silence, Sweven, and Soundfall to the Infinite, a collaboration with Brannan Lane, are on that label. ~ Jim Brenholts, All Music Guide
MP3.com Live: A tale of double Zero 7s
UK down-tempo act's two vocalists, Jose Gonzalez and Sia Furler, embody the smooth and the sloppy in a show at San Francisco's Fillmore.
Last night's Zero 7 show at the Fillmore in San Francisco was best summed up in a single and decidedly nonmusical moment involving the downtempo outfit's two vocalists, Sia Furler and Jose Gonzalez, as they stood far from center stage.
Zero 7
As Zero 7 principals Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker led their band through a lengthy instrumental jam late in the set, Furler bounced manically all over the back of the stage, returning to the corner to swill her cocktail, perform some off-kilter dance moves, and deliver fake karate chops to Gonzalez, who was playing a shaker and smiling politely at his giddy cohort.
Furler's glee was a pleasure to watch at times, but it was also indicative of the fact that--at least in a live setting--Zero 7 has a tendency to get pretty darn sloppy. Last night's show was a stark departure from the immaculately produced, electro-for the-latte-set sound of the duo's three studio albums.
In addition to Furler and Gonzalez, Binns and Hardaker brought a full band on tour with them. The live instruments added a rich texture to what is already a fairly lush sound. But they also proved to be the show's downfall, bringing a messiness that was ear-splitting at times. Simply put, if the band isn't tight, extended rhythmic jams are the sonic equivalent of a runaway train: It's not going to end well.
Furler, a terribly gifted vocalist, delivered a fine performance on several tracks, including "Destiny" and "The Pageant of the Bizarre." She was often the victim of her own zeal, however, constantly asking for--and getting--more volume in her mic as that volume level reached deafening levels.
But last night's 90-minute set was saved on several fronts by Gonzalez, whose vocals on four songs on the duo's latest album, The Garden, are spectacular. The word on Gonzalez--think Christopher Cross-meets-Jose Feliciano--has been out for a while, with his debut album Veneer drawing rave reviews.
Jose Gonzalez
But he particularly shines on stage, and last night was no different, both in his solo opening set and during his Zero 7 songs. A fantastic acoustic guitar player and a wonderfully emotive singer, Gonzalez can be mesmerizing despite playing very quiet music.
That's surely what drew Binns and Hardaker to seek him out last year, and the result--Gonzalez crooning and picking over lush, downtempo beats--provided several highlights last night, particularly the Zero 7 version of Gonzalez's "Crosses." That song, with its buffed-up percussion and building rhythm, commanded the attention of an otherwise preoccupied crowd last night for a lengthy stretch.
That is, until the wheels started coming off at the end.
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