Keith Bonsor - Zior Interview
Zior were a British heavy rock/pro-to metal group that released four albums including their 2018 reunion album, ’Spirit Of The Gods.’ They were best known for their ritualistic, and occult like performances, as well as their outlandish, dark, stage productions that represented many elements of theater. Today Zior is one of the many countless gems amongst the depths of the worlds vast psyche. Collected and sought after like some pirate legacy filled with dreams and wicked landscapes of nightmare sounds, and planet terror. I had the great opportunity to speak with Keith about his life and the band’s history as well as the relationship between people and art. Enjoy!
Are you originally from England? When did you first begin playing? Was music something that was prevalent in your family growing up?
YES I AM FROM ENGLAND AND I BEGAN PLAYING WHILE I WAS AT SCHOOL WAY BACK IN THE 60's. MY FAMILY WERE FROM THE EAST END OF LONDON AND MUSIC WAS ALWAYS IN THE AIR. MY FATHER ENCOURAGED ME TO PLAY THE PIANO AND ALTHOUGH I HAD SOME BASIC LESSONS I MAINLY TAUGHT MYSELF BOOGIE WOOGIE RIFFS AND EXPERIMENTED WITH CHORDS AND DRUM RYTHMS... I NEVER STOPPED TAPPING OUT BEATS AND AT SCHOOL I BECAME THE GUY THAT COULD MAKE FUN OF TEACHERS WITH CRAZY SONGS AND MAD RIFFS AS THEY WALKED PAST THE WINDOWS OF THE MUSIC ROOM. GOOD HARMLESS FUN.
What were some of your influences earlier on? Was there any literary impact that made its way into your music?
MY EARLY INFLUENCES WERE OFFBEAT CLASSICAL COMPOSERS LIKE RAVEL/BACH, I THINK THAT WAS WHERE I GOT MY LOVE OF THE RIFF AND OFFBEAT CHORDS. IF YOU CAN IMAGINE MY LIFE ON CANVEY ISLAND, ESSEX WHERE I ORIGINALLY LIVED, THERE WERE NOT VERY MANY BLACK PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND I WAS MESMERIZED BY THE AMERICAN MOTOWN ARTISTS AND THE AFRO RYTHMS. I THOUGHT THEY WERE ON ANOTHER LEVEL! I TRIED TO PLAY THEIR BASS LINES BUT FAILED MISERABLY.
What were those early days like playing with the outfit 'The Essex'? That's where you met John 'The Big Figure' Martin, correct?
IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE ESSEX I CUT MY MUSICAL TEETH ON INSTRUMENTALS FROM THE SPOTNICK, THE VENTURES AND VARIOUS BLUES ARTISTS. THE BAND WAS FORMED FROM SCHOOL FREINDS AND I WAS THE ORIGINAL DRUMMER. I TRANSFERRED TO BASS LATER. IT WAS AT THAT TIME I MET JOHN ‘THE BIG FIGURE’ MARTIN WHO WAS PLAYING WITH WILKO JOHNSON. HE REMAINED MY DRUMMER FOR 6 YEARS AND HIS TRIXON SET WAS LOUD AND SOUNDED GREAT. WE GIGGED AT CLUBS AND AMERICAN AIRBASES AND OPENED FOR ERIC CLAPTON’S CREAM ‘3’ TIMES.
I SUPPOSE ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT ERA WAS PLAYING AT THE CROMWELLION CLUB IN LONDON WHEN IN THE SMALL AUDIENCE WAS JIMMY HENDRIX AND GEORGE HARRISON. THIS WAS A WELL KNOW HANGOUT FOR MUSICIANS AND TV STARS AND TO BE HONEST WE MUST HAVE SOUNDED CLEAN CUT TO THEM!
"WE GIGGED AT CLUBS AND AMERICAN AIRBASES AND OPENED FOR ERIC CLAPTON’S CREAM ‘3’ TIMES"
You then later joined a psych group called, 'Cardboard Orchestra'? Did you guys play many shows before this enviably turned into Zior? Any singles/records released with them?
AFTER SETTING UP A DEMO STUDIO AT THE BACK OF A MUSIC SHOP I CONCENTRATED ON SONG WRITING WITH A DJ FROM RADIO LUXENBOURG NAMED MARK WESLEY. OUR PRODUCTIONS WERE ALL MULTI-TRACKED ON TAPE. I BECAME A MULTI INSTRUMENTALIST OVERNIGHT. 'CARDBOARD ORCHESTRA' WAS FORMED AND SIGNED TO CBS RECORDS WITH NEW EXPERIMENTAL PROJECT, A LARGE ORCHESTRA AND PHIL SPECTOR LIKE PRODUCTIONS. JUST A SMALL POINT BUT OUR MUSICAL ARRANGER WAS ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER AT THE TIME...CRAZY BUT TRUE. THERE WERE RECORDS RELEASED BUT NOTHING I AM THAT PROUD OF... I DISBANDED THE GROUP AND TOOK A FANCY TO THE CONCEPT OF THEATRICAL LIVE PERFORMANCES.
ZIOR WAS BORN! WE BEGAN GIGGING ALL AROUND THE LONDON CLUBS WITH OUR NEW DRUMMER PETER BREWER AND GUITARIST JOHN TRUBOR... LATER WE ADDED BARRY SKEELS ON BASS AND DEVELOPED A WILD SATANIC STAGE SHOW WITH HYPNOTIC SONGS. I DOUBLED ON HAMMOND ORGAN, GUITAR AND VOCALS. AS THE MAIN VOCALIST, I CAN OPENLY ADMIT THAT I NEVER SANG THE SAME SET OF LYRICS TWICE. SOME OF THE LYRICS WERE GIBBERISH BUT PEOPLE STARTED TO BELIEVE THAT THEY WERE WITCHCRAFT SPELLS... NOT TRUE BUT I PLAYED ALONG WITH IT. THE STAGE SHOW WAS WILD AND VISUAL AND I BEGAN WRITING LOTS OF RIFF BASED SONGS IN READINESS FOR OUR FIRST ALBUM.
How did Monument come to be? I had only recently become aware of this pre Zior hybrid, and immediately recognized the heavy signature organ, as well as the occult undertones that are prevalent on the Zior Lp's. Was there a plan to carry those concepts/themes over when starting Zior?
I HAVE TO CLARIFY THE MONUMENT SITUATION AS IT CAME DURING THE ZIOR ERA WHEN I MET MILTON SAMUELS WHO OWNED BEACON RECORDS. I WAS AT THAT TIME PRETTY LOW ON MONEY AND AN INVITATION TO COME UP WITH AN ALBUM IN 24 HOURS FOR THE SUM OF £300 SEEMED VERY ATTRACTIVE. PROBLEM WAS THAT I HAD A CONTRACT WITH NEPENTHA AND LARRY PAGE. ALSO A PUBLISHING DEAL WITH THE AMERICAN PUBLISHERS SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN. THE SOLUTION WAS TO WRITE THE SONGS UNDER A PSEUDONYM, JOHN LOWE AND CALL THE BAND MONUMENT. ALL RECORDED IN ONE NIGHT AT TPA STUDIOS, DENMARK STREET, LONDON. I WROTE ALL THE TRACKS AND ENGINEERED THEM TOO... NO REHEARSING WE JUST DID IT THERE AND THEN. THE ONLY HELP WE HAD WAS A FEW BEERS FROM THE LOCAL PUB!
I TRIED TO BREAK ALL THE RULES OF RECORDING AND I THINK IT WORKED!!!!! PLEASE REMEMBER I HAD ALREADY RECORDED THE ZIOR ALBUM WITH STUDIO ENGINEER BILL FARLEY, WHO HAD BEEN WORKING WITH THE ROLLING STONES AT REGENT SOUND STUDIOS IN THE EARLY DAYS. NOBODY KNEW MONUMENT WAS ACTUALLY ZIOR UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME. I FORGOT ALL ABOUT IT UNTIL I FOUND OUT IT WAS A HEAVILY COPIED AND BOOTLEGGED ALBUM AND HAD A STRONG FOLLOWING FROM THE UNDERGROUND ROCK MOVEMENT.
Can you tell me about the early days of Zior? The performances, and stage presence that involved the infamous occult/theater/drama aesthetic seemed to have gone over well with the audience. What inspired you guys to reach for that kind of vibe? Was it a matter of simply bringing attention to the band, or was there more deeper elements at play?
BACK TO ZIOR... THE CONCEPT WAS QUITE EASY...PLAY GOOD MUSIC AND PRESENT IT WITH A THEATRICAL LOOK... LIGHTS... BIG PROPS... LOUD SOUNDS AND AUDIENCE INVOLVEMENT. IT ALL STARTED OUT AS GOOD FUN. BUT AS IT DEVELOPED WE WERE GETTING GREAT REACTIONS FROM CERTAIN PARTS OF THE SHOW INCLUDING, A GRAND FINALE OF THE MOCK VIRGIN SACRIFICE ON THE HAMMOND ORGAN. THIS LOOKED GREAT BEHIND A SHADOW STYLE SCREEN WITH STROBE LIGHTING AND BLOOD RED LIGHTS. THE CLIMAX BEING A 12 FOOT MONSTER BREAKING THROUGH THE SCREEN AND RUSHING INTO THE AUDIENCE AND OUT OF THE VENUE. THE REACTION WAS BRILLIANT.
WHEN WE RELEASED THE FIRST ZIOR ALBUM IT WAS LAUNCHED AT RONNIE SCOTTS CLUB IN SOHO, LONDON AND THE STAGE SHOW WAS A BIT OF A SHOCK TO THE INVITED JOURNALISTS WHO DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF IT. THE FACT IS WE LIVED IN ESSEX, WHERE THE WITCH-FINDER GENERAL LEGEND COMES FROM. THIS FUELED THE FIRE FOR STORIES OF MID-EVIL PRACTICES AND WITCHCRAFT THUS GIVING THE PRESS INSPIRATION FOR WILD STORIES ETC. I SUPPOSE WE WERE AN EARLY VERSION OF HARRY POTTER FOR ADULTS. THE VIBE FOR THIS DROVE US ON AS IT GENERATED GIGS AND ATTENTION. I DO LIVE IN A VILLAGE WHERE ACCUSED WITCHES WERE BURNT AT THE STAKE AND I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AWARE THAT STRANGE GOINGS ON HAD HAPPENED LOCALLY. I WAS WARNED THAT TO PLAY WITH SPELLS AND COVEN RITUALS COULD BE DANGEROUS. HOWEVER I CONTINUED WITH THE STAGE ACT.
"I WAS WARNED THAT TO PLAY WITH SPELLS AND COVEN RITUALS COULD BE DANGEROUS. HOWEVER I CONTINUED WITH THE STAGE ACT"
How did the appearance in 'Groupie Girl' come about? This bridged the connection to Larry Page who was starting his own label 'Nepentha' at the time, and was also known for his involvement with acts such as The Kings, and Troggs. Shortly after you guys signed with him on his label, can you tell me about the process of putting out the first Zior record?
AS FOR THE 'GROUPIE GIRL' FILM THE FACT WAS THAT WE PLAYED AT THE MARQUEE CLUB IN LONDON QUITE OFTEN AND WE WERE APPROACHED BY THE PRODUCER TO BE IN THE FILM AS IT WAS THE LOCATION USED. A BIT OF LAUGH AND GOOD FOR THE EGO. OF COURSE LARRY PAGE WAS INVOLVED IN THE KINKS AND TROGGS AND WHEN HE SIGNED US WE THOUGHT WE WERE ONTO A GOOD THING. NEPENTHA RECORDS WAS A NEW LABEL AND IT WAS BILL FARLEY WHO PLACED THE ALBUM WITH LARRY. WE NEVER RECEIVED AN ADVANCE AND TO THIS DAY WE HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY MONIES FOR IT... SADLY BILL FARLEY DIED AND THE TRAIL OF THE MONEY IS, AS THEY SAY ROCK AND ROLL HISTORY.
You seemed to have a very dedicated, very disciplined vision for your work. Knocking on various 'Tin Pan Alley' studio doors, what was your mindset during this period? Where did you see yourself in the music industry coexisting as both a musician and a composer/producer? Wearing multiple hats within the group I'm curious, what drove you?
AS FOR MY PERSONAL DRIVE AND FOCUS, I HAVE WRITTEN AND PRODUCED ABOUT 100 RECORDED AND RELEASED TRACKS AND I ALWAYS LOOKED FOR AVENUES IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY TO PROMOTE MY SKILLS AND CREATIVITY. I HAVE PLAYED ON MANY OTHER PEOPLES RECORDS AS A SESSION MUSICIAN AND PRODUCED OTHER ARTISTS INCLUDING GENO WASHINGTON, JOHN HOLT REGGAE ALBUMS AND, THE PINKEES WHO REACHED NUMBER 8 IN THE UK CHARTS. DURING THIS TIME I BECAME PROFICIENT ON GUITARS /KEYBOARDS/DRUMS AND FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON A MASTER OF MULTI-TRACKING AND OVERDUBBING. THANK GOD FOR MY REVOX. I NEVER THOUGHT MUCH OF MYSELF AS A GREAT MUSICIAN BUT I LOVED IT AND GOT BY WITH MY ABILITY.
The band finds itself back in the studio for their second album, 'Every Inch Man'. What was the process like? How did the transition from 'Nepentha' to Intercord/Global Records come about? You guys were still under Page's management, correct? Why was this only released in Germany though the band was out of England?
THIS QUESTION IS A HARD ONE AS I NEVER KNEW ABOUT THIS ALBUM 'EVERY INCH A MAN' UNTIL MANY YEARS HAD PASSED AND ONLY WHEN I HEARD IT WAS ON THE STREETS DID I HAVE TO BUY A COPY TO HEAR IT... YES BUY A COPY OF MY OWN RECORD. I HAD MADE THESE TRACKS AS A DEMO FOR A NEW ZIOR ALBUM AND LARRY HAD SOLD THEM TO GLOBAL RECORDS WITHOUT A WORD TO US... I NEVER WAS MUCH OF A BUSINESS MAN BUT HEY HO THAT IS LIFE. STILL THE SAME BAND PERSONNEL BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE BEEN TOLD ABOUT IT. I DO CLAIM THE PRODUCTION CREDITS AND YES OF COURSE I WROTE THEM ALL. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT BUGSY EASTWOOD WAS THE VOCALIST ON 3 OF THE ZIOR TRACKS AND HE WAS IN MY MIND A GREAT VOCALIST. HE HAS SINCE DIED AND AS A MATE I MISS HIM LOADS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PUT THE RECORDS STRAIGHT AND CONFESS I WROTE ALL THE ZIOR TRACKS EXCEPT FOR, ROLLING THUNDER AND ZA ZA ZA ZILDER WHICH WERE WRITTEN BY BUGSY EASTWOOD... IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER AS WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY MONIES ANYWAY. I GAVE PETER BREWER THE WRITER CREDITS SO THAT FALCON MUSIC COULD PUBLISH THEM. GREAT TO GET THAT OFF MY CHEST.
Did you continue to pursue music, or any other creative endeavors after the band unfortunately split up? Returning in 2018, some 40 years later, with the 'Spirit Of The Gods' release, were you surprised, or aware of the attention/interest that was growing for the band over the years? Can you tell me about the reunion of Zior? How was it recording, and playing with the band again?
AFTER THE BREAK UP OF THE BAND PETER AND MYSELF DID RELEASE SOME RECORDS UNDER THE NAME OF THE BEAR BROTHERS WHICH HAD CAME OUT IN VARIOUS EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. I STILL PURSUED MUSIC AND WORKED FOR A USA MUSIC PUBLISHER PROMOTING THE ALLMAN BROTHERS AND A VAST CATALOGUE INCLUDING STAX AND SOME BIG SELLING COPYRIGHTS. I PLAYED WITH A FEW BANDS AND STARTED TO MAKE SHORT FILMS FOR VARIOUS GROUPS AND ARTISTS. I EVEN DID A STINT AS A DJ FOR CLUBS AND RADIO. AT THIS PERIOD OF MY LIFE I ACTUALLY MADE GOOD MONEY... HOWEVER I WAS ALWAYS A MUSICIAN AT HEART AND ENJOYED GUESTING WITH OTHER BANDS... I STILL OWNED MY TRUSTY GUITARS AND WROTE LOTS OF SONGS SOME THAT WERE GOOD, SUCCESSFUL, COMMERCIAL RECORDINGS. MY SMALL VIDEO PRODUCTION COMPANY BECAME THE MAIN SOURCE OF MY INCOME AND IN REALITY I NEVER EVER GOT ANY MONIES FROM ZIOR ONLY THE BOOTLEGGERS WHO WERE SELLING MY MUSIC ALL OVER THE WORLD DID.
THE ALBUMS FOR COLLECTORS CAN FETCH ANYTHING UP TO £1000 PER COPY. IT IS ONLY RECENTLY THAT CHERRY RED RECORDS HAVE RELEASED A BOX SET OF THE BAND RECORDINGS AND I HAVE RECEIVED SOME REWARDS FOR MY WORK. THAT BRINGS ME TO THE NEW ALBUM SPIRIT OF THE GODS. I WROTE THIS SELECTION OF SONGS AND GOT IN TOUCH WITH THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BAND TO SCHEDULE A NEW RECORDING SESSION AND HEY PRESTO WE PRODUCED THESE NEW TRACKS.
NEW TECHNOLOGY HAS HELPED CONSIDERABLY AND I HOPE THAT WHEN WE PERFORM LIVE AGAIN WE CAN MAKE FULL USE OF IT. JOHN TRUBOR, WHO NOW LIVES IN IRELAND, HAS A COLLECTION OF 50 VINTAGE GUITARS AND JUMPED AT THE CHANCE TO PLAY ON THE TRACKS USING HIS ORIGINAL AMPS AND HIS INSTRUMENTS... HE STILL PLAYS LIVE IN IRELAND AND IS RESPECTED IN THE JAZZ AND BLUES WORLD. BARRY SKEELS HAS PLAYED WITH HIS BAND GHOST IN NEWCASTLE FOR SOME YEARS NOW AND ALL OF US ARE ACTIVE MUSICIANS. FOR LIVE SHOWS WE MAY HAVE TO USE A DIFFERENT DRUMMER AS PETER IS LIVING IN SPAIN..BUT WE ARE WORKING ON IT!!! YOU NEVER KNOW. I FEEL GREAT WORKING WITH THE BAND AGAIN AND WE HAVE MORE TRACKS IN THE PIPELINE. SADLY WE HAD TO DECLINE A FESTIVAL IN ITALY RECENTLY BUT THERE IS ALWAYS NEXT YEAR. BY GOD, WE CAN STILL PLAY BAD KICK ASS MUSIC... TRUST ME.
"I FEEL GREAT WORKING WITH THE BAND AGAIN AND WE HAVE MORE TRACKS IN THE PIPELINE. SADLY WE HAD TO DECLINE A FESTIVAL IN ITALY RECENTLY BUT THERE IS ALWAYS NEXT YEAR. BY GOD, WE CAN STILL PLAY BAD KICK ASS MUSIC... TRUST ME"
What have you been up to during these crazy, dark times? Can we expect anything in the future from the stellar mind of Keith Bonsor?
IN THESE CRAZY TIMES I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONCENTRATE ON MY RECORDING AND DEVELOP MY ART AND NATURAL SCULPTURE WORK. WILD... FUTURISTIC... AND IMAGES FROM THE DARK WORLD AND SPACE. I HAVE TO BE HONEST AND SAY THAT MY MUSIC HAS EMBRACED THE INVENTION OF WONDERFUL ELECTRONIC SOUNDS AND I AM OFF ON MY OWN PERSONAL JOURNEY. GOOD NEWS FOR ANYONE WHO HAS MISSED ANY OF MUSIC, CHECK OUT THE CHERRY RED RECORDS UK AND THE BOX SET , ‘BEFORE MY EYES GO BLIND.’
THANK YOU FOR READING, ALL STRANGE BUT TRUE.
Dakota Brown
