INTERVIEW: ZEBRAHEAD IN CONVERSATION WITH BEN OSMUNDSON
Interview by Cecilia Pattison-Levi
If you missed Green Day due to Cyclone Alfo, then you might want to check out the fine Orange County band, Zebrahead. Their pop-punk songs, 13 album back catalogue, and three new EPs, are great and full of that distinctive Southern Californian sound. Their Do-it Yourself music and band ethos is impressive and demands respect.
No Barriers had an early morning chat with Zebrahead’s bassist Ben Osmundson about what it was like coming straight out of the Orange County maelstrom in the mid-1990s, Zebrahead’s own reputation for their tenacious and energetic live gigs full of their driven attitude and no-holds-barred genre bending ‘punch you in the face’ punk-rapcore-rock sounds, and after a 7-year absence, their return to Australia and reconnecting with fans as they blitz stages across the nation.
Zebrahead formed in 1996 in La Habra, California, where they carved a unique niche in the punk rock scene, fusing pop-punk, hip-hop, with raw energy. “We were so lucky. The place that we lived and where we went to school was a Mecca for bands like Offspring, Sublime, Social Distortion,” said Ben Osmundson. “In fact, No Doubt would play gigs in between class at school. Orange County was uptight. It made the place full of angry kids and the music scene just started happening. The kids got into punk to rebel against the social inequality between the rich and the poor kids. Our band formed at that time but unlike the others we have always sailed under the radar and radio was never keen on us. But our fans love our live shows – so we decided to do things for ourselves”.
It is surprising that Zebrahead has sailed “under the radar” with great songs like ‘Doomsday On The Radio’, Lobotomy For Dummies’, ‘All My Friends Are Nobodies’, ‘Playmate of the Year’ and the perfect ‘Anthem’, plus 13 albums and three new EPS called “III”, “II” and “I”. “Our music is made to give people joy and escape their life for a while,” explained Ben Osmundson. “You have to enjoy life. Do everything at least once. And have a laugh at the stupid shit in life. When we toured Australia last time, in a van, we stopped at these random places like the Big Banana. I look back at the photos and laugh. Music has taken us to so many special and random places – even into video games like Tony Hawk’s Pro-skater - and I cannot wait to get back to Australia”.
Zebrahead, the band comprises of original members Ali Tabatabaee (lead vocals), Ben Osmundson (bass) and Ed Udhus (drums) alongside Dan Palmer (lead guitar) and newest member Adrian Estrella (co-lead vocals, rhythm guitar). “The band are really excited to get to Australia and we have a new singer who hasn’t toured with us there,” claimed Ben Osmundson. “The flight is hell. I think it’s 10 rum and cokes before the flight and sleep all the way – right?! We are looking forward to seeing Perth – as it is so far away. It’s crazy. Then, we will fly to all the other cities and have a look around. We loved visiting Australia last time and we know we should get back more often”.
“We try and do most of our touring, organising of merch and social media by ourselves,” stated Ben Osmundson. “So, if you get a social media message – it is straight from us. We are not ‘graphically amazing’ – sorry about that – but you are directly dealing with us. The music industry has changed so much that we try and do as much as we can by ourselves and keep it real. Our new EPs were a way to release music that fans could connect to in short bursts, and we hope they like them. When we return to the US, after the Australian tour, we will think about writing and recording some new music whether it’s an album or EP we are not sure. But what it does mean is that as a small band we can survive which we have done for 30 years”.
Zebrahead have more than survived. They have hooked fans for 30 years with their unique mix of anthemic punk rock choruses, hip-hop-infused verses, and face-melting, metal-inspired guitar riffs. One of Zebrahead’s biggest strengths is how they make their shows feel less like concerts and more like parties with your best mates. “That is our DIY ethos,” said Ben Osmundson. ‘‘We want our live shows to be fun. Come and escape your worries, laugh at life, and do it your own way”.
If you love pop-punk with heart – like a sing along and bounce along attitude, then Zebrahead is a band that you should listen to. Hook into their back catalogue, and then come and see them. These concerts will be the live pop-punk experience that you need to see and hear in 2025.
