In 2012 the landscape of the music industry has changed drastically in every facet of the business. From the swift shift from CD to digital music the only prayer for recording artists to earn is to perform constantly. Unless you are a house hold name like Bruce Springsteen or Lady Gaga making a profit just from record sales in nearly impossible. Even stars like them have a hard time breaking even.
Many individuals in the business have unwillingly depended on iTunes, Amazon or Beatport to generate sales. In addition the music industry has become so saturated with anyone who thinks they can sing is digitally putting out music. But there are those who still go about the business the “old fashion” way, by utilizing real instruments. One such band is the punk rock band “Drop Tank”.
The band hails from the land “down under”, Australia. The band is a female fronted group that has a cutting edge “in your face” approach. The leader Zebidy Tank is the driving force behind this edgy band. As a teenager growing up she had a strong punk rock influence which led her to experiment with heavy rock and metal. Both of these genres are reflected in her music.
Zebidy, whose real name is Phillipa, is an attractive blonde with a slim figure. But don’t let the pretty look fool you, on stage she is a force that delivers a strong performance that can leave you stunned. The band’s popularity in Australia is very solid and is going global. When it comes to developing lyrics Zebidy has an odd way of coming up with concepts for her music. She gave us a breakdown.
“The best songs always write themselves. In a stressful or frustrating situation a riff or melody can hit you in the side of the head. I have gotten better at capturing these ideas as they happen immediately. For example, singing into my phone or writing something down. Spontaneous ideas are usually the most fun and interesting and when you exercise your writing muscle on top of it creating songs becomes easier as you have more tricks to use.”
The band was formed in 2008 after the first group Zebidy was involved with dissolved. To produce a new band she would frequent various venues and listened to bands and see if she can find one to build on. After a few visits she found the right “chemistry” and formed the group. Her bass player at the time came up with the name “Drop Tank” which seemed fitting for her. Especially, since it signified the reserve fuel tank for a “muscle car”, the type of car that she prefers.
Being the only female in the band and the front — woman, most would think it would be a demanding task. Yet Zebidy honestly confides that it’s not as difficult as it may seem. Zebidy grew up attending an all girl school and was tired of the “cliquey” attitudes and actually welcomed male friends. She did perform with some great female musicians during her time but still preferred to work with an all male group. Because of their stage presence Zebidy admits that they are viewed more seriously in the music world. The band has been together for the past five years.
Drop Tank has so far released two albums, the first was self-titled and the second was titled “Vice”. Zebidy admits that there are two singles that stand out most for her, “White Lady” and “Saw Nothing”. The titles of most of the band’s tracks have an edgy relentless image invoking a “no hold’s bar” attitude.
“Lyrics are written to suit the song. They are based on creative ideas and nothing more. I have never set out to shock or offend. I have only written ideas for the lyrics to suit the riff or music. I feel if you become too conscious of your material it can hinder the creative process. So I guess it is purely entertainment. Lyrics always come last when writing. If you look closely there are good messages in there too.”
Currently, Zebidy is in the process of searching for a producer to work with them on some new tracks they have recently laid down, and is hoping to release these to the public soon. To search for information on the band you can visit http://www.reverbnation.com/droptank
or http://droptank.bandcamp.com.
by Nick Christophers
