Celebrating three decades of high-energy anthems and relentless touring, Authority Zero has gifted fans with a new EP, 30 Years: Speaking To The Youth. In this exclusive interview, frontman Jason DeVore dives deep into the creative process behind the EP, the band’s evolution over three decades, and their unwavering message of unity and defiance.
Jason, congratulations on 30 years of Authority Zero! When you reflect on the band’s journey, what stands out the most to you from those early days in Mesa, Arizona?
Jason: Thank you! What stands out most to me of those days (and I was just messaging back and forth with ex original members Bill Marcks and Jerry Douglas on this yesterday) was the pure fun and innocence of it. The freedom to just be kids and play music solely for the joy of it. It’s still that to a great extent, but it’s certainly a different venture than it was at the early unexpected innocent state of it. We were so carefree and had our whole lives ahead of us as genuine friends expressing ourselves.
What was the driving force behind creating the new EP, “30 Years: Speaking to the Youth”? What message are you hoping to convey with this collection of songs?
Jason: Jason: The driving force as it is with all my/our writing lyrically was simply life experience. What’s going on around us and the influence and impact it’s having on us as individuals and as a collective. It’s very much driven by self reflection, strength to stick up for yourself even if it’s against yourself and own personal battles, and taking control of your life. Essentially as a whole it’s about Revolution. In that I mean not specifically politically, but rather that if you want something changed in any way, it’s got to start with you and by taking action.
Can you dive a bit deeper into the themes of self-belief and fighting for what you believe in? How have these themes evolved for you personally over the years?
Jason: Absolutely. Being in this band for 30 years has come with a great deal of joy and fulfillment, but as one would guess, it has also come with a significant deal of loss, doubt, weight, pain, and confusion. That in turn turns to self medicating, which in turn turns to depression, which turns to self doubt, and then eventually physically destruction and exhaustion. Both mentally and physically. With that comes the destruction of the world around you. It’s difficult to keep a ship afloat when there are constant holes being punched in your ship by those closest to you at times whether be members, past management, and the music industry as a whole. It can be debilitating and disabling. Through that the one thing I’ve learned is how to fight and never give up no matter the barricade nor obstacle. It’s taught me inner strength and what we’re capable of as humans if we’re willing to stand back up, brush it off, and fight for it. That’s with anything in life, and that’s as a whole what this record encompasses. Taking the good with the bad as all of life’s lessons, experience, and adventure.
As a band that’s been around for three decades, how do you balance the nostalgic moments with the desire to keep pushing forward creatively?
Jason: In the words of Toby Morse of H20, I constantly am telling myself “Don’t forget your roots”. So I don’t, and never will. Me and those three other kids back in the early days along with the early years fans are the core foundation of what this band was built upon and like any foundation, if you neglect it, it will begin to topple what’s built on top of it around you. With that in mind, if you’re not looking forward and always looking backward while still doing twice the work, then you essentially balance out end up at a stand still and will not progress. This band stands for progression and progressive thinking so that’s just not in the cards. We are and always will be inspired to create outside of the box, try new things and musical sounds as we always have, and continue to work toward growth, expression, and expansion.
In your opinion, how has the punk scene changed in the past 30 years, and how has Authority Zero adapted to those changes?
Jason: I think that from what I’ve seen it has been monumentally unified. Bands have come together and are working more together, supporting each other and lifting one another up, have started working loads more with charitable organizations, and have all around worked to be a powerful force impending a positive impact on the scene and World as a whole. It’s got just as much of the political, social, and human angst as it ever has, but in my humble opinion it’s in a more focused way. Rather than just complaining about something, or telling it to fuck off, there is action being taken and more strategic ways of thinking as a collective that have been put into motion. It’s a pretty awesome this the see and be a big part of.
Was there a particular moment during the creation of this EP that felt especially significant or powerful for you?
Jason: Yeah I’d say the last day when it came to a close when we realized what we’d just expressed and accomplished in a very short amount of time. We literally wrote these songs in a ten day span of which we took from twelve total that we had written, and then recorded them in two weeks. It was just a great feeling of accomplishment and we had a lot of fun making it.
Looking back, how do you think your high school experiences in Mesa shaped the early identity of Authority Zero?
Jason: Oh I think it did in a way that again I always reference the “Good Ol’ Days” because they keep me humble, keep this band humble coming very very humble means, and comes as a reminder to be grateful that we are still here even stronger today thirty years later.
What has been the most rewarding part of continuing with the band for 30 years? How do you keep the passion alive after all this time?
Jason: I love music, I love performing, I love our fans and listeners along with their passion to no end, and Incant get enough of that live kinetic energy that fills the room when playing live. You literally see people’s faces change before your eyes by releasing their hard week, being heard or understood by the lyrics you sing each night, and just seeing the generations of those now young fans’ kids coming out to the shows and rocking out…there’s nothing like it. You truly feel like your having an impact on the World and people’s lives in a positive way and I live for that.
This EP is titled “Speaking to the Youth.” What role do you feel punk rock plays in inspiring younger generations?
Jason: I feel it is monumental. Kids listening to essentially rebellious other kids having now turned adult with that same teen angst and rebellion is a powerful thing. It’s understanding that we still understand what it’s like and have held onto it which helps them trust in taking the message to heart and putting it to work in their own lives. Positive or negative, the youth are sponges and highly influenced by the world around them and their hero’s or “idols”. I know I sure was.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from being in a band for 30 years, both as a musician and a person?
Jason: Patience, hard work, understanding, and how to write songs more effectively and openly.
The EP has a mix of reflection and forward-thinking. How do you ensure the band stays fresh and relevant while honoring its roots?
Jason: See above answer! In addition we are constantly absorbing new influence and inspiration as individuals and that has always been the key factor of this band and it’s diversity. If a riff or idea comes to the table from any one of us, we try it out. You have to. The day you don’t is the day you put your own band in a box and then you’re trapped in it. In my opinion every band needs to evolve otherwise what are we doing?
Authority Zero has always had a strong sense of community with fans. How do you connect with your audience through your music, and how has that relationship evolved over the years?
Jason: They’ve been the best fans a band could dream of and I feel a great deal of that is that personal connection we have with them as often as we can. We realize that we would of course still be a band without our fans, but we would by absolutely no means be where we are and have been all these years. We would just be enjoying our music in a lowly garage or practice space somewhere. The relationships we’ve built with them span generations at this point and many of which are good friends now. It’s a pretty awesome thing to think about.
If you could go back to the early days of the band, is there anything you wish you could tell your younger self about the journey ahead?
Jason: “Brace for impact buddy. You have NO idea what’s about to happen. You’re going to face a lot of adversity, failure, highs and lows, and you will ultimately be tested day in and day out by how badly you want this. It’s going to be a lot of fun, and maybe too much fun at times. I hope you’re ready.”
Finally, with 30 years behind you, what’s next for Authority Zero? Do you have any exciting plans or projects lined up for the future?
Jason: More touring! We have been writing some more music so plan to record some more next year for a full length album as well as there have been talks of a forth edition of our live acoustic albums “Rhythm and Booze” so keep your eye out!
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