From A to Zed – band goes full circle
The band has been back together regularly since 2017. From left is Ben Campbell Adrian Palmer, Nathan King, Andy Lynch.
By Chris Marshall
Having formed in the late 1990s, Kiwi rockers ZED are finding performing and releasing new music a renaissance experience.
The band – Nathan King (vocals, guitar), Adrian Palmer (drums), Andy Lynch (guitar) and Ben Campbell (bass, vocals) – will be appearing as the first big act, following locals Fairly Obvious, at this Saturday’s Greenstone Entertainment Summer Concert at the Taupō Amphitheatre.
After initial success with their debut album Silencer (2000) and second album This Little Empire (2003) peaking at No. 1 and No.3 respectively on the New Zealand Albums Chart, ZED took a break – getting back together occasionally.
“We disbanded in 2005 and didn’t have any activity until the late 20-teens so it was… a good stretch before we reunited and realised that we all missed each other and loved playing music together,” King says.
“And the reaction from the crowd every time we did play was so positive we were like ‘why aren’t we doing this more often?’”
Making new music has been hugely satisfying, he says.
“We’ve really appreciated the reaction to some of the tunes we’ve played live, the new ones, and how great the reception is to some of them. It’s been a real buzz. It makes it all new again in some ways for us, on many levels.”
After reforming for a few gigs, in 2017 ZED reunited to perform live and in 2019 undertook a national tour to celebrate 20 years of Silencer. More recently, in 2023, they released the single ‘Future You’, which was included on their third album Future Memory, which was released in August 2024 and toured nationwide.
King puts the longevity of the band down to the members having lives outside ZED.
“But we’re very lucky to have that special bond with the band that means we can get back together, and it feels like reliving our youth again when we get on stage.”
It’s a feeling audiences seem to pick up on, he says.
“It winds back the clock a few years and they feel like they are in the late teens or early twenties or something. It’s awesome.”
He says it will be nice to play in the town after their last show… in possibly 2003 or 2004.
“I do remember going skydiving in Taupō. That was a highlight of my life. It was an amazing experience.”
And he’s looking ahead to being on stage alongside some other long-lived performers.
“It’s a real honour to be part of the bill with such a prestigious line up of rock greats.”