Punk rock 'Authority' back again By: Mike Riegel Posted: 8/28/03 For the last 18 months, Bill Marcks and his fellow band mates in Authority Zero have been touring the country. They've played hundreds of shows; opening for Sum 41, causing mosh-pits on the Vans Warped Tour and most recently playing a number of dates with Flogging Molly.
It's understandable why Marcks can talk so fondly about going home to Mesa, Ariz. Even with a sub-par cell phone connection, he says the word "home" and makes it sound like it has suddenly become a four-syllable word and the ultimate purpose of the quest he's on.
But he's not home, not for another three weeks. Right now he's in Florida preparing for the band's last show in the Orlando area, at least until the next tour. Despite the hectic schedule and the frantic punk-rock shows, he still found the time to check in with some of his "old friends" at the Future.
Some students might remember a band playing an acoustic set outside the Student Union almost a year ago. That band was Authority Zero, which is comprised of lead singer Jason DeVore, drummer Jim Wilcox, bass player Jeremy Wood and Marcks on guitar. They were celebrating the release of their new album, A Passage in Time, and the success of their first single, "One More Minute."
"Florida is a great place, and there are great crowds," Marcks said. "It's real comparable to home," he adds, talking about how the temperatures in Orlando often mirror those of Mesa. The comparison stops when he gets past the heat, because the reason he's in Florida is to play a couple shows.
Fans that've already seen Authority Zero play in Orlando during the last year-and-a-half might skip tomorrow night's show at the Lost and Found Club because they've heard it already. As Marcks explains, that logic won't hold up when they hit the stage.
"We've been writing new stuff and playing it during sound checks," he said. "We've been playing a couple brand new songs every night." After playing the same songs for such a long period of time, it's understandable that they're looking to expand not only the set-list, but their creativity.
Coupled with the added original material, the guys have a list of cover songs to choose from that includes "La Bamba," "I'm Gonna Be (5000 miles)," the drinking song "Rattlin' Bog," and many others. With all of these options, the show can change on a nightly basis.
As for the show itself, Marcks has noticed that certain songs have become crowd favorites. "When I hit the opening g-chord on 'A Passage in Time' [the title track and show-opener], it really gets the crowd going," he said.
The fast paced and energetic opening might surprise those that were expecting to hear the reggae band they heard playing "One More Minute" on the radio, but Marcks said that's all part of what makes Authority Zero unique. "[The band] has a ton of musical influences, and we get a lot of fans of reggae and punk [at the performance]," he said. "When the show goes off, it's really cool."
When Authority Zero isn't busy on stage blurring the lines between musical genres, they can usually be found breaking down the wall between the band and the fans. After the show, Marcks said the band members usually hang around in the bar, talk with fans and have a few adult beverages until they shut the place down and kick them out.
Of course there also will be the requisite merchandise, including shirts and A Passage in Time CDs, available to anyone who feels inclined to buy them. If Passage already has made its way into your collection, then it's time to hurry up and wait for the new album. Authority Zero is scheduled to go back into the studio on Oct. 14, where the band will record a new album that probably will take them on another marathon tour of the U.S.
Authority Zero will be at Longwood's Lost and Found club tonight. Doors open at 7 p.m. and admission is $8. For more information, call 407-830-5659.
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