ZAMPKAMP

ZAMPKAMP – “California Freakin”: Man, what an unexpected thrill this single is! Grungy guitars punch you in the face right out of the gate, in a manner reminiscent of Royal Blood or The Blue Stones. The SoCal transplant from Columbus, OH, Zack Cramp, is venturing out on his own musically for the first time, and the result is pretty dang satisfying. I’m still salty I missed running into him at Desert Daze last fall. Perhaps he should just play. Too soon to make a recommendation? - TunedUp

Time to celebrate out favorite new songs and tracks released in February of 2023. Our monthly playlist features 100 new music releases that were on repeat! Many of our featured songs were plucked from our submission playlist, and a lot of the songs you see below, also received full page editorials. - Grimy Goods

Hi Zampkamp, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?

Music became really important to me in my middle school years, and my Mom bought me my first bass guitar when I was 13 years old. I started a band called One-Third Nerd with my friends, and from then on music was my biggest focus in life. I grew up in Columbus Ohio, which is an incredible music town. Seriously. There are so many talented people making music there, several fantastic independent & DIY venues, and a community that supports and loves the creative arts. So I felt really lucky to cut my teeth in that scene, playing in many bands including Playing To Vapors for 5 years. I moved to Nashville in 2017 to work in the music industry and it was there that I really began to develop ideas for ZAMPKAMP. When the pandemic hit I really focused on these songs, and I recorded this EP during lockdown in my home studio. I moved to Santa Barbara for work in 2021, put the finishing touches on the music and artwork, and in July 2022 I finally debuted ZAMPKAMP to the world.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?

I am very privileged to be born into a life that allowed me to pursue just about any path I wanted, and I have always felt supported by friends, family, and my peers to make music my main focus. I don’t come from a musical family, so I have always worked hard to network and make connections with whoever I could to teach me how to succeed in this industry. Whether it be for my job working in the music industry or my aspirations as a musician. Because so many have helped me along the way, I’m always eager to connect and advise anyone interested in making music their career. Especially those who may not have as much privilege as I have had and those who may be marginalized in this industry. I don’t know everything, but I might be able to help in some small way – so don’t hesitate to reach out!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

I call ZAMPKAMP pretty-boy industrial music. It has some edge, but it’s also meant to be fun, playful, and make you move. Some of my biggest influences are LCD Soundsystem, Nine Inch Nails, and Death From Above 1979 – so there are electronic elements mixed in with heavily distorted bass guitars and melodic vocals. There is a good amount of layering and production in the music, but I want the live show to feel a little more PUNK. Something that could work in a stadium or a crowded, dank basement.

I sing about a lot of stuff – and my lyrics are usually pretty cynical. There are songs on my EP that are romantic and reflective, and some are more about the absurdity of the modern world.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?

I’m new to Southern California, but loving life out here so far. The nature and scenery truly feel magical. The breadth of culture and history is amazing. So many of my favorite musicians got their start here and still live here, so it does sort of have that “land of possibility” element to it. I think it’s really important that we preserve all these things that made it great – the nature, the culture, and the people. - Voyage LA