Say Zuzu
Encyclopedia
Say Zuzu is a roots rock
band originally based in Newmarket
, New Hampshire
. The group was formed in 1992 by brothers Jon and James Nolan, and their longtime friend Cliff Murphy. Though they achieved little commercial success in the United States
, the band developed a strong following in Italy
where they toured for several years.
as a group of boys playing guitars in the bedroom of a little red Cape Cod
house in Durham
in 1988." Those three boys were Jon and James Nolan and Cliff Murphy. The band originally chose the name Zuzu's Petals, after a scene from the movie It's a Wonderful Life
; however, after discovering that several other bands out there had already chosen that name, they decided on "Say Zuzu," which references an old 1930s Nabisco
ad.
The band released their first album, Highway Signs and Driving Songs, in 1995 without the help of a record label. The album was a roots rock
fusion of country
, rock
, and folk
. Despite its critical success, the album did little for the band in the United States. In 1997, however, it ended up in the hands of Paolo Caru, an influential rock critic in Italy
, who became an instant fan. Caru's influence shot the band to relative success in Italy and they quickly began an international tour. The band's next album, Take These Turns, was released in 1997 and became a very successful followup to Highway Signs and Driving Songs.
In 1998, Say Zuzu released their most critically acclaimed album, Bull. The release of Bull signaled a more mature Say Zuzu than the band that had come on the scene in 1995, and earned them several nods from record companies as well as more commercial success in the US. The next year, the band released a live album entitled Live.
After much touring, bassist James Nolan decided it was in his best interest to leave the band in pursuit of a graduate degree in international relations. He and drummer Steve Ruhm left the band in 2001 under good terms. The band forged on, and hired Jon Pistey and Tim Nylander to play bass and drums respectively. In 2002, they released their final album, Every Mile. The band toured behind the album and decided to retire.
Cliff Murphy now lives in Baltimore, Maryland with his wife and two daughters. Jon Nolan remains on the seacoast of New Hampshire where he continues to play music locally.
In 2005 Jon Nolan released a solo album entitled When the Summers Lasted Long, which is available for purchase on iTunes
.
Roots rock
Roots rock is a term now used to describe rock music that looks back to rock's origins in folk, blues and country music. It is particularly associated with the creation of hybrid sub-genres from the later 1960s including country rock and Southern rock, which have been seen as responses to the...
band originally based in Newmarket
Newmarket, New Hampshire
Newmarket is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 8,936 at the 2010 census. Some residents are students and employees at the nearby University of New Hampshire in Durham....
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. The group was formed in 1992 by brothers Jon and James Nolan, and their longtime friend Cliff Murphy. Though they achieved little commercial success in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the band developed a strong following in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
where they toured for several years.
Career
Say Zuzu "got its start on the SeacoastSeacoast Region (New Hampshire)
The Seacoast Region is the southeast area of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The region stretches 18 miles along the Atlantic Ocean from New Hampshire's border with Salisbury, Massachusetts to the Piscataqua River and New Hampshire's border with Kittery, Maine. The shoreline is generally very...
as a group of boys playing guitars in the bedroom of a little red Cape Cod
Cape Cod (house)
A Cape Cod cottage is a style of house originating in New England in the 17th century. It is traditionally characterized by a low, broad frame building, generally a story and a half high, with a steep, pitched roof with end gables, a large central chimney and very little ornamentation...
house in Durham
Durham, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,664 people, 2,882 households, and 1,582 families residing in the town. The population density was 565.5 people per square mile . There were 2,923 housing units at an average density of 130.5 per square mile...
in 1988." Those three boys were Jon and James Nolan and Cliff Murphy. The band originally chose the name Zuzu's Petals, after a scene from the movie It's a Wonderful Life
It's a Wonderful Life
It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story "The Greatest Gift" written by Philip Van Doren Stern....
; however, after discovering that several other bands out there had already chosen that name, they decided on "Say Zuzu," which references an old 1930s Nabisco
Nabisco
Nabisco is an American brand of cookies and snacks. Headquartered in East Hanover, New Jersey, the company is a subsidiary of Illinois-based Kraft Foods. Nabisco's plant in Chicago, a production facility at 7300 S...
ad.
The band released their first album, Highway Signs and Driving Songs, in 1995 without the help of a record label. The album was a roots rock
Roots rock
Roots rock is a term now used to describe rock music that looks back to rock's origins in folk, blues and country music. It is particularly associated with the creation of hybrid sub-genres from the later 1960s including country rock and Southern rock, which have been seen as responses to the...
fusion of country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, and folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
. Despite its critical success, the album did little for the band in the United States. In 1997, however, it ended up in the hands of Paolo Caru, an influential rock critic in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, who became an instant fan. Caru's influence shot the band to relative success in Italy and they quickly began an international tour. The band's next album, Take These Turns, was released in 1997 and became a very successful followup to Highway Signs and Driving Songs.
In 1998, Say Zuzu released their most critically acclaimed album, Bull. The release of Bull signaled a more mature Say Zuzu than the band that had come on the scene in 1995, and earned them several nods from record companies as well as more commercial success in the US. The next year, the band released a live album entitled Live.
After much touring, bassist James Nolan decided it was in his best interest to leave the band in pursuit of a graduate degree in international relations. He and drummer Steve Ruhm left the band in 2001 under good terms. The band forged on, and hired Jon Pistey and Tim Nylander to play bass and drums respectively. In 2002, they released their final album, Every Mile. The band toured behind the album and decided to retire.
Cliff Murphy now lives in Baltimore, Maryland with his wife and two daughters. Jon Nolan remains on the seacoast of New Hampshire where he continues to play music locally.
In 2005 Jon Nolan released a solo album entitled When the Summers Lasted Long, which is available for purchase on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
.
Original lineup
- Cliff Murphy - vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Jon Nolan - vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- James Nolan - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Steve Ruhm - drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s
Discography
- 1995: Highway Signs and Driving Songs
- 1997: Take These Turns
- 1998: Bull
- 1999: Live
- 2002: Every Mile