Goodbye Zann

Zann - photography by Marc Linkenheil

This is coming a bit late but nevertheless here's something about Zann disbanding. Two weeks ago I attended the anual "New Noise Fest" just outside my hometown. I was particularly looking forward to this year's edition as some bands were playing I really like and hadn't seen in a while as Just Went Black, Trainwreck and Zann. All three bands' members are roughly my age and I think it's save to say we're coming from a smiliar background: the 90s diy hardcore scene. Soon after these bands arrived the word spread quickly that Zann would split up after the night's show. This wasn't totally unexpected: already the year before their guitarist John had told me he had to shorten his engagement into music due to being a father and he couldn't say how long Zann would be able to continue. Nevertheless it still was bit of a surprise - I guess a lot of people were a bit shocked and sad to hear the news while being glad to have the oportunity to see them one last time.

The first time I was in touch with Zann must have been back in 2000. Robert was planning on doing a small run of Rites Of Spring shirts on a non-profit basis. I purchased one of this shirts and he send me something on his band Zann that was about to tour Europe and put out a three way split 7". Since then Zann had been a constant factor withing do it yourself hardcore, they toured Europe many many times, often with American bands whose tours they booked. On their tour with Blame Game they stayed at our place and I have lively memories of Zann being amazed about the posibility of vomiting into our basin while sitting on the toilet. A lot of records and tours in America and Japan followed, spawing to the end of a 12 year ride two weeks ago.

For me, the end of Zann marks a bit of a lagged end of an era. In the early and mid 90s, under the influence of the Rorschach tour, labels like Ebullition and Gravitiy, in contrast to more mainstream success of bands like Ryker's and the Lost and Found label, a more DIY-focused scene flourished in Europe. Bands like e.g. Acme spawned of this scene and became classics in their own right. Zann started some years later, sticking to that DIY-ethic and carried it on through the next decade. The influence of this scene is still there and there are still a lot of people and bands around that have grown up as mid 90s hardcore kids, but the survivors of our generation are getting fewer and so it's sad to see a band like Zann quit.

Both Trainwreck and Just Went Black dedicated songs to their peers, however with different sentiments. Trainwreck's Marc dedicated a song to Zann saying "you all know why" while Sven of Just Went Black put it that way: "This song is for Zann ... ... ... you assholes!"

These three bands, alongside Punch and bunch others played a small tent while the big stage was reserved for big player like Shai Hulud and Amen Ra. In advance a lot of people were a bit concerned that the obviously too small tent might turn out a bit dangerous but after the side wall were removed it provided for intense and exciting shows. Indeed a nice goodbye.

As far as I know, all members of Zann will continue to play music. The picture is taken of www.xembracex.de - thanks, Marc.