ImLazarus is a multi-instrumentalist in bands that have placements on MTV, Lifetime, and Showtime, as well as three top 100 CMJ charting albums, and two Independent Music Award nominations in 2016 for “Album of the Year” / “Single of the Year”. He’s also worked as an independent composer creating commercial parody music. ImLazarus’ bands have been on the bill with a diverse range of artists like: Neil Young, Metallica, Willie Nelson, Roger Waters, Dave Matthews, Norah Jones, Cage the Elephant, Rancid & more! Though not learning an instrument until 17, he was performing live within months of picking up a guitar and touring internationally by age 20. Late 2022 the debut ImLazarus single “Same Old Song” was released and set the stage for a new genre, Ragtime-Punk-Rock!
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Imlazarus, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
Hi, Kamil and thanks for taking the time to talk with me!
I think watching Disney movies as a kid and hearing the music. Same with cartoon theme songs. I would watch things like Jungle Book or DuckTales over and over because they were some of the first tapes I had as a kid. I would always look forward to hearing the music.
What is your creative process like?
It revolves around repetition, and (in the words of Adam Neely) repetition legitimizes. I get certain lyrics or melodies stuck in my head for months, even years. Sometimes I find out it’s a song that already exists. Oftentimes it turns out that the stuff that gets stuck in my head isn’t actually a song yet. That’s usually how I have the start of a new original song.
Your latest song is 'Same Old Song'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
It took way too long. Going into it I originally thought I would be able to recruit members for a band, rehearse, play live, then go record. I really struggled to find people who were right for this music though. Too many musicians are eager to show off on their instrument whether it fits the song or not. I decided I was going to need to write and perform everything myself. For the drums I had my friend Jason Campbell play because he’s a much better drummer than me and one of the few people I know that actually went into the session with his primary consideration being what was best for the song. I worked with Chris Lahn on the string and horn arrangement because that’s a little beyond my composing abilities. I tried an arrangement on my own and it sounded dumb. So I was basically able to give him a few of the rough ideas I wanted for the song and he nailed it like the first or second try.
What was the most difficult challenge you faced?
The unique sound of music. I know everybody says their music is unique but most of them can be categorized into a relatively broad category. My music can’t be classified as “rock” or “pop” or “country” or “indie” or “folk” or “acoustic” or “easy listening”. Yet it has elements of all those things and has been added to playlists in all of those genres.
It also leads to a bit of an unblazed trail as far as promotion is concerned. I have no idea who to promote this to, I’m still finding my audience.
What is the biggest mistake you have made within your career to this point?
Oooof. Probably not being aggressive enough when I was younger. Which is funny because anyone who knows me would likely say I'm one of the most intense people they've ever met when it comes to how much I outwardly express my desire to make a living writing my own music. That leads to not kicking out bandmates sooner when I knew they were a problem. Don’t waste your time with bandmates who aren’t working hard.
Are there people who help you with the production of the songs?
My consigliere Matt Von Ende. He and I played in a band together almost 20 years ago now. We have matching tattoos. I consult him essentially every step of the way with my solo music.
When I was having the aforementioned bandmate issues I would ask Matt to help act as a mediator. It sounds excessive but I was in a 5 member band and I would get ganged up on because I was always the guy annoying everyone else with trying to push the band forward. They would make me feel like I was crazy or irrational for wanting all of us to honor the commitments we made together as a band.
It goes to show, none of these guys even play music anymore, let alone play in a band. That’s what I realize now. I’ve learned to recognize the signs when someone doesn’t plan to make music their entire life. I was younger and more insecure then, I should've been more aggressive in doing what I knew was right.
What are your long term goals?
Make a living writing music. If I could also be performing that music live that would be a plus, but it's not essential to my happiness and fulfillment as a person. I want to be clear when I say “make a living”. I live extremely cheap and minimally. I am currently on a quest to give away any physical possession I own that doesn’t serve a purpose to my music career. I’d be happy if my music made me like 20-30k a year gross.
I don’t just want to be in some cover band. I know a lot of people that technically get to call themselves professional musicians because they make a living playing Sweet Home Alabama 7 nights a week in rural bars that hold 150 people three hours from their house. I could quit my dayjob right now and make more money doing that if I wanted. But my definition of success isn’t determined by my outward status to other people as a musician. I’m happy being alone in my room writing, especially if that can buy my next meal.
What do your fans mean to you? What do you value most in them?
If I had to use the word “fan” then I would say that means my ability to live making music, and that would mean everything to me. At this point though it feels more like I'm getting collective support from my friends for my solo career, and that support is what I value most. That initial support and excitement can be really hard to generate as a solo artist. In a band there’s already a group element that helps draw a crowd. As a solo artist you’ll find out if you are actually any good almost immediately. There’s something inherently more appealing about a band because it implies forethought and practice that has already gone into the group. As a solo artist people don't immediately know if you’re legitimate or just feeling your oats that day. I’ve been pushing myself to people as a legitimate solo artist for almost 3-4 years now before I attempted to release my debut single. Why? Because repetition legitimizes.
What memorable responses have you had to your work?
People mostly kind of just look at me and stare for a while when I play my music for them. It’s not outwardly positive or negative, just confusion followed by a few polite compliments. I’m not sure if it's the way I look or dress but people just don’t expect my music to sound the way it does. That’s one of my favorite things though, being the opposite of what someone expects. It’s essentially the age-old adage of not judging a book by its cover.
Where is the best place in the world you’ve ever been to?
In my room with my dogs on my bed. I don’t believe in material possessions or excessive luxuries in any sense of the word. It’s all a waste of time and money to me. “We could be happy alone in a tent / Think of the money we’d save on rent” - Harry Nilsson