I’ll have to say the story that got me to where I am today is one that I can’t even believe is true. I guess it all started with my musical upbringing. My dad was a famous polka recording artist in the Czech Republic and his accomplishments brought us to the United States where I guess you can say his fame did not transcend. Since dad was no longer making the big bucks in the music business he had to get a regular job to support the family, so our Friday and Saturday nights became his new "gi...
I’ll have to say the story that got me to where I am today is one that I can’t even believe is true. I guess it all started with my musical upbringing. My dad was a famous polka recording artist in the Czech Republic and his accomplishments brought us to the United States where I guess you can say his fame did not transcend. Since dad was no longer making the big bucks in the music business he had to get a regular job to support the family, so our Friday and Saturday nights became his new "gig" nights. Well , these, as he called them, musical fantasy trips were what got me into music, made me pick up a guitar, and start singing and writing.
I met Jeff when I was in 7th grade. He and my older brother were in the model rocket club together and spent many afternoons at our house perfecting the art of flight. When he wasn’t preparing for liftoff he was playing guitar, and quite well I might add. Every time I asked Jeff to "jam" he would just laugh at me. His laughter just made me more determined to learn to play and I soon decided that he and I would one day be in a band together that would rival such super stars as Joey Fatone and Paula Abdul.
Jeff and I met Scott at one of our book club meetings. When we showed up that night we knew we were in for a great discussion about that week’s edition of US weekly, but we had no idea we would hear the eccentric wit of one Scott Levy. After hearing Scott discuss his thoughts on Whoopie Goldberg dating Ted Danson, we began to talk about music and immediately felt that magical connection only musicians can. He explained that he had been playing the xylophone in a seniors marching band but was looking for a new way to express his creativity. I knew his percussive experience would take our songs to the next level.
As for Adam Reiter, the bass prodigy, well Jeff met him while he was playing the summer gazebo tour with his old band, The Henry Winkler trio, and told me I had to check this kid out. That night Adam played some of his original jazz arrangements of New Kids on The Block songs and needless to say, I was blown away. I knew then that he was the last piece of what would become FAR NORTH!!!!!!!!!!!
So these last two guys aren’t in the band but they are very important to us and play an incredibly large role in our success, so we need to talk about them. Our manager Marc has been in the game for years. Prior to managing us, he managed the guy who played the dad on the groundbreaking television show "Blossom.” We figured that guy’s character was a musician, so Marc must know tons about the music business, and boy were we right. Marc has taken us to places we could have never imagined, gaining us Joey Lawrence like fame.
Charles, our producer, fell into our lives when we least expected it. I was at my first karate class when I realized the Sensei was Charles Cale of the famous 80’s band "Electric Toys" whom the whole band worshiped. I knew the band had to work with him and over time my awful karate skills made him realize his efforts and lessons would be better spent with me and the band in a recording studio rather than teaching me martial arts.
So that is the story of Zach Macko & Far North. It seems crazy but what good story isn’t?
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