By Mark E. Waterbury

MM: What did you do when you first decided to become a professional musician?

AZ: I started out in various bands and then about two years ago I decided to do solo shows. I had written the music for most of the bands that I had been in so I just figured I would start doing it myself or with hired musicians.

MM: Was writing songs something that you had always wanted to do, or did it just come naturally to you?

AZ: I actually started out as a lead guitarist. I was into Steve Vai and people like that so songwriting wasn't really an option. I just wanted to become a great guitarist, which led me into writing instrumentals. Eventually though I started writing lyrics as well and it just went on from there. I did realize that I had kind of a gift for songwriting because it did come naturally. When I start writing songs the lyrics and music just sort of flowed.

MM: When you were in your previous bands, were you more handcuffed in the songwriting process?

AZ: Not necessarily because I was sort of the leader in a couple of them. We did have some personality conflicts with other people trying to put in their two cents. Sometimes that is good. With my material now, I rely on musicians to put their own touches on it although I have the final say on it. Previously it was more of a conglomeration, even though I wrote about seventy songs or so for those previous bands.

MM: Once you decided to pursue your own projects, did you do it solo first or find band members right away?

AZ: I started out doing open mic nights around Atlanta, and I got some regular gigs as a result of that. My brother had played with me for around twelve years, and when I told him what I was doing, he quit Berklee (School of Music) and we went from there and started doing the band thing. But I still do the solo shows as well.

MM: Do you think it is good for a songwriter to do both solo and band projects?

AZ: Absolutely. As an example, for the last month I have been doing mostly acoustic solo shows, and when I teamed up with the band again, it helped my ear develop more towards the song. Usually with a whole band, you can't really hear what is going on as well so doing solo shows helped me know the songs better and what I have to pay attention to vocally. You build confidence a lot more, too, because with a band you can cover up more than when you are "naked" with just a guitar.

MM: What did you do to get your name out there once you went in this new direction?

AZ: One thing I have been doing lately is I started a songwriter's circle at the Alamo Cafe here in Newnan (Georgia.) It's like a Bluebird Cafe style. I host it every Tuesday night, and I can promote my own music that night and also bring other musicians from all over to play. That way their fans get to hear my music and visa-versa.

MM: What did you do to market your first solo CD and sell it?

AZ: We put up posters all over and put it on sale at a local music store called Hastings. We actually did a CD release series of shows, rather than doing just one CD release party. It sold pretty well at those shows.

MM: Would you say your songwriting is spontaneous?

AZ: Sometimes I will hear the song in my head and kind of feel it coming. So I will sit down with my guitar and the melodies and music will come out, then the lyrics just start being mumbled or I will start them with a phrase. I think it's just in my soul, and can be inspired by something that I experienced. I don't really consider this my first solo CD. It is more like a chapter of my life because every song dealt with what I went through for two years.

MM: Are you working on a new CD now?

AZ: I'm actually working on getting the funds together to go into a studio for the next one, because the first one I did almost entirely by myself. I want it to be a little bit different this time, and I have plenty of songs written, from which I have already picked the ones to be on the next album. We're kind of in the early stages but I hope to have it out sometime next year.

MM: What is your basic plan to keep growing your fan base, especially once you do get the new CD out?

AZ: One thing that me and my manager have talked about is to get a college tour together, where we can get several bands together and do a lot of networking. My music seems to be doing real well with that age group. Also, we are going to play as many shows as we can locally and then branch out without spreading ourselves too thin. I think too many musicians spread themselves out too far without taking the time to really get established in one area or city.

MM: What would you consider a level of success you would like to reach with your music career, and do you think you are on your way to that?

AZ: I feel like I am on my way to my goal, which is wanting to do this as my only way of making a living. I'm not in it to make a million dollars. Of course, if that was to happen that would be fine, but I'm not asking for that. I just want to make a living for my family and I think I have the material to make that happen. I really believe that I can have an Angie Aparo type experience where someone wants to come along and have someone else record and release my music. I feel my songs are strong enough for that to happen.