Not since the 80s ended has there been such an unstoppable force as Apex Zenith. This is the top top of the top. With this new record titled, “Pinnacle,” Apex Zenith has reached the most top possible for any artist reaching for the top. With tongue placed firmly in cheek and nostalgia as the palette, Apex Zenith will take you back to a time where parachute pants were comfortable and cars got really bad gas mileage. Heavy Synth-pop for the masses is the best way to describe this modern take on retro music.
There is no autotune, no bad feelings, no acoustic guitars, no hippies, no wimps, and no room for those that seek to bring down this music that seems to have reached the top of expectation. Please follow the project on the various social media platforms listed here on the website and keep checking back for news of what can only be described as the search for the ultimate top of the top! We caught up with Apex Zenith as he releases his debut album ‘Pinnacle’
What inspired you to get into music?
I grew up in a musical theater household and was singing from as long as I could remember and playing multiple instruments by age 12. I have spent my entire life either making my own music or working for established musical acts as a touring live sound engineer/record producer/video director and editor. I cannot think of a time where I was not doing something related to the music industry and/or performing arts.
How would you describe your music?
Apex Zenith is basically the music I grew up listening to. I love the 80s sound and always wanted to make this kind of music. Thanks to technology, it is much more affordable to own software emulations of high-dollar vintage synthesizers, not to mention a software version is far more flexible than their hardware equivalents. I’m sure there are enthusiasts out there that would argue the “quality” of sound (hardware vs. software), but I don’t see myself winning any Grammys any time soon anyway, so they can climb a tree.
The vibe of the music is pure escapism. What’s the point of depressing people? The 80s were a fun time for me and I want that represented in the music that I make.
What would you say is your recording and songwriting style?
Like Motorhead used to boast, “everything louder than everything else!” I love complex arrangements but one in a way that is still palatable to the average listener. To the normal ear, these are just synthpop songs, but to someone listening with detail in mind, it takes several runs through the record to catch every nuance and auditory Easter eggs that I placed throughout the soundscape and structures of the songs. I won’t even go into the layering of synth sounds.
One fun factoid here is that I used no sound or instrument that dates past 1987. I used a Steinberger headless guitar (made in 1986), the amp sound is a JCM 800, the microphone is an old SM7, and the keys and drum machines are all parachute pants-era sounds. I want it to feel like it is a “lost” record of the era.
Since I do everything myself from writing, playing, singing, mixing, and mastering the music, I don’t have to answer to a committee.
Where would you like to see your music career in 5 years time?
I’m happy if people listen and like it.
I have a career in the industry as the head technician at a theater in Clearwater, FL after retiring from my touring career and I still operate my studio business for external clients doing mixing and mastering. Obviously, I would not say “no” to anyone wanting to use my music for movies/tv or even to re-record them for their own purposes, but musical happiness for me is just having the freedom to do what I like to do.
Where can music fans listen to your music?
All the streaming platforms have it, but here is an easy link for people to find my music.
https://apexzenith.hearnow.com/pinnacle
MUSIC VIDEO – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8wqIj4oJT0
