Ziggy Alberts- Four Feet In The Forest Tour Interview

You were homeschooled until year 10, do you think that’s reflected much in your music, or more so the values that you possessed because of the humble nature of the homeschooling?

I didn’t pick up a guitar and start singing until after I graduated school in 2010; being homeschooled has shaped a lot in my music, my writing direction and content - directly from the values I’ve had from a young age. My songs are an entire reflection of my personal life. Going to a traditional schooling environment definitely opened my eyes to a lot of positive and negative societal issues that I since have explored in my writing.

It’s clear your songwriting, is extremely honest and reflective, how would you say the things you wrote about in Land & Sea and your views since then have changed towards your new music in Four Feet in the Forest?

Thats really excellent to ask. Land&Sea was recorded live in a broke down caravan, whilst all instrumentation & vocal were done separately recording four feet in the forest. I definitely grew out of my judgement of adding extra production to my songs, where previously, I believed entirely that the record should sound the same as I play it live. Its gave me a lot of personal freedom, and I came to realise I can release acoustic versions of the same songs in the coming years. As for the content, all the songs off four feet in the forest are so carefully constructed. With entire intention to giving the emotion in each song the best chance of reaching people. All the songs on the albums took months to write, lyrically. Its definitely my saddest and most vulnerable work to date. I’d never previously felt comfortable admitting or sharing some of the emotions I did on this new record - I felt, and feel, responsible to be the coastal folk musician who’s music lifts everybody up.

Would you say Four Feet In the Forest more a reflective peace that you wrote about a past period of time, or does it show how you were feeling whilst you wrote it?

Its reflective to things that have happened or are going to happen in my life. I’d just finished a four month tour when I started recording four feet in the forest, so I thankfully got to express completely genuine fatigue throughout the recording ( haha! )

All of your music you have commented on saying that connection is the most important value of art, why do you make it so important that you write songs people can connect with?

Because I think art is beautiful, and left field writing & expression is valuable, but if you can manage to bring it to a place that people resonate with - you can transfer streets, rooms, halls, houses & venues into several hours of unison and love. I’ve always been driven to put words to the way we all feel, and really feel now more then ever its important to bring different individuals into a place of sharing & care to resonate with one another.

On Four Feet In The Forest, we hear a much more full sounding progressed version of your music, even though you stay very true to your original sound. Do you think its important for an artist to develop their sound as they grow as an artist?

I cannot stress enough that it is of upmost important to seek true inspiration of writing style & a unique sound from within yourself. be inspired by other musicians, but don’t ever try to emulate them . Find your sound within your heart & share it; that’s what you, and others, truly deserve. Don’t endeavour to ever be anyone but your own artist.

I saw you at Paddington Church in Sydney, and your show hardly felt like a concert, more so just a sharing of your stories/experiences and there was an instant togetherness between yourself and your audience. Even though your shows will continue to grow in terms of capacity and venue (as they are on this tour), will you still try to maintain this intimacy and bond with your audiences?

absolutely. The crowds have grown so much that we have had to find bigger venues; I can’t play 7 shows a week, because physically, I won’t be able to give everyone at those smaller shows what they deserve. Its a really tough grey area but I promise to be playing intimate shows on the next tour; its not a hard promise to keep when I enjoy them so much.

Its obvious you’re a homegrown independent artist, and its clear that you have not achieved some of the opportunities that you may have deserved. How do you think this challenge of being an independent artist has influenced your creative process?

It stifled my creative process because, up until 1 year ago, I didn’t even have a manager ( haha). Besides friends helping me out of good will, I was running this growing career alone. I think maybe I haven’t received some of the these opportunities you have raised because I haven’t been willing to compromise what it takes to sign the contracts. So much fucking pillaging goes on behind the scenes in this apparent music industry, that, I’d prefer to build my career in a way it’ll last with my manager that has my best interest & health in mind. On my own terms. I quit my other jobs to play music because I felt like it would give me a chance at a better quality of life. So I don’t take opportunities that don’t fulfil that purpose.

There’s a fair bit of vulnerability and honesty in the new EP. Lots of artists try to hide their personal life and mental state behind the shadow of their work, making them a separate entity from it. What’s the importance behind being completely transparent with the listeners?

Its such a tricky balance. I defiantly have been, at times, like the artist that doesn’t share personal deterioration. There is so much sad music in the world, I’m careful not to indulge; whats the point of writing stories without hopes? without a way up and beyond? I think its actually not important to be transparent with your listeners, but most importantly transparent with yourself. You have to balance giving all you got on stage, whilst keeping a special energy for the person you are off stage. I’m still working on that balance now.

Could you explain the value that surfing has to you?

Less the value of surfing, but the entry point into loving something that is so immersed in a natural environment. The sad thing is surfing, as a sport & lifestyle, isn’t fostering people to care about the ocean. At the moment its all about chasing the sponsors & looking good. It takes a process of self discovery to realise that we need to protect & nurture the very thing that is not only providing us with recreational joy, but a greater part of necessary balance on planet earth.

At this point in time, does singing or surfing provide you with a more peace of mind?

They come hand in hand. Singing provides me with an emotional and creative fulfilment , which now, as my career grows, is allowing me the freedom to enjoy spend time in the water and exploring my relationship with the ocean.

Throughout your old and new music and you also comment it at your shows, why do you possess such a hate for smoking?

It provides no health benefits to the planet or to the individuals partaking. I wouldn’t want anybody, stranger or friend, doing that sort of damage to themselves. And in turn, the obvious detriment to the environment . I feel responsible as an artist, to be one of the very, very few, that doesn’t sell smoking to kids as a cool thing.

You clearly have a very young fan base (u18s) that are missing out on your shows this tour (me) , do you have a message for them if they are disappointed they cant see you?

Absolutely, if you could share the following this would be amazing.

dear u/18 friends, There isn’t any official all ages shows on this tour, sadly, because I’m flying for all these shows. All ages venues are incredibly hard to find in Australia, particularly ones that allow me to have people under 18 and over 18 in the same room. This usually is due to strict licensing rules, and most venues are sadly are more interested in making money through the sale of alcohol. I constantly fight this concept with venues, but often get a resounding no. Hence why on the Runaway Australia Tour we hired out odd eclectic venues where I provided all my own sound equipment. Which means if I wanna do my usual intimate all ages shows, I have to drive 20,000km per tour, in order to carry all this equipment. I bloody love doing all ages shows & I remember only a couple years ago not being able to see live music because of my age. So I totally understand & empathise with this news. I will be doing a huge national tour, with all ages shows everywhere I go, this summer. Out of concern to my health, I have chosen to do this short tour & hope you guys are ready for sing alongs across the country from november onwards. oh, p.s., this also means it’ll be during school holidays. Which means you won’t have assignments due and will be able to come. yeah, your welcome ( haha) .

Have you been overwhelmed/excited as to the response you’ve got from the tickets that have already sold on your tour?

I have been really humbled by the incredible support. When melbourne sold out overnight, I was gobsmacked. It’ll be the biggest 6 shows I’ve ever played, so I’m nervous but looking forward to performing again. This is the longest break I’ve ever had from playing shows so I better start practicing!

What can new and also older fans of your music expect from the new shows in Australia this winter?

I believe Land&Sea and Four Feet In The Forest really compliment each other, so I’m looking forward to sharing these new stories with the old ones. I feel like people are going to get an audio journey of my whole career in one night. The newest thing they can expect is I will be playing my hollow body electric guitar a lot - but not to worry, I won’t stop playing my laptap songs because of that. The quality and size of sound at these venues are going to be A class, which is going to make for incredible sing alongs. I’m really excited.

Thanks for your time, and cant wait to meet you again soon

Thank you for all the questions, It’ll be lovely to meet you in sydney in the summer.