Zig Zags is a L.A. based heavy metal/

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

trio. The band consists of singer/guitarist Jed Maheu, drummer Jeff Murray and bassist Sean Hoffman. '' Clash'' has described their music as a "Venn diagram connecting

Black Sabbath Black Sabbath are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. After adopting the Black Sabbath name in 1969 (the band ...

, Black Flag and

Motörhead Motörhead () were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1975 by bassist and lead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister, guitarist Larry Wallis and drummer Lucas Fox. Kilmister was the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band a ...

History

Singer Jed Maheu and drummer Bobby Martin began writing music together in 2010. The band is not named for the rolling paper company but is instead named for a slang term for cheap canvas shoes which Maheu and Martin were both wearing at the time. Both Maheu and Martin were originally guitarists but Martin quickly moved to drums and the band played a few shows as a duo. Patrick McCarthy, a local fan, soon joined as bassist. The band's first release was a

7 inch In music, a single is a type of release of a song recording of fewer tracks than an album ( LP), typically one or two tracks. A single can be released for sale to the public in a variety of physical or digital formats. Singles may be standal ...

entitled ''Monster Wizard'' on Tubesteak Tuesday. Four other singles soon followed and in 2012 the band recorded a cover of

Betty Davis Betty Davis (born Betty Gray Mabry; July 26, 1944 – February 9, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and model. She was known for her controversial sexually oriented lyrics and performance style, and was the second wife of trumpeter ...

' "If I'm in Luck I Might Get Picked Up" with

Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter, actor and radio broadcaster. He was the vocalist and lyricist of proto-punk band the Stooges, who were formed in 1 ...

. Their first album, simply entitled ''Zig Zags'', was recorded and mixed by

Ty Segall Ty Garrett Segall (born June 8, 1987) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his solo career, during which he has released seventeen studio albums alongside various EPs, singles, and col ...

with a debut single of "Brainded Warrior" released in June 2014. By 2016, both Martin and McCarthy were replaced by drummer Dane Arnold and bassist Caleb Miller. When Miller left the band asked their longtime recording engineer, Sean Hoffman, to step in. In 2019, the band released their fourth album and first release on RidingEasy Records, ''They’ll Never Take Us Alive''. The debut single, "Punk Fucking Metal", was released in February 2019. In 2024, the band released "Strange Masters," an album of re-recorded songs. In 2025, the band released their fifth full-length album, "Deadbeat at Dawn."

Discography

*''10 - 12'' (compilation of singles and unreleased songs, 2013, Burger Records, later self-released) *''Zig Zags'' (2014,

In the Red Records In the Red Records is an independent record label in Los Angeles, California, formed in 1991 by Larry Hardy. It is known for hosting garage rock related bands. The label's first release was by The Morlocks, and its second release was Kings of R ...

) *''Slime EP'' (2015, Famous Class) *''Zig Zags Live on KXLU 88.9'' (live album, 2015, Nomad Eel Records) *''Running Out of Red'' (2016, In the Red Records) *''They’ll Never Take Us Alive'' (2019, RidingEasy Records) *''10-12-18 rarities, b-sides, and more...'' (compilation, 2019, Nomad Eel Records) *''L.A. to Pedro EP'' split with

Mike Watt and the Secondmen Mike Watt and the Secondmen is the punk rock trio formed by former Minutemen and Firehose bassist Mike Watt to perform and record his third solo album, '' The Secondman's Middle Stand''. Formed in 2002 in Watt's hometown of San Pedro, Californ ...

(2020, Nomad Eel Records) *''Strange Masters'' (2024, RidingEasy Records) *''Deadbeat at Dawn'' (2025, RidingEasy Records)

References

External links

Zig Zags
on

Bandcamp Bandcamp is an American online music distribution platform founded in 2008 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with an office and record store in Oakland, California. Acquired by Epic ...

Interview with Zig Zags By Alxis Ratkevich
on

Razorcake Razorcake is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that publishes the ''Razorcake'' fanzine, a DIY punk rock fanzine published bi-monthly out of Los Angeles, California. It was co-founded by Todd Taylor (former '' Flipside'' managing editor) and S ...

{{Authority control Punk rock groups from California Heavy metal musical groups from California Musical groups from Los Angeles Musical groups established in 2010 Musical trios from California 2010 establishments in California