So, who are you anyway?
ZONTOX, an Australian Metal project in which all music is written, performed and produced by myself (Tim Spriggs). Born and raised in the small town of Halls Gap in Australia, living pretty much in the middle of nowhere gave you not a lot to do, music was a great escape. The meaning of the word ZONTOX? There isn't one.. Basically it's just a random word I made up, I wanted something completely different so that if you were to search up the name on the Internet, the only results you would get are of the music. People have told me it sounds ridiculous, but when it comes down to it, I think the music itself will give the name a real meaning.

Describe your sound for us.
More or less a combination of all my influences with my own little twist.

So you rate yourself then?
No not really.. I'm happy making music that I like, if other people like it then thats great, if not then so be it! I think there has to be a certain element of confidence in anything you do if you want to succeed with it.

Who are your influences?
I've more or less liked heavier music since early primary school, the first time I heard Metallica I was blown away! As far as my main influences go though, Pantera would have to be the biggest. That band was on fire, many have tried to emulate what they did and have failed miserably. I think that band was one of those things that once was and will never be again. Other bands I gain inspiration from are Machine Head, The Haunted, Meshuggah, Deftones, Slayer, Sepultura etc. The list gos on.. I try to take a little bit from everything I hear. I think that its good to keep an open mind with music, otherwise you'll wind up sounding like another number in the countless array of clones in the music world.

Tell us one of your musical secrets.
I don't know if there's really any secrets, if you want to be good at anything then I guess the key is PRACTICE. I think my secret to life is music, it keeps me sane. It's the yin for my yang!

What’s in the future?
Well an album is not too far off from being finished! Hopefully then I'll be rehearsing some bass players and drummers to take on tour to unleash the material to you all!

What’s your claim to fame?
I don't consider myself famous. But if you'd like to know how I've made it to where I am, hard work I guess. If you want something enough who's' to stop you other than yourself? I think most great things take a lot of time and effort, and if they don't then they just won't seem like great things.

Musically, where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
Honestly I don't know, I try not to think too far ahead. Live for the day I say, I do know that music will be a big part of my life for many many years to come! Whether ZONTOX will still be around then? It's pretty likely..

Myspace or Facebook?
Myspace is better for music, facebook better for keeping in contact with people you consider actual friends, not fans, bands etc.

Interview 2

What’s the name of your band?
ZONTOX

What’s the origin of that name?
To be honest it doesn't mean anything, it's just a random word I made up. I figured that there's enough unoriginal bands names out there right now, I think the music will give it meaning.

Have you changed the band’s name before?
Nope, I went as far as trademarking the name so there's no turning back now.

Please list the name, age, and respective instrument of each band member.
Tim Spriggs- 25 years old, Vocals, guitars, bass, production, mixing and mastering.

What genre of music do you consider your work to be?
Metal, people can pigeon hole it to the 50 different genres that metal spans off into, to me there's either good metal or bad metal.

Who are your major influences?
Pantera is a huge one, others include Machine Head, The Haunted, Metallica, Sepultura, Slayer, Deftones, Down, Hatebreed, Meshuggah etc.

When did you form your band?
The idea has been around for quite a long time, I've been writing and recording music for nearly 10 years now. It started off more so as a hobby, just something fun to do in my spare time. Right now I'm starting to take things a little more seriously as I'm in the process of completing my first full length album.

What inspired you to make music together?
I love art, I think that music is one of the best forms of expression. What inspired me to make heavy music? I think it's best way to let off steam, and I've always had a bit of a temper.

What can you tell me about your instruments? (i.e., Are you subject to
brand loyalty or will you play with whatever’s available?
I don't think it's what you use, to an extent maybe, but I think its
more what you can do with it. I like my Schecter guitars.

What made you choose the instruments you have now?
They felt the most comfortable for me to play, I liked the sound etc.

Was it cost or was it a style/model/brand/color preference?
A combination of all, I'm not a very materialistic kind of a guy, and tend to break a lot of things, I wanted something that I wouldn't have to look after too much nor mind if someone threw a beer at it at a live show.

Who writes your songs?
I do, it's a one man deal. It's a bit of a bummer seeing bands that you like continually changing members, I figure this way the music will always be around as long as I am.

What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs?
I think a lot of the songs are quite personal, most of them are about overcoming your inner demons. I have trouble writing about happy things.

Do you think these topics will change over time?
I guess so, obviously as you get older you change. Will I be writing
happy metal songs in the future? Probably not.

Could you briefly describe the music-making process?
It varies, sometimes I may start a song with the lyrics, other times I may piece together different riffs I've written and form a song that way. It depends on what I have the inspiration to do first.

What are your rehearsals generally like?
At this point I don't have a bass player and drummer to cover for the live shows. As far as rehearsing the songs, I usually set my computer and gear up to play the other instruments while I play guitar and sing.

Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals
more spontaneous?
Music is a daily thing for me, if I don't pick up my guitar then I feel kind of empty. The longest break I've had from not playing my guitar in about the last 5 years would be 10 days.

How has your music evolved since you first began playing music
together?
Well obviously it's my goal to improve, if your not improving then I think your going backwards. I try to set some time aside each day to learn something new and to expand my musical knowledge. I think my music has gotten better.

What has been your biggest challenge as a band?
Being a one man project, I don't have to face a lot of the challenges that
bands do. Getting everyone to rehearsals, member changes, conflicts of interest. I like it this way, all I have to think about now is finding some musicians good enough to tour with.

Have you been able to overcome that challenge?
It's not something that I've faced yet, but I do have quite a few people interested.

What’s your ultimate direction for your band?
To out-do myself with every album, I think if your repeating yourself then things can get boring. Theres bands that don't evolve from the time they release their first album, I think if you are going to repeat what you've already done then why bother.

Are you seeking fame and fortune?
I'd like to be renowned for being good at something, theres so many bands out there today, I'd like to be one of those that stand out.

What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?
Try to find your own sound, ignore trends, be open minded with your music and be yourself.

How can fans-to-be gain access to your music?
www.zontox. com
www.timspriggs. com

Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
www.myspace. com/zontox

Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge for offering financial or
emotional support?
My girlfriend and parents for putting up with my crap.

Any last words?
Metal on!