DubConscious
Interview with Adrian Zelski
Words: Stephanie Bolling
Photo: Josh Bobrove

Appearing:
February 9, 2008
Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa

In March, the Athens based 8-piece soul-collective DubConscious will be releasing their fifth album in five years, NonViolent. Front man Adrian Zelski talked with me about DubConscious’ evolution, inspirations and aspirations.

REAX: Tell me about your upcoming album “NonViolent.”
Adrian Zelski: We want to be nonviolent because the teachings of the past. We are huge followers of Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatmas Gandhi, Thich Nhat Hanh, all the leaders of the past, Jesus, Buddha, people who taught peace and tried to change things. NonViolent is sort of a group therapy where people get together and talk about ways to meet their needs and express dissatisfaction or unhappiness without creating friction or anger. By doing it nonviolently and using very descriptive words you create an atmosphere where someone can accept something even if it’s not what they want to hear. We see nonviolent communication as a way and means of getting along better. I was reading a MLK biography called Bearing the Cross. It tells the intimate details, unified vision, inter-competitions and pulling together of the people involved in the civil rights movement. For anything to get done, their method of nonviolence to create change also had to translate into their interpersonal communication. I felt this nonviolent theme was running strong especially in a political year when everyone is badmouthing each other. I’d love to see people talking about how to make the world a better place instead of sitting around and saying this person is bad and this person is good.
   
REAX: How do you select themes for each album?
AZ: All of them have the idea of positive change, yearning for spiritual growth or connection to the oneness of the world. In reality, it is about the people you are around and how you affect each other. Stereotype was about the idea of people thinking we are some white American reggae band when we are trying to broaden the gap. Diversity is the goal. That’s what nature is, diverse. Diversity is natural. Realization had a lot to do with present and past authors and musicians who have inspired us. Several of our ideals come from roots reggae. We’re not Rastafarian whatsoever, but thinking about One Love and reading about Rastafarian inspirations and putting them into context you realize that they are very Biblical. That’s why Realization is very Old Testament driven spiritual music.

REAX: What’s some of the challenges having and 8-piece band?
AZ: All of it. It’s a very tribal experience. The emotional relationships, the economics, the shared responsibility and pay being divvied out fairly is like a family. You have dysfunction coming from different personalities. We’re different in many contexts, like the way we eat and the ways we go about things. It’s a big challenge but ultimately that’s what I want, different mirrors. I think that’s what the band wants, to see themselves through other peoples eyes and not be pigeonholed as a certain personal stereotype.

REAX: What’s your ultimate vision for DubConscious?
AZ: That’s a multi-tiered answer. Sometimes you want to be famous and known around the world or to be able to play the best venues. Fame exists not so much because you want to be on magazines and to have people adore you (because that can be dangerous), but to have your art form to the highest potential. Of course you want to play the Greek Theatre in Berkeley. That’s what I would like out of success, being in the most amazing arenas and temples of the world and creating our music and seeing what it can do. I would love to create something that when people stepped in, it would be a step out of this industrial society; a different atmosphere where you can think clearly, not feel rushed or like you have to take a ton of drugs and get completely wasted to have fun. You can do it by being there.

REAX: Any words about the Tampa show?
AZ: Skipper’s feels like Jamaica. That’s why we love being there. We cant’ wait to be there and see all the good people in Tampa.

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