It would be near impossible to be an Adelaidean and to have never heard of the Zep Boys, one of the best Led Zeppelin tribute bands around. They’ve played everywhere over the past 30 years, and frontman Vince Contarino has remained the face of the band for the whole duration.
Dazz Hassan spoke to him recently about the band’s amazing longevity and the opportunity to play the Clipsal 500 Adelaide after race concert – Saturday 28TH FEBRUARY with Swanee and MusicSA Bands On Track winners Jac Dalton with Sonic Divide and Lazy Eye.
Coincidentally (or not!), Friday 27th February is the date that Warner Music are releasing deluxe packaging of the Led Zep album Physical Graffiti to celebrate 40 years since it was first released! It’s officially Led Zep day as far as we’re concerned!
The first thing that is noticeable about Contarino is his down to earth approach and genuine enthusiasm for life. Beginning in bands dating back to 1973, Contarino was made for rock and roll it seems and you can’t deny the fact that the Zep Boys have outlasted far bigger acts that have come and gone. The pathway to being what we know as The Zep Boys has been quite the process, and the adage of ‘it’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll’ rings true for Contarino and his band.
“In my house growing up, we didn’t have a radio so we made our own music. Those formative years we played everything from Deep Purple, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Supertramp..the lot really. I was in a n]band called Serpentine and it was great, but I really wanted to get back to rock and roll. I then got into an original band called The Dukes 1980-84. We packed out joints like the Bridgeway, Shandon, Findon (hotels) – it was amazing but we couldn’t get a contract.” He explains that this was essentially the process of joining bands of varying success, and how eventually the Zep Boys came to be.
Contarino has that rare combination of elements that make for a good rock and roll frontman- stage presence, charisma, and a powerhouse voice that is up there with the best. We speak about what direction he could have taken other than the Zep Boys, and his response is refreshingly honest. “People often ask me why I didn’t make ‘the big time/internationally ’, and I say it’s because I’ve always managed myself. That’s why we’ve lasted song. We haven’t burned ourselves to the ground nor have been churned out by agents.”
And thank goodness for that. The music of Led Zeppelin is timeless and what better custodians of that genre of music than Vince and his band comprising of Warwick Cheatle (bass and keyboards), Tzan Nikko (guitar) and Bradley Polain (drums).
“It took lots of discipline, hard work, patience, business savvy…all those things. Being in The Zep Boys has taught me a lot about business and management to be honest- we’ve had to do it all ourselves. We’ve also been very lucky to have a fantastic fan base.”
Contarino’s love and knowledge of music is extensive, and we discuss bands ranging from Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, and The Rolling Stones and their experimental aspects. If there’s one thing for sure, this is a guy that lives and breathes music. And his favourite Led Zeppelin song? “The Rain Song.” Vince replies. “It sums up Led Zeppelin because it goes through all the movements, it’s like Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. It has that classic beginning with the guitar, then the orchestral part, then it powers out with the rock part- the light and shade so to speak. It’s an epic.”
He’s never met any of the real Led Zeppelin members but says that if he ever did he’d thank them for nor only the wonderful music, but for putting a roof over his head. Contarino is genuinely grateful for their influence on him and is the first to acknowledge making a living from playing their songs. If imitation is the highest form of flattery, the nobody has honoured one of the greatest rock bands of our time as The Zep Boys have. For Vince and his band, there’s definitely a Stairway To Musical Heaven written into their journey! They are an SA institution and have truly weathered the storm.
“We’ve never been into the wigs, outfits and all the imagery of being in a rock band. We just want to play music and we’ve stuck to our guns on that, we take it to the edge each time we step onto a stage. That’s why we never get bored with it. Rock and roll is about the moment!”
Get out and enjoy them at the after race concert on Saturday 28TH FEBRUARY with Swanee and MusicSA Bands On Track winners Jac Dalton with Sonic Divide and Lazy Eye.
They’re the closest thing you’ll ever get to the real Led Zeppelin! Rock and Roll!
By Dazz Hassan
Twitter: @DazzHassan
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