Buzz Zeemer No Depression article - 1999

A July/August 1999 No Depression Buzz Zeemer article written by Phil Sheridan.

Buzz Zeemer - Nothing Comes Easy 
June 30, 1999 

The story of Buzz Zeemer is really two stories, each straight out of the standard rock 'n' roll manual. First, there was Flight of Mavis, a three-piece band from the Replacements school of melodic, attitudinal rock. Distinguished by Frank Brown's cut-above songwriting and warm, personable singing voice, Mavis seemed in flight toward great things in the late 1980s and early '90s. 

The highlight and lowlight were one and the same: a six-week tour opening for the Reivers. "We were exhausted," Brown said. "We were gone for six weeks and we each came home with $50 in our pockets. I mean, it was a great experience. It was fun. But 50 bucks?" A lot more than 50 bucks was riding on the second story, whose star was a promising rocker named Tommy Conwell. Signed to a big bonus and hyped to the hilt by Columbia Records, Conwell and his band, the Young Rumblers, were all set to be stars. Surprise, surprise: It didn't quite happen. 

The stories collided in the mid-1990s. Brown broke up Mavis around the same time that Conwell got his degree in education and became the hippest second-grade teacher in North America. Eventually, the two started playing together in a new band, Buzz Zeemer (whose lineup also included other former Mavis members). Their debut disc, Plaything, came out in 1995. 

Looking back, Brown can't say whether it was a mistake to break up Flight of Mavis. Any momentum they'd built up seemed to disappear with the name change, but Brown's view is that there wasn't much there to begin with. "We had momentum when the first Buzz Zeemer came out; that was like another round of attention," Brown said. "But I think you only get a certain amount. You have certain periods, and that really goes with any band." 

Buzz Zeemer's new record, Delusions Of Grandeur, is a subversively brilliant pop-rock record on Philly's Record Cellar label. Brown, 34, is a master of the three-minute pop song, a quality craftsman along the lines of Jack Logan or Tommy Keene. Brown's innate gift for melody is surpassed by spare lyrics that reveal layers of meaning and emotion not apparent on first listen. "Red Balloon", from the new album, is a straightforward tale of a kid being goaded to spend more money by the barker at a midway water-gun game. But when Brown lets loose with "Nothing is free, nothing comes easy," you realize the barker is every slick A & R guy and the kid is every wide-eyed musician who ever stepped up to take a shot at the grand prize. 

"I love pop songs," Brown said. "You get to a point where you invested so much time listening to rock music, it doesn't do you any good. You can't make any money from it, but you have all this worthless knowledge." 

Again and again on Delusions, Brown establishes the foundation with a catchy verse and memorable chorus, and then Conwell steps up and elevates the song to another level with a virtuosic solo or two. That might sound formulaic, but the whole thing is carried off with a joy bordering on goofiness. You can't help smiling along. 

"Tommy's great," Brown said. "My feelings about getting anywhere [with the band]...I mean, I don't think about it. But just the idea of playing with Tom, that's half of what keeps you going. I'd write a song and I always had this hole left for Tom. It's so hilarious to be able to write something you're happy about and then have Tommy put the icing on. Anything you imagine, he can play." 

There is a definite connection between the relaxed brilliance of the tunes and the life stages of the band members. Brown has a 1-year-old son and is working on getting his degree. Conwell is teaching. The pressure is off. 

"You still hope," Brown said, "but everyone has so much going on in their lives. It's so different from eight or 10 years ago. That's a whole different world. There's nothing you can do to make yourselves bigger. You can't just go, 'We're big.' Because we just can't take it seriously enough to believe it."

Buzz Zeemer - In Reviews

A snapshot of Buzz Zeemer…in reviews. 

(Various Buzz Zeemer critic reviews -- Plaything in 1996 and Delusions of Grandeur in 1998 -- compiled by Audio Rumble from the now defunct Record Cellar website.) ‪

Buzz Zeemer - 20th Anniversary Release of 'Play Thing'

The year 2016 marks the 20^th anniversary of the official release of an independently-released album from Record Cellar called Play Thing--made by the little band that could--a band called Buzz Zeemer.

Audio Rumble is taking a week out of 2016 to revisit the music and musicians of Buzz Zeemer--one of the great Philadelphia rock bands of the 1990s! ‪

Follow the posts on Audio Rumble's Facebook page.

Day 1 
:::: Concert audio (and images) - "Useless Information” at Upstairs at Nicks in Philly, USA - ‪‬ April 4, 1997
:::: I Live Next Door to Buzz Zeemer!

Day 2 
:::: To quote Tommy Conwell [interview]--"Frank (Brown) is a great songwriter..."  
:::: Buzz Zeemer - live on Walnut Street
:::: "Everybody’s got a favorite band that they think nobody knows about. Mine is Buzz Zeemer."

‪
Day 3
:::: Buzz Zeemer concert special on PRISM - "Onstage at the TLA: Buzz Zeemer"
:::: Billboard magazine mention, October 1995 
:::: The greatest combination of a lead rock singer and rock n roll guitar player since Robin Zander and Rick Nielsen: Buzz Zeemer’s Frank Brown and Tommy Conwell! 
:::: Record Cellar's Last Hurrah  


Day 4
:::: Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Matt Maguire with some words on #BuzzZeemer20. 

Day 5 
:::: Buzz Zeemer interview: Tommy Conwell's role in the band 
:::: "The hook on 'Crush' is so infectious you want to loop it over and over and play it forever."
:::: "TC in the house!" Buzz Zeemer performing "My Blue Heaven"
:::: A snapshot of Buzz Zeemer…in critic's reviews.

Day 6 
:::: Buzz Zeemer performs a cover of The Upper Crust's "Let Them Eat Rock" with Tommy Conwell on vocals
:::: "Don't Hang Up" mash-up video
:::: Gerry McGoldrick (of Napalm Sunday) and his thoughts on Buzz Zeemer 
:::: Buzz Zeemer at South by Southwest | 1996
:::: Record Cellar's promotional concert image of Buzz Zeemer 

Day 7
:::: Link to a July/August 1999 No Depression article written by Phil Sheridan
:::: Thanks to Travel Lanes' bass player Mitch Cojocariu for his contribution to #BuzzZeemer20 
:::: Buzz Zeemer covers Flight of Mavis' Through It All

One Shot - Singer/Songwriter Frank Brown

The following is an excerpt from articles originally found on www.mpprojects.com/tc. Originally published in 2007.

Singer/songwriter, Frank Brown, formerly of Flight of Mavis, hooked up with Tommy Conwell in 1996 and Buzz Zeemer (along with drummer Ken Buono and bassist Dave McElroy) and recorded a pop masterpiece, Plaything. Zeemer featured Brown’s witty, tuneful songcraft complimented by Conwell’s tasty hooks and grooves. Buzz Zeemer’s sophomore effort released in 1999, Delusions of Grandeur, generated a buzz with music critics. The band performed at South by Southwest in Texas along with countless gigs at their home court - Grape Street Pub in Manayunk.  After a long hiatus, Buzz Zeemer reunites and records a new song titled One Shot, featured on Record Cellar’s fifty-song compilation titled Town and Country.   

Tell me about the new song, "One Shot."

Frank Brown:  One Shot was one of five songs I sent Dave (McElroy) to choose from for Town and Country.  We recorded it on one of the hottest nights of the summer with producer/engineer Matt Muir in Manayunk.  Learned it and recorded it the same night. I like it.

Tell me a funny story from a Buzz Zeemer live gig.

Frank Brown:  I think the funniest Zeemer gig stories are when the joke is on us. When you agree to play anywhere, you never know where you will wind up. We played at a Best Buy store opening. A 40th birthday party down the shore. We played a gig where so few people showed up that we started playing any Steve Miller song we knew. "Swingtown," anyone?

You have spent time with Tommy Conwell in the recording studio. What makes Tommy a sought-after guitarist?

Frank Brown:  Tommy is an absolute blast to play with.  I had a song called Crush that was recorded with a couple different guitar players before Tommy played on it.  It was never how I heard it.  I asked Tom to play it in a certain way and in a minute, it became the song it is today. Much like the rest of the band, Tom enjoys playing all kinds of music. We can be very rock at times and very nice at times. It's nice to play with someone who can play anything you ask ...and more.

What was your reaction hearing a Flight of Mavis song on the alternative radio stations for the first time? 

Frank Brown:  I never get tired of hearing our stuff on the radio. I think the first time we were played on the radio was on XPN when Jim Moran (of the Wishniaks) played our 4-track demo. It was fun. We were extremely green. 

Who are your musical heroes?  

Frank Brown:  There's so many...Terry Adams, Lennon and McCartney, Nick Lowe, Captain Beefheart, Brian Wilson, Rick Nielsen, Bill Evans -- all the good ones.

Your songwriting has been compared to Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, and Squeeze.  How do you go about writing a song?  

Frank Brown:  All different ways! It depends on the situation. Sometimes the music is first, sometimes the lyrics. The best ones take about fifteen minutes.  The rest are much longer -- sometimes 45 minutes.

The Philadelphia press reported that you offered sleeping accommodations to former Replacement Tommy Stinson.  Tell me the story.

Frank Brown:  I had the pleasure of opening for both Tommy Stinson and Slim Dunlop (latter day guitarist of The Replacements) and actually had both of them stay at my house in West Philadelphia. I think the Westerberg story was written in the paper but wasn't actually true. I would hate to think that we opened for Westerberg and that I had no memory of it?!  Then again... our place in West Philadelphia  was host to a lot of bands on Peter Jesperson's Medium Cool label.  They were all very fine guests but I think we enjoyed Slim the most. Great character and great stories.

Buzz Zeemer’s Let Them Eat Rock is a crowd favorite.  Any chance it will ever be recorded?

Frank Brown:  I would like to think we'll have a live version of it from our reunion gig at Grape Street.  I can't imagine it ever being officially recorded by us.  We're in awe of the original by The Upper Crust.

What is in the future for Buzz Zeemer?

Frank Brown:  I would hate to think that the reunion show is the last time we will play together.....but it might be.  As of now, there are no plans to do anything together in the future.  Regardless, as long as everyone continues to have a pulse -- you never know!

Delusions of Grandeur - Buzz Zeemer [1999 Review]

 

Article below is a reprint posted on The OGC Reviews by Jeff Gemmill in 1999. Re-posted to this link in 2021. 

 

I was a chess-club geek, a freak, an outsider forever looking in and at the cliques that ruled my high school, not so much fascinated with them but, instead, disdainful and distrustful. In my eyes, those "cool" kids were simpletons, too concerned with keeping up appearances than keeping up their grades. And while they traded in phone numbers, dates and dances, I traded in books, stories, scripts and, most of all, dreams. See, Frank was going to be a rock star and me, me I was gonna learn to fly; he took off for the spotlight -- me, I took off for the sky. In other words: During our teen years, Frank Brown and I knew each other. I use "knew" in its loosest sense, though. If we had a conversation beyond 9th grade, it was one born of necessity, not want. On both our parts, I hasten to add. We ran in different circles, dreamed different dreams. 

I say that so folks know I'm not pushing a "friend" here. Fact is, after we graduated in 1983, I didn't think of him for a good seven or eight years. 

Then, in 1990 or 1991, I saw Frank -- fronting Flight of Mavis -- open for legendary rock eccentric Alex Chilton at Philadelphia's Chestnut Cabaret. Brown and band achieved something few opening acts in Philly succeed at: They captured the audience's attention and affection, whipping out tasty concoctions that served up equal parts feedback and catchy melodies. Small wonder, then, to discover their influences. "We loved NRBQ," recalls Brown. "If anyone was my mentor, it was Terry Adams. He opened everything up!" Other influences consisted of the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Ramones and Nirvana. I saw 'em a few other times in the years that followed, the highlight--for me, at least--being WXPN's annual Singer-Songwriter Weekend.

Why? They didn't just perform Neil Young's "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere"; they made it their own. Yet, as confident as Flight of Mavis was on stage, their lone studio recording, 1991's six-song Spools, is tentative at best, the arrangements stilted and sparse and a tad too reminiscent of R.E.M. Not bad, in other words, but not great, either. So, no, I didn't approach Frank. What would I have said? "Hey, you're great live, but. . ." Puh-leez. If I was him, I'd have slapped me upside the head.

 

Flash forward to the present: Flight of Mavis has metamorphosed into Buzz Zeemer and, aided by local legend Tommy Conwell, have become one of the area's premiere purveyors of power pop. "Tom was a fan of Flight of Mavis. He offered his services at a time when we needed a guitarist for a gig. It worked out so well, he wound up sticking around. His role is to take as much advantage of the holes I leave for his solos. . . and he does. He's the musician in the band." 

Power pop? Eh. It's a lousy term, I admit, one that does a grave disservice to Buzz Zeemer. They're so much more than that. For evidence, folks need look no further than their 1996 release Play Thing or their last album, Delusions of Grandeur.

Released in late 1998, it's one of those rarities in today's disposable pop culture: An album that grows stronger with each listen. For example, consider the glorious, guitar-driven "Giving It All." "It's just about being a bit fed up," Frank says, allowing that it's difficult for him to enjoy his own songs. "You're always thinking about something you might have done differently." Perhaps that's true. But to these ears? With Conwell's guitar winding and whirling around Frank's impassioned, somewhat bitter vocals -- about love gone sour? Dreams derailing?--it's a damn near transcendent moment. "Would I have it any other way?" he asks, before declaring, 

"I'm just giving it all I got / If I could I'd give it all away..." 

There is no other way, of course. You give it all you got, rope-a-dope the tough moments and wait for an opening to launch a counteroffensive. "Sometimes it feels so long ago," he sings in "I Get This Feeling," a wistful song that opens with a wink at the nostalgic memories old friends invariably share. "It has a nice vibe," Frank concedes, displaying a disarming modesty. "That song sounds mature but it's probably the oldest one on there." Uh-huh. Just when you think that's it, the nostalgia transforms into a bittersweet paean to a former flame: 

"I get this feeling when I hear your name/and after all this time I don't know why" 

In print, I suppose, the lyrics seem somewhat plain, but Frank's aching vocals (not to mention Conwell's chiming guitar) lift it, and Delusions of Grandeur as a whole, into required listening for Rock 101. In short, as I've written elsewhere about other artists, albums and songs, "you're there, wherever there is."

Buzz Zeemer Reunion - 2007

It's a Buzz Zeemer reunion!

Buzz Zeemer Reunion Show, Grape Street Philadelphia 1/12/07

Show starts 8 pm on Friday, January 12, 2007. Door charge is $10. Buzz Zeemer will play from 9 pm-10:30 pm.

Check out a music review of their sophomore effort, Delusions of Grandeur, from CityPaper, Philadelphia's independent newspaper in 1999.

January 21–28, 1999

Delusions of Grandeur (Record Cellar), the second album by Buzz Zeemer (Philly's answer to the Traveling Wilburys), mines that expanse between '90s modern rock and '70s folk-pop. And as surprising as this is for me to admit, I actually like it. The lineup for this album includes core members Frank Brown and Tommy Conwell as well as guest appearances by onetime Low Road frontman Mike Brenner and Original Sins keyboardist Dan McKinney. As the chipper and strummy tunes bounce along, it's easy to picture the members of Buzz Zeemer driving their beat-up VW bus against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. The influences of bossa nova and '50s doo-wop occasionally rear their heads, but mostly these are laid-back, jangly, semi-acoustic tunes. 

Buzz Zeemer will play on Sat., Feb. 20, at Upstairs at Nick's. Record Cellar, P.O. Box 188, Bala Cynwyd, PA, 19004.