Jason Zaman is a student of the Smurfit School of Business who has just released his own EP, viagra ‘Behind Closed Doors, sales ’ We recently sat down with him to talk about what it’s like to be a musician in Dublin today.
What inspired you to get involved in the music industry?
During my early teens, music became a huge part of me. It was beyond just having a Sony Walkman for the bus ride home from school. It helped me get through some difficult times. Music was almost like therapy. And because it’s had such an influence on me growing up, it only made me all the more aware of the fact that music isn’t just something that moves us physically, but emotionally as well. Especially in situations where you feel words simply fail to capture and convey how you feel. That in itself was extremely inspiring! And is in fact what got me to write my own music.
Is it hard to break into the music scene in Dublin?
It is hard but not impossible. All you have to do is put in time. And you will reap the rewards. It’s the same principle that applies to everything else. If we want an A in an assignment, we know the only thing standing in the way of it is the amount of time, planning and devotion you’re willing to give to it. The opportunities are out there. Tonnes of them!
What was the best gig you’ve ever played in town?
Every gig I’ve played so far has been great! Although, one that probably stands out is Whelan’s! I had the pleasure of playing there last year and even though I kept it simple and mainly acoustic, the crowd was just fantastic and took on every opportunity they got to sing along which only amplified the energy at the venue further. But I believe my best gigs are yet to come considering that I’m just a few weeks away from playing the tracks from my EP live. Can’t wait to bring the energy I had when working on these songs onto the stage.
What’s the music community in Dublin like?
Excellent! Evolving and extremely supportive of local talent and of all styles! I’ve seen many promoters and pubs that actually go out of their way to host an open mic night or a singer/songwriter session to give independent musicians the opportunity to perform. It’s not difficult to see that everyone that’s involved in the community in any way, does it for the love of music. It’s also encouraging when you see the likes of local bands such as Little Green Cars becoming international, which even more justifies the fact that Dublin is a great city for musicians to kick start their career! But it’s also the people at the listening end that make the community what it is, and therefore it an honour to be a part of this community.
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