Simutaneously Drumming For Paramore While Keeping A Side Project Alive

Zac Farro plays the drums in high-profile American pop-rock act Paramore, but he also has a rather respectable side project. HalfNoise formed back in 2010, have released two EPs and two LPs and is essentially a true solo project for Farro these days after songwriting partner Jason Clark left the band in 2012. That said, the creation of this project's brand new EP Flowerss was apparently a fun, laid-back and collaborative process for Farro and a cast of whoever happened to be around at the time.

Speaking about this EP from his hometown of Nashville, Farro explains, "I did the majority of it, but, the more I did, the more I liked to involve mates around town. We have so many talented friends, so I just invited people. My roommate played some guitar, so people like him and the people who play live with me would just stop by and play stuff on it - people from around Nashville. It just feels like more of a family band now: it just feels like an experience, like we're recording in the '60s or something; people just popping in and jumping on the track [to] play a tambourine or something."

Farro smashes that old adage in the music industry that you can't play in a highly successful band while simultaneously working on an ongoing, highly dedicated solo/side project. It has only been a year since HalfNoise's previous EP and, now that Flowerss is ready to roll, Farro is already working on the next thing.

"I'm ready to write some more," he announces. "Hey, man, The Beatles were putting out two records a year, so the rest of us should be making a hell of a lot more music."

The HalfNoise sound seems to be far enough removed from Paramore's to avoid being seen as a clone or flying on the coattails of the main act, but close enough to not completely alienate too many of Paramore's fans. And Farro says he finds people often get behind both. "I think a lot of people just like to support me, but I think there's also other fans who might just be stoked to hear a new sound that they don't normally listen to. It's been cool. People have been just showing a lot of love, even if they're just supporting me as an artist or they're like, 'Whoa! I didn't know you did other music, I love it just as much.'

"The people that take the time just seem to really enjoy it. It's just a really good mesh of both worlds."

When asked to describe the HalfNoise sound to a Paramore fan, Farro offers, "I would just say that HalfNoise is just a bunch of fun," he says. "The records are pretty laidback, pretty cruisy indie-rock music. But then at the shows we really turn it up a notch or two and have a tonne of fun. It's just like a big party."

HalfNoise have a bunch of shows coming up across North America in the coming months and Farro says he would love to bring this band to Australia after having played here so many times with Paramore. And he has heart set on a particular touring festival. "Hopefully, after we've done some more Paramore stuff, we'll head Down Under and hang in the best side of the world in, my opinion: New Zealand and Australia.

"I went to Laneway Festival in Brisbane, just because we were there, and that was just a bunch of fun. I was like, 'That would just be wicked fun if we could come out and play that'."

Having managed to keep both projects running simultaneously so successfully for so long, Farro sees no end in sight. "It's been working out so well so far," he enthuses. "I'm just inspired to keep writing music and keep ripping on the drums, so I can't see it ending anytime soon."