Josias Tschanz of OurGlassZoo
SBS Covid Relief
Interview with Josias Tschanz of OurGlassZoo
SBS: Let’s make sure we’ve got everyone on the same page – who are ya? How long have you been doin’ this music thang and what’s the story behind it all? What separates you apart from the rest?
Josias: My name is Josias Tschanz and I am a Swiss-Canadian musician & filmmaker and teacher based in Vancouver.
I am the vocalist in the band OurGlassZoo. We have been a band for over 5 years now and signed with Volunteer Media last year. Our new EP was distributed through Sony Orchard this March and we had a tour & shows planned. We were hoping for a big year for the band, but as so many other bands & musicians have experienced, the pandemic put an end to these plans.
SBS: How has this time in lockdown/quarantine affected you and the music you make? Positives? Negatives? It’s obviously a crazy time for everyone, but certainly musicians throughout the independent scene as well…what have you been doing to make sure the music is still flowing somehow at this time?
Josias: It has been a bit of an adjustment for us as a band because we are not able to write music in the same space. We upload different parts and ideas to dropbox that we then turn into new songs.
As far as how it has affected our music…our new music video for the single “Astronaut” was based on concept that is surprisingly close to the current events, but we shot it last year. We are getting a lot of comments about it and comparisons to the pandemic.
For me personally it has forced me to step up my game and learn how to record & engineer better. I have set up my home studio at last and brushing up on my keyboard / piano skills.
I am also working on an electronic side project with a friend of mine who is producer and has done remixes for our band before.
SBS: Is there a lesson to be learned in all this Covid-craziness? If so, what do you think it is?
Josias: We are all in this together and it should humble us. I certainly took a lot of things for granted before COVID-19 that seemed so natural at the time. I cannot wait to hug my friends and family again. I am a very sociable person, so I miss the human connection and interaction.
I have started a photography series about life on the streets of Vancouver COVID-19 entitled ‘From darkness into light’ which shows both the negative and the positives aspects.
An event such as honoring our essential workers every day at 7pm has brought everyone closer together. It is beautiful to see everyone clapping on their balconies and showing their respect & appreciation.
SBS: What is the most key thing that people can do out there to support musicians during this time?
Josias: Listen to music on line, watch live streams & donate if you can, interact with your favorite indie artists. It is a tough period for musicians, but also a good time to connect more with our audience.
SBS: There are some that say there’s ‘no going back to normal’ and others that still think that’s a possibility after all is said & done and we’re allowed outside again…what do you think? Let’s ballpark it…let’s say it’s…September 2020, that’s not too far away…what does the world look like at that point?
Josias: It is hard to predict, but until we have a vaccine and know that it properly works, there will be a lot of restrictions. Sport leagues might be running again by September even if it is in empty stadiums, live music performances in front of small audiences with social distancing will hopefully be an option, traveling will still be limited but tourist sites could allow visitors if they monitor numbers. I am crossing my fingers that I will be able to get a haircut before I turn into a full on lumberjack.
SBS: What do you miss most during this whole lockdown? What’s the first thing you plan on doing if/when things find their way back to normal, and why is that the most important thing to ya?
Josias: Hugging my friends, socializing, watching live events, eating at a nice restaurant…all the things that felt normal & almost routine like at the time and have now turned into memories. What I miss the most is for all these things to feel ‘normal’ again.
SBS: Open floor! Anything else you want to say to the people out there?
Josias: Be patient and kind. We will make it through this and come out stronger. I would like to thank all our essential workers that are the true heroes during this pandemic. Thanks to sleepingbagstudios for putting on these interviews. It is nice to see that there are so many people who care and how our community is coming together during this difficult time.
Find out more about OurGlassZoo and what Josias is up to at the official links below!
Band: https://www.ourglasszoo.com
Personal: https://www.josiastschanz.com
Company: https://www.countingants.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3SPOvIvqtP6fCG7D2b4Xjg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ourglasszoo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ourglasszoo
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxZGxlt0T2rG_diS6hsrOLQ
We’ve extended the deadline & we’ll be accepting submissions to the SBS Covid Relief interviews in written, audio, and video forms until the end of May – find out more about how you can get involved right here.
Find out more about what sleepingbagstudios does to help assist the independent music scene and view a list of our services by clicking this!
