Influenced by the likes of Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, Paul McCartney, Todd Rundgren, and Jeff Buckley, Hexum is accomplished on both guitar and saxophone, and has a way with words and with melodies that draw generously from those influences while maintaining his own unique voice.
Hexum’s debut, The Story So Far, was released in 2004 on What Have You Records, the imprint of brother Nick Hexum’s (311) label. The Story So Far was produced by the award-winning knob-twirler Don Gehman (R.E.M., Bruce Hornsby, John Mellencamp, Pat Green). Hexum also did a soft launch of an EP, Realistic Fantasy, in late 2005, currently available at live shows and through his website. In early 2006, “How Many Times,” from Hexum’s full-length release, caught the attention of music execs at Apple, who made it the iTunes Single of the Week.
Still in his mid-20s, Zack Hexum graduated from the University of North Texas in 2000, where he studied jazz and performed with the top student big band on campus, One ‘O Clock Lab. He then moved to New York City to study saxophone with David Liebman (Miles Davis), and lived there for two years before moving to Los Angeles. In addition to performing with Liebman in New York, Hexum has recently played saxophone for Michael Bublé and Dredg.
But while Hexum’s mounting musical exploits have helped to broaden his horizons and industry network, he is first and foremost a gifted singer and songwriter. Having toured with both 311 and Tears for Fears, Hexum is planning an 8-10 week nationwide spring tour in 2006 before heading back into the studio again. He has also put together a residency at Hotel Café in Los Angeles called the “Zack Hexum Couples Skate,” where he pairs himself with another emerging artist every Tuesday.
Never one to tire, Hexum sees himself continuing to make music for several years.
“I've got a lot of different irons in the fire these days,” he says. “But I'm hoping to grow artistically, have a savings account and to become a slightly less obscure household name.”
Those who hear Zack Hexum’s music will agree that those goals are already within reach.
Management:
Christopher Sabec
Earth & Sky
cjsabec@burnlounge.com
Brian Allen (Tour Management)
CatFishJack
catfishjack@gmail.com
Booking:
zackhexumbooking@gmail.com
Disconnected
Zack Hexum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're not only ones and ohs
This sun is phony
But it's warmth is bright enough
We're disconnected
You're a wolf born on the steppes
They're unsuspecting
No one will find you
If you go there by yourself
I'll leave your mark here
Carve your name on a shelf
If you can send a letter
Tell us where you've been
We will believe your answer
Tell us when madness begins
The opening two lines of Zack Hexum's "Disconnected" suggest that someone who is lonely may feel like they are the only person in the world, like they are just ones and zeroes. However, the following lines point out that the sun, despite being fake, provides enough warmth to make people feel comforted. The song's chorus emphasizes the theme of feeling disconnected, using the metaphor of being a wolf on the steppes. The image suggests being a lone animal in a barren, harsh environment.
The next few lines remind listeners that despite being disconnected, they still have people and places that care for them. The message in these lines is that people need to be careful and not isolate themselves completely. The final two lines of the chorus serve as a warning that eventually, everyone will end up dead, regardless of how they've lived their lives. The final verse provides a sense of hope, with a promise to carve the name of someone who is disconnected on a shelf to remember them. The verse ends with an invitation to communicate with others if someone feels lost or like they might be going mad.
Line by Line Meaning
Just cause you're lonely
Just because you're feeling alone
You're not only ones and ohs
You're not just a collection of zeros and ones
This sun is phony
The warmth you feel is simply an illusion
But it's warmth is bright enough
But the illusion is strong enough to keep you going
We're disconnected
We are not connected to anything meaningful
You're a wolf born on the steppes
You are a lone wolf born in a desolate landscape
They're unsuspecting
Other people are not aware of the danger
We'll someday all wind up dead
We will all eventually die
No one will find you
No one will discover you
If you go there by yourself
If you choose to go alone
I'll leave your mark here
I'll remember you a while longer
Carve your name on a shelf
As a reminder of your existence
If you can send a letter
If you are able to communicate
Tell us where you've been
Let us know about your experiences
We will believe your answer
We will trust what you say
Tell us when madness begins
Tell us when you start to feel insane
Contributed by Eli J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.