“The ‘80s was the best decade, EVER!”
It is one of the most common opinions that circulate the world. Termed as one of the most ‘glorious times,’ this era was marked with releases of the best movies, T.V. shows, toys, unique fashion trends, hairstyles. It was the time when the great pop culture prevailed. Even the music scene of the 1980s has been elite, and matching that class, sophistication, and grandeur is impossible. Amidst this pop culture, there was a band that set out to revolutionize pop-rock music.
Zarbo, the Canadian pop-rock band that stole the hearts of the masses, impressed both the rock as well as the pop music fans, and stirred hype in the music industry, was a star band of the ‘80s. The vast fanbase the band was able to establish, still remembers the glory this band brought into the world of music. The disbanding of Zarbo broke hearts and brought tears in the eyes of their fans. Since then, they have been waiting for a miracle to happen, and now it has.
Little did the fans know, disbanding was not the end for Zarbo, and it has finally set to hit the market again with the remastered versions of its ‘Never-to-be-Forgotten’ tracks. Alex Zarbo, the band’s lead vocalist, announced that the new Zarbo musician line up would appear at the band’s release scheduled for 2021.
A Gem of the Pop-Rock World
While there are hundreds of pop musicians and hundreds of rock artists, there are a few pop-rock bands and artists that can grasp the attention of the audience. Zarbo that came into the picture in the early 1980s, was able to make a mark on the world.
Alex Zarbo, a bassist, singer, and songwriter, was playing at the local concert with the band named, “Penguin.” In the same concert, Derek Sharp, rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter, was playing with his band, “Lerxt.” They were both on their way to success, but soon both Penguin and Lerxt disbanded. It brought Alex and Derek together to form a band with Greg Anzelc, a drummer and singer.
The pop-rock trio came together, and hence, Zarbo was formed. As Alex Zarbo was the primary songwriter and lead vocalist, the trio decided to name their band, Zarbo. Initially, the band used to practice in the basement in Derek’s mother’s house. They practiced for several weeks when other spots were not available. The band began performing at classic music venues like the El Mocambo, Branko’s, Cameo Lounge (Hotel Isabella), Larry’s Hideaway, Horseshoe Tavern.
They worked hard, and it led to the release of their first eight-song L.P, “A-Z Collection,” in 1985. The album was able to make a prominent identity in the world of pop-rock. It even helped them acquire a global fanbase who were deeply impressed by the band’s chemistry and tracks. Soon, in 1986, Zarbo hit the market again with a 45 R.P.M. single “Get Up and Dance.” Even this track turned out to be a phenomenal success, and the Zarbo fans were eager for more.
However, things were not meant to be, and due to differences in interests in pursuing different musical directions, Zarbo finally disbanded in the late 1980s. The news was devastating as the pop-rock world lost a powerful and iconic band.
Alex Zarbo continued songwriting; Derek Sharp started playing with other local bands and married Sass Jordan, after which he joined “The Guess Who,” as the lead singer. Greg Anzelc, on the other hand, pursued his music career in jazz while studying and playing with top local artists like Lorne Lofsky.
Zarbo Ready to Rock the World of Music
Zarbo released its remastered tracks in 2020. The remastered versions not only caught the first generation of the Zarbo fans by surprise but even helped in creating an entirely new generation of fans. The band also acquired a huge fan following on social streaming services like Spotify, YouTube, Deezer, iTunes, KKBox, Pandora. The rising of the band again has caught the attention of several indie radio stations, including Indie Network Radio U.S.A., Watts FM Canada, Agora FM France, NET RADIO France, MoveHits France, MixRayZone France, TSSY France, Tzik Radio Russia, Zweester Germany.
As per Alex Zarbo, the band is going to release two new tracks, ‘Save Your Money’ and ‘Correction in Direction,’ in July 2020. These will be released across all major worldwide social streaming services. Moreover, the band will also release the remaining three songs from its L.P “A-Z Collection,” which will also be released in their remastered versions. These songs include “Getting to The Point” and “Oh Momentum.”
In addition to the remastered versions of the 1980s tracks, the band will release E.D.M. versions of “Get Up and Dance,” in July 2020. It is expected that this release will help Zarbo acquire a completely different audience.
Following the release of the two Zarbo album, the band will also announce its touring dates with the new Zarbo line up of musicians. “All good things to those who wait,” the Zarbo fans are super excited for the power band to return to the music scene, and they are prepared to swing along with the amazing releases that have been lined up.