A Listening Party with Michael Imperioli's Band, ZOPA

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It – A Listening Party with Michael Imperioli's Band, ZOPA

Episode Information:

• Title: A Listening Party with Michael Imperioli's Band, ZOPA
• Host: Alison Stewart
• Guests: Michael Imperioli, Omo Tai, Elijah Amiton (Members of ZOPA)
• Release Date: February 24, 2025

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I. Introduction

In this episode of ALL OF IT, host Alison Stewart welcomes listeners to an engaging session featuring ZOPA, the rock band fronted by Michael Imperioli, renowned for his role in The Sopranos. The episode serves as a deep dive into ZOPA's musical journey, their latest album "Diamond Vehicle," and the personal and cultural influences shaping their work.

II. Reunion and Formation of ZOPA

Alison Stewart opens the conversation by exploring the origins of ZOPA. Michael Imperioli recounts how the band members reconnected:

Michael Imperioli [04:03]: "I ran into Michael at a party in 2005, and he mentioned his brother Omo was playing drums. At the time, I wanted to start playing with a drummer, so it was just on instinct, an intuitive thing."

Omo Tai elaborates on their initial interactions:

Omo Tai [02:52]: "I always knew Michael was into music since my brother was also on set. We talked about music back then, but nothing happened immediately. It wasn’t until years later that we reconnected through music."

III. Musical Style and New Album "Diamond Vehicle"

The discussion transitions to ZOPA's musical evolution. Michael explains the band’s approach to music creation:

Michael Imperioli [04:38]: "Just to be spontaneous and let everybody have their contributions without trying to be too set in ways and patterns."

Elijah Amiton highlights the band's openness to experimentation:

Elijah Amiton [04:14]: "They both have a real sense of openness and freedom with their approach to music. We can throw anything out there and see what sticks."

The band introduces their latest album "Diamond Vehicle," contrasting it with their previous work "La Dolce Vita." Omo Tai notes the difference in energy:

Omo Tai [24:08]: "This one's more eager, it seems to me, to just keep going with it."

IV. Collaboration and Influence: Lou Reed

A significant part of the conversation delves into ZOPA's collaboration with the legendary Lou Reed. Michael shares personal anecdotes:

Michael Imperioli [09:11]: "Lou was a huge influence and became a friend over the last thirteen years of his life. He was very funny and also very kind."

Recalling a memorable encounter, Michael narrates:

Michael Imperioli [10:02]: "I approached Lou Reed at a Knicks game, apologized for the movie about Valerie Solanas, and he waved me over saying, 'Do your work. Do a good job.' It was a defining moment showing his kindness."

V. Themes: Mental Illness and Personal Loss

"Diamond Vehicle" touches on profound themes, including mental illness and personal loss. Michael addresses these themes candidly:

Michael Imperioli [12:56]: "It was intentional to explore mental illness on this album."

He shares a personal story about a friend:

Michael Imperioli [13:04]: "It's about a friend of mine who committed suicide in 2015. The song reflects his battle with demons and the love he left behind."

VI. Buddhist Influences

The band incorporates Buddhist philosophy into their music, adding depth and introspection. Michael discusses this integration:

Michael Imperioli [22:46]: "Buddhism is becoming more important in my life, and naturally, those meaningful aspects find their way into our music. It’s about moving forward, improving, and being kinder."

VII. Song Performances and Insights

Throughout the episode, ZOPA performs select tracks from their new album, providing insights into their creation and meaning.

1. "Still Life"

   • Lyric Excerpt:

     "You're crawling on your hands and knees to the lowest part Desperation proud but you don't know what's allowed..."

   • Alison introduces the song, highlighting its evolution from 2008 to its current form [02:09-05:00].

2. "Arrows of Outrageous Fortune"

   • Lyric Excerpt:

     "He was skinny dressed in black he was lonely as the ace of spades..."

   • The band discusses the song's length and lyrical depth, emphasizing the addition of a hopeful verse [05:00-07:58].

3. "Ocean" (Lou Reed Mashup)

   • Lyric Excerpt:

     "Here comes the ocean and the waves down by the sea..."

   • Omo explains the homage to Lou Reed, reflecting their musical admiration [08:37-12:42].

4. "Withdrawal"

   • Lyric Excerpt:

     "I got a fever but not the good I know I'm just feeling so ill..."

   • Elijah shares the inspiration behind the song, emphasizing emotional vulnerability [17:05-18:51].

5. "Love and Other Forms of Violence"

   • Lyric Excerpt:

     "Chosen by the river and so faded to walk alone..."

   • Michael discusses the songwriting process and the incorporation of Buddhist chants for emotional resolution [19:13-21:24].

VIII. Songwriting Process

ZOPA’s songwriting is dynamic and collaborative. Michael describes their flexible approach:

Michael Imperioli [19:13]: "Nothing's fixed. Sometimes I'll bring in some chords and lyrics, sometimes Elijah starts with a drum beat. It's often jam sessions that just happen spontaneously in the studio."

Omo shares a specific example of their creative process:

Omo Tai [19:50]: "You wrote the bulk of 'Love and Other Forms of Violence' when me and Elijah didn’t come to practice. It came out of the sounds of the guitar for some reason."

IX. Tour Plans and Future Work

Looking ahead, ZOPA discusses their touring schedule and promotional activities:

Michael Imperioli [26:14]: "We're hopefully gonna do some shows in June on the west coast and more in the US later in the summer."

Alison highlights their upcoming performance:

Alison Stewart [26:14]: "They'll be at Rough Trade this Wednesday, playing songs and signing records."

X. Conclusion

Alison Stewart wraps up the episode by expressing gratitude to ZOPA for sharing their journey and music. The band members reciprocate the appreciation, underscoring the communal and collaborative spirit of their work.

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Notable Quotes:

• Michael Imperioli [04:38]: "Just to be spontaneous and let everybody have their contributions without trying to be too set in ways and patterns."

• Omo Tai [24:08]: "This one's more eager, it seems to me, to just keep going with it."

• Michael Imperioli [09:11]: "Lou was a huge influence and became a friend over the last thirteen years of his life."

• Michael Imperioli [12:56]: "It was intentional to explore mental illness on this album."

• Michael Imperioli [22:46]: "Buddhism is becoming more important in my life, and naturally, those meaningful aspects find their way into our music."

---

This episode of ALL OF IT offers an intimate glimpse into ZOPA's artistic endeavors, blending personal experiences with cultural influences to create music that resonates on multiple levels. Through heartfelt storytelling and melodic exploration, Alison Stewart and ZOPA invite listeners to engage deeply with the myriad facets of their creative expression.

Transcript

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[WNYC Studios]

Listener supported WNYC Studios.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it. I'm Alison Stewart live from the WNYC studios in soho. Thank you for spending part of this day with us. I'm really grateful you're here. On today's show, we'll speak with the director of the documentary the Only Girl in the Orchestra. It's about Orin O'Brien, the first woman to play with the New York Philharmonic. We'll talk to Bess, playwright, best playwright, Bess Wall, about her new film, her new play called Liberation. And we'll take a radio walking tour of Harlem. That's the plan. So let's get started with some new music from the band Zopp.

[Zofa Band Member]

You're crawling on your hands and knees to the lowest part Desperation proud but you don't know what's allowed through the palace to the temple to the station to the court to the chamber in your still life.

[Alison Stewart]

That's a song called Still Life from Zofa, the rock band made up of Michael Imperioli, Omo Thai and Elijah Amiton. The band started back in 2006 when Imperioli was finishing up the Sopranos. After a hiatus, the band came back and released an album in 2021 and now they're out with a new record, Diamond Vehicle. It was released on Friday and they'll be playing and signing albums at Rough Trade this Wednesday. But first they join me for an all of it listening party and we're really glad to have you in studio. Welcome, guys.

[WNYC Studios]

Thank you.

[Michael Imperioli]

Thanks for having us.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, so Michael and Oma, this is for you. You met on a film set in the 90s. How long did it take you to realize that you had music in common? Omo, you go first.

[Omo Tai]

I think I always knew he was into music. My brother was in the movie too, and he was a, he is a musician. So we talked a little bit about music on the set. But yeah, didn't nothing happened. I didn't see him for years.

[Alison Stewart]

So when did you realize you had music in common?

[Michael Imperioli]

It was very strange when we did this movie was a New York indie movie called Postcards from America. And Omo was 8 years old. He played the lead character as a boy and his brother Michael played The lead as a teen. His brother was 18. Michael, Ty. And I was like 25, and I worked a lot with Michael and we became friends and we did some theater together. Then Michael went on to play in Jeff Buckley's band as a guitar player. And I ran into Michael at a party 2005, and he said his brother Oma was playing drums. And at the time I wanted to start playing with a drummer. So it was just on instinct, I kind of looked him up and I don't. It was just one of those, you know, I don't know, instinctual, intuitive things.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, so we're the same generation. So you're just a kid.

[Michael Imperioli]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Elijah, what did you see in these two bandmates that made you realize kindred spirits?

[WNYC Studios]

You know, it's. They both have a real sense of openness and freedom with their approach to music. Like, we can really sort of throw anything out there and see what sticks. There's not a lot of rules, which is good.

[Alison Stewart]

Is that a rule for you? No rules.

[Michael Imperioli]

Just to be spontaneous and let everybody kind of, you know, have their contributions. Feel free to contribute and not try to be set too. Too set in ways and patterns and. Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's listen to some music from the new album. A song called the Arrows of Outrageous Fortune. This dates back to when. The early days of the band.

[Michael Imperioli]

Yeah, we started playing it live, 2008. And then the last section of it was written about two years ago. And then we decided to record it.

[Alison Stewart]

Omo. How did it change over that time?

[Omo Tai]

Um, it. It kept getting longer. We told. We were like, it might be a little long. And he was like, oh, okay. And then he's like, here's the other part to it that I have. And so now it's just this big thing we have to commit to every time. We didn't want to do the solos, especially Elijah. I was like, you have to play it like you want to do it. But now, now it's a really fun, fun aspect of the album. And the.

[WNYC Studios]

Now it's a Grateful Dead song.

[Zofa Band Member]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

We should mention it's 10 minutes long.

[Michael Imperioli]

Yeah. So it was like when we did it live. So adding another two at that point is kind of a moot point. Right. It's already eight minutes. It's never going to be a three minute little pop thing, so you may as well go for it.

[Alison Stewart]

We have a minute and 29 seconds pulled here. This is the Arrows of Outrageous Fortune.

[Zofa Band Member]

He was skinny dressed in black he was lonely as the ace of spades he slept in the streets at night classrooms get tired so tight hell is metal from the grime Couldn't do the time so he shot away from crime One block away from his love who knew was sleeping he was wasting away no matter what he'd say Words came out and laughed Running around his feet never touch the ground Is love the only thing that matters? She lived on a hill way high up she always dressed in colors of summer she would jump up and down Whenever she was happy.

[Alison Stewart]

That'S the hours of outrageous fortune. My guests are Zopa, Mike Imperioli, Omotai and Elijah Amiton. Did I get it right?

[WNYC Studios]

Amiton.

[Alison Stewart]

But Amiton, Elijah Amiton, either one. The new album is called Diamond Vehicle. They'll be at Rough Trade this Wednesday. How's the song? You said you made a joke. You said, we'll add two minutes. How do you add two minutes onto the song? And he'll still have the song be. And you know, it's an in its entirety to be full. To be finished.

[WNYC Studios]

You stop the clock.

[Michael Imperioli]

It just needed another verse and chorus, I think.

[WNYC Studios]

More. I think it was sort of driven lyrically. Right?

[Michael Imperioli]

Yeah, it was like it was stored this story. So the first part of the song is third person narration. And then, you know, the. The other part is a first person dialogue. And I just felt it needed another verse to complete it and to have some more hope.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, that's interesting. It wasn't hopeful before you put the end.

[Michael Imperioli]

Not, not. Not as much as it should have been, I think.

[WNYC Studios]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

There is a mash up, sort of a Lou Reed mashup on the album. The songs Ocean and Heroine Ullman. Why did you decide to include these on the album?

[Omo Tai]

We've always played Lou even when we weren't performing. He would like, warm up and practice with the Lou Reed songs. And I think Michael's been obsessed with him for a long time, so it was a nice opportunity to. To bring that appreciation that he had to the forefront.

[Alison Stewart]

Is obsession the right word with you?

[Michael Imperioli]

Yeah, he was a huge influence, you know, and wound up becoming a friend in the last year. You know, like 20 years of his life. No, not 13 years of his life. So. And one time we were rehearsing in a studio and he happened to be in the next studio. And we went in and he showed us all this very interesting and weird equipment that he was working with on.

[WNYC Studios]

Some new project and the Metal Machine anniversary tour.

[Michael Imperioli]

Yeah, so. So we have a connection to him and. And the challenge is to take that and make it a Zopa song if you can Right. And bring your own flavor to it. And. And we enjoy doing that.

[Alison Stewart]

What do you remember from those. Those days touring the studio with Lou Reed?

[WNYC Studios]

He showed us around. He sort of gave us a tour around the room with all these sort of cool synthesizers and stuff. And he was cool. I mean, Michael really has some more personal stories with him. What's the one on the. On the escalator?

[Michael Imperioli]

When I met him, I. You know, I used to see him walking around the Village, and I always wanted to approach him, but I never did. And then I got cast in. I Shot Andy Warhol, and I was playing on Dean, who he. Who Lou was friends with. So I'm like, this is a great icebreaker. I was at the Knicks game. I said, I'm gonna introduce myself. The problem was he hated the fact they were making this movie about Valerie Solanas, who, you know, almost killed his best friend. So I said, you know, I'm doing this movie. I know you're not too happy. I think it's despicable. They're making a movie about this crazy psycho. I said, yeah, I'm. I'm playing on D. And he went, good luck. And he turned away, and I felt horrible. And then he, like, looked back at me and waved me over. And he's like, listen, just. He goes, do your work. Do a good job. And just remember, he was very funny. And that was it. So he. He could be very prickly, you know, But. But he was also very kind. And I saw that in that little moment.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's listen. Here's Ocean. It's part of the mashup on Zopa's new Al.

[Zofa Band Member]

Here comes the ocean and the waves down by the sea Here comes the ocean and the waves where have they been? Don't swim tonight, my love the sea is mad, my love Been known to drive men crazy Malcolm has burned at sea, the castle says and weeks of madness will make you his Ever come the waves down by the shore Washing the rocks Little bear in here for centuries of moa down by the sea.

[Alison Stewart]

That'S from Zopa's new album called Diamond Vehicle. They are my guests. There's a song. American Songwriter pointed out that mental illness comes up as a theme on this album. Is that. First of all, do you agree with that?

[Michael Imperioli]

Oh, it was intentional.

[Alison Stewart]

Okay. One of the songs is about someone named Rain. Who is Rain?

[Michael Imperioli]

No, it's. That's. The Rain is a slang term for someone who thinks they're someone who's pretending to be something they're not.

[Zofa Band Member]

Okay.

[Michael Imperioli]

So it's about a friend of mine who committed suicide a while ago, 2015. And some of the things. Some of the words in the song were things I heard him say and some things I saw that he had written down in the midst of his breakdown a few years before he died. And some of it's my interpretation of it. It's really about someone battling their own demons.

[Alison Stewart]

What do you want us to listen for in this track we're going to play?

[Michael Imperioli]

A little bit of it is that, you know, he was a very kind and loving person and left a lot of love as his legacy. In that, you know, he lost the battle, but, you know, that love that he left behind, you know, remains, you know, and is a victory in itself.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's listen to a little bit of rain.

[Zofa Band Member]

Crashing down on all our heads Day by day Filling up another page New ma'am Got offer on your plate still refuse to give it all away there's me I lack A million miles away I am clueless I don't have a thing to say.

[Alison Stewart]

Omar. Elijah, when you play that song, what's going through your mind?

[WNYC Studios]

Well, it's an. It's sort of a sonic onslaught. When we play it live, it's really huge. And I'm thinking about the triplets that we're playing and, you know, doing both.

[Alison Stewart]

Sort of like thinking about what it's about. And then your job too, right?

[WNYC Studios]

Yeah, of course. Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

What about you, Omar?

[Omo Tai]

Well, I took the. The beat from the beginning of Conan the Barbarian, the boom, boom, boom, boom. And so I tried to just bring that into a faster pace. Punk energy. And sometimes it works out.

[Alison Stewart]

We're going to play the song Withdrawal. Who sings lead on Withdrawal?

[WNYC Studios]

Me. Elijah.

[Alison Stewart]

Elijah does. How do decisions. How does that go into the decision when you're putting the record together? Who's gonna sing lead? Who's not gonna sing lead in this song?

[WNYC Studios]

It sort of just comes down to whoever gets to the microphone first.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah, you tell me Imperial is fast is what you're telling me.

[Michael Imperioli]

It's not Eraser, you know.

[WNYC Studios]

No, it's. It's. It's the opposite of a race. They're like. No, you sing. No, you sing this one.

[Alison Stewart]

How did you end up singing this? How did you end up singing Withdraw?

[WNYC Studios]

I wrote the melody and lyrics just at home, so just figured I'd sing it because no one else will.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, tell us what it's about.

[WNYC Studios]

You know, this was actually sort of just an exercise in a way, just trying to write sort of like a classic sort of themed song about you know, missing someone and feeling the feeling. Feeling sick from it.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's listen to Withdrawal from Zopa.

[Elijah Amiton]

I got a fever but not the good I know I'm just feeling so ill and I've been reading your own messages and my eyes are burning out l go sway and racing heart I got to go to where you are I guess I'm going through it all oh, yeah Imagination only goes so far Till motion runs to a still and I've been patient Solitary woe But I still got this part to fill a cold sweat Every racing heart I got to go to where you are Omo.

[Alison Stewart]

He put you to work on that song.

[Omo Tai]

Yeah, it's true.

[Alison Stewart]

My guests are Zopa, Mike Imperioli, Omo Thai, and Elijah Amonton. The new album is called Diamond Vehicle. They'll be at Rough Trade this Wednesday. Michael, what does the songwriting process look like for y'all?

[Michael Imperioli]

Yeah, it's. Nothing's fixed. Sometimes I'll bring in some chords and lyrics or melodies, or sometimes Elijah is. Some songs have started with a drum beat from Omo. Often it's like jam sessions. Spontaneous things that just happen in the studio that we were like, oh, that's. That sounds cool. Let's record that and work on that and find lyrics for it. It's. It's no one way.

[Omo Tai]

You know, you wrote the bulk of Love and Other Forms of Violence when me and Elijah didn't come to practice one time. Right. We both had to cancel. And then.

[Michael Imperioli]

Yeah, I was in the studio. Yeah. That kind of came out of the. The sounds of the guitar for some reason. I don't know why.

[Alison Stewart]

That's the one we have queued up next.

[Michael Imperioli]

Tell us a little more about it that you know. That's a song about some people I knew a very long time ago. The title kind of gives it all away, I would imagine. But, yes, but, yeah, that was a song that. Where the guitar sound really dictated where it would go, if that makes any sense. And there's, again, the end of the song, Looking for Hope. And there's a Elijah night chant, part of the Tara mantra from Tibetan Buddhism, which is known for its protective and pacifying liberating qualities. So we kind of infuse that towards the end to kind of burn away the negativity.

[Alison Stewart]

A new Buddhist.

[Michael Imperioli]

Yes. Me. Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Are the rest of you or just. But is it Jason?

[WNYC Studios]

Not yet.

[Alison Stewart]

Not yet. Let's take a listen to the record. Love and other forms of violence.

[Zofa Band Member]

Chosen by the river and so faded to walk alone Mindful of all the dangers to thank it's got him where he would know everybody Swollen for years Refusal to see all the hatred Hiding under the trees.

[Alison Stewart]

That'S the latest from Zopa. The new album is called Diamond Vehicle. How did it feel to write. It sounds wrong. How does it feel to write your thoughts or about the experiences of being a Buddhist into your music?

[Michael Imperioli]

It's something that just became and is becoming more and more important in my life, you know, so naturally those things that have a lot of meaning, you know, are things that I'd like to write about and, you know, it's a path, you know, about moving forward, I think, and, you know, trying to improve and trying to be kinder as a person or just more. Less attached to the ego and things like that. I mean, that's working on your mind through Buddhism does. But it's also fun just because there's a bit of exoticism in the imagery sometimes and in the. It's infused with a lot of meaning for me. But there's also, I think it brings a. I think, a unique and compelling thing to the music.

[WNYC Studios]

It's a world to explore.

[Michael Imperioli]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

So you're. The album 2021 is La Dolce Vita. Yeah, yeah. Oma, what do you. Do you see any connection between that album and this album, or are they two separate things?

[Omo Tai]

I think they're pretty much two separate things because that album took a long time to amass all the material for it, and then. And then it was held for a long time. And this one's more. The energy behind this one is more eager, it seems to me, to just, like, keep going with it, if that makes sense.

[Alison Stewart]

Sure. Elijah, what do you see as the relationship between the two?

[WNYC Studios]

Well, you know, besides it being, you know, the same. The same band, the same instruments, of course. Actually, no, this one is a little different because we really didn't overdub too much. The first one we had, like, horns and organ, and this one we made a conscious effort to keep things pretty faithful to the live show, so. But also part of what makes this album sound really full and sort of multi dimensional is a lot of, like, the effects that Michael uses on his guitar. It's really become part of the sound. There's some really interesting things happening there.

[Alison Stewart]

Ooh, tell us more about that.

[Michael Imperioli]

Yeah, you know, that was just a progression of learning, you know, how to what I liked hearing and being able to do it and how to use. I'm not a very techy person, so I try to keep it simple, but I have a few pedals not, not a big pedal board, but a few that, that I've learned to make.

[WNYC Studios]

Bigger than mine?

[Michael Imperioli]

Some. Yeah, maybe, but, you know, just learning how to have a bigger palette, you know, with, with sound. The first album was a little more punk, like New York punk kind of sound. And this one has a little more like shoe gazy and alt rock kind of guitar sounds.

[Alison Stewart]

Are you gonna tour with this record?

[WNYC Studios]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah. Tell us more.

[Michael Imperioli]

We're hopefully gonna do some shows in June on the west coast and more in the US later in the summer.

[Alison Stewart]

But Wednesday, you'll be at Rough Trade.

[Zofa Band Member]

Yeah.

[Michael Imperioli]

Yeah. In Rockefeller center, the record store. They will play some songs and sign some records.

[Alison Stewart]

My guests have been Zopa, Michael Imperioli Omotai and Elijah Amaton Amiton.

[WNYC Studios]

Thank you.

[Alison Stewart]

They'll be at Rough Trade this Wednesday. Thanks so much for coming in.

[WNYC Studios]

Thank you.

[Michael Imperioli]

Thanks for.

[WNYC Studios]

Thanks so much. It's an honor.

[Ira Flatow]

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