John Michael Zorko of Falling You Interview - The Final on Vinyl Podcast

I had an interesting conversation with John Michael Zorko of Falling You about the recent release of Metanoia.

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:15

Hello, this is Keith MuzikMan Hannaleck with the Final on Vinyl Podcast ,

Speaker 1 0:18

and today we are with John Michael Zorko, who heads up the group Following You, and uh they released a new album called Metanoia on December first of last year, a little over a month ago. Welcome aboard, John.

Speaker 0:34

Oh, thank you. I'm glad to be here.

Speaker 1 0:37

Well, thanks. Thanks for coming. Um just to be for for sake of pronouncing things right, how would you pronounce the title of this album?

Speaker 0:46

Um I would probably pronounce it Metanoa, um Metanoa. Um, but I think Metanoia also works.

Speaker 1 0:53

Okay. I looked it up and I understand it's a fundamental change of mind and or spiritual conversion. And um based based on the cover, how would you interpret the cover and how it lines up with that title?

Speaker 1:07

Sure, of course. So basically the cover is of a of um a woman walking away from basically um see after freeing herself from um from beliefs and uh the a value system that has only caused her pain throughout her life, um, she's basically freeing herself from that and walking towards an uncertain future where she can come up with um where she can develop a better value system that treats her better and treats the world better.

Speaker 1 1:34

Nice. And I understand you've had uh a lot of background in music over the years and recordings, and this particular recording you've brought on board several uh women to sing. How did all that happen?

Speaker 1:52

Oh wow, yeah. So basically, um so this whole project started um back in the mid-90s um with uh and it was my very good friend Jennifer, um not the Jennifer who who's on the record, uh another Jennifer, but um her and I were like very good friends, and um she was an amazing vocalist, and I you know I like to make noise on synthesizers and guitars, and she kind of liked the noise that I made. So um we just got together and started making music, and then I we I just started incorporating like other vocals as well, especially after I moved from Ohio here to California, and um so Jennifer um still um participates in records, um, but also like drew from other it well, drew from disascension and a bunch of other, frankly, supremely talented people that are you know like I'm just humbled before them because they're so much more talented than I could ever be, you know. Um and it's just kind of like worked out that way where um yeah, a lot of times these people they have lives of their own and they have projects of their own, but I just loved what they did so much that I was just I would just contact them and I say, You are you are an absolutely like amazing talent. Would you consider you know collaborating with me? And a lot of times they say yes, and I'm always just like completely humbled and like, wow, really? Who am I? You know, but they still do it, and even after all these years, they still do it. And I'm like, wow, I'm not sure what I'm doing, but I hope I keep doing it. Because you know, so yeah, it's it's very, you know, I am very incredibly flattered that I get to work with all these people because they're they're incredible.

Speaker 1 3:31

Well, you're very modest, uh John. You absolutely know what you're doing. It's a marvelous album. I thought it was one of the more captivating releases that I heard in 2025. And, you know, based on a lot of reasons, uh the music's wonderful and the vocalists are amazing, and uh every song is is different. And you know, if you were to put it in a box, it would be impossible because it's just such a wide range and diverse um type of music in each track. Although I'm calling it New Age Contemporary, other people have come up with terms like dream pop and so forth. What if you had to name it, what would you call it?

Speaker 4:15

Wow, um, I think dream pop works works pretty good. Um uh New Age is kind of like an umbrella term that um I think that if you used a term like as an umbrella, then it fits there as well. Um a lot of people um call it ambient with vocals, you know. Um and a lot of people call it like Ethereal, some people like call it like like like goth, some people call it alternative, some people call it shoe yeys. Um we had dream pop a lot. Um so yeah, I think that maybe like maybe ethereal dream pops might be like uh probably what I would choose, but I am happy with you know, I'm just happy that anybody wants to hear it at all, basically. You know? Because these people that I work with are are amazing.

Speaker 1 4:58

They are. Everybody was um was great listen. And you know, when you say new age music today, you like you indicated, it's an umbrella, and there's all these other branches that come off of that umbrella, and you are part of all those different branches. And um some of your background experience, um, you know, what was it like for you growing up? What were you listening to? What were your parents listening to? Um who do you think was your your incentive to get into music? When did you start? I mean, it's that's a it's a multifaceted question. I'm just wondering um if you could uh give us a little more information about all that.

Speaker 5:38

Oh yeah, definitely. So like um um my mom used to listen to a lot of like Simon and Garfunkel when we were growing up, but she also listened to a lot of Peter, Paul, and Mary, and she also listened to a lot of um really melancholy type stuff, and I think that that's where my love of kind of like moody music came from. Um also she had this like a record by this like composer uh named Diodato, um, and I think that it was like also sprocked that you know the 2001 theme. Um and she played that and that was one of the first one of my favorite records that she ever ho that she ever owned. And whenever she would put on music, I thought, Can you play Diodato again? You know, um because it was very, very sensey, and um I it was just such a cool record. And as I um as I started like growing older, I I I started playing like like guitar, and then um one day um I got a DX7, which I still have today.

Speaker 1 6:31

Wow.

Speaker 6:32

Um, and I just like fell in love with this thing. Um and then I started like you know, seeing like, oh cool, you can make all these like cool sounds with like synthesizers, and look, I have MIDI, I can connect to that with my computer and do sequences and stuff like that. This is amazing. Um and then uh I later on I discovered like um like Brian Eno's ambient stuff, especially like music for airports, of course, but I think on land is the ambient four, because that's like the moody one. Um and it's it literally sounds like you're in Brian Eno's backyard with all the gurgly, slimy, creepy, crawly things. And I just love that kind of stuff. I do. It's just oh I'd like please more of this, you know? And then later on, I I I discovered like the answer like Aphex Twin and then other like maybe like shoegate artists like Cocktoo Twins or Slow Dyes and stuff like that. And then I discovered a lot of like the like more the like darker moody ambient stuff like Robert Rich or um which I you know he still masters all of our stuff and again talk about super talented people that I have no business being around at all because they're so much they're just absolutely incredible talents. He's one definitely one of them. And yeah, I think that's basically uh it. And I just like a lot of different kinds of stuff. Um, but um I always anytime I do music, it always ends up coming out like very, very spacey and cinematic, no matter what I try, you know. It always comes out that way. So I'm Metanoia, I was like um trying to put like bluesy things in there, um, you know, now and then. And you know, I I think they come they came across, but it still came out like spacey and very ethereal, because you know, that's whatever I do, it comes out that way, apparently.

Speaker 1 8:15

Did you ever get into any uh uh Bowie's Germany period when it was with you know making low and heroes and albums like that?

Speaker 8:22

Oh yeah. Oh yeah, definitely. Yeah, I love that stuff. And I remember like um also like uh like Can. I remember Can. I remember like um like uh also like um the album he did with uh with um like my life in the in the bush of ghosts, I think that was it. Um and also like with his ne his album with like Ya Wabble. Um yeah, yeah, Brianino, and even Brian Nino's like latest stuff. I mean, it is still so just so well done and so emotional and so just like I just I just cannot get enough, you know, of listening to that kind of stuff. I just love it. What about when he was with Roxy Music? Any of that? Oh yeah, yeah. So like um uh I remember um I remember hearing that like um that Brian you know was in Roxy Music, but I I'm not sure if I heard his stuff in there. I remember I remember a Roxy Music album when I discovered them. It was called Avalon from the 80s, and talk about that one. Oh yeah. Talk about just like an absolutely beautiful dream pump record, right? Um yeah, I I I've I've read I've read interviews where the band like just hated each other at that time, and I'm like, oh, but it this is so beautiful. I mean, so well done. And even to this day, whenever like that that guitar line from like more than this comes on, I'm like, oh, please just turn it up. That's a good record.

Speaker 1 9:44

Yeah, me too, man. I never tire that album and and to hear it on vinyl. Uh have you listened to it on vinyl?

Speaker 9:51

Um, I am um yeah, it's um I'm sure it is. I should get a vinyl, I should get an actual actual record player instead of just like uh streaming everything. So you don't have a vinyl collection? No, I don't. I I had a I had one when I was younger, um, but um I don't know. I tend to be kind of like a minimalist. And as much as I like you know collecting things like that, sometimes I like the space that they take up more than the things themselves, if you know what I mean. And I tend to uh sometimes, you know, I like to be in like a in a mostly empty room, if not completely empty, just because all the detritus that the world puts on you during the day, it can diffuse away, and you know, you can just like discover like you know the whole, you know, the you know the minimalist the the the spaciness, the the the serenity of it all, if you know what I mean. Right.

Speaker 1 10:43

So you've been doing this since the nineties. What album is this? How many have you released?

Speaker 10:48

Oh, okay. So the first one was Mercy, um, and that one is I don't know, it's really hard to find and probably a good thing because I had no idea. I mean, I had no idea what I was doing, and I don't I really don't think it sounds very good at all. I should probably maybe think about getting it remastered because I'm sure Jennifer would love that. She was a vocalist on that record. But after that it was um Touch from 2004, I think, maybe 2005. And that was um when, wow, all of a sudden we got a lot of people listening to us. I'm like, wow, that's cool, okay. Um, and then there was human, that uh that's the third one, and then Faith was the fourth one, and then uh we went through our shoegase period with Adore, Blush, and Shrine, five, six, and seven, and then there was a a compilation on project. So I think this is our ninth one at Metanoia, Metanoah.

Speaker 1 11:39

So how long would you say it took you to put it all together? It sounds like it was the logistics are all over the place, so it must have been uh quite the process.

Speaker 11:48

Oh yeah, so like um you mean like this record, right?

Speaker 1 11:52

Yes.

Speaker 11:53

Okay, so like uh we started it, like Shine came out in 2017, and so like um we started this around 2018, and the original theme was just to like uh reinterpret um myths from Ovid's metamorphosis to maybe apply those myths to like you know modern day and see if they still stick. Um and then this weird thing called the worldwide covet pandemic happened and everything slowed down so much, um, and it was very, very difficult to work with people, not because, well, one, people were in a very were very, very afraid, right? Um, and two, um, a lot of times I you know I couldn't, you know, I couldn't have them in my house anymore, or they I couldn't go to their house anymore and record. So um a lot of times we just learn to do everything, you know, over the internet, which is I mean, it it's a great tool because it allows people to you know connect and things like that. But um it's I really like being friends with my collaborators and I really like spending time with them because not only are they amazing talents, they're just great people to be around, and I always learn things from them. They have different perspectives than I, and every time I meet somebody with a different perspective than I do, um my my view of the world gets just a little bit wider, and I understand just a little bit more about what the what the human condition really is. And um, yeah, I'm not oh I I'm not sure I've answered your question.

Speaker 1 13:18

I like what you said. Uh it's a good way to look at the world and uh be open to what other people have to say. Um you know the the politics uh of today are really making mess of things. Probably I can agree. If people were were that way um, you know, in Washington, DC, things would be a lot different. I wish they were, but it's not that way. But anyway, um I don't want to I want to go down that road. But uh it's it's nice to see that you feel that way, particularly artistically, you know, you leave your ego at the door, and it's like, you know, let's let's get together and let's see what you think and what you think. And you you know, you have all these ideas floating in, and uh it it must be interesting processing all that and making a final decision on what direction to go with each track. Mm-hmm.

Speaker 14:16

Uh yeah, it is. Um basically a lot of times um so some of the people that I work with pre prefer to um collaborate once the track is more more developed, you know. Um but some of them like to be involved in the actual, you know, like like soundscapes and things like that. And I'm completely open to this kind of thing. Um a lot of times, you know, whenever I work with other people, they have ideas that you know I would have never even considered, and a lot of times those ideas make the music, you know, turn to you know, bring it into places way more beautiful than I ever could have thought of by myself. And yeah, that's I mean there's a real wonderful thing about collaborating. I mean, sometimes it's difficult because sometimes you have you know, people make, you know, you know, people have like different favorite parts and everything. But you know, I think the the pros, you know, definitely way outweigh the cons because you know, people are, you know, especially artists, you know, they could be so incredibly fun, fun people and interesting, and you know, and they can you know working together you can make things that you know neither of you could have ever made on by yourselves.

Speaker 1 15:23

And yeah, it's it's wonderful. So when you start, you come up, you go to the the synthesizer and come up with a bass chord, um, you know, and then just you know, uh create like one file and send it out to everybody. Say, this is what I got as a beginning, any ideas, and and people add things and it gets back to you, and you take it from there. Is that how it works? Or is there a different process?

Speaker 15:49

Oh no, oh yeah, that that that that is most of it. Um a lot of times I don't even have I mean, sometimes I have an actual idea for a song in my head, but a lot of times it's just this mood that comes over me, and I'll just, you know, you know, this this mood says, Yeah, there's something inside of you, see if you can bring it out, right? And um, I'll sit down on like a on my DX7 or my virus. I love my virus so much. Which sounds weird, right? Because like people, what, you have you have a virus? And like, yeah, virus the virus synthesizer. Um Yeah, it's uh when I first got that thing, um, you know, people were asking me what I did over the weekend. I'm like, I got a virus, and they're like, Oh, we're sorry. I'm like, no, this is the best thing I ever got. And they're like, What? And then I said, No, that it's the company caught access. They make this synthesizer called a virus. But anyway, um, so or sometimes I'll just like pick up a guitar, um, and you know, if I whatever this mood is, it ends up just playing through me, if you know what I mean. And I just, you know, my fingers and you know start doing things that I mean you know, I know cerebrally that I am in control, but like um emotionally, it really feels like that I'm that I'm channeling something else, if you know what I mean. And it's uh you know, the it it comes out that way, and sometimes I'll um develop it more. Um, but if I once I feel that it's you know that it's something that you know somebody might want to sing on, because a lot of the stuff I come up with, you know, I I just think, oh nobody wants to hear this, you know. But once I feel confident enough in it that I think somebody might want to, then I'll just ask, you know, I'll I'll ask people. I'll ask either the collaborators that I work with, um, or sometimes, you know, I'll just contact somebody new that's you know, I recently heard their thing, um their material, and I just thought, like, wow, um, you're you are you are incredible at what you do. Would you would you consider you know working with me on some ambient thing that is maybe way outside your wheelhouse, you know? But um, yeah, and then I'll yeah, I'll s I'll send it to people. Um yeah, a lot of times they'll come up with ideas, or sometimes they'll just say, I would love to work with you on that, and then we'll either try to get together personally, or um sometimes they'll just say, I would love to work with you on that, could you develop it a little bit more? Or develop in like three or four different ways, and I'll choose which way I like best, and then and then they they come up with you know absolutely amazing like lyrics and the vocals that end up you know just making it so, so gorgeous. Oh boy.

Speaker 1 18:21

Nice. I am so interested to hear what the process is with different artists and you know, um there definitely is a method and a and a uh passion involved with with anything artistic, I think. You know, and I I think you can feel that in your music. And um I'm wondering, uh did you have any practical training as a musician, or did you just pick up the the guitar and the synth and s the start and things develop from there?

Speaker 18:56

Um no, I would love um sometimes I yeah, I've never had, you know, any practical training. Sometimes I think that I would be so much better if I had it, you know? Um because you know, a lot of times, you know, when I was like playing with other people sometimes, um I would be playing something on either guitar or keyboards and they'd be like, Wow, what what key you're playing in? And I'm like, uh I don't know these keys here? You know um and then they would have to educate me, like, oh you're playing in C and I'm like, Oh, that's cool, thank you. You know. Um but yeah, I I just use I just picked it up. But a lot of times, you know, I read about or I'll um I'll listen to people who have clearly had, you know, like a lot of my collaborators have had a lot of musical training, you know, and I think this is part of the reason why they could do things that I just you know there's like way beyond me. Like like Erica, um the she's a vocalist, but she also plays cello. And wow, such an incredible talent. I mean, you know, one, a cello player is talented enough, a vocalist is also talented enough, but she could do both at once. And wow, I'm like, I could barely do one thing at once. You could do two if not more.

Speaker 1 20:06

Well, John, I really appreciate all your time and your conversation here. Um John Michael Zarko of Falling You and their album Metanoia. Is that how you would say it once again?

Speaker 20:20

Um yeah, I think that that works.

Speaker 1 20:23

Metanoia or Metanoia, yeah. And um yes, that's uh really been great talking with you today. And uh getting the review out and the in the interview and uh hopefully we can meet again in the future.

Speaker 20:40

Oh, I would love that. I would love that. I love meeting I would love I love meeting like the people, you know. Yeah, all the people everywhere. All right, John. You take care. Okay, you as well. Bye. Bye bye.