Q&A: Zachary Murdock on the Fresh Layers Festival, Ghost to Ghost Vol. 2 & More

Q&ASpotlightMusic

Jan 21

Photo by Erick Madrid — *Photo by Taylor Cox*

RADIATING A STRONG SENSE OF GRACE AND AUTHENTICITY - Zachary Murdock creates a space for his listeners to feel at peace through his music. Though fresh off the release of his Ghost to Ghost Vol. 1 project, Murdock has kept busy and has been working on the second volume, expected out late February. With the intention to showcase a whole new soundscape, his upcoming works will reflect Murdock’s ability to consistently bring something fresh to his sound while maintaining the core aspects his listeners love.

Using the changing times in the music industry as a way to tap into innovation, Murdock will be joining Darryl McDaniels of Run DMC, Oberhofer, Spaceface and more for the Fresh Layers Festival on January 29th. All proceeds from the virtual festival will be going to proceeds to The Felix Organization a non-profit supporting foster children founded by Darryl McDaniels of Run DMC.

Whether it be through his musical projects, his documentary MANY MOONS or his novella "How To Die & Get Away With It", Murdock is able to channel his creative talents into a multitude of projects while always bringing a positive energy. Learn more about Murdock’s latest endeavors below and get your ticket to the Fresh Layers Festival to see a stacked lineup and support an important cause.

LUNA: How has your start to the new year been treating you?

MURDOCK: Hey Luna, grateful to be speaking with you. The beginning of my year has been a bit of everything I would say. Excitement, stress, joy, inspiration, frustration, sadness, gratitude, music, rage, parenthood.. It is obviously an incredibly intense time in the world and I do not think anyone is getting by unscathed. But wounds can inspire profound healing and a greater understanding of this mysterious existence, and so I am always keeping an eye on the silver lining potential in any time of pain and upheaval. Overall, the beginning of 2021 has been very alive and inspiring and I am thankful to be co-creating high level magic with so many incredible artists. As old paradigms break down we all have a choice. We can be the ashes of the old or the phoenix rising from it. I'm on the phoenix team.  

LUNA: Ghost to Ghost Vol. 2 is set to release late February, so what can you tell us about this project in comparison to Ghost to Ghost Vol. 1?

MURDOCK: Vol. 2 has a whole new sound, some Venice Beach, pirate, Beach Boys, stoner, surfer, Frank Ocean, Mamas and the Papas, Neville Brothers kind of vibes. Motown magic. Acoustic singer songwriter sounds with a hip-hop twist. Tattooed dudes who look tough singing incredibly vulnerable and introspective songs. Nonchalant intensity. Casual mini symphonies. A soundtrack to a movie (we will make). Ancient Future flows.

The musicians and artists behind this project are insane and I want to take a moment to shout out all of the creators involved: Kevin Joseph, Prospect Lux, Beats by Ghostwriter, Joshua Morales, Matthew Watkins, Davi Escobar, Ruby Modine, Will, Gazoo to the Moon, Lana Boy, Matthew Charof, Fali Talebi, Connected by Culture, Twinjo, The Things, Morteza Rafiei and the whole Channel the Sun Family!

LUNA: What’s been inspiring you lately? 

MURDOCK: Lately I have been listening to a lot of Sly and the Family Stone, Carole King, Frank Ocean and Yelawolf, who all inspire me to no end. I am a very seasonal creature and I go through phases where I read tons of novels, write poetry and record music, as well as times when I am more quiet and don't feel as motivated to write or read. I am currently in one of these quieter phases which feels like a gestation period, lots of things brewing under the surface but nothing quite ready to burst forth. So I would say silence has been inspiring me recently, taking time to just sit with myself without distraction and letting my unconscious mind bubble to the surface through daydreams and fantasies.  

LUNA: Your documentary MANY MOONS showcases a really vulnerable and personal look into your life - why was opening yourself up like this to your audience important to you?  

MURDOCK: My dear friend Morty who directed "Many Moons" had a vision to capture a side of my story that was more raw, simple and honest. I tend to rely heavily on poetry, metaphor and wild art to tell my stories and so it was refreshing to approach a project with a more straightforward and confessional tone. 

LUNA: You’ll be playing the Fresh Layers Festival later this month featuring Darryl McDaniels of Run DMC, Oberhofer, Spaceface and more. With the pause on in person live music events, what are you most looking forward to in playing this virtual concert? 

MURDOCK: As they say, "necessity is the mother of invention" and so I am inspired to be coming up with a special live experience with my creative team under these restrictive, Covid circumstances. I miss performing and having that connection with the audience but this will be an interesting opportunity to bring our music to the world in new ways. Restrictions are either a problem or an opportunity and in this instance I vote with opportunity. Definitely tune in on January 29th, we have some special things planned for the set.. 

LUNA: As the music industry shifts towards a more open minded space in terms of genres and the power of the individual, what changes would you like to see to better support artists? 

MURDOCK: Man. I could write a book about this question and I actually have. (Check out my debut novella "How To Die & Get Away With It")

Since I was a child I have felt the whispers of a new future coming into reality, one that encourages every individual to follow their unique passion, industries that are built on creativity and honesty, kindness and respect, collaboration and curiosity. For too long, entertainment has been about harnessing the muse, packaging inspiration into monetizable boxes which greatly reduces the ability for us to dream and evolve. There is no easy solution to creating a more sustainable and creatively conducive world other than to keep showing up and standing firm in what you believe. Society is changing rapidly, people are waking up and realness will always rise to the top. Our time is coming. I'm just grateful to be alive and am fiercely optimistic about what is in store for music, art and humanity as a whole. 

A great deal of the world of commerce which includes my work, is driven by the audience more than they know and the audience is driven like sheep too often by the commercial entities which control that marketplace. If the audience spends its money on lesser products, lesser products will continue to dominate the market. When the audience demands something better, when the audience awakens to its own power and hunger for transcendence, better things will appear in every area of their lives.

LUNA: What mantra or mindset has helped you evolve as a creative and individual?   

MURDOCK: The biggest wisdom that has kept me going is to always "presume meaning." When I am able to remember that I am on a divine journey and that everything happens for a reason, I am able to not only survive but to keep growing. When I forget this, everything feels hopeless and dead. So doing whatever I can to stay attached to that awareness is the key to my continued evolution. 

LUNA: It sounds like you got a lot coming up and it’s all very exciting! What do you hope the upcoming months of 2021 has in store for you? 

MURDOCK: We have so much in store for 2021, new EPs, music videos, a tv series, a comic book, vinyl records and much more. What I pray for these coming months is that I continue to let go of expectations and show up for what the universe has in store. If I can keep letting go of what I want, I always get what I need and I cannot wait to see what this journey has in store.

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Radiating a strong sense of grace & authenticity, Zachary Murdock creates a space for his listeners to feel at peace through his music 🌾Though fresh off the release of his ‘Ghost to Ghost Vol. 1’ project, Murdock has kept busy & has been working on the second volume + will be performing at the Fresh Layers Festival next week ✨ 🌟 Murdock is able to channel his creative talents into a multitude of projects while always bringing a positive energy - read our full feature with Murdock on our site now! (📸: #35mm by @amnesiapoetry )

⭐️THE YEAR OF YOU PANEL ⭐️ We’re teaming up with our favs at Unpublished to create a special panel to kick off 2021! Tune in for some chats with amazing industry professionals & FREE workshops on various creative fields ✨Make this your best year by investing some time in yourself & learn more about your craft. We’re sooooo stoked about this event & can’t wait to see you there 💫 🌈Swipe to see this stacked line up (like wow?!) & register for the panels you want to attend via the link in our bio!