A Dirty Dozen with PAUL ZAMOST from THE EFFIGIES – November 2026

Photo credit: Karl Spiekerman

According to a recent press release: “Fire Aim Ready is the sixth album from seminal Chicago punk band The Effigies. This is their first release featuring new lead vocalist Geoff Sabin, who took over following the tragic death of founding lead singer John Kezdy in 2023. The new album was recorded at Million Yen Studios in their hometown, and was produced, engineered and mixed by their guitarist Andy Gerber. The album is being released on 12” LP vinyl, CD, digital download and streaming services by the venerable Chicago independent label Pravda Records October 23. Following writing sessions between live dates in late 2025, the album came together featuring the riff heavy punk metal the band became known for in the 80’s with sharp lyrics and aggressive vocals showcasing a clear-eyed worldview on the current state-of-affairs. Written and recorded quickly to capture the moment, the album also includes a cover song from the Stranglers as a nod to the band’s early influences. This is the band’s first release since Burned in 2024, the last album to feature Kezdy.” We get bassist Paul to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

I do believe this will be an album that comes at you so many different ways it will invite a lot of repeat listens, there are no hidden nuggets but maybe an unhidden gem, our track “Lucy’s Song” has guest Vocals by Jeff Pezzati, Josh Caterer and T. Duggins (Naked Raygun, Smoking Popes, The Tossers).

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I was 4 years old and saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show, I saw all these girls screaming and going crazy for them …that was the moment.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

I was lucky to have my older brother Bruce who turned me on to Hendrix when Jimi was still alive along with Cream, Rory Gallagher, Black Sabbath Alice Cooper, and many others. He took me to see Jethro Tull when I was 14 and I was hooked on live shows ever since.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Living: Dave Grohl reasons are obvious. Dead: Jimi Hendrix, same thing.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

I play da bass … good thing I live alone.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

One of The Effigies greatest strengths may also be our greatest weakness, we have always been a hard band to describe. We can be heavy as any band ever and still make you wanna dance as well. Someone once said we were “Heavy Metal Disco,” which in turn we just may call our next album.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Drinks are on the house! We have been travelling across the country this year in a cramped van playing punk shows with multiple openers, if one of us pulled out an acoustic guitar for a sing a long they would probably get beaten with it! sometimes we do a team breakfast, I crack the eggs.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

I guess I was a bit starstruck when we opened for The Black Crows and Chris Robinson came to our dressing room and hung out… he was cool.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

The best part is being locked in as a unit and jamming our asses off. That’s the only dream job if I cant do that anymore then… Sayonara.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

Well as a bass player I dont get many bass oriented questions so maybe more of those. We are basically still an unknown band so we’ll never get tired of questions and these days we’ve been splitting the interviews equally amongst us which helps keep it from getting too repetitious.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

Well I’m 67 – I can write a whole book from that question alone… which just gave me an idea.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

The Beatles Revolver album, I can play “Yellow Submarine” on kazoo! It was one my favorite albums as a kid.

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Category: Interviews