DOWNTOWN TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — An up-and-coming Tucson rock band is ready to celebrate the next big milestone in their young career.
The three members of Znora will host family, friends and new fans at their party at Hotel Congress Plaza Sunday. Once they play their set-list of new songs on their first record, all three will try to get some rest and head back to class Monday morning.
Good Morning Tucson has followed Znora on their journey over the last few months. We came to join them during rehearsal a few days before they drove up to the Phoenix Metro and won Alice Cooper's big yearly talent show.
That achievement meant Znora then earned the right to open for the legendary band at their annual Christmas concert.
Starting the new year, Adrián Negrete, Joshua Montaño and Johny Rohde want to share their original songs with fans in Southern Arizona. Their new record is an extended play, or EP — not a single, but also not enough songs yet for a full album.
We checked in with the band over Zoom before Sunday's concert and record release. Negrete and Rohde shared their thoughts on going into the studio to record and playing their songs together at the same time.
"A lot of bands, when you record, they play a (beat track)," Rohde said, "but we didn't do that. We just all recorded in the same room together and played, and then that's what we recorded the drums. Then on top of that, we added all the other layers," he said.
Negrete said that setup lets his bandmates tap into their chemistry and interact in the moment. "We're all next to each other, we're not all in separate rooms... and then we went back, did guitar separately onto Josh's drums."
We also asked Znora about how each band member is doing, balancing their artistic passions and aspirations while also going to class. Adrián and Johny are still in high school, but Josh has different responsibilities as a college student at the University of Arizona.
"Even to get to this interview, I came from class; I was getting help with my math homework," Montaño said. "For me, it's a struggle to balance band and school life and even social life sometimes. But, either way, I've been having so much fun with this. I'm so excited for the EP to come out."
Znora said they hope new fans will like the songs they've picked for the EP. They'll play those tracks at the release party and concert that starts at 4 p.m. Hotel Congress is at 311 E. Congress St.
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José Zozaya is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. Before arriving in southern Arizona, José worked in Omaha, Nebraska where he covered issues ranging from local, state and federal elections, to toxic chemical spills, and community programs impacting immigrant families. Share your story ideas and important issues with José by emailing jose.zozaya@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
