Zug Island

May 16, 2007

After a couple of quiet years, the Detroit rock scene seems to be back. For one band leading this resurgence, an island (no, not Bob-Lo) is serving as its musical inspiration.
Detroiters and downriver dwellers are familiar with the infamous Zug Island. This industrialized tract in the suburb of River Rouge (just south of Detroit) is at the mouth of the Rouge River where it spills into the Detroit River. It was the ultimate destination for the Edmund Fitzgerald the night it sank, and remains a landmark for the big freighters that traverse the Detroit River.
It became an island when a canal was made for shipping purposes in 1888. The island’s owner, Samuel Zug, sold it for $300,000 in 1891 to a group of Detroit industrialists for use as a dumping grounds. Today, the island is home to a steel operation.
 
FIRST IMPRESSION
For rocker Tim 2 Phat Smith of Zug Izland and his bandmates, the island has served as an inspiration.
“It is your first impression of Detroit when you pull in off of I-75 and look over the horizon and see this industrial island,” said Smith. “Like the island, we see our band as toxic, dirty and raw.”
The band will perform as part of a triple bill this Friday, May 18 at Streeters’ Ground Zero Nightclub. Joining Zug Izland will be Buckcherry and fellow Detroit rockers Critical Bill.
Rockers Zug Izland are actually based in the suburban Detroit communities of Royal Oak and Ferndale. Tight security on the physical island (a sign at the entrance gate says “Cameras Prohibited”) has kept the band from performing and recording at their namesake.
“They won’t let us out there, but we still are inspired by it,” said Smith.
The band formed in 2002 and released their first album, “Cracked Tiles,” on the Psychopathic label the following year. They quickly built a following in Detroit with their first single “Fire”, and their second release, a cover version of “Cry.”

HIT PARADE
In the underground scene of “Faygoluvers” or Juggalos (people who bring jugs of Faygo to concerts), Zug Izland hit it big with their single “Sunny Day”, the song they kick off most of their shows with.
These power rockers mix elements of classic rock’s big guitar sounds, ala Sabbath, with modern metal-style reverberations that blend funk/hip-hop heavy drums with hard-driving basslines.
Zug Izland made their first Northern Michigan appearance last June. They are looking forward to returning with their infectious, high-energy, hard-driving show.
“We look at every performance as being our favorite performance. We want it to be our epic concert. We never just want to go through the motions,” said Smith. “We have a light show, fog machines, our singers are swinging all over the stage, and you never know when a band member is going to go crowd surfing.”
As for the Detroit scene, Zug Izland sees it returning, and they are happy to be a part of it.
“Detroit is a powerful music town. Jack White (White Stripes) moved away because things were getting stale, and he was right. But that is changing; the scene is happening again,” said Smith. “We are seeing a lot of energy and great music out of here as of late. We will be joining Critical Bill from Detroit, and so everyone will get a real taste of what Detroit rock is all about right now.”
 
GOING FOR IT
If your normal modus operandi is to pass on the opening acts for a concert, you might want to reconsider. In fact, Buckcherry better be ‘on’ as the headliner because Zug Izland plans to raise the bar.
“Yeah, when you are the opening act, it is like being that guy coming off the bench. You have to give it your all the short time you’re in there,” said Smith. “So instead of playing the whole game, we are being asked to come out and make it happen in 30 minutes. You really have to be tight in this position, so we plan to let it all out right from the start.”
Zug Izland is in negotiations with a new label and plans to release “Promised Land” later this year. They are currently putting together a 35-date summer tour that will have them headlining and bringing with them some other Detroit bands.
 
For additional information on Zug Izland and to get a sneak listen to their music,
visit www.zugizland.com. For additional
information and tickets for their show, along with Buckcherry, and Critical Bill, Friday night at Streeters Ground Zero Nightclub, check out www.streetersonline.com, or call the box office at 231-932-1300.