Quality Americana

This week we feature the first release from Rearview, a powerful throwback to the early 2000’s indy era from longtime songwriter Zach Filler. 

Filler recently relocated to Denver from Austin, where the inspiration and direction for Rearview was formed. 

“A change in scenery won’t always fix all of your problems,” FIller said,” but man sometimes you’ve got to go with your gut and not be afraid to make a move. I have such a big Austin family that has been such an influence and inspiration to me, helping me harness my roots not even just as a musician, but as a songwriter and a singer that really kind of helped map out what I’m doing now with Rearview.”

Growing Up

Filler picked up the guitar in his early teens, inspired by Van Halen and Ozzy Osborne. 

“I spent grueling hours every day playing the bass line to Crazy Train,” Filler said as he hummed the melody, “which took about a year of sitting in my room. I remember my Dad came in and told me to turn the radio down, but it was actually me playing the riff on my amp.” 

Filler’s Great Grandmother would play the piano while he was growing up along with his Great Grandfather singing and playing on the guitar. 

“That made me want to pick up the guitar,” Filler said. “It wasn’t too long after picking it up that it became an outlet for me to handle life’s ups and downs.” 

Filler’s Step-Mother worked for Electra Records, and while he was growing up the grunge era music was heavily played at home. 

“We’d clean up the house on Sunday mornings and she was blasting Sheryl Crow, Greenday, Everclear,” Filler said. “That was the first music as a kid that really inspired me and got me to hear music for the first time.”

Long Time Coming

While Filler spent countless nights performing his songs around the campfire, and working alongside friends with their projects on the guitar, he never got around to releasing anything under his own name.

“I’ve played big shows, I’ve played small shows, but the best music times in my life were those campfires where it’s raw and stripped down and we’re all connecting on an intimate level.” 

Filler said the song was written well past midnight at his Mothers home. 

“It just wasn’t meant to be, but I wanted it to work,” Filler said. “She had different plans, but I thank her very much because every single word poured out of me so quick.”

Filler plays every instrument on the track, as well as harmonizing with himself. Michael Wingate is the only other artist on the recording on the drum set.  

“I spent grueling hours working on my vocals in the last year,” Filler said. “I tried not to spend too much time on it, but I really wanted to bring it to life in the best way that it could because it started becoming like an anthem.”

Filler took the song from acoustic to a full on electric sound, one that takes us back to some of those grunge era songs or that early indy gold. “Webs” is getting some well deserved airplay and is a launching pad for Filler, who’s finally found his unique sound. 

“It’s full circle,” Filler said. “It’s a feeling that means a lot for me, and ‘Webs’ was the first song I ever wrote that poured out in thirty minutes. I was going through a break up with a girl and as you’re going through relationship struggles you find yourself covered in blue.”

A New Chapter

The song describes leaving Texas, and leaving past troubles behind for a new chapter in life.

“Texas will always be my home,” Filler said, “but I knew that a new avenue was calling me. I put things in the rearview, but also the rearview mirror is for you to be able to look at. I don’t want to put anything behind me and forget it all, I want to be able to look at it and still see it.” 

Filler is working on building a line-up for the live band, and a follow up single is in the works. 

“I came up with this term ‘backroad alternative,’” Filler said. My drummer calls it ‘alternative moody-western.’ I’ve gained a lot of love for country music, and folk music and Americana.”

“Webs” was mixed and mastered by Kevin Rendleman.

“He is a well seasoned drummer and producer that has worked for a lot of my huge emo pop-punk influences,” Filler said. 

It’s one heck of a first release for someone that spent a long time planning. 

“This is the work of me staying up all night and going insane and losing sleep,” Filler said,” but there’s no price for good art. It’s a sacrifice.”

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More information on Rearview can be found here.

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