Munching on some snacks in the lead singer’s living room, the NTZ dudes chatted about how they formed as a band, their favorite moments, and how thankful they are for each other.
New Time Zones are currently working on their third EP – Stage Two. They released “Silhouettes at a Distance” in 2017, “Stage One” in 2018, and now they’re recording “Stage Two.”
Another fun fact about Justin is that his name in their group chat is “worried dad.” David said about Justin – “you’re like the most functioning, anxiety-ridden person I’ve ever met in my entire life, just in a constant state of paternal concern.”
Meet the Band
Harry Duff plays bass in the band. He is known for spilling drinks and not liking some types of cheese.
David Rey plays guitar and writes most of the music for the band. He said it’s always been super important to him that they focused on finding the identity of the band from the start, and he likes to have a collaborative writing process.
David and Harry have known each other since middle school and Harry used to go over to David’s house to practice music. They eventually started a band with some pals. After a few lineup changes, they found lead singer Justin Shelton from a Craigslist ad. Justin joined in and immediately started writing with the band and helped book gigs.
“It’s through Justin’s dogged persistence that we get shows,” David said.
When Justin first practiced with the band in 2015, David said it felt like the band was hoping for a second date like “oh I thought it went really well, but is he going to come back, or was he just being polite?” That type of feeling. Luckily, Justin saw potential with the band and stuck around.
Last year, they added Freddy Bell as the drummer, and they couldn’t be happier with the decision.
“Freddy is such a wonderful fit,” David said. “he gets the music, I love his enthusiasm and his energy, and he’s a really good dude.”
Freddy reached out to Justin after he heard they needed a drummer.
“I don’t really know what compelled me to message them, but I somehow quit my job in the midst of all this and dedicated my soul to drumming,” Freddy said.
When Freddy first joined, NTZ played a show at the 51st St. Speakeasy in OKC. He was nervous about the gig and felt like he messed it up. While carrying gear to the car after the gig, Freddy asked Harry if he was still in the band.
“I was like ‘what are you talking about – of course!’” Harry said. “I brought him in close and gave him a hug.”
Freddy said this was the first show of his life.
David said the band came together in a safe environment. They didn’t burn out and get exhausted right off the bat, and they didn’t have a really terrible show or a really panicked start. They’ve been kickin’ ever since.
During the interview, Harry clarified that he does like SOME types of cheese. He also said his girlfriend doesn’t like spaghetti or pizza. This photo got more interaction on their Instagram than their new music video.
About the Tunes
New Time Zones’ music is pretty universal, and they’ve played everywhere from quiet coffee shops to house shows. The music has often been described as indie-rock.
“We just love to play,” Justin said. “Anytime we get an opportunity to play, we would love to play.”
On the “Stage One” EP, the music is more contemplative. David said it’s music that’s good for just turning the lights out and enjoying, isolating yourself and making the music happen at you. But “Stage 2” is going to be a little bit more groovy.
“We try to make our music whatever we want to make it, and people who listen can make it whatever they want to make it,” Freddy said.
They’ve got everything they need for “Stage Two” including album art and upcoming shows, and they’re ready to start promoting it.
“Stage Two” will have 5 songs, just like “Stage One,” and then they will make the “Full Sequence” with 12 songs total.
They said the money they make from shows goes right into studio recording costs.
People think in a band of four people, that we split the money four ways. We split it one way,” David said. “It all goes towards the band.”
NTZ is working with Andrew Bair at Dead Format Records in Tulsa. David said Andrew understands what they’re trying to do with the music, and he understands a lot about mic placement and the space of a room. He’s got a good ear, David said.
They’ve also worked with Nathan Price from Broncho to drum on recent EPs, which left the NTZ guys feeling a little starstruck.
from Cheetos and Fender.
Politician Fight Club
New Time Zones just released a new music video for “Scenes from Before” last month, and it’s not like anything you’ve seen before. The music video features Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, and Bashar al-Assad all fighting in the dirt.
They worked with Cait Brasel and Jonathan Shahan from Deep Focus Creative to make the video.
By the way, the punches were staged, but that doesn’t mean the band members didn’t still get hit pretty hard. Justin said he got hit in the nose by an elbow at some point during the shoot, and he felt sore for three days.
I’m With the Band
New Time Zones have come a long way as a band, and despite moments of questioning, they said they’re in it for the long haul.
“As a person, any time you’re trying to do something, there’s always a self-defeating moment like “what am I doing, is this even good?” Justin said.
He said there’s often a pressure to make something better than your last project, which can get tiring.
They also said they find it difficult sometimes to get people out to shows, but sometimes finding a couple dedicated fans and putting in the work is all it takes.
“When you’re DIY and you’re literally trying to build everything up and treat it like a business, you have to have people backing you and supporting you,” Justin said. You can’t do it all by yourself.”
David said he’s enjoyed seeing growth from other Oklahoma bands, but it saddens him to see bands fall apart. Harry put a list together of the bands they played with in 2017, and about half of them are no longer bands.
“I think the most challenging part about keeping a band going is keeping it fun,” David said.
Justin said he’s excited about the Oklahoma scene because it seems like bands are really building each other up, and he’s seen more people come out to shows in recent years, even people from totally different scenes in totally different cities driving out to see a gig after a long day.
“People are proud of Oklahoma music, and that’s a big thing,” David said.
New Time Zones are playing The Fur Shop on Feb. 23. You can stream their newest EP, “Stage One” on any streaming platform!
The NTZ guys have gone through a cycle of drummers, but they’re thankful to have found Freddy. When he first joined, David was skeptical there was a catch – like he had 17 kids, but Freddy has fit in just right with the band.
A note on the New Time Zones social media –
Justin’s girlfriend, Alyssa Cross, runs the social media for the band and posts different types of engaging content (aka memes). Harry said he feels like this has been a good way to get people involved rather than just have a bunch of pictures of the band on stage. David said he feels like it helps remind people that musicians are wacky just like everyone else.
Oh and, sometimes, if the band takes too long to respond to a message about social media posts, Alyssa just posts whatever she feels like.
For more quirky Oklahoma band content, feel free to check out the “feud” between Ben Quad and Cliffdiver.