Richard Orange.Com - Zuider Zee articles

Zee gives much more music than was expected.

By Walter Dawson (1979)
Several years ago when Zee were playing local clubs, it was quite obvious that lead singer-guitarist Richard Orange, who has a tremendous perspective for rock and roll, was it's creative focal point. So when a new band with Orange in it began appearing recently, it was assumed that it was a situation of "Richard Orange and some backup musicians."

Especially since guitarist Doug Mayo had never played lead guitar in a band before. He was a keyboard player in Jaguar.

And especially since Doug's brother, David Mayo, was knows (at least to recent listeners) as a bass player who played well, but that was about the extent of it.

And then, too, drummer Steve Mergen was pretty much an unknown quantity, coming as he did from up North not very long ago.

From left:David Mayo,Richard Orange,
Steve Mergen,Doug Mayo.

It was a mistaken assumption, as anyone who has seen the new band, called simply Zee, can attest.Doug May plays a finely textured lead guitar that works well in conjunction with Orange's playing, Mergen is a drummer of solid proportions, and David Mayo possesses a very rock and roll tenor voice that adds much to the band's dimension. In addition, all the members write, not just Orange.

The group plays a music that is touched with new wave phrasing yet has several other prominent roots, including Memphis soul and English Harmony. In fact, to call it a new wave is actually somewhat misleading. There is a pronounced toughness to their music (brought out particularly in the songs Orange sings), which is too gritty to have a relationship to new wave,and the music's excitement comes as much from it's dynamics as from it's suppleness.
Nevertheless there is a definite newness to what the band is doing.

With so many writers and so many diverse influences, the group's writing is surprisingly cohesive, and it is often difficult to tell which song has been written by whom. In fact, one of the band's highlights is the melding of two songs by different writers into one work.

This is a band, and Orange himself is the first to make that point.
"I never thought I'd get the opportunity again to be in a band I wanted to be in," he said. "Didn't really have any plans to. I stopped trying to do things and things started happening."

Since Zuider Zee broke up in 1976, Orange has been "doing lots and lots of demos, trying to see where I belonged - and it all led back to a group."

Since Zuider Zee broke up in 1976, Orange has been "doing lots and lots of demos, trying to see where I belonged - and it all led back to a group."
Zee began taking shape around February around Orange, Mergen and David mayo. Mergen had been in town only about a year. The Illinois native had been working in Chicago studios after doing some time at North Texas State University and decided it was time to get warm.
"I moved to Memphis on a complete fluke," he said. "I was sick of the Illinois winters, and I had heard of Memphis so much, And it was the first musical city south."

Mayo, whose credits include Edgewood, The Village Sound, Ruby Starr and Grey Ghost and a brief stint with Jaguar, "was just hanging around doing some sessions and got together with Richard."
Doug Mayo joined later. Doug had gotten away from the music scene after Jaguar's deal with RCA Records ended and "went back to school (Memphis State) and got a job, 'till I got tired of working and decided I wanted to get back into music."

From the start it was agreed that the band would have fun and it's members an equal share of responsibilities. That wasn't stated as such; it was simply felt.
"We've found a common ground," said David mayo, "and we really feel comfortable... It's the first time I've had this feeling of camaraderie."
"Usually," Mergen added, "we don't discuss what's happening musically - it just happens."
It is strange, but it obviously works and everyone is happy with it.
Especially Richard Orange. "I spent most of my life trying to teach my last band how to play and have fun. They learned how to play, but they never did learn to have fun. then I met these guys and they've taught me how to have fun."

- The Commercial appeal, Memphis, Sunday Nov. 4th 1979.