› ROADSTERS AND REVELERS:
Monty's new band featuring Fee Falletti on drums, Ray Sadolsky on bass and background vocals and Chris Neufeld on keys and background vocals performed their new songs for the first time on New Year's Eve at Julie's Branding Iron in Bakersfield. The audience was stunned into rapt attention by these brilliant new melodies and showed their wholehearted approval of the new line-up who also brought new life to some ZRP favorites. Monty and Fee and the new players are bubbling with excitement over this new project and these exceptional new songs and are half way through recording the next album. Please pass the word; the musical adventure that began with the Zen Road Pilots continues on with this new band.
› ZRP CRASHES
Unfortunately, I have to report to you that the love bomb that was the Zen Road Pilots has exploded.
Fee, Ira, Monty, Paul and Jimmy all wish to thank those souls that received nourishment form this music and gave it back in the form of laughter, dance, applause and by spending your hard earned money on a ticket. In this way your inspiration became a part of the music and stoked the engine-fires of the Zen Road Pilots.
While maintaining it over long periods of time is difficult, we hold fast to the rare sense of inspiration and brotherhood that was our hallmark. We will see you all...down the Zen Road.
› SHOW REVIEW - NASHVILLE
 Rusty's Cage - Nashville, TN. ZRP demonstrate immediately as they take the stage why Beth Hart personally picked them to open. The three piece band has the make-up of THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE, bringing Hendrix sixties style to the forefront while using blues as a great foundation to build on. The crowd responded with hoots and hollers while applauding, letting this opener know they are a treat. Monty Byrom (guitars, vocals) has a voice that most blues singers can only dream about. It is rare that we make our way down to the front at any show but it was a necessity to get up close to see just who had the amazing chops. As if the vocals were not enough, he began to fire off tribal guitar solos with blistering precision and had all eyes locked on the stage.
Ira Walker (bass,vocals) gives the vibe of Jimi Hendrix with the look of Michael D. Roberts as Rooster on Baretta. Rooster was one of the greatest characters on television in the 70's. Rooster's look was based on a combination of Jazz musicians of the 20's and the pimping style of the 70's. Walker is more than his look as he commands the stage with punishing funk driven bass. His vocals blend with Byrom's and add smooth overtones which become another instrument all together. It was hard to take your eyes off the stage as each songs builds to the next. Tom "Fee" Falletti (drums, percussion,vocals) has such flare behind the kit that he is often driven to stand and play, only bringing the crowd more in-sync. He came with a complete kit, not just a couple toms, a snare, high hat and some cymbals. His kit was loaded and he was ready to rock the crowd until the very end of their set. His back beats dominate the direction of every song yet he knew when a song called for a quiet touch. This band is the real deal live with their ability to grab the crowd's attention early then playing to them while letting the music do the talking. Link to more
› ARTICLE (Bakersfield Californian)
Band reunion is magical. By Matt Munoz Californian staff writer
Playing the music he loves with the men he was destined to play with -- that's how Monty Byrom of Zen Road Pilots describes the musical partnership he's reformed with longtime friends and former bandmates Ira Walker and Tom "Fee" Falletti.
Their new self-titled album and tour is the product of mended ways and a rediscovered brotherhood. It's a close bond that is bringing these vintage souls to Buck Owens' Crystal Palace.
The reunion is certainly special for drummer Falletti.
"It's like Christmas for me, because I'm getting a second chance at something in my life. When we were kids, we blew it. We knew it. We were too full of ourselves and just being silly. Now that we're grown and everybody's sober, it's been a lot of fun."
The trio first aimed for success with bandmate Danny Chauncey as Billy Satellite. The band, which started with a major label debut at the height of the MTV era, had an edge over most of the competition in the early '80s.
(read the entire article)
› BAM magazine article by Pat Johnson
When my old friend Herbie Herbert called me and booked time for a photo session with Zen Road Pilots, it triggered something in everyone involved. I had photographed most of the members of Capitol Records rock band Billy Satellite numerous times in the '80s. We all became friends, and after Billy Satellite fell apart. I worked with most of them in other projects over the years.
Now, more than 25 years after we first met, three-quarters of the original band are together again. The vibe was electric in the photo studio. Zen Road Pilots' new self-titled CD has vocalist/guitarist Monty Byrom, bassist/vocalist Ira Walker, and drummer Tom "Fee" Falletti. The Zen Road Pilots are the classic three-piece power trio. Herbie has pulled together some of his old creative team with art director Jim Welch (Journey, Steve Miller, Doobie Bros., Grateful Dead), producer Tom Size (Aerosmith, Joe Satriani), manager Paul Kalman, and me as photographer.. The new CD, starting with the amazing artwork fills a void in the guitar-driven, songwriter music that has been lacking of late! Buy their CD, you won't be disappointed. Pat Johnson for BAM
L-R Fee, Monty & Ira
› Zen Road Pilot BIO
The Zen Road Pilots are a three-piece rock band in the classic tradition. They combine the psychedelic blues of the sixties with gorgeous melodies, and hit songs with free-wheeling jams that inspire the mind and motivate the feet. Add two world-class singers, and you have yourself a huge sound in a very small package. The driving force behind this band is the rock-solid rhythm section, comprised of the intricate bass playing of Ira Walker and the relentless attack of drummer Tom “Fee” Falletti, who have a lock on the pocket. Soaring over this sturdy foundation are the high-flying guitars of Monty Byrom, who deftly combines ripping psychedelic guitar riffs with sweet, soulful melodies. (more)
› Meaning of Zen
The word Zen has become part of the English language, but what exactly does it mean? It’s much easier to answer the question “When is Zen?”, for that answer would have to be “Now!”. The whole point of Zen practice is to become fully aware, here and now. To come home to the present moment; this is truly where we live. Thinking verbally takes us far into the past, or into the distant future. But both past and future are fantasies, since the future isn’t known and our memories of the past are often quite distorted accounts of what really happened. Zen exhorts one to “Come to your senses!”, for when we get lost in thoughts of the past or future, life passes us by. When one mindfully dwells in the present moment, one completely dissolves into whatever activity manifests. One becomes the activity. Most people have had peak experiences, which all involve being so totally involved with life that one’s sense of separateness dissolves into the experience. Very Zen.
The word ‘Zen’ is the Japanese attempt at pronouncing the Chinese word ‘Chan’, which in turn is the Chinese attempt at pronouncing the Sanskrit word ‘Dhyana’, which translates as ‘meditation’. And indeed, the word Zen conjures up an image of motionless Buddhist monks lost in deep meditation. This mysterious image becomes less mysterious when you realize the monks are simply practicing being here now. And even cats frequently practice that.
Cognitive scientists tell us that it takes about a third of a second for our brains to start thinking about a sensory experience (meaning verbally interpreting it). A third of a second is a vast chasm separating one from “right now”.
Link to complete article "What Is The Meaning Of Zen" by Raphael Espericueta
› Tales Of The Zen Road Pilots
TALES OF THE ZEN ROAD PILOTS
By Paul Kalman
PART ONE - A Clue of Tremendous Promise
For some, it was the poster art that made the brain crack and the mind flip-flop. For others, it was the music giving way to dance that caused a deeper widening. For many, it was the savory scent of smoldering hemp flowers that attached to the receptors of imagination and loosened time. In any event, reborn was the tradition of small bands of Road Pilots in search of their inner—and outer—Zen.
It was one such band of this tribe of Zen Road Pilots that discovered a clue of tremendous promise outside a gig in Zenia, California. The clue was neither written on a tablet nor hidden in ancient transcript, but rather, it was discovered in riddles that emanate from late-night conversations in smoke-filled speakeasies and in the intimate back lounges of rolling buses. (More! Read the whole story here)
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I Don't Need Nobody
Byrom / Walker / Falletti
I don’t need nobody
I can just help myself
I don’t want somebody
I been on the wrong side and I just need a little help
There’s a whisper I can hear it now
Always riding with the wind
There’s this moment well it shouts out loud
I don’t want to lose it till the end
I don’t need a lover
I ain’t got time for no friends
When the fun is over
I’m gonna be there till the bitter end
There’s a whisper I can hear it now
Always riding with the wind
There’s this moment well it shouts out loud
I don’t want to lose it till the end
I don’t need nobody
I can just help myself
I don’t want nobody
I been on the wrong side and I just need a little help
There’s a whisper I can hear it now
Always riding with the wind
There’s this moment well it shouts out loud
I don’t want to lose it till the end
The Muse
Byrom / Walker / Falletti / Kalman
I'm on the news
I'm on the wire
I've been riding high
For a while
I found the muse sleeping and snuck into her dream
Begged her not to leave me
And this is what she said
Let it go.
She said;
When you close your eyes
That’s when you can fly
A deeper understanding
Right before your eyes
A certain kind of notion
It's all a state of mind
Where everything is floatin
Without ever tryin
Let it go
We’re are on the move
Our eyes afire
Everything is possible
Before us go the miles
Looking for an answer
But I already know
If you want to hold the feeling
You just have to
Let it go
Wildest Dreams
Walker / Byrom / Falletti / Kalman / Rabb / Mathews
All my life People talk about me
They don’t understand me
Or the way I live
What’s to understand
I’m no different than what you can see
What you don’t understand
You can believe
Our lives can go As deep as the sea
Our lives can go Go and go
Our lives can go
As deep as the sea
Deeper than your imagination
Wilder that your wildest dreams
It’s not everyday
You find yourself
Oh so lucky
Just to be alive
Give all you got
Get all you can
Just remember
What’s in your heart
The future is in your hands
Our lives can go
As deep as the sea
Our lives can go
Go and go
Our lives can go
As deep as the sea
Deeper than your imagination
Wilder than your wildest dreams
Possibilities For Joy
Byrom / Kalman / Vincent
Sleep well my darling
Don’t let worry crease your brow
In emotion you’ll find power
It’s all right for now
What I’m about to tell you
Understood and put to use
Will un-tie the knotted bow
Across your universe
If you can lose yourself in anger's flame
Or be overcome by burning hate
Be consumed by the moment’s lust
What are the possibilities
For joy
Within the dragons lair
The power to change resides
One feeling for another
Modify your frame of mind
Where a fearful man finds courage
The desperate can find hope
Ride in on a hateful dragon
And ride back out on love
If you can lose yourself in anger's flame
Or be overcome by burning hate
Be consumed by the moment’s lust
What are the possibilities
For joy
Is What Is
Byrom / Walker / Falletti
instrumental (no lyrics)
Goin' Home
Byrom
I was born a singer
Cause my mama was a singer
And my daddy he could sing a little too
They both knew right from wrong
They’d write them cheatin songs
Sing’em all night long
Finally goin, goin home
I was way too young
When my mama told me, son
There’s a new dad movin in
But there’ll be lots of singin
And the love that he’ll be bringin
Will keep us warm when we’re alone
Finally goin, goin home
That’s alright
We’re together again
Most every night
I speak to the wind
I was born a singer
Cause my mama was a singer
And my daddy he could sing a little too
They both knew right from wrong
They’d write them cheatin songs
Sing’em all night long
Finally goin, goin home
Finally goin, goin home
But that’s alright
We’re together again
But that’s alright
We’re together again
Broken Mirror
Walker / Butler / Wurth
Damn this broken mirror
Why don’t you lie to me
The truth keeps getting nearer
You fool you couldn’t see
Her kind of love was more than enough
But you watched her walk away
Damn this broken mirror
Why couldn’t you lie to me
Damn this bottle of whiskey
Well it aint workin no more
It ain’t drownin any of my memories
Like it did before
Now the pains too much
And the nights get rough
And the fire’s just too hot to tame
Oh, damn this broken mirror
Why couldn’t you lie to me
Go on and lie to me
Oh, damn this broken glass
I’m really startin to bleed
With pieces of my past
You know I don’t want to keep
Oh, love is not a game, heartache is a pain
And pride will just cut you deep
Damn this broken mirror
Why don’t you lie to me
Lie, lie, lie to me
Why don’t you lie to me
Tell The Truth
Byrom / Walker / Falletti
I been hearin about it
All my friends keep tellin me
Some days I don’t believe you baby
I’m just too blind to see
I never knew the truth
I never wanted
Something is new
And I’m wondrin why
I didn’t know
Tell the truth
Won’t you tell the truth
There aint nothing I ain’t done
Under the sky or the sun
I ain’t learned a thing baby
You keep tellin me that
I’m just goin insane
I never knew the truth
I never wanted
Something is new
And I’m wondrin why
She didn’t try
To tell the truth
Won’t you tell the truth
What A Blind Man Can See
Byrom / Hart / Vincent
He knows his wrong from his right
It’s really something to see
He looks straight into the light
He ain’t afraid to believe
What a blind man can see
There ain’t no slowin him down
He feels the world with his feet
Though he ain’t wearin no crown
He’s got everything he needs
What a blind man can see
Sometimes we get high on the truth
Sometimes we become drunk on a lie
But I know the difference between
But I can’t tell you what a
What a blind man can see
You don’t know where I’m comin from
You only think that you do
Your whole world has come undone
Best thing that’s happened to you
What a blind man can do
Sometimes we get high on the truth
Sometimes we become drunk on a lie
But I know the difference between
But I can’t tell you what a
What a blind man can see
What a blind man can see
God's Face
Walker
A lonely man listens to the radio
It's just about the only friend he's got
When the talk shows over, his favorite songs played
He reaches out his hand to turn it off
In the silence he tries to remember
Where he might have gone wrong
His failures hit him all at once
Oh lord it's got to be the saddest song
(chorus) It’s a cold world we live in
But there's a spirit inside at peace
As the stars burn out in the morning light
My star that fell became a tear
Upon God’s face
Can’t go far enough, on an endless road
Like riding on the ship of fools
If you’re reading a book, with a page torn out
You won't quite get all the truth
It’s time to decide, is this just a ride
Or a journey to where you wanna go
Many men have tried, all of their lives
To light the spark that fuels the flame of hope
(repeat chorus)
Oh, it’s a cold cold world we live in
But there's a spirit inside at peace
As the stars burn out in the morning light
My star that fell became a tear
Upon God’s face
A lonely man listens to the radio
It's just about the only friend he's got
Hey Marty
Byrom
Hey Marty I haven’t seen you in a while
You’re so familiar
It’s like steppin back in time
When you used to hold our future
In the palm of your hand
There was magic all around us I never wanted it to end
Hey Marty I’ve been stuck out on this road
And I need you
You’ve been down this road before
Always told me Some day this all will end
So look around and enjoy the ride
And don’t forget your friends
You came and you went Way too fast for me
There’s a few things I wish
I’d said a little differently
But when the sun goes down
For the very last time
Hey Marty You’ll still be on my mind
I remember
You did some real big things for me
Hey Marty Back then I was too naive
I wanted you to know
That this kid from Bakersfield
Still got some tread left on the tires
And I’m still spinnin wheels
You came and you went
Way too fast for me
There’s a few things I wish I’d said a little differently
But when the show is over
and everyone is feelin fine
Hey Marty, you’ll still be on my mind
Take The Fall
Byrom / Walker / Falletti / Kalman
I'm going crazy
You gotta take the wheel
There's something maybe
Only time we will reveal
It goes on and on
Her sweet lovin
A little dangerous
She wants a super supernatural
She make me take the fall
I woke up Wednesday morning
Her love still killing me
I just can't resist her
Now she's got me on my knees
She can't do no wrong With her sweet lovin
Take the fall
And she wants a super supernatural
Take the fall
That's how I feel
Is this real
Baby baby baby
My mystic lady
I’ll take it from here
If you just tell me
Tell me the words that I want to here
I want to be her man
She just wants a super
She wants a superman
It goes on and on
Her sweet lovin
A little dangerous
Take the fall
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