Wilhemina Butfunger of Boise, Idaho

Over the years, I can count on two hands the number of music artists to make a profound impact on my tastes:

• The Beatles
• Bob Marley
• Fishbone
• Brian Wilson
• Jellyfish
• Jason Falkner
• Radiohead
• Psychodelic Zombiez

Yeah, it stands out like a sore thumb don't it? You're working your way through the list, nothing looks too out of the ordinary, and then boom -- PSYCHODELIC ZOMBIEZ!?!?!? Call it one of those "right time, right place" thangs, but I have as much trouble articulating my passion for all things PZ as I do any of the others on the list. This is a good thing, of course, because nothing so good can be explained in clear and simple terms.

Where the Zombiez are concerned, three factors are at play:

1. Uncanny talent
2. Extremely warped sense of humor
3. Scene boy politics

As it relates to uncanny talent, I'm still blown away by what these guys were able to accomplish at such a young age, in a short period of time. When I first caught their act, they were still seniors in high school. It's one thing to have a high level of commitment at age 17 and 18, but it's something completely different to have a musical appreciation as mature as they had at the time (and still have I presume).

When I was in high school, I was proud of my diverse tastes. But Bob Marley and Death Angel isn't as impressive of a range as, say, Mr. Bungle and Tower of Power. So, there was definitely something special about what these guys brought to the table. They immediately made you question, and consequently alter, your pre-determined expectations. In other words, they were nothing you would expect just by looking at them (anyone remember Chevy's blond dreadlocks?), which just made them a thousand times more compelling when you finally heard them.

Sense of humor was another key distinguishing feature. Again, the mind can't rationalize the competing interests of serious talent and wacky antics. A band this good shouldn't look like that, let alone ACT like that. The boys were cut-ups on stage, and infinitely more hilarious when they sat down for an interview. I suppose what's hard to imagine is how a group of individuals such as the Zombiez could take themselves seriously enough in the studio to churn out such incredible music. How could they balance the two? And this is where we reach the truly scary conclusion -- they were that good.

Now, I'm sure they were professional in the studio, as much as any other I would imagine. They are, after all, serious about great music. But in my mind, the most probable conclusion is "this music stuff" they did just came so natural that it didn't require head-splitting concentration.

Also, there's a bit of scene boy politics at play here. While I'm somewhat reluctant to bring this variable into the discussion, the truth is it's fairly common for someone to artificially inflate their appreciation for something that is unique and special to only them and a select group of friends. In other words, what you had with the Zombiez was a local band with a cult following, and let's be honest -- most of us like to be a part of something like that.

The reason I hesitate to bring this one into the equation is because, although unknown to most, the Psychodelic Zombiez were quite well known among the people who mattered. National acts such as Fishbone, Weapon of Choice and others were big fans of what the Zombiez were doing. So while they never commercialized their music, they certainly received affirmation from their respected peers and heroes. In that sense, they transcended the much-feared "Big In Japan" stigma to become something that was more than just a local favorite.

I suppose the last (and perhaps most important) factor to introduce here is that they are no longer around. Haven't been for some time in fact. This always pumps up the legacy a few notches. And I guess this phenomenon is what makes someone like Radiohead so unique -- we're watching (and listening to) history in the making. They are that good RIGHT NOW. Back when the Zombiez were still around, I got that same sense at times, that this was something truly special that likely wouldn't come around often.

Fortunately for us fans, vocalist Mike Friesen set up a Psychodelic Zombiez MySpace page that serves a similar purpose as Classmates.com does for the rest of us -- a forum for bandmates, friends and fans to connect. What I've enjoyed the most about this new forum (and the reason I opted to write about this in the first place) is the doors are now open to experiencing all the music the guys have done since then. This includes tunes from band members' new projects (Chewy Puma, DaKaH Hip-Hop Orchestra), artists for whom they are playing (Macy Gray, Nikka Costa), and not to mention some of the long-lost Psychodelic Zombiez tracks that are still eagerly awaiting the opportunity to become part of the PZ catalog, in the form of the legendary "Things That Are Brown" album.

God bless the Psychodelic Zombiez.