Roots Rockers SAY ZUZU Unveil Album of Re-Released Tracks

Today, Strolling Bones Records releases Here Again: A Retrospective (1994-2002), a re-release of music by New Hampshire roots-rock band Say ZuZu. Strolling Bones founder George Fontaine Sr. originally tried to sign Say ZuZu in the 90s but the label deal fell through; with this retrospective, Strolling Bones is reintroducing the band and giving them a second shot.

Stream Here Again: A Retrospective

"For those who haven't met our music before, these are highlights from five records released between 1994-2002. The songs focus on the large internal lives of people in small mill towns like ours," explains founding member Jon Nolan. "This record also chronicles a decade of growth from a fiercely independent, self-produced New Hampshire band that flew under the radar during the heyday of the 1990s alt-country movement. The title of the record, Here Again, is inspired by a song from our 1994 self-titled record. We've always sought to write songs that hold up, personal songs that are durable and can stand on their own in a variety of arrangements. 'Here Again' is one of those songs. It's also a fitting title for a record that's an opening salvo from a recently reunited band with its first new studio record forthcoming in 2023."

Founded by Jon and James Nolan and Cliff Murphy in 1991, Say ZuZu built an international following through unvarnished live performances, durable and direct songs about milltown life, and electrifying harmonies. The band toured relentlessly from Maine to Texas to Italy, operating out of a decidedly unglamorous 24 passenger school bus, and recorded nine albums before breaking up in 2002. That the band never achieved the acclaim of its peers like Whiskeytown or Old 97s mystified critics. Their fans chalked their under-the-radar existence to a quirky name and an insistence on remaining headquartered in the Granite State.

In the late 90s at a gig at the Hi-Hat in Athens, Georgia, Say ZuZu met George Fontaine Sr., who owned Doolittle Records. Doolittle began taking a long look at signing Say ZuZu, just as the label merged with New West Records. Unfortunately, New West had other plans and the deal for Say ZuZu fell through. Two decades later in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, label owner, George Fontaine Sr., picked up where he left off.

"During lockdown I bought the two Say ZuZu records that we almost put out on New West Records twenty years ago," Fontaine Sr. says. "I got pissed that I never had a chance to release these recordings before. They're great records and they hold up." The sentiment led to a series of phone calls with the band to talk about "making things right" by releasing the material on Fontaine Sr.'s latest endeavor, Strolling Bones Records. The New Hampshire alt-country rock band is reuniting after a 20 year hiatus, returning to the world of Americana music with Here Again: A Retrospective (1994-2002) plus a full-length album of new material due in early '23.

Here Again distills highlights from the band's road-warrior era (1994-2002), and serves as an opening salvo for the new album. The reunited group features the two classic lineups of the group combined as a six-piece, including Jon Nolan (vocals/guitar), James Nolan (bass), Cliff Murphy (vocals/guitar), Tim Nylander (drums/keyboards), Jon Pistey (guitar), and Steve Ruhm (drums/mandolin) -- a "blended" musical family that is a testament to the enduring friendships they share that are so rare in music.

An artist-centered independent label, Strolling Bones, plans to reissue the cornerstones of the Say ZuZu back catalog, including the albums Every Mile (2002), Bull (1998), Take These Turns (1997), Highway Signs & Driving Songs (1995), and Say ZuZu (1994). Each of the reissues will be lovingly remastered, and will include previously unreleased bonus tracks. Here Again pulls from each of these albums, includes deluxe liner notes and historic photos, and features a stunning cover design by award-winning artist, Kathleen Judge.

On Strolling Bones Records:

Born of a simple desire to create an environment for artists to grow, Strolling Bones Records was launched in 2020 by George Fontaine Sr., who also owns New West Records. Rather than focusing on a singular genre, the throughline at Strolling Bones Records is grounded in the pursuit of unique voices and visions. Find more information here: strollingbonesrecords.com

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