Roy Zimmerman

Non è il fratello sconosciuto di Bob Dylan, ma riceve apprezzamenti da Joni Mitchell..

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If Gandhi had played guitar, grown hair and sung at the top of his lungs, he still wouldn't have had Roy Zimmerman's wicked sense of musical satire. On the other hand, Roy Zimmerman has never liberated a nation from a tyrannical oppressor.

He's working on it though, one song at a time.

Roy sings a compelling combination of socially conscious comedy and original music. It's Lenny Bruce meets Stephen Sondheim meets Phil Ochs in Brian Wilson's living room.

The Los Angeles Times says, "Zimmerman displays a lacerating wit and keen awareness of society's foibles that bring to mind a latter-day Tom Lehrer."

Tom Lehrer himself said, "I congratulate Roy Zimmerman on reintroducing literacy to comedy songs. And the lyrics actually rhyme, they don't just 'rhyne.'"

Joni Mitchell said, "Roy's lyrics move beyond poetry and achieve perfection."

"I've probably written a thousand songs over the years," Roy reports, "on topics ranging from Medfly eradication and the Falkland Islands right up through the Patriot Act." The songs are bent decidedly to the Left. Roy's two new albums, "Homeland" and "Security" are full of such tunes, 23 originals including "Love Your Neighborhood Priest," "One World, One Bank," a "Multinational Anthem," and the breezy pop tune, "Kill a Doctor for Christ."

Those made uneasy by Bush-bashing would do best to avoid these discs. Roy takes the satirical slingblade to the stolen election of 2000 ("My TV"), the ill-begotten war in Iraq ("Saddam Shame"), Donald Rumsfeld's "Guns in Space" and Vice President "Dick Cheney."

"Roy Zimmerman's Patriot Act," is his current live show, a one-man-fifteen song can of whoop-ass he opens on George W. Bush twice weekly. The LA Times reports, "Zimmerman uses his guitar as a weapon of mass destruction against the incumbent and company."

Performing in New York City's Symphony Space during the Republican National Convention, Roy drew this review from the New York Times critic Stephen Holden: "Roy Zimmerman...lifted the evening...with his song, 'Chicken Hawk,' ridiculing the military policies of Bush administration officials who didn't serve in the armed forces. Zimmerman's twangy delivery and his squawking and clucking between phrases...conveyed his scorn with a contagious irreverence."

Roy lives and works in Los Angeles with his wife and frequent collaborator Melanie Harby and their two sons Joe and Sam.

He created the comedy folk quartet The Foremen, whose albums for Warner/Reprise Records inflicted satirical pain on politicians from Bill Cinton to Jesse Helms, and causes from school prayer to the militia movement. Roy wrote over five hours of material for the group.

The Foremen headlined the premeire folk clubs across the country, and were featured on NPR's "All Things Considered," and many other nationally syndicated talk and music programs. They even got a chance to sing Roy's satire of Oliver North, "Ollie Ollie Off Scott Free" straight to the colonel himself on North's own radio show. "Friends," said North, "this is a very weird group."

The LAWeekly's Comedy Pick of the Week reports, "Removed from The Foremen, Zimmerman writes considerably more caustic stuff, attacking personal politics as well as international."

"There's nothing funny about World Peace," Roy observes. "Social Justice never killed at the Comedy Store. If we ever attain a worldwide consciouness of peace and justice, I'll be happily out of a job. But as long as there's poverty, war, bigotry, ignorance, greed, lust and paranoia, I've got a career."

NEW! Roy's Patriot Act reviewed by Jeff Penalty (lead singer of the Dead Kennedys) for scratchmagazine.com.

"Zimmerman displays a lacerating wit and keen awareness of society’s foibles that bring to mind a latter-day Tom Lehrer" - Los Angeles Times

"I congratulate Roy Zimmerman on reintroducing literacy to comedy songs. And the lyrics actually rhyme, they don’t just ‘rhyne.' " - Tom Lehrer

"Removed from the Foremen, Zimmerman writes considerably more caustic stuff, attacking personal politics as much as international." - L.A. Weekly

"Roy's lyrics move beyond poetry and achieve perfection." - Joni Mitchell

"Roy is SO DREAMY!!!!" - Jackie Wollner (comedian & host, "All Things Comedic")


Roy Zimmerman's Official Website:
http://www.royzimmerman.com