Zig Zags

Zig Zags is a L.A. based heavy metal/punk rock trio.^[1] The band consists of singer/guitarist Jed Maheu, drummer Jeff Murray and bassist Sean Hoffman.^[3][4] Clash has described their music as a "Venn diagram connecting Black Sabbath, Black Flag and Motörhead".^[5][2]

Zig Zags
Origin	United States
Genres	Heavy metal, punk rock
Years active	2010–present[1]
Labels	In the Red Records[1] Famous Class RidingEasy Records
Members	Jed Maheu Jeff Murray Sean Hoffman
Past members	Bobby Martin[2] Patrick McCarthy[1] Dane Arnold

History

Singer Jed Maheu and drummer Bobby Martin began writing music together in 2010.^[6] The band is not named for the rolling paper company but is instead named for a slang term for cheap canvas shoes^[1] which Maheu and Martin were both wearing at the time.^[6] Both Maheu and Martin were originally guitarists but Martin quickly moved to drums^[6] and the band played a few shows as a duo.

Patrick McCarthy, a local fan, soon joined as bassist.^[6] The band's first release was a 7 inch entitled Monster Wizard on Tubesteak Tuesday.^[6] Four other singles soon followed^[6] and in 2012 the band recorded a cover of Betty Davis' "If I'm in Luck I Might Get Picked Up" with Iggy Pop.^[7]

Their first album, simply entitled Zig Zags, was recorded and mixed by Ty Segall^[1] with a debut single of "Brainded Warrior" released in June 2014.^[8]

By 2016, both Martin and McCarthy were replaced by drummer Dane Arnold and bassist Caleb Miller.^[1] When Miller left the band asked their longtime recording engineer, Sean Hoffman, to step in.^[4]

In 2019, the band released their fourth album and first release on RidingEasy Records, They’ll Never Take Us Alive.^[9] The debut single, "Punk Fucking Metal", was released in February 2019.^[10]

In 2024, the band released "Strange Masters," an album of re-recorded songs.^[11]

In 2025, the band released their fifth full-length album, "Deadbeat at Dawn."^[12]

Discography

• 10 - 12 (compilation of singles and unreleased songs, 2013, Burger Records, later self-released^[13])
• Zig Zags (2014, In the Red Records^[1])
• Slime EP (2015, Famous Class^[14])
• Zig Zags Live on KXLU 88.9 (live album, 2015, Nomad Eel Records^[15])
• Running Out of Red (2016, In the Red Records^[6])
• They’ll Never Take Us Alive (2019, RidingEasy Records^[2])
• 10-12-18 rarities, b-sides, and more... (compilation, 2019, Nomad Eel Records^[16])
• L.A. to Pedro EP split with Mike Watt and the Secondmen (2020, Nomad Eel Records^[17])
• Strange Masters (2024, RidingEasy Records^[11])
• Deadbeat at Dawn (2025, RidingEasy Records^[12])