The Zero Order finds industrial niche

• By SAMANTHA MORGAN
• Special to 2theadvocate.com
• Published: May 12, 2008 - UPDATED: 5:15 p.m.

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When local musician Jonathan Ward moved from Slidell to Baton Rouge after Hurricane Katrina, he found more than just a place to hang his hat. He found a family of friends who share a similar taste for underground music, and in particular, industrial.

Before moving to Baton Rouge, Ward was a DJ at different clubs in New Orleans. Once he moved to Baton Rouge, he began creating music under the name The Zero Order and completed an album called “Tensor.”

“The last album was really strange,” Ward said. “The way it started off was just making a couple songs here and there as a hobby. Then I ended up working at PreSonus Audio, and almost everyone working there is a musician.

“I met a lot of people in the electronic or industrial scene, and they ended up contributing to the album,” he said. “We ended up putting together an album by accident.”

Ward explained that the original incarnation of The Zero Order fell to the drum and bass side of electronic music. However, through his work friendships, he began crafting more of an industrial sound.

“I grew up on industrial music, and drum and bass was my hobby,” he said. “The industrial scene in New Orleans is a lot different than Baton Rouge. In New Orleans, no one knows each other unless you go to the local bars every night. Here, we all hang out on a regular basis.”

With members of fellow local industrial bands such as Nadjia and Torrent Vaccine, Ward found a home at 174 South Blvd, a bar formerly known as The L Bar. Every Friday night, fans of industrial and goth music head downtown for The Industry, which is hosted by local DJs Brad Von Doom, Jenn-O-Cyde, and Brad Vaccine.

“Here, in Baton Rouge, the scene is more like a family,” Ward said. “We go out to the L Bar every Friday night. It’s great and a lot of fun. It’s really a big family environment.”

Finding his niche with friends was the easy part. Finding his music required a bit more experimentation.

“The first album is more of experiments and trying to craft the sound I wanted for the band,” Ward said. “It started off as half drum and bass, and half industrial, and then shifted to more industrial. We’re actually looking to do a full live band with a drummer and guitarist. We have a prospective drummer, but no guitarist. Once we have that, we’ll be good.”

Much is changing for the band that isn’t quite a band yet, and those changes can be seen at North Gate Tavern Wednesday, May 14.

“The last show was more of a DJ gig at Insomkneestock,” Ward said. “I had everything running off a sequence from my laptop, and I didn’t have anyone doing vocals. At the North Gate show I’ll be doing the vocals, and I have a keyboard player, Jack.”

Once Ward establishes a full band, the group will record a new album, which he is hoping to begin next month. What will remain consistent from the last to the new album will be the industrial element.