Episode Six: Izaak Opatz
Izaak Opatz is a talented young singer/songwriter hailing from Montana. We talk about Warren Zevon, ghosts in the amplifiers, the pros and cons of an itinerant lifestyle, and making things out of leather. Izaak has an interesting backstory: born and raised in Montana, for nearly 10 years he spent 5 months of extended summers working on trail crews in the back country of Glacier National Park, and the remaining months in various places as he wandered his musical path. We discuss how this lifestyle influenced the songwriting on his excellent recent album “Mariachi Static”.
Here are some words about Izaak penned by his associate, the multitalented Jonny Fritz.
“Izaak Opatz is a mountain man (from Montana)! He works in National Parks, cutting trails through the woods, probably wearing a vest or a funny hat and crapping in holes in the ground. He goes weeks on end without seeing another single person. When he does finally wander into town, he usually comes back with a pack-mule-donkey-satchel-thing chock full of songs about women that he’s been dreaming of, places where he used to be happy, situations he screwed up… really dipping into a well of memories that are probably better left alone.
His songs teeter on the edge of sentimental-songwriter’y-sad-n-lonely stuff. This is a tough area for a songwriter to inhabit, because it’s easy to get lumped in the with the rest of the middle aged losers at the open mic night BUT IZAAK DOES IT SO WELL that you’re convinced almost immediately that he’s the real deal and he doesn’t need to prove it. You hear the songs and you’ll be won over immediately. You watch him play and you’ll wish he’d never stop. You talk to him for a minute and you’ll offer up your prettiest daughter and welcome him into your family. But if you turn your back on him for even a minute, he’ll probably wander back up the mountain and give up whatever you offer him, no matter how sweet the sitch or pretty the daughter. He’s got his own agenda and it’s frustrating but also so admirable. My advice is to catch him whenever and however you can and celebrate this sensitive mountain man while he’s around. ~Jonny Fritz
