The Many Auditory Sides of Split Persona

The Many Auditory Sides of Split Persona

Split Persona is a Reno-based hard rocking band who started out in 2019, winning the Spanish Springs High School Battle of the Bands after being together for only three weeks.  They would soon record their Self-Titled debut EP, which included Billy Idol & Black Sunshine’s drummer Matt “Toast” Young on two tracks. The band would also find themselves playing at the world famous Whisky A Go Go on the Sunset Strip, opening for the almighty Kingdom Come.  A few weeks after their big EP release party at The Holland Project (Reno’s most prominent cultural and arts center), COVID happened. And nearly a year later, here we are interviewing front man Zander Hoschak to discuss being an up-and-coming band with many auditory sides to their musical vision in the age of Covid.  Read on…

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Split Persona and how long the band has been together.
I’m Zander Hoschak, front man, rhythm guitar, and primary song writer for the band. Band has been together since the fall of 2019.

Where is the band based out of and what is your local music scene like there?
Based out of Reno, NV. Pre-pandemic, the music scene was awesome, lots of diverse and underground bands. Always a place to play. We loved playing at a small little place called “The Holland Project”, known for supporting independent artists. Post-Pandemic, the music scene is dead, and many places are currently out of business. My hope is that when the world starts to open these venues find a way to get going again. We will be ready to play when they do!

Select two songs from the Split Persona debut EP and what inspired the lyrics.
Keep It – I hated how toxic my school environment made me feel. It broke me down mentally. Writing it made it feel possible I could escape to the other side and make it through.

Strawberries – Went into the song looking to expand my mind. I watched a documentary on psychedelics that showed these musicians talking about their experiences, and it inspired me to write about it. My personal experience brought out other worldly emotions and sounds that went into my writing that people interested in this topic would resonate with.

Your EP release show took place in February 2020 right before the pandemic lockdown. First of all, how did that show go and what were some of the highlights?
We did the show at The Holland Project, which sold out. It went better than we could have ever expected. We had a lot of friends and bands there that really gave the night some great energy. There were a lot of new fans that showed up that I never even knew liked our music.

How has the worldwide pandemic ultimately affected the band? Have you been able to play live, rehearse, or write new music during that time?
We have played a couple times outdoors for select audiences. There were definitely growing pains within the band. The pandemic made us all look internally and decide which direction we all wanted to go. Together we rehearsed and continued to write and even started recording the new album. Personally, I was able to finish high school and graduate early, which opened up more time for me to dedicate to the band. One thing I can say for certain is that this band is here to stay. There is no plan B, this is the plan.

What could one expect from a live Split Persona show?
If you’re in the crowd, expect to be sweaty. We bring a lot of energy and get really involved with the crowd. I think Adam Levine said something about there being no bands anymore. You can tell him Split Persona is a band, and we are here to bring back some of the old school rock shows that you rarely see any more.

If Split Persona could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?
From the past, it would have been an honor to open for Prince, or bands like Pantera, Black Sabbath, or Van Halen. Not sure if Prince would have liked us though. LOL

From Now – NO question, Foo Fighters. Nobody puts on a show like Dave and the boys. They have always been a big influence in my life.

Have you ever played out in the Los Angeles area or plan to do so in the future? If so, how did the shows go?
We actually started what was supposed to be the beginning of our tour at The Whisky in LA. We played there a couple weeks before the EP release show. And the world shut down shortly after. We absolutely want to return there to play future shows either headlining or opening for someone.

If the music of Split Persona were a donut, what kind would it be and why?
For me personally, probably be a Boston Cream doughnut topped with Fruity Pebbles and maple bacon. But as for the band, a “Hot Now” Krispy Kreme doughnut. When you eat one, you immediately want another. People who know, know.

What do you hope the rest of 2021 brings for Split Persona and the world of music in general?
The biggest hope is that music venues open with proper protocols in place so everyone can enjoy themselves and be safe. We need live music again; we need to see our heroes on stage again. We are going to finish this album and we want to share it with everyone live. We want everyone to feel that energy we give for every show. When one of our songs are on the radio, we want everyone to instantly want to crank it up!

Any final words of wisdom?
My hope for the band is to bring the stadium style shows to the club and the club style shows to the stadiums. We want to make music that is real and organic. We want to help bring rock back to the forefront with something that will resonate with every kind of listener.

Band Members:
Zander Hoschak – Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar
Darren Menning – Bass, Backup Vocals
Brogan Kelley – Rhythm Guitar, Backup Vocals
Mike Patterson – Drums

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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