Village Green’s Spotlight series aims to help the residents of SOMA — or MapSO — get to know their neighbors better. Village Green asks the questions; the Spotlight personality does the rest! Read more Spotlights here.
Name?
Bob Ziegler.
What town do you live in, and how long have you lived here?
We have lived in South Orange the last two years and will be moving to Maplewood in the fall.
SOMA or MapSO?
SOMA.
What do you do and what are you currently working on?
Singing has been my passion since I was 16 and I have been lucky enough to find three other guys to be in a band with for the past 20 years called Skyfactor. My band mates, Jon Rubin (guitars), Cliff Rubin (bass) and Jason Taylor (drums) are not only great musicians but great friends of mine who have become like a family. We are currently working on our 5th studio album which will be released this coming winter. We have been fortunate to have our songs featured on various TV shows like MTV’s “Teen Mom,” NBC’s “The Voice” and “The Eric Andre Show.” We’re super excited since we were chosen to play at Maplewoodstock this year so we can’t wait to play for our local friends and family in the community. Our website is www.skyfactormusic.com or you can also find us on all streaming platforms – Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, etc.
Did you always dream of doing this, and why?
I have always loved music and dreamed of playing for people and connecting with the crowd during live shows. Having the music get some exposure around the world and seeing how many countries have listened has been a thrill. I think we had listeners in 75 countries on Spotify last year. Pretty wild!
What is one thing people wouldn’t be able to guess about you?
I bake a mean apple pie. :)
If you could say one nice thing to the residents of SOMA, what would it be?
I love the community here and the pride people take living in these towns. We have kids at Columbia [High School] and soon at Maplewood Middle School, and so I love seeing how involved everyone gets to make these towns special places to raise families.
Do you enjoy going to see live music? Do you find inspiration in it? How does being a musician affect your enjoyment of them if you are in the audience?
Yes I try and see as much live music as I can and you always take away something from every show. I definitely get inspired. I just saw Pearl Jam play twice in Las Vegas and that definitely got me excited to play our festival shows this summer. I think every musician has a bit of a competitive side too so that when they see another band you think, put me in coach I can do that. :). Kind of like an athlete on the side lines, a little competition is healthy I think.
What’s your favorite place to hang out in SOMA and why?
I love to take hikes in the reservation with my wife Amanda, play tennis at the Baird, grab lunch at the Order in SO, and get baked goods and coffee at Able Baker to name a few.
Why do you think live music is good for society and community?
Music is how people express themselves, their experiences, their pain and joy, their cultures, their ideas, their dreams, so seeing live music you get that all wrapped into one and you can enjoy yourself at the same time. I think if everyone saw more live music the world would be a better place. (Guess I’m a bit of an optimist.)
What’s your favorite restaurant in SOMA?
Oh man, so many good ones, but we frequent Ariyoshi for sushi quite often and it never disappoints.
What is your favorite SOMA tradition and why?
I would have to say sledding at Flood Hill. There is some serious slope there and you can pick up speed quickly. So much fun. I’ll occasionally bring my kids with me as well.
Who were your heroes (and they can still be!) growing up?
I would have to say growing up my mom was my hero. She was there everyday in the trenches making sure my siblings and I were fed and had shelter and felt loved while working as a single mom. She is now 81 and will be rocking out at Maplewoodstock. Can’t wait!
If you had to choose between invisibility, the ability to fly, or always finding a parking space in SOMA – which would it be?
I can usually find a parking spot pretty easily so I would choose flying. To be able to soar above everything and feel the freedom of flight would be hard to beat. Probably feels a lot like playing music I would imagine.
