Ezekiel Ox : Bell St, Coburg : Melbourne, Australia
“…everything from Assange to Snowden, now is the time of truth. It’s the age of Aquarius and we are right in the midst of it and, by the time I’m dead, I would like people to look at me as someone who’s interested in exposing the truth as much as possible on a macro level.”
Ezekiel Ox is like a human Rubik’s cube – he twists and turns in an eye-flickering blur of colour before you by combining his attitude, opinion, creative presence and myriad facets of his powerful personality into an impressive force of his own creation. Musician, artist, writer, singer, activist, actor, producer, father…the list goes on. In amongst this, and perhaps the most impressive thing about him, is his undeniable ability to make good on his words with action.
In a society of keyboard warriors that is increasingly more comfortable claiming a Yahoo search as “education” and thinking that effective protest is a Facebook “like”, Zeke is involved; he’s legitimately part of the change he wants to see and comfortable seeding conversations and eyeballing controversy. This he does in a variety of ways including living up to his reputation as one of the best front-men in the music business or marching beside his like-minded community family and putting his voice and body on the line to stand up for what he thinks is right. He takes responsibility for his opinions and bellows what he believes whether via a megaphone on a public street, or a microphone in a packed venue.
His talent is undeniable, and he’s aware of it in a way that one is aware of their senses: with no place for pretence. It’s simply a fact, and it’s a fact that has propelled him forward for years through a variety of mediums since graduating from the renowned Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in 2000. And as a graduate of WAAPA, fronting the hugely renowned alternative metal band Full Scale or passionately protesting the development of Melbourne’s The Palace – yet another of Melbourne’s oldest and most beloved live music venues at the threat of demolition – might be the last thing you’d expect from him, but he seems adept at treading his own path and using his time over the years to explore his talent and test his limits. And to say the years have been productive for Zeke would be a huge understatement; as would assuming they have not been without significant challenges.
“I’ve shown that no matter what curve-balls get thrown at me or whatever happens I’ve found a way through and that’s been really important to know that I can survive. Because I’ve been through some tough stuff with everything from family court to my father dying to having bands break up and just the trials and tribulations of that stuff. But having said that I am a white, straight, male so it’s all relative. But relatively, in a versatile sense, can be kinda bullshit because you’ve still got your struggles”.
His focus seems ever changing and adapting but there’s a clear leaning into creating a legacy all his own. A legacy that his son can be proud of and “when he’s a bit more self-aware…to know what his father was about”. A legacy of generating conversation in the community; creativity and collaboration in its purest sense; asking questions of those that govern; and, most importantly, fairness. To see everyone from our broader community treated fairly; regardless of their bank balance, place of birth, sexual orientation or skin colour.
Be sure to visit Zeke’s official website at www.ezekielox.com