SCENE SUPPORT PODCAST

Scene Support / SKAgazine Crossover — Clean Transcript

Lightly edited for readability. Repeated words, false starts, and nonessential backchannel interruptions have been removed, and clear transcription errors have been corrected. The substance and conversational tone are preserved.

Scott (00:33)

All right.

Rachel (00:36)

All right. Are we live?

Scott (00:38)

We are live from what I can see.

Rachel (00:40)

Hey everybody, we have a super special podcast tonight on SKAgazine. A crossover, if you will. We've seen the Ninja Turtles with the Power Rangers. We have seen Jetsons and the Flintstones. We might top it. We have Scott from DCxPC Live. We and Jess from SKAgazine My favorite people All on the same. Technology world, I can see them both at the same time.

Jess (01:10)

Same window, I guess.

Rachel (01:12)

Yeah. I love it. It's

Jess (01:14)

How did how did we get that book here, Rachel?

Rachel (01:16)

It's a second best to in person, and I'll take it.

Jess (01:20)

All right.

Rachel (01:20)

Thanks so much for coming, guys. Thanks, Jess, for coming on your podcast.

Scott (01:24)

Ha ha.

Rachel (01:26)

Thank you, Scott. Thank you, Scott, for staying up past your bedtime. And I want to let you know that I am always late. And I was quite early tonight because I just was not aware of your I put the punk and punctuality. And I went, he punks the punk and punctuality. I can't be late.

Scott (01:43)

I appreciate that. And we started late because my computer was having problems, even though I also run a podcast and it has never had a problem before until this one.

Rachel (01:52)

It's me. I bring it's my E. coli energy.

Scott (01:55)

It's all good.

Rachel (01:56)

So I know I know you guys, but if you could just introduce yourselves to everyone who maybe not everyone knows both of you.

Scott (02:04)

Yes, we are gonna put this on my podcast too later, so people might not know Jess. So I know everyone in SKAgazine knows Jess, but Jess, could you share yourself for when we reshare this to my podcast as well?

Rachel (02:14)

Exactly.

Jess (02:15)

We'll move to the thing. Do you want to go first?

Scott (02:18)

Fine, I'll go first.

Jess (02:19)

Yeah, yeah.

Scott (02:20)

DCxPC Live. I run a live album record label, Hardcore Punk ska and Metal. We believe documenting that moment happens. I also do shows up and down the Hudson Valley, all the way from Troy down to Poughkeepsie. And I also run a podcast called Scene Support, where I interview people that are not in bands. The people that help make the scene what it is, graphic artists, zine creators, sound people, podcasters, you name it. If you're not in a band, then we can talk. You in a band, we just won't talk about your band.

Jess (02:51)

Somebody in this chat said, who's Jess? And they're on my team, that's sad. I guess I'll answer Bo's question. my name is Jess and I am the founder and I guess main host of co of SKAgazine we have a podcast called Ska Talk with SKAgazine We originally created the SKAgazine project as what was supposed to be an easine, but we found that bands really just like to talk about themselves and we started leaning heavily into a podcast. So having a real job and limited time and being a mom and this and that, I chose to focus on one thing, but we do try to get into some other areas with be to Be the Scene Promotions. We're doing shows in a Philly area, all DIY shows, bringing ska, punk, and hardcore bands into the mix, which is why we created the beat-a-Be the Scene Promotions moniker. We didn't want to be scuck just ska. We love ska, but we didn't want to be stuck there. I do have to give a shout to Eric, who was my co-host and my right-hand man and my everything who passed away. And he came up with the Be the Scene, which ended up being Be the Scene promotions, and we were in that together. So shout to him. And yeah, we're doing things and we hope to keep doing more things. And before you know it, like, you know, we'll be dabbling in everything. I just know we will be.

Rachel (04:21)

Be the Be the Scene Promotions Jess, tell me what that exactly is to

Jess (04:25)

That is well, it's a it's an LLC that I created to start booking shows in the Philadelphia area.

Rachel (04:34)

Right. So your Jess is also booking booking shows, some really some really good shows with some really good ones coming up.

Jess (04:42)

So yeah, we've only done about 13 or 14 so far, but they've we've been lucky to get some really great people on our shows. And my next one coming up is the pandemics with the sneaky heat missiles, past the glory, and the man and the machine at Fonks. I have the originals, a real big fish cover band coming in from the West Coast. They're going to play a show in the Chamonix Brewery, which is like a dream for me to book at.

Rachel (05:12)

That's no longer a secret then, right?

Jess (05:15)

I mean, the show's not a secret. It's out there. There's an event out there. The lineup that's coming with that has not been announced yet. And it's incredible. And I can't wait to share that. But I am waiting for the originals to be ready to share it. And then I have another show I'm gonna announce on 1016 at Bonx and another one I'm potentially working on for 9 3, which is like a really tight window, but I just found out about it today. So, you know, we do what we do.

Scott (05:41)

Making it work.

Jess (05:42)

We do what we can do to help the people who need help, really.

Scott (05:45)

Yes. Sometimes we I I've I've been told that I help too often sometimes to my own

Jess (05:49)

No, same here. I'm like nine three, that's like three weeks away, but I have to make this happen, so we'll see.

Rachel (05:56)

Awesome. And you guys left some other parts of you out while you're doing all this. Jess, you are a full-time mom. You work full-time as well. you're very involved with all of your friends and your community. Scott, you are also a dad. You are also a teacher, you are also getting your doctorate. So just laying that all out there for just how busy you are.

Scott (06:22)

We'll we'll have band practice. Of course, of course.

Rachel (06:28)

I do get a little upset I've never gotten to see you play. I'm happy that I got to listen to your music finally, but it would be really awesome to see you play.

Jess (06:37)

I know I'm not supposed to ask questions, but what do you play? I'm the mom of a drummer, so I love that.

Scott (06:44)

Yep, yep. It means it should be very easy for me to find a band, but I'm also very picky. And as far as like the people I want to play with, I have to like really enjoy them as people. And I'm also 50 years old, so I'm at the point where I have to really enjoy what I'm playing because it takes I don't have a lot of time. My time is limited, so I have to like really enjoy what I'm doing. Or else I'm like, no, this isn't I don't need to just be in a band to be in a band. I've got to love it.

Rachel (07:10)

Yeah. And in general, I think about that a lot as time is so valuable to everyone. It's the most, you know, valuable thing more than money. And it yeah, it does matter where your time goes in and thinking about who gives you their time and I think is important to keep in mind. so one of the fun things about getting to talk to both of you at the same time is I don't get to do a Venn diagram very often. And I love that. I do. I it doesn't come up very often. I was like, it's perfect. Because you do have like it's perfect. because you're both booking shows and you're both very involved in the in the scene. And I think it means, you know, local and DIY is is really important to both of you and keeping it keeping it, you know, grassroots. And I kind of just wanted to ask each of you. What is it about that means so much to you to keep that alive and going and flourishing?

Scott (08:19)

Mean for me like punk rock, ska the whole all the scenes hardcore, it's been part of who I am since I was like sixteen years old. So the idea of doing shows and bringing people from Baltimore or Philly or anywhere around the country to come to play in my small town in Kingston, New York is so meaningful because I get to have them come and be part of my community. And my community is great. I have a great back line of people from Savannah and Des and Aaron and Chassity. I could go on and on. Willie, Al, et cetera, that are always out there. Someone named Rachel helps a lot too. and it's just it's I just like to build that community. I someone asked me the other day at another podcast what was success, and I basically summed it up to community, that I've never been about making money, at least not extractive capitalism, but it's a it's the community aspect of what we do that matters.

Jess (09:14)

Very similar to Scott, I've been in the punk scene and going to punk and scholar shows since I was a teenager. I didn't get so much involved with the community until later in life. Like when I was going to shows back then, I was going with my friends, we were tagging the parking lots, like going into the shows, just hanging out amongst ourselves. We weren't really like so much meeting other people in the scene. we did like to hang out and meet the bands every now and then. But once COVID happened, I went on a show break when I had ox, which was before COVID. But once COVID happened and we came out of that, he was old enough to take with me to shows and I started going back to shows and I found like things were different. I don't even know how to explain like how accepting the scene was now versus what it was then. Yeah.

Rachel (10:07)

Really?

Jess (10:08)

I it it's really hard to explain, but like I will say that me volunteering at Camp Punksylvania for Punk Rock Saves Lives, like opened me up to different people and brought me into their lives. And we just continued these relationships and from that it they grew. So I'm really thankful for this community. I'm thankful for the way my son's been treated because I've been bringing him up as a punk with everybody and just thankful for the opportunity to give back. I always just want to give back. Even when I was younger, like I've had friends in bands who just like would go and play like open mic nights and they'd play these little shows and they were really fucking good, but they didn't get anywhere. You know what I mean? So I'm always out to try to help the underdog. I wanna help the underdog always. Like Sometimes they just need someone to help them get out there, and that's what I want to do. And I feel

Scott (11:04)

The reasons like I try not to book the same bands over and over again. Like I could book the Carbon Parade all the time and I know they're always going to bring a bunch of people, right? I do these monthly Sunday shows in Kingston that are benefit shows. And my first year I did it, it's five bands, 12 shows. I only repeated one band. So like and that includes the local bands and usually like two local bands and three out of town or regional bands on a bill sandwiched between the locals. So like It's a lot of effort to curate a good show that has Not the same bands over and over again.

Rachel (11:39)

And that makes so much sense. I will say that even to me who's not you know, I'm not really part of it, people even to me will ask about getting into your sh like they've played before and I haven't heard back from set, I wanna come back again. So like people love it. So and of course you can't book the same person again, but just to show like people really do love coming playing, playing for you.

Scott (12:06)

That's a huge compliment. Thank you. That is I'm honored to hear.

Rachel (12:08)

I'm like, he's really busy. Also, am I his I okay.

Scott (12:14)

I

Rachel (12:15)

Sure, tell me.

Scott (12:17)

I always respond, but I can tell you if you're a band and asking me for a show, it's a lot easier if you say I'm on tour and I need a show November thirteenth versus hey we'd like to play a show sometime. Right. Because then you just get added to my spreadsheet of you'd like to make play a show sometime, bands versus hey, we are directly on tour right now and we're planning our tour and this is a date we need in your area and then I'm like, Okay, yeah. Like I have a band playing in December that I just booked called Left R I don't even know, left of the dial, left of something. I don't folk punk band from Georgia, never heard of them before. They said, We need this date. I said, you know what? I'm actually doing a show that date. And I see you were referred by a friend of mine. Done. I gave them the show. I'm sure I had a dozen other bands that have asked me for a show in the last five months. Specifically

Rachel (13:02)

Okay, that's

Scott (13:04)

Said, I need this date and I was like, I got you.

Rachel (13:07)

I think that's that's really good to know. Awesome.

Jess (13:09)

Half the battle. It's absolutely half the battle.

Rachel (13:12)

Popular, popular.

Jess (13:14)

Because otherwise if somebody just needs a show, then you're looking for other people to play a show with them. And then you gotta get all their schedules to work out. Like if you already have the date in mind, it's

Scott (13:23)

And if you're local, it's more likely I'm gonna get back to you if you have a if you say randomly I'd like to play a show. But if you're out of town, I mean if I'm gonna try and bring you from Baltimore, I have to like a real thought about that.

Jess (13:34)

For this.

Scott (13:36)

So it's it's hard. And I did shows this month. So it's not like I'm not juggling all these bands and things in my head.

Rachel (13:44)

Yeah, it's a lot. And juggling everything else. and then your label name. I feel like also not everyone knows its origin. Are you so sick of answering that? I can answer it for you if you want.

Scott (14:00)

No, no, it's okay. I'll I I'll answer it. I'm from DC. I moved to Florida, formed a band called Call in Dead My bass player was from Port Charlotte. We decided we were gonna book shows as DCxPC Live. The X is silent, by the way. so I was just there because when I read it out, you have to take the hardcore X I made it small, like the lightning bolt between AC DC. We did one show with the anti-queens from Canada, then pandemic happened. Then we switched to doing a live stream, recorded that, decided to put it on a vinyl, thus the birth of the record label. couple of years into it, and we just kind of were had different ideas of where it was gonna go and how much work to put into it. And so while we are good friends, even before I was moving away, he was moving out of working with the label. And once I moved to New York, he is basically is not involved, but not out of any animosity or anything like that. We're good friends.

Rachel (14:53)

Well he's still in the name, so

Scott (14:55)

He's still in the name. He was able to change the name. I was like, no, I honor where it came from. I wouldn't be here if he hadn't suggested doing any of that. Yeah. You know, we wouldn't have done the first live stream. None of this would have happened without him. So having him in the name is still honoring the fact that he was there in the beginning, even if he's not here at the moment.

Rachel (15:13)

Love it. now how many times did you answer that question? Is that the seven hundredth and eleven?

Scott (15:18)

Fair amount of times. I'd like to think people should know it because in every record I sell, I put the story of the record label in the insert as well as the story of the album. So I feel like everyone who ever bought a record from me and I've put out over sixty records, they should just read that. Or it's also on my website. So I'm just saying, I do put it out there.

Jess (15:38)

So I have Bought records from you and I guess I didn't look hard enough.

Rachel (15:51)

And Jess, did you and Eric come up with SKAgazine together? No.

Jess (15:55)

SKAgazine started before I even met Eric. really yeah. I was at Supernova in September of 2023. met some people down there. We got to go backstage for the Voodoo Glow Skulls that one of my friends had won a contest, right? So I met some guys in another band who were looking for someone to review an album. Foolish Relics is the band. I will always give them a shout because, like you were just talking about Scott, like. There are all these people along the way who make up a part of our story, right? He was The he was well, I don't want to say it was the first one because I always had my punk roots and my ska roots. I just never thought I could be a part of the scene besides like attending shows and listening and buying. But we were there and he was like, I have this new album out. Will you review my album for me? And I was like, I'll think about it. I don't know anything about reviewing albums. I had never done it, but I was To a good friend of mine at the time, Punk Rockette I don't know if you've heard of her, Emily from she's from Quebec City. She had a podcast called the Punk Rocket Show, maybe. And she also did like a live radio show on Sunday nights during COVID that was a savior to me. I would like I so look forward to being there. And we talked about it, and she's like, You're always requesting ska. You're always teaching me about ska. You're gonna run with this, and your name's gonna be the ska guazine. I didn't run with the name. She gave it to me and I was like, I love that and I'm gonna run with it, but I will always give her credit for it and that's how

Scott (17:28)

That it's fabulous.

Rachel (17:31)

I'm not sure I've ever asked you that actually.

Jess (17:33)

No, probably not. There's only a few people that know that actually. I keep saying I'm gonna bring her on to the podcast to talk with her, but I know she's busy and she doesn't do the podcast anymore. But we've gotta do that someday. 'Cause I'm like three years in now and I haven't brought her on.

Rachel (17:52)

Scott, one thing, and if everyone should know this, forget that I'm asking. a lot of your artwork, what's the word? VML Live series. I don't know what that is.

Scott (18:09)

Yeah, so when I was sixteen, seventeen years old, there was a record label called VML and my old band, the abducted, were actually on that label. and then they wound up doing this live series. I think the first ones were like Submachine and Blank 77 There were seven inches recorded live, a microphone in the middle of the room, wasn't the most brilliant recordings, and the covers were done very basic, black and white. And then the back of it explained that this was a attempt to just capture that moment in time, the way it sounded from the audience and put it out. And they must have done like 38, 7 inches this way. often with just one or two bands on there. And I collected most of those throughout my life. So when I decided to put this out, I was like, you know what? I'm gonna do it as an homage to it. So I already was calling myself DCxPC Live anyway, producing live shows as a promotion. It's like it already goes with VML Live. Let's just make our covers look like this. So one is to pay honor to something that was before me. And then the other part is, man, when you ask the band to make an album cover, it takes them so much more time and so much more money. And these black and white basic covers are just super simple, done. And every now and then you get the old punk rocker like me that sees the girls like, it's like the old VML records. I'm like, Yeah, you get it. I've

Rachel (19:28)

Whoa.

Scott (19:29)

Strayed a bit since then, but you know, it's hard to be dogmatic. It's been five years of doing this. I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's fine. I'll let bands get a little creative and it's fine.

Rachel (19:42)

I love it. Because I nostalgia. And what was I gonna ask you? so you press, you know, you do vinyls are they all live?

Scott (19:57)

They were until the KulfiGirls came to me. So they're the first band that convinced me to do a studio album. The drummer plays in Soji. And she called me up. She's like, Scott, I'm in this other band. We're kind of indie rock mixed with Indian music or singers from India's, from Indian descent, like Southeast Asia, Asia, and played at Veena And we want to put this out. We have a pretty good following, yada yada. We never put out a record. And I was like, Well, that's kind of One, it's not my usual musical go to. It's it's it's not I mean, it's brilliant music, but it's not what I normally put out. And then I don't do studio albums. And then they also like, we want to do like a stripped down version where there's like the demos on acoustic and then the studio is like and fit it on one vinyl. That's got to be a double LP. So somewhere in all that, I decided to swing for the fences and do a first studio record of a non-punk rock record, even though Ade and Steph, the bass player are definitely punk rock hardcore people in heart. and then do a double LP, which I'd never done before. So that was my first one I agreed to do. But not the first one that came out because Two Man Advantage asked me to put out two songs for their last game on Seven Inch, and I did that for them. And then one more has come out on studio since then, the Cut-Rate Druggists So but they're old friends and then they're touring three continents. And I was like, Well, that just makes sense. Yeah. So I don't know, it's hard, right? I wanna stick to the like it's like the covers. It's my label. I wanna do. It's like SKAgazine doesn't have to just cover ska if you don't want to. Like we're allowed to evolve and be like, you know what? Fuck it. We're gonna do what we want to do.

Jess (21:40)

You know, that's that's a really good point. It really is. And Rachel and I just did a punk interview last week that not as well.

Rachel (21:50)

And I was, you know what? I'm gonna leave that into my next question. because you guys don't have enough on your plate, I know both of you for a fact have still because we should never stop dreaming, you guys still have all these goals and visions. I shouldn't even say dreams. I mean they're dreams, but they're they're gonna happen. They're not far fetched. Like you guys will make it happen. So I know some for each of you. I thought maybe I would sh you could share some visions you have. for the future. Music related. Or not music related. Whatever.

Jess (22:28)

Where do we start?

Scott (22:30)

I don't know. So many places.

Jess (22:35)

I bet if I go first, you're gonna be like, well, I'm gonna do these things too. Yeah, you know what? I'm gonna start not not that you're gonna do these things too, but you might see some new opportunities.

Scott (22:45)

Yeah, absolutely for it.

Jess (22:47)

We are Rachel and I are going to do a spin-off of the SKAgazine podcast of Ska Talk and we're gonna do a be the scene podcast where we interview bands that are not ska. Punk bands, hardcore bands, who knows, maybe a hip hop band. Like there's no There are no boundaries like or borders, I should say, you know. We're just gonna do what we wanna do. Eric and I had this vision and we did one interview with Dads on Couches out of the Detroit area, and it stopped and we never continued because I got I let myself get in my head. I had sent a message to somebody who I really wanted to do an interview with, someone really big and like my favorite band ever. After doing only one interview for the punk podcast, and he heard the word skausine and he was like, Ska, I don't think I'm good fit. And I was like, All right, I'm giving up on the punk thing. But now Rachel and I are gonna spin that back up and we interviewed Prize Fighter last week and that's gonna be published this week. And we're gonna have some other little podcasts that we do to help bands that are not ska because I have not always been to ska. I'm a punk girl. I love hardcore punk. Yeah. So like why throw ourselves in a box? And that's where Be the Scene came from in the first place. And then in addition to this, and this is where you might come into play. we are planning a festival the

Scott (24:16)

Mm.

Jess (24:17)

Be the Scene Fest. other vision of Eric and I's and when he passed away, I said I gotta get started on this, and right away I was like jumping into it, but I was like, slow down, you you've really got to like Put some thought into this and make sure you're doing things the right way, not just jumping into it. So there's been a lot of thought going into it and we're getting close to our vision and starting to talk to venues hopefully soon.

Scott (24:45)

That sounds amazing. I love that.

Jess (24:47)

So if you want to make a live compilation of our festival, then that could be something.

Scott (24:52)

We can definitely talk about that. You know, that's one of the things that I find that I'm doing more and more of. Like I'm going to RPM Fest soon and then 413 Ska I'm gonna be going up to the December Christmas holiday extravaganza, whatever it is on December third, fifth, something like that. Then you know, I talked to This Is This Is Not Croydon Fest about doing it next year there as well. So there's definitely something that I'm moving towards doing. But I don't want to give up on putting out regular albums. But you know, it's it's a great opportunity to highlight a lot of great bands. And I really do enjoy the festivals themselves. So you know, I'm gonna have my own stage of Punk Island this year and I'm gonna record that.

Jess (25:35)

Hmm.

Scott (25:36)

I got my own Punk Island stage. And

Jess (25:38)

Well

Scott (25:39)

Then I'm in talks with another festival about getting my own stage, but I can't talk about that right now because it's not it's not far enough along. And so a lot of that is happening. Which you know, and I do a lot of shows, but the inherent problem is since I do shows of like eight or twelve different venues, I kinda wanna have my own, but at the same time I also don't want to work at a venue five or six nights a week 'cause I don't want to own a bar. Like and so I want it to be all ages. So I have this idea loosely decided that it would be like a small space that's all ages, but every show would be recorded for a potential live album and then people would come to the show. And they would pay to come in, but they could also prepay for the record that they're gonna be at.

Jess (26:23)

That's really awesome.

Rachel (26:25)

And that

Scott (26:25)

Where we're documenting it and then we videotape it as well and maybe interview people at the same time. And so we make a short documentary and film. So it the idea is to move into DCxPC independent media center. So it's not a video, it's not a venue, it's not a recording studio, it's something more than that.

Rachel (26:45)

And that's that's what I'm thinking of because I love I love that idea. So I was hoping that you would mention it for the interview. And it's gonna be accessible.

Scott (26:56)

I've not mentioned it as the public. Like I've only mentioned it to very few people so far. So that was I had to decide whether I was willing to mention that out loud in the real world.

Rachel (27:05)

Can't take it back now, it's live.

Jess (27:08)

And there's a hundred people watching. I do the venue thing. Like my husband and I have thought about the venue thing because I have a venue that I book in Port Richmond and book. And I'm not the only booker for there. We just that's just where we prepare the book because it's a small room, it's DIY, it's a great spot, we love it. But I always said, like, I wish I had one of them in my area because we drive like 40 minutes to get there, this and that. and then I was if we open a venue, we can also like do music lessons there and we can use it for recording space. We can like it doesn't just have to be a venue because you think like opening a venue these days, like that's risky, right? But if you're using it for it's multi-purpose, then

Scott (27:56)

Most and that's the whole point because most venues survive on alcohol sales. And I don't want to survive on alcohol sales. And I don't want to survive by having to be open until two in the morning on the nights I don't have shows. I don't I don't want any of that. I don't even want to inherently have a show twenty five nights a week. I want to be like, I'm gonna have shows this often, but how can I use this space? Can I use it as a rehearsal practice space that I can rent out? What can I do that makes it You know, can I do educational classes, how to book a tour? 'Cause I book tours for bands all the time. How to like, you know, yeah, all that stuff. So there's there's a lot of ideas. I you know I can just probably hang out and talk all the time, it sounds like.

Jess (28:35)

Yeah. We don't want to put all our eggs in the same basket. Like it's the first thing I learned in school. Like you don't

Rachel (28:43)

And I mean, as a single mom, I pr selfishly love the idea because there's a lot of shows that I'm get really a little I'm sad that I'm missing. And you know, Aaliy Aliyah loves concerts, like she's my concert goer. So it'd be really great if I if there was a kid friendly venue. for me personally, if it was a little

Jess (29:07)

I agree, like the same thing happens to me. Like when the suicide machines come into town and they're not playing a t a old age venue, my kid's heart is crushed because he's like, You're going to see the suicide machines without me, Mom? Because he loves them, which is insane. But like old age is like we need more of that, you know?

Scott (29:26)

Yep. I mean, I grew up in DC and every show was all ages growing up. So that's just how I was brought up. And now I've got maybe three venues I work with that are all ages, four. Which sounds like a lot, but they're not ones that I can book at regularly because that's not the punk rock is not always their thing. It's like I can make it work.

Rachel (29:46)

Yeah, I

Jess (29:47)

Like with the small venue I book at they're always like worried about the underage drinking, and I get that, especially since it's like they keep the garage door open, people can watch outside, like anyone could just be like hanging out at their trunk. but they do allow all ages with a parent. So it's like yes and no kind of, you know. But I mean, when I was 16 going to shows, my my mom and dad certainly weren't taking me. You know, I was helping.

Scott (30:15)

Aking it up would be helpful. Even aching it up. I had my one of my door people, Willie, who does more than doors is one of the many things he does besides make patches and uploading stuff and amazing things that he helps me with. I hadn't taken a course on how to do ID checking and stuff like that. So I could convince bars. I'm like, look, the bartender's checking, but my door guy can also check. You don't have to take his word for it, the bar can still check, but that's two layers of checking now.

Rachel (30:43)

Mm-hmm. also shout out to your crew because I'm lucky enough to know them all. I so I just adore all of them and they just have become so special to me. Yeah, so quickly. Just love them.

Scott (31:00)

Thank you. Yeah. Couldn't do this without them, to be honest with you.

Rachel (31:04)

Chef's kiss. I do. I do I adore them. Willie's the one who made me the SKAgazine mug. And you know he had always you know he's a quiet guy. He's a sweetheart though. So like that coming from someone who's always quiet, like just was that more special? Like good good kids, good kids.

Scott (31:25)

Good kids. That's funny that we say kids are like twenty five years old or twenty eight years old and we call them kids. I know

Rachel (31:30)

That's where I'm at.

Scott (31:32)

I'm with you. I'm with you.

Jess (31:33)

So I

Rachel (31:34)

What?

Jess (31:34)

I saw I saw that Austin from Joker's Republic turned twenty eight tonight and I was like he's I wanna be twenty eight again, yes.

Scott (31:44)

Twenty-three full-time job, owned my own house. I was like, I was always like, these twenty-three year olds do act like I did when I was twenty three.

Rachel (31:52)

I was thinking that recently too. My I don't know what my 20-year-olds did or said and I was like, I had you already at your age. That when I was 16, what do you mean you don't know how to yada yada?

Scott (32:05)

Yeah, I was old before at my time.

Rachel (32:11)

I was also gonna ask you guys, where did it go? When I know you just mentioned when you were, you know, sixteen, which kind of goes into my next question is when did when or where or why did you get really where you're like music just meant a little more to you than everybody else? Like you're like this is gonna be part of your life, just passionate about it.

Jess (32:37)

I'm gonna give you the same answer everyone else gives you when I first listened to the Dookie album.

Rachel (32:43)

We get a lot of green.

Jess (32:44)

We do get a lot of that. Like

Scott (32:46)

That's that's it.

Jess (32:47)

I

Rachel (32:48)

Every episode of Green Days mentioned.

Jess (32:50)

It had just come out and I was in I think I was in seventh grade. I was on a school trip to D going down to DC. Yeah. And I was listening to it on my disc man in the bus. And I was just like, This is this is my thing. Like this is gonna be my thing. Cause I felt like I could just lose myself in it.

Scott (33:14)

Love that. You know, it's so it's just like a generational difference because you know, I was basically a metal head through junior high, like that's best up through eighth grade. And I got a suicidal tendencies record for Christmas that I already had. And I took her to the record store and they're like, here you should try the circle jerks record. Instead, I was like, Okay, and I put it in. I'm like, I do not understand. The songs are short, there's no real guitar solos. I don't feel like they have the same sort of lyrics that's Slayer has. I don't understand these lyrics. It's kind of weird. I don't quite get it. That was my first punk rock record. And then, you know, the Megadeth record I had had a Sex Pistols cover. So I was like, I get the Sex Pistols. I'm all right, I get this a little bit more. And then it's like, shit, I bought a bunch of anthrax tapes off of this dude and he threw in a Ramones tape in there. I was like, Okay. Now I got the Ramones. So I'm so got Circle Jerks, Sex Pistols, Ramones, and then You know, I was the age when Nirvana Nevermind broke. So it's for you, it was dookie. For me, it was nevermind. I was like, which blew metal off the off the airways and off of MTV when I was in eighth and ninth grade, whatever, somewhere in that area. And I read a review of something like might have been one of the first album bleach. I don't remember, but someone said it was Black Sabbath getting fucked by Black Flag. I was like, Well, I know who Black Sabbath is. Who the fuck is Black Flag? So I went and bought that. I'm like, okay. So now I've got Black Flag circle jerks, instead of like, Okay, this is just fascinating to me. And I tried playing in metal bands, and then I wound up meeting this dude named Fayne at the music store. And he's like, I'm filling him with drums. He's I need a drummer. I was like, I'm a drummer. He's like, we should be in a band together. I was like, okay. And then I was like, I'm leaving vacation with my family tomorrow, but I'll call you when I get back. Got back, couldn't find his number, but I know he looked at a McDonald's in the area. So I called every McDonald's asking to speak to Fane, which is not his real name. His real name is John. So, but I eventually found him and then we formed a band called The Slaves to Society, because that's what you do when you're 16. And then I started playing shows and going to shows. And it was really the going. I know this is a long-winded answer. I'm sorry. and the first show I went to was the Meat Men. And there were two bands I'd never heard of that opened called Pennywise and Offspring. So I was outside during their set because I never heard of these bands, and who cares? Because it's not the Meat Men. And

Jess (35:31)

To do that all the time. Like I curse myself for this because I don't miss opening bands now. Yeah. But we used to just be hanging out and drinking and missing bands.

Scott (35:41)

You have no idea. And then like one of my very first shows I played was a band called The Suspects, who's well, never mind. I'm not gonna say what I'm saying there. Can't say that yet. So band called The Suspects and their drummer Ken Stax, God bless his soul, he passed away with cancer last year. he was the original drummer from Scream. And you know, we talked, we got to know each other and over years, like just the whole DC community scene. It made you feel part of a world beyond music. So going back to that community term, So that was my slow dive. And if it weren't for all ages shows, I wouldn't have done it because I couldn't have been playing shows and I couldn't have been going to shows. I'm not sure I would have fallen in love with it at sixteen if I couldn't have been part of it. Wow, that was a long answer. I'm so sorry.

Rachel (36:25)

No, it wasn't because you're actually gonna go on longer because from there because I know that's not the only band you've been in. I know that your wife has been in some

Jess (36:37)

Yes.

Rachel (36:38)

Awesome, amazing bands too. I feel like I'm never gonna know everything about you. Cause there's a lot. And so from it's a good thing. You you're living a good life. From slave to society, what was next? Tell tell me the

Scott (36:58)

That would have been it we're gonna call them real bands, not the ones that only played one show and broke up. I was in the abducted. I was not in them for very long, played a couple shows. I had replaced their drummer Eric, who later went on to be some in some other band called Strike Anywhere. so that lasted for a hot minute, and then I went back to the slaves to society again. Although we had did I do it? no, I do not. then we had

Rachel (37:27)

Ha ha.

Scott (37:28)

We unfortunately had changed our name to the Slaves, which is a really unfortunate name for three white guys in the DC area. now that I'm older, I'm like, gosh, that was really tone deaf. But everyone just called us that as a nickname anyway. So we did that and then that band broke up again. And then I joined a band called the Overprivileged with members of that band. And that band lasted a long time. And we toured a lot of the lower forty eight, Canada and Europe. And then that band broke up. And then I was in the Twats with my wife. And that band did really well until we broke it up. Breaking up happens. and then I moved to Florida and I was Call in Dead And then I moved here and I was in Leave It Behind. Then I was in a bad religion cover band called Good Blasphemy. Now I'm in a band that I don't know the name of it, but our text messages are call ourselves Dad Core but that's not gonna be the name of our band.

Rachel (38:19)

So something so it's in the works?

Scott (38:21)

It's in the works. We have like four songs and it's a little bit under six minutes long.

Rachel (38:27)

It's exciting.

Scott (38:28)

As soon as we have ten minutes of music, I'm gonna put us on a show.

Rachel (38:32)

Awesome. That's very

Scott (38:33)

This is all we need.

Rachel (38:35)

Yeah, that's what she said.

Jess (38:39)

Yeah, you knew you were getting it in at least once.

Scott (38:42)

You had to get that in there.

Rachel (38:43)

But she's

Jess (38:45)

I'm so glad you didn't start off by roasting us, actually. You guys.

Rachel (38:51)

I mean, not unless it was all good fun, but

Scott (38:55)

And of course I'm a drummer so I filled in for a thousand bands for both tours and albums, some kind of nightmare and in between, et cetera, et cetera.

Rachel (39:06)

And what was I gonna say? I wanted to ask what bands you were in. And so I know you speak pretty highly of like the DC music scene. Now you came to the Hudson Valley in what 2023?

Scott (39:16)

Yes.

Rachel (39:18)

Do you feel like your your roots are here growing now? Do you see yourself?

Scott (39:26)

Yeah, I mean it's it's funny. When I moved to Florida, they called me Scott from DC because I always said I was from DC. But now I'm definitely from the Hudson Valley. Hudson

Rachel (39:36)

Now you're Scott.

Scott (39:37)

Valley. Yeah, no, this is this is my community here. no no no disrespect towards Florida or even to my home of DC, but the community here, the bands, the people, all my friends help me out. I feel really, really connected to this community. I can't see myself leaving it.

Rachel (39:54)

I mean I definitely see you as a staple here for sure. because I like I don't know, I feel lucky to have found found your shows because I didn't even know there was a scene in this area at all. And I wasn't going to shows and I stumbled across the show and I was like, there's so much music here. my goodness. Like what have

Scott (40:17)

Music, yeah.

Rachel (40:18)

I been yeah, missing out on?

Scott (40:22)

A lot of great promoters.

Rachel (40:23)

People really do it's certainly appreciated that it's here and I love getting to tell people who don't know about how much music is actually here. and Jess, are you are you from Philly? I've

Jess (40:40)

I am.

Rachel (40:41)

Got some, but I never confirmed that. And are you do you feel like you're like that's you're gonna stay?

Jess (40:48)

I'm never leaving here. I mean, I'm not in Philly anymore. Technically I live in the suburbs now, so there's that. But I did that so my kid could get into a better school district because Philly schools aren't the best. Although I made out okay. Yeah, I'm a small fish in a big sea here. Billy's in the city, you know what I mean? But not much happening as far as ska goes. I'm trying to build up that love for ska.

Rachel (41:22)

I feel like I mean I look at the shows you put on and go to and from an outsider, I wouldn't say that, you know. I am always like that's where it's at. Like you put on some pretty you put on some really good sashes.

Jess (41:36)

Yeah, but we're we're just starting to grow because the attendance is what I think the bands deserve as of right now. Like lots of people we go see all the big bands coming through. Like you gotta hit more DIY shows. Like people gotta hit more DIY shows. And in the city when you have all and I don't even want to say we have all the big bands coming through anymore because a lot of people started skipping Philly lately. I don't know if anyone's noticed that. Probably not because you don't live here, but Like when Dropkick Murphy's went out last time, they skip Philly. That's just an example. Like there's tons of people skipping Philly now. They're going to places like Millersville, which is two hours away, or Starland Ballroom, which is an hour and a half from Philly in Jersey. So it's just that the Philly people who are going out to music are used to going out to those bigger shows, I think. And when it comes to Scott, it's even harder, obviously.

Scott (42:36)

Yeah, it's it's interesting. I actually had a friend of mine, Antonio from Punk Island, ask me about ska bands in Philly because he's trying to bring this up to Puerto Rico. I gave him your name.

Jess (42:47)

There's not many of them.

Scott (42:49)

No, no, but I gave him but I told him to contact you. but I talked to Mike from Bad Time and Ben from Big D on a group chat. I was like, Hey, can you guys throw me some Philly ska bands? And they came up with a couple? I can't remember. Philly And I'm like, I thought I was like, I work with a lot of punk and hardcore bands in Philly. And there's a lot of them that I'm like putting out their records. So I like I think Philly's a very rich scene, but sky wise?

Jess (43:18)

No, I mean Catbite is a ska band of Philly, obviously. They're you know what they're doing. there's Goofy at Night who are great and upcoming, but they just graduated college and they're gonna be going and doing their thing. So I don't know if they're gonna continue. I wanna say somebody's moving overseas soon or something, like I heard last time. There's not a whole lot of ska bands in Philly, so we tried to do a lot of multi-generate genre DIY shows that bring in punk bands and you know, we got pop punk, we bring in regular punk and just kind of like blend them together.

Rachel (43:55)

Or the mix personally.

Jess (43:56)

I do too, because honestly, not only are you getting a mixed variety of music, which there's a lot of crossover, And somebody might come out to see a punk band and not realize they like ska until they came to that show. So you could be drawing more people into the ska scene that way. And that's what I'm hopeful for.

Scott (44:17)

I think the only band they mentioned besides Catbite was Heavy Beat.

Jess (44:22)

Maybe yes, they are great. they played one of our shows. They played the this is not court and fight after party that we planned. I have not been able to get them onto another one yet, but I'm trying I ask them all the time. So they're one of them. There's really not many though.

Scott (44:41)

But I agree with you, the mixed bill makes sense. I do like on my my Sunday matinees are always mixed bills. There'll be a ska band and maybe a thrash metal band and maybe an emo pop punk band and maybe a prog metal band and maybe a hardcore band. Like it's it's it's whatever it's gonna be. I'm not concerned with having a sound like as much as I love events This Is Not Croydon Fest, three days of nothing but ska, I was like, I could actually use a thrash metal band real quick to cleanse my palate.

Rachel (45:09)

I said cleanse my palate too, that's what I say.

Scott (45:11)

I am

Rachel (45:12)

After three three days of ska and I love ska. But I for a few days

Scott (45:19)

Yep. Yep.

Rachel (45:20)

This other stuff have to pass.

Scott (45:22)

Have to cleanse up. Every now and then it's like, you know what, I can drink five beers in a row, but I think I need a glass of water to cleanse my palate so I can taste the next beer.

Rachel (45:30)

Yeah, exactly. That's a perfect way to Yeah. that's exactly how I feel too. And I love like that Green Day cover show that I went to, like it was like three all these different punk bands. It was like this country southern woozy One and then like, you know, a poppy one and then, you know, and I like that. I like the variety even in in the same genre.

Scott (45:59)

And I'll punk adjacent stuff like Guitarmy of One it's definitely surf music, but Scott has hard deep hardcore roots. He was in hardcore bands going back to the 80s. So like he is in Frenchy and the Punk and he's the punk in that group. So it's like, yes, surf music is not punk rock, but it's being played by someone whose heart is punk rock, whose community is punk rock. And that matters more to me than a particular sound.

Rachel (46:23)

There was another band I saw that sounded a little surfy to me. one of their their stickers was like a Beatles kind of it'll come to me while we're talking. But they were one of the bands there, so I'm assuming you know them. it'll come to me.

Scott (46:42)

I got you.

Rachel (46:43)

Rhode Island maybe? Long Island? Maybe from Long Island.

Scott (46:46)

Long Island, Long Island, Long Island.

Rachel (46:48)

I'm going playing on I ha I bought their C D.

Scott (46:52)

A do William?

Rachel (46:54)

Yeah,

Jess (46:55)

Rhode Island, Long Island, you know.

Scott (46:59)

Island. What the islands?

Rachel (47:00)

It was like moving up, moving on.

Scott (47:03)

Corey's grounded? Nope. Nope.

Rachel (47:07)

There are several bands there I liked actually. There's American Television. and so I was gonna ask you guys, I think this is Bo's question usually asks like a sandwich of the different bands that why you look confused, Jess. Like the you're muted. you're muted. You did it this time.

Jess (47:29)

I wanna hear your spin on it 'cause Bo always asks this question to bands about their influences, but you're asking it to us about

Rachel (47:36)

What kind of just makes up well, I mean it could be influences for Scott, but what kind of just makes up like your taste in moving? What what just your core of music? I'm trying to think of how bull words it too, because it always sounds funny. But you know, there's the meat, there's the condiments and toppings, like how would you how would I mean you can make it your own on what what really is like the core of it from your child. Or what all the little influences in your music world. Jess, you start because since you know the question. Yeah. Like

Jess (48:14)

Do you want me to answer this? So

Rachel (48:18)

Your heart of music, what would be?

Jess (48:20)

I mean, I'm gonna start with the inside, which is I guess all the meat. And that is just punk in general. Like I was always about punk. Face to Face is my favorite band ever.

Rachel (48:30)

I'm just looking at something with them today. That's funny.

Jess (48:33)

Like No Use for a Name Bad religion, NOFX like all like things I've loved. There's tons of others too, obviously, but I always had a deep love for punk. And I love s someone once asked the question. I'm gonna derail a little bit because why not? It was Danny Raskell from Famous Idea. He's like, Do you like ska or Punk more? And my answer was They're best when they come together.

Scott (49:04)

Big stuff, huh, baby?

Jess (49:05)

Yeah, I love them both, but when they come together, holy fucking shit. You got the suicide machines, you got Famous Idea, like those are my

Rachel (49:16)

Interruptors.

Jess (49:17)

Like all the ska punk bands is where I started listening to Ska now. I listen to a lot of other ska male today. I listen to ska traditional and rocksteady I listen to reggae, I listen to it all. But ska punk is that core for me. Well, punk is the core and then it I guess it trickled out into like ska punk and then I started exploring all the other variations of ska.

Rachel (49:45)

Like all your fun extra chopping pickles that make it extra yummy. Yeah.

Jess (49:50)

And then yeah, I guess that's a is that a good answer?

Rachel (49:55)

Wrong answer.

Jess (49:58)

I'm a girl first, but I fucking love ska and I really, really get happy when they come together.

Rachel (50:07)

What else is there anything else in your sandwich?

Jess (50:10)

I mean, I like I mean, give me some ghost tones with a little hip hop mixed in and you're like, what the fuck is going on here? And then like you talk about like Philly and Punk and like hip hop a little bit. Hip hop hound gang. Like, give me some of that. Like

Rachel (50:26)

I like poking you to say hip hop.

Jess (50:29)

But I you were looking for some hip hop, but I also like heavy shit like the Chemical Imbalance, like that ska core deaf ska is what likes to call it. Like give me some of that. I just like a wide variety of things. And it to me, the weirder the better. I really, really like weird.

Rachel (50:49)

Love it. Good answer.

Jess (50:50)

Like give me something unique. And if if it's not coming across in your studio albums, and for some bands it doesn't, in your live show, show me something, like make it something. And sometimes it's vice versa. Sometimes somebody's a great studio album artist and they suck live. I'm gonna say my chemical romance, I hated seeing live, but I think they're a great studio album artist. Does that make sense?

Scott (51:20)

It does, and that's why I would interest it.

Rachel (51:21)

You say that.

Jess (51:24)

So I guess that's my sandwich, punk, ska punk, and then all the other things that just like, you know, the things that are not the core, but are like the lettuce, the what are they, the toppings. The topics are your Rocksteady and your traditional ska and your hardcore and this and that. And your hip hop.

Scott (51:51)

Yeah, I mean I I'm a hardcore punk kid. Like I like hardcore when all hardcore was punk, not all punk was hardcore and no hardcore was metal. So like back when Minor Threat was still considered a hardcore band and hate breed would be considered a metal band. Right. You know, like when Nirvana broke and all the metal bands dropped off of T V, they got rid of the guitar solos and started going chugga chugga chuggers and breakdowns and became hardcore bands. I've got a hardcore shows like those aren't hardcore bands, they're just pure metal bands, which is fine. I like metal to a point. And I said that because like I book metal bands at shows. I even manage a metal band called WORLDSUCKS When people hear I do metal, they're like, they start naming like really big popular ones like no no no. I don't keep up with the metal scene. I like the local metal and I like supporting it. But I am always aware the local punk and the bigger punk and ska bands is growing out. So that's what I really focus on and I like to play certain things. Like I like to play hardcore punk, but I can listen to other stuff. I don't know. It's such a weird question. Like, I don't even like listening to music, I don't listen to it in my car very often because I'm listening to music for albums I'm putting out all the time. I like to listen to my records at home. And then you mentioned live stuff, Jess. There are bands that I would never listen to on a record or in my car, but they put on a great show live, and I'm okay with that. Yeah. And so I've been open to genres and things that I would like slightly that are more punk adjacent because they put on a great set and like they'll ask me for a show and I'll watch the YouTube video. Cause I really want to know if they're gonna be good live. That's what I really care about. Cause I kind of have to trash bands, but I've seen there are bands I've loved growing up. I was like, I'm gonna like this. And I go to the show, I like, Wow, that was so disappointing. And once you disappoint me live, and maybe I'll give you another chance, I just stop listening to you. I'm like, I'm done. I don't care how good your studio record is. I'm just done. I just I need I need you to be authentic in the live person. And if you're just great at like dubbing overdubbing and writing a song in the studio for like a year, I don't know. I don't care about that. I want I want this moment. So I don't know. What is my what is my s it's my sandwich? It's more of a buffet that I like load up and then trip and fall down and pick it back up and put it back on again.

Rachel (54:11)

That's a good

Jess (54:11)

Pick it up, pick it up, pick it up.

Scott (54:13)

Pick it up, pick it up, pick it up. But I'm not picking up change. Okay.

Rachel (54:19)

Will you get sushi at the buffet? No.

Scott (54:23)

No one gets these shit at the buffet. I don't know.

Rachel (54:26)

Edge, man, you live on the edge.

Scott (54:28)

I was at a dive bar and this woman who was recovering from a medical condition was selling food in the back of the dive bar for ten bucks a plate and you know, chicken and stuff, and I and I started eating it. And then I like, I just started to get nervous. I decided that I didn't need to die of salmonella. And I very politely took the food and didn't finish it. But I did give her my money for her for her medical bills. But I decided that I'm I'm no longer young enough to risk eating random food from a random person in the back of a dive bar.

Rachel (55:06)

Yeah, don't do that.

Scott (55:08)

Our trip. I did. I did. And you know the mac and cheese was probably fine, but like, you know, I'm I'm like literally eating the baked chicken and I'm like biting into it. I was like, the texture's not what I would want it to be.

Rachel (55:24)

You're like, is this actually this is a breaded sock, deep fried? What the

Scott (55:29)

Is it is it cooked all the way through? It's fine. R rare chicken's fine.

Rachel (55:36)

What? That's not a bone.

Scott (55:42)

Yeah. But I didn't die. That was that was literally Saturday, so I'm okay.

Rachel (55:46)

How many yeah, you're fine.

Jess (55:47)

Four days.

Scott (55:48)

Almost we've

Rachel (55:50)

I feel invincible and like I in that kind of area. I'm like, it's fine.

Scott (55:54)

That's fine.

Rachel (55:56)

Scared of everything else. now, and this might be a stupid question, it's my curiosity, when you are doing a band's vinyl Scott, or they choose to use you as a promoter or a booker, is that like they're signed with DCPC? Like are you their label? How does that work? Should I know that?

Scott (56:21)

No, it's it's I don't sign anyone, I don't do royalties, I don't take money from their digital distribution. It is literally, hey, I like you and I wanna help you a little bit and I have the money and resources to press two hundred records for you and I ask you to buy in a certain percentage of it and people are like, you make them buy some I was like, No, I mean they don't have the money to press two hundred themselves, but if they get twenty five, then I do the other seventy five, you know, percent for them. And like it's actually a lot of work. I was meeting with Savannah the other day. The amount of work I put into actually putting the record together, submitting it to the pressing plant, submitting it to my distributor, doing all the promo videos that I do, packaging and mailing things out, carrying the records to all the shows and vendors, like I actually do quite a bit and ask so little. Yeah but no one's signed because I don't repress a record. It's a one and done deal and I just move on to the next ban. And same with booking. I resisted being I resisted being someone's booking agent. Some people were squeezing me into it and trying to make me accept it. So the first was like WORLDSUCKS Like, we need you to be our manager. I was like, I don't want to be a manager. It's all the it's all the work of being in a band without any of the fun of playing the shows. It sounds terrible. But the really good guys and great music, so they convinced me too. And then RBNX did the same thing. It's like, we want you to book our tours I'm like, I can do that and I booked tours for free for years for people. Like, nobody wanna pay you though. I was like, man then I have to like then Meow Meow did it too and Shark Noises and then I just booked a tour for trouble bound and then there's another tour book for another band I did. But I'm I'm I'm gonna be stopping booking tours for most bands, I think, hopefully, because it's a lot of work to book tours.

Rachel (58:17)

Yeah, yeah, I don't well, that's one of my other questions that I'll hold on till Jess is back. But I associ because to me I will associate certain bands with that's a DCxPC band. And so I was like, I'm not sure if I'm if my brain's correct in doing that.

Scott (58:37)

Yeah, it's interesting because like I do the record with them and I support it and I support the record until it's gone. So I'll still be like promoting a record that came out a year ago. And you know, that once you part of my family, you're part of my family. I think that's Me. Yeah. It's that the family's there and I'll always help you if I can. And like, you know, I just had a band called, you know, come up through town that I don't have the record anymore. It's been sold out for ages, but they needed help and I helped them with the show because you're part of my Family. Yeah. So and there are some bands I'll even do a second record with them, but not the same one. Like I'll be announcing the Rebelmatic record in a couple of days, another Rebelmatic.

Rachel (59:18)

I literally was just talking about them.

Scott (59:21)

So I sent it to the press last week. So

Rachel (59:26)

Think I was talking to Carlos from Carlos in the Chords who I discovered by going to one of your shows, all of them chatting

Scott (59:32)

No great.

Rachel (59:33)

And I was like, Yeah, I they I was talking to someone, I'm like, they pal around those two and I really they're a good good gang.

Scott (59:40)

They are. And it and it gets tricky because I'm booked with records until 2027 all the way through. So if someone came to me today and said, Scott, can you do a record for me? I like, sure, 20228 And I've had two bands ask me and I've told them that's not fast enough. I was like, Okay, I

Rachel (59:56)

Yeah. I'm telling you, everyone yeah, no, everyone respects yeah, your label.

Scott (1:00:02)

With Reki.

Rachel (1:00:04)

And that being said and talking about all the things on your plate and all the work for both of you, you all wear different hats and do so much, how then this might just be for me. Tips. How do you how do you stay organized? How do you manage it? How do you keep how do you still have a life outside of it?

Jess (1:00:26)

I'm the queen of chaos. I don't have any organization.

Rachel (1:00:29)

You're not gonna give me any actually good

Scott (1:00:32)

True.

Rachel (1:00:34)

Masses.

Jess (1:00:35)

Even in my real life job, like I run a 15 person accounting department. I'm the controller for a major cigar retailer and distributor. Like I work best under chaos and under stress. I always have.

Rachel (1:00:50)

Wait, what about cigars? Yeah, yeah.

Jess (1:01:01)

It's almost like having fifteen other kids, right? Kinda. Cause managing people is like having kids. You say, whatever, I should cut this when I re

Rachel (1:01:11)

Ha ha ha.

Jess (1:01:13)

But I've always, always, always worked well under stress and worked better under chaotic circumstances than I did if I was organized. If I'm organized, I'm fucked. I don't know how to explain that. It's

Rachel (1:01:30)

CD.

Jess (1:01:31)

I am a hot mass and that's just the way I am and somehow I get it done.

Rachel (1:01:38)

Isn't it? It's the brain is funny.

Jess (1:01:40)

I'm I'm not gonna lie and say I have this, this and this. Like, no, I'm always a fucking mess. I'm always stressing, but it always gets done.

Rachel (1:01:51)

Get

Scott (1:01:53)

I understand it. I cannot operate that way. I keep I literally

Rachel (1:01:57)

I knew and I knew

Scott (1:02:01)

Do this like every day. I take my envelope and I look at my list and then whatever's not scratched, I write it onto the next envelope, put in my back pocket, and I make you track of everything I need to do for the day. And I try and get it done. I have a spreadsheet of my vinyl schedule. I have a calendar of all the shows. I have reminders of what I need to have the flyers created by. I have a spreadsheet of vinyl production for when things need to get done. So I need to reach out to the band like, I still need this. no, I am I am hyper organized.

Jess (1:02:33)

I do a top.

Scott (1:02:34)

I have templates for everything, so I don't have to like work hard to do it. So my press releases are done. You know, I'm like, I gotta do is plug and play. The press release doesn't change. My advanced show information is the same. I just change the bands and change the times and But if you change the hospitality based on the venue, but I keep a template for each venue. So that that's yeah, I everything is organized in the folders and folders within subfolders in my Google Drive.

Rachel (1:03:01)

Even how even even how the toes go into the car.

Jess (1:03:05)

Down to that.

Rachel (1:03:08)

Wait, there's a way.

Scott (1:03:10)

There's a way. I mean, and I and I still sometimes miss things. or get things done by the skin of my teeth, or like decide like my podcast that came out today was supposed to be out last week and I just didn't have time to do the final editing. Trev from Struggling Artist Podcast and Struggling Artist Record Club, he does my production of it and it's been ready, but I have to sit down for an hour, read through it, correct all the misspellings on the transcript, then I've got to make the promo video. Then I've gotta make the promo image, then I've gotta do the description and then I've gotta do the email blast description and then it's it's what what what are you looking what are you shaking your head at me?

Jess (1:03:49)

I think.

Rachel (1:03:50)

Because she's going

Jess (1:03:52)

I no, no, I used to I used I used to do these things. I used to edit every podcast. I used to agonize over it. I spent literally like no time with my family to get things out there. I was listening to a podcaster called the Harker Therapist. Have you heard of her?

Scott (1:04:11)

Yeah, yeah.

Jess (1:04:12)

Amazing. And one time I listened to her podcast and she was like Someone asked like how she does what she does and gets it all done. She's like, I don't edit anything. What you hear is what goes out. Like, and I was like, shit, I'm gonna start doing that. And that's when I decided I was doing every interview live and I wasn't gonna edit anymore. And You know what? It saved me a hell of a lot of time and opened me up for a lot of other things.

Scott (1:04:38)

No, I get it. That makes sense. And I think like the spot I'm in right now is that and I've said this phrase a couple of times this week, that April Scott was writing checks for things that August Scott didn't know was gonna have to happen. So I don't normally work during the summer, but I started a new job a month ago and I'm working Monday through Friday during the summer when normally I'm off all summer. So I did not know that I'd have to be at work from eight to four every day when I had four or five shows in one week. And then I was gonna have to suck it up and then I was gonna have a sinus infection and then I was gonna have to do it. And that the only time I can get anything done 'cause I had so many shows was to wake up at four thirty in the morning so I can get all my DCxPC work done before I go to work. So I can be ready for the show later that night. And then get up and do it again the next day.

Rachel (1:05:25)

And that is not exaggerating anything. You've had I feel like four to five shows every week for a while now.

Scott (1:05:37)

There was an accident, almost all of them. Some of them were like last minute me helping a friend because their sh their tour was falling apart.

Rachel (1:05:45)

I mean good I mean they're they've been really they when I'm talking about commitment shows I'm specifically thinking of just the past few weeks some

Scott (1:05:52)

No, I yeah, yeah, absolutely.

Rachel (1:05:54)

They've been good shows that I'm like at home being like, Hmm, I guess I can just share it, whatever.

Jess (1:06:04)

Yeah, two or three a month to me is too much. Like I'm like, that's it. That's I don't have anyone helping me either, honestly. Like

Scott (1:06:11)

Yeah. I couldn't do this without the help, but I think my help is getting tired.

Jess (1:06:16)

Your house getting tired.

Scott (1:06:17)

Yes.

Jess (1:06:19)

I don't want to say no help 'cause my husband will do tour for me. But I mean, he's not like doing any of the planning or, you know, making sure shit's happening.

Rachel (1:06:29)

It's a lot. I and of course, like and also people like me reaching out to Scott because being like, I need your help with something. Like I feel like you're like a go-to person. And actually I should just I should just talk about it here because when are me and Scott gonna have time to ever have coffee? because it is related relating to like booking bands and like promoting, and it's all it's all like from your heart work. No one's making money here. So it my questions are.

Jess (1:06:56)

Nobody's making money.

Rachel (1:06:58)

Making money, everyone should know this in the scene stuff is all because you love music and you love music.

Jess (1:07:05)

That's because we love her.

Scott (1:07:06)

That's it. I don't golf. I don't ski. This is what I do.

Rachel (1:07:12)

That sometimes I think some people just see that like I'm sharing stuff and think I might be like in the promoting world. And then it kind of like came to be where like I have maybe a chance to put a small show together. And I'm like, I'm not sure I'm fit to do that. How much work is it just, you know, not to do it as like an ongoing thing and I and like yeah, I'm like, Scott, I already have I know I already had just other stuff to bother you with. Like 'Cause I'm like, I think it might i is it over my head, like and yeah.

Scott (1:07:43)

Not over your head.

Rachel (1:07:45)

No?

Jess (1:07:45)

I can do it, anybody can do it. Honestly. I have no Experience in any of this shit. Like

Rachel (1:07:52)

And did you guys just learn as you went though? Cause I'm like different venues do different things. I'm like s learning about that. Like, well this venue, they like to just pay the bands themselves, they handle that. This venue

Jess (1:08:03)

I never had a venue do that for me.

Rachel (1:08:06)

It's it's and the other one's like you we provide this, you're at the door, you put the bands together, you do your flyers. So it's different everywhere and

Jess (1:08:17)

Never had a venue do anything for me, honestly. Like I have to do everything. I set up the events tickets. I promote the show. I get the sound. I you know, I do it all. Like the venues I work with don't do those things. I wanna find venues that do.

Scott (1:08:33)

I have venues that do have their own sound, I have venues that don't, I have venues that have their own ticketing, I have venues that don't, I have venues that offer hospitality, I have venues that don't. And any combination they're in, they all change. The important thing I would say when you're booking shows with bands is to be extremely upfront when you're offering them the show what the situation is. I make sure that they know not just the day of the show, but the load in time. the start and end time. That way they know if they have a job if they can make it there. 'Cause if you say, can I ask you to play on April thirteenth and then they say yes and then you wind up putting them on the doors right five for expense at six, like, don't get off work till five o'clock for an hour and a half away to be there. So tell them up front and ask them if there's any time, you know, restrictions. How they're gonna get paid. Like if they're gonna get paid like, Hey, it's a door deal, everyone gets a percentage of the door, these are my costs. I have to pay a sound guy X money, I gotta pay a door person this amount of money. Like The more explicit you can be, the more likely a band is gonna say yes because it looks like you have your shit together. Versus going, you know, is it all ages? Is it twenty-one and up? Is it eighteen and up? Give them all the information a band might want to know. Are there any free drinks? Are there not? And I know that sounds over like, but I is there a back line? I bought a back line two years ago because it just got easier to bring bands up from New York City because often like they're their their own equipment is stored, you know, in a very difficult place to get. I never had a back line in other places, but I just noticed it was an issue. So I bought my I already owned a drum set, I bought two guitar cabs and a bass cab. I still run into issues with bands going, Well I don't have heads I'm like, Well you gotta bring your combo I'm not buying everything under the sun. But it also makes for transitions easier. So that's one of the reasons my shows run on time is because I provide everything. It also makes in an entire band's worth of gear by myself if Willie and Al aren't there to help me.

Rachel (1:10:34)

And do you do you kind of have when you're choosing what bands are gonna be in a show, is that just kind of what who who you think will complement each other in a show? How do you how do you guys pick?

Scott (1:10:49)

You wanna take this one? I took the last one.

Rachel (1:10:52)

Well I it's for both of you. Yeah.

Scott (1:10:53)

Yeah, I was just I was just gonna let Jessica first. I you know I talked and taking turns

Jess (1:10:58)

They're small shows. I'm trying to do a four-band bill usually. and I want that to include two locals whenever possible. I want my locals to open and close the night because I want people to be drawn out early. I want people to stay late. Two and three spots should be for my traveling bands coming in. But as far as them complimenting each other, we talked about the multi-genre thing. Like I'm not booking straight ska shows. I'm not booking straight punk shows. I'm mixing it up because I wanna draw people from each of those genres and potentially reach people who don't know they like ska or they don't know they like punk.

Scott (1:11:35)

Absolutely. Yep.

Rachel (1:11:37)

And are people reaching out to you, Jess?

Jess (1:11:39)

All it's fucking time. Like I can't help everyone that reaches out to me because honestly, I don't know. Scott, how long have you been doing this?

Scott (1:11:48)

I started booking shows when I was sixteen and seventeen and I started doing sh show trades when I started to go on tour. So I've been doing this for so

Jess (1:11:58)

This a year ago, and if I can tell you how much money I lost in the past year, I hope the bands are watching. I usually end up covering and I hope my husband's not watching. I usually end up covering the venue on the sound cost because I want to pay my bands. And if the door cells aren't there, I still want make sure sometimes I pay the venue to sound cost and some of It's worse out money. Like it it's not something and I've talked to other promoters about this. They're like, You gotta stop doing that. Honestly. It's not sustainable. It's real I know it's

Scott (1:12:37)

It's interesting, right? 'Cause I was leaning towards your way, particularly when I started doing shows here, 'cause I wanted to do them the best way I could. And I would guarantee bands from Philly like a nominal amount of money, like fifty bucks or seventy-five dollars, not a huge amount, right? But, you know, if if sound is two hundred bucks and door is fifty, and I spend fifty dollars both printing posters and getting them designs. I'm at three hundred dollars and I tend to buy pizza for the bands. You know, so now I'm at now I'm like four hundred bucks out the door before the band even rolls in. And if I give them their guarantees and only twenty people show up, then I'm out even like whatever amount of money, right? And I was doing that, and then a buddy of mine's like, Look, I'm in one of the bands that you book. I see the shows, you promote your shows, you're flyering, you're out there, you're walking around. You should just tell the bands they get a percentage of the door after your costs. You tell them what the costs are when they accept the show. Offer them a percentage. And then if they don't get paid much, then they didn't maybe they didn't promote. They're not using their social media. They're not walking around flyering. Maybe they're the local band that are the jerk faces that booked a show at the same venue the day after the show you already had booked. And yes, I did have a band do that for me once, and I was not happy with them. They were the only local band out of three band touring bill on a weekday. And then they literally booked a show forty hours. before my show for the day after my show at the same venue. Is considered not appropriate. You don't do that. but yeah, local bandstands is try and make sure people are paying. But like I tell them up front, like the benefit shows they don't get paid. But I do say you're gonna get fed, you're gonna get a free t shirt, you're gonna benefit things, and I tend to have at least forty people show up. So you're hopefully you'll sell some merch and it's going to a great community, which punk rock believes in supporting non profits and benefits. So but Upfront honesty. This is how much you're likely to make. Don't I am

Jess (1:14:42)

But I find last minute and I probably shouldn't have drink at my shows because then I get nicer. I find last minute that I'm like, that's not enough. And I'll put a little more and that's not enough. Like I'm always dip against my own wallet. And you know, it's sustainable.

Scott (1:14:58)

I get that. I know during the Rally in the Valley last year, I gave bands all additional money without them asking for it because I booked them back in August and gas prices had gone up so high I felt bad. And once they gave one band extra money, didn't give every band extra money. Right. Did I have that in my budget? No, I did not have it in my budget. Did I spend that money anyway? Absolutely I did. So despite me telling you to be a hard ass thirty seconds ago the Softy that you are.

Jess (1:15:26)

But that's how you know that we're in this for something else, honestly. Like

Scott (1:15:29)

Yeah, I'm just trying to find a way to make sure I'm sustainable.

Jess (1:15:32)

Yeah, we don't want to go broke over it.

Scott (1:15:35)

Yeah. Otherwise there'll be no shows.

Jess (1:15:37)

And I think I want to say it was you I had a conversation with this about like you only have so much time with an LLC to turn a profit or you have to like if we can't write this shit off then it's yeah.

Scott (1:15:49)

Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. That is that is Yep. Otherwise we gotta disband the L L C and reform it again.

Jess (1:15:59)

Exactly, as a new name.

Scott (1:16:01)

Yes. Change one letter.

Rachel (1:16:04)

Like I feel like all the bands also get a free drink. I'm thinking of all the stuff that I see Scott.

Jess (1:16:11)

So that's the one thing. Like at the venue I usually book at, they don't give anything for free. And I'm not trying to like blast the venue.

Rachel (1:16:18)

Yeah, no, I'm assuming Scott does.

Jess (1:16:21)

The venue that I'm going to work with, on my one show coming up, they're like drink tickets for the bands. And I'm like, yes, I need that. Like, please.

Scott (1:16:30)

Yeah. And the thing is some venues do, some don't. Most do. I've started doing a thing where if the venue has food, I give the bands five dollar food tickets for five dollars off the food. Okay. And oddly enough, while that could cost me more money, 'cause if I have four bands and there's twenty five members or whatever. Yeah,

Jess (1:16:50)

Unless they're scaling.

Scott (1:16:52)

Exactly. And but like I had a show last I had a show on Wednesday with the menstrual tramps and only only two tickets were used. So I'm like, I'm only out ten bucks. Plus I tipped the bar, you know, ten dollars on top of that. But if I bought each band a pizza, I would have been out seventy five dollars. This is what I used to do. Or like, you know, I do shows at it is one venue called Snugs where the shows don't even start 'til ten o'clock. I used to buy the band's pizza, but usually since the show starts so late, they've already had dinner. So all they really want are some snacks, so some hummus, some pita, some fruit and veggies. So it's like you adjust things based on the venue. But I do believe in feeding bands, if you can.

Rachel (1:17:42)

Yeah, for sure. And then did you make up like your own tickets? Like are you good just learning ideas as you go?

Scott (1:17:49)

Yeah, I mean I bought my own tickets, you know, on Amazon or whatnot, but the idea of doing the five dollar food ticket was my idea. No one gave that one to me. And you know it well come with like I think it started with Reason and Ruckus because Mama La's is there and Mama La is such a nice person. And I'm buying these bands and I'm buying the band's pizza and I realized like I'm literally preventing Mama La from making money off my show because the bands are eating my pizza instead of eating hers. And eating her food. Same thing with like night swim or something. It's like I don't want to bring food into a venue that already has food. Right. But I also can't afford to say every band gets a free meal on me. Right. So h what compromised. And most venues are willing to do the five dollar thing and then at the end of the night they trust me that I'll, you know, pay up.

Jess (1:18:36)

They never get like halves with you, like, you wanna offer five? We'll do half of that, no?

Scott (1:18:41)

No. No one's ever gone. No. Five they accept.

Rachel (1:18:46)

That's a clever idea. And I'm sure and I and I know I think I know the answer to both of you is that you end up forming, you know, relationships with these local venues too.

Scott (1:18:57)

That's important. They start to trust you. Like the last show I did at Night Swim in Kingston, there were bands still there when I left. And the bartender's like, So if they give me food tickets, I'm just gonna call text you tomorrow, let you know what you owe me. Because I'd already have that with the food. But he's like, I don't wanna make them not buy food just 'cause you've left. That's the show's over. I gotta go home.

Rachel (1:19:19)

Yeah, so it's also just getting creative and thinking on how Yeah. and as far as bands, has there been a band that you've had that you were just really extra excited to have that was a big deal for you? Both of

Jess (1:19:32)

So many, so many. I feel like all of them were dreams, honestly. Like I never thought I'd be doing this.

Scott (1:19:43)

I can't. It's it's fascinating. Like you say that I'm like they're like I remember the first time I brought Lake Lanier I hadn't seen them yet, but I'd just seen videos of them. I was so excited to have them play and they were fucking great. They were fucking great. It was just amazing to have them. Or that I had the FUs come down from Boston. I was like, I've been listening to the FU since I was in high school. So getting them to come down was just great.

Rachel (1:20:10)

That's awesome.

Jess (1:20:14)

I I've only done like fourteen shows, I've told you this, and I feel like every one of them has been a dream.

Scott (1:20:19)

That's awesome. I mean, I think that's quality over quantity right there, right?

Jess (1:20:23)

We've I've had good quality. Definitely had good quality like.

Rachel (1:20:28)

That you were extra stoked for?

Jess (1:20:30)

Well, I mean my very first show happened because I was begging people to bring the boy detective to Philly for so long and no one was

Scott (1:20:38)

I love the boy detective.

Jess (1:20:39)

I just fucking did it because I'm like, I'm sick of like asking people, I'm gonna make this happen. Wait,

Scott (1:20:47)

I like I love the boy detective. Is there a problem with that?

Jess (1:20:50)

You gotta bring them together?

Rachel (1:20:51)

That's not what I heard.

Jess (1:20:53)

Wait, what?

Scott (1:20:54)

That I love the Boy detective.

Rachel (1:20:56)

Is that really only what you said? Am I listening to my mind?

Scott (1:21:00)

What do you think I said?

Rachel (1:21:02)

That's really all you said?

Jess (1:21:05)

I think he said I love the fucking boy detective.

Rachel (1:21:07)

I thought I heard I booked Boy Detective.

Scott (1:21:11)

I've never put them now.

Rachel (1:21:12)

And then I w and then I thought that he was saying nothing. I said I loved him because he d didn't want to say it. I ha just created a whole story in my mouth.

Scott (1:21:19)

Talk to them about a live album, but they ghosted me, so

Jess (1:21:22)

Really?

Rachel (1:21:25)

I was try I was like, at the festival.

Jess (1:21:29)

I mean I get ghosted sometimes too, but

Scott (1:21:31)

I don't mean like really rudely or anything. I think it just

Jess (1:21:34)

Like did they see the message? Because I feel like they would be all about.

Scott (1:21:37)

No, no. It's when I by ghosted I mean that like it the conversation just dropped. I really when I have conversations with bands, I'm not gonna chase a band down once I have a conversation with them, and once I send them a proposal. Right and then if they don't come back, you know, I'm like I'm not gonna I have it's all good. There's a lot of bands and I don't take it personally. They just might be working on their studio record or working on tour or not the time. I never mean it as a as a derogatory. I talked to so many bands.

Jess (1:22:10)

And everybody's time is valuable. Like you gotta like have

Rachel (1:22:15)

Although it's funny 'cause Benny he w asked if I minded if he popped on tonight. And I said, he must want to see Scott.

Jess (1:22:21)

Where is he?

Scott (1:22:23)

Well, he did give me advice on buying a microphone for Savannah for that I got for her birthday, the Cordless one. So he did give me advice on that. Him and Aaron from the Snorts gave me advice.

Rachel (1:22:33)

I love I love all of them. Yeah, it must feel like surreal, like having a band from childhood, like you're booking them for one of your shows.

Jess (1:22:44)

I mean, one that was big for me was Jeff Davidson and you just did the same thing. So tell me how it feels.

Rachel (1:22:51)

I'm not quite sure I booked him. I think I said

Jess (1:22:54)

I mean you set it up. That was big. Another one was like the lady hatch a quartet. I'm like Kristen Forbes is gonna play one of my shows and Jenny Whiskey. What the fuck? Like, and the rest of them, obviously. and then also from Catch, like I booked Jamie and Connor's other band, the World's After Party. That was big. Everything's big to me, like everything. Joker's Republic. The fucking Doomstompers on like their fifth show or something. I think like I I

Scott (1:23:27)

Seeing them I'm seeing them on Friday.

Jess (1:23:29)

I where are they playing Friday?

Scott (1:23:33)

They're playing Troy and we're recording that show for a live album.

Jess (1:23:36)

It's the one with Girth Control and Ben Basile and The Abruptors are on my list. I gotta get those fuckers here. I love them.

Scott (1:23:46)

They're great. And they were gonna co release it with Bad Time Records, it'd be fucking dope.

Jess (1:23:50)

Yeah. Nice. I fucking love it. That's great. It's

Rachel (1:23:54)

Funny 'cause I plan on going, but the child care I planned on is no more. But it's in all ages with Guardian. So I thought of just bringing Aaliyah with me. And now I'm also reali remembering that it's a live recording and I'm just picturing Aaliyah's happy noises taking over the live recording. Right? I'd like it.

Scott (1:24:15)

I think that's amazing. Why not like I would love that. I would love that.

Rachel (1:24:20)

So

Jess (1:24:23)

I feel bad that I named some bands and not all of them because as we're sitting here

Rachel (1:24:27)

You can't name a

Scott (1:24:27)

Can't name them all.

Jess (1:24:29)

You know that I book a fucking double sized garage in the back of a fucking dive bar in Philly and Chris Burb Bourbon, Chris Bourbon from the Agro Lights played for me. Like how fucking sick is that? I can't

Rachel (1:24:46)

What's that?

Jess (1:24:47)

He played with the Jackie Mendoz show.

Rachel (1:24:51)

Right, right, right, right.

Jess (1:24:52)

And he's sitting there playing drums with my kid afterwards. I'm like, what is happening right now? Like this is life. Like I've booked so many cool people. Exactly. Like I feel like I'm gonna

Scott (1:25:01)

Please I had stuck like pancakes up here.

Jess (1:25:07)

Yeah, they're awesome.

Rachel (1:25:11)

This is a callback.

Scott (1:25:13)

They're

Jess (1:25:18)

Call back.

Rachel (1:25:19)

No, I think Scott froze. There he is. He

Jess (1:25:22)

There you go.

Rachel (1:25:23)

Was saying something. What were you saying? You were frozen a second.

Scott (1:25:28)

Yeah, you're Sackway pancakes.

Rachel (1:25:35)

They were so good.

Scott (1:25:37)

They were good. They're they're drummer though. They I have this extension arm, this on my one cymbal stand. He's like, hey, this was really hard to get off. I was like, wow. He's like, what? I was like, that's been on there since 1996. He's like, what? I was like, nineteen ninety-six. A year after I graduated high school. That has been on. That's why it was hard to get off. He's like, I broke your I broke your streak. I was like, I'm not a child. I don't believe in streaks, but I think you broke my arm. My my extensive arm. So I to buy a new one. And I was like I was like, no one in all the years, even though borrowing my cymbal stand has anyone ever tried to take that extension almost? They didn't want to use it, they just moved it out of the way. And I'm like, That's fine. It's totally fine. Could be fine.

Rachel (1:26:25)

It's fine. Fire, dogs like the target.

Scott (1:26:27)

I mean it's fine. It's fine. I was like, it's only been on my drum set for twenty years, thirty years, thirty years. It's fine.

Rachel (1:26:40)

The fact that you put out just a certain amount of vinyl does make I will say there's a certain high in getting one of them. I'm like I won, I've got the golden ticket. Like you Or was is it Marc-Alan who

Scott (1:27:08)

A prince? Yeah.

Rachel (1:27:10)

First of all I love him

Scott (1:27:13)

Isn't he amazing?

Rachel (1:27:14)

Amazing like the songs were like I like you like felt they were emotional, but yeah, I got I think the there was like a small tiny damage to like the cover, right? And like one got back.

Scott (1:27:27)

Yeah, my distributor sent it back because of slight dam cover damage.

Rachel (1:27:30)

And so at the show they were like, you know, there's one one vinyl that got sent down.

Scott (1:27:35)

That had been sold out for a year.

Rachel (1:27:36)

And I was like, and like people like were just kept talking to him and I'm like, please don't take it, please don't take it. I like standing there being like don't, don't. Like I just wouldn't spot and I was like, I need the last one. Like it's different to getting it.

Scott (1:27:49)

And that's the beauty of limited edition, not repressing. What It is. That's it. It's done.

Rachel (1:27:56)

Yeah, it's definitely quite enticing if it wasn't enough already.

Scott (1:28:01)

It's the tricky part is when I vend at festivals, like how do I make my catalog look as big as it is when I like half my catalogue is sold out? Whereas some band like venues like record what was like big inventories. I do not have big inventories.

Rachel (1:28:17)

Right. but like I think I said to you like at a show once, you do care so much about everybody else and all the other bands and promoting. Where I was like, stop, make sure you're promoting your shit too. Like where I think you are so invested in everyone else that I think sharing this stuff, the stuff you do for the communities that I mean not everyone is deep into the scene. Some people like stumble upon your shows, I know. To stumble upon them to know that you're doing live recordings, there's only a certain amount. Like, I feel like that's all good stuff for just everyone's

Scott (1:28:53)

No, that's very kind of you.

Rachel (1:28:55)

Yeah. And so I feel like all those little details, like I don't know, there it's stuff that would make make me buy a record if I was like on I'm not sure if have the money for it. I'd be like, wait, there's a certain amount. Or he doesn't go.

Scott (1:29:12)

Yeah, it it's hard to self promote.

Rachel (1:29:15)

Yeah, I was just telling Scott too is yeah, and I know you're like a humble person too, is that sometimes, you know, all the all these details other than, you know, that you guys find these great bands and you put these shows together, like how much is done for the community. Like these these snapper McGee shows, they're I think they almost always have have some kind of fundraising aspect to them or and the fact that, you know, the albums are live and only a certain amount like sharing all that I think helps. And like I went up to Scott one Day and I'm like, you gotta talk about your records. Like 'cause it it's you're always helping other bands and other people that like

Scott (1:29:57)

Well it's it's it's what it's about though, right?

Rachel (1:30:00)

Yeah. 'cause I just think it's so cool because yeah, the music community and this is probably in Philly too, but like one of the because I just like to observe people and I'm just anxious cancer, I take I feel like I'm a good observer and can pick up on a lot of stuff. Like he's this DCxPC shows are this safe community where I see all these different people, young people. Homeless young people and the LGBTQ plus community, like they're coming there to feel safe and included. And I watch Scott, I watch you be a mentor very often when you're not even realizing anyone's watching. It's me. I'm the pre watching everyone always. Like and how jump in there. And I feel like I'm good at knowing good people. And like I watch and I've watched you talk to Young people who haven't made good decisions at your show who wanna come back. And you just being this mentor figure and being like, Hey man, like this is what you gotta do. I know you're not, I know you're a good guy. Like very much reminds me of like a boss I had at Boys and Girls Club like vibe who was just really good with the kids too. So like there's just so many components that I feel like I've Yeah, it's not it's just the truth. I'm not even so I and That's why I want so badly everyone to just know what it's not just this or just that. There's a lot of pieces to it. And I know straight from a lot of the these kids' smells, including a lot of people who help you, what why they want to help you and what you've done for them and done for them. So

Scott (1:31:46)

It's it's very humbling. I don't quite understand it, but I appreciate it. I very much appreciate it. Thank you. Jess, you wanted to say something a moment ago?

Jess (1:31:58)

Yeah, she was talking about mentor and I'm like, I remember talking to you, not at this past, this is This is This Is This Is Not Croydon Fest, but this is not I guess it was this is This Is This Is Not Croydon Fest six in 2025. And I was just about to put on my first show and I talked to you and you gave me a little a couple pointers and one of them was and it's funny because I'm an accountant and I use Excel and spreadsheets for everything. One of them was you need to have a spreadsheet for every show. You gave me some things and I was like, all right, I've done it ever since. Like

Scott (1:32:31)

That's amazing.

Jess (1:32:33)

And I remember like it was maybe like my second show I ever did and I sent the snip of the spreadsheet and some dude was like, Damn, you're the most organized promoter I ever worked with and I was like

Rachel (1:32:45)

You're like

Jess (1:32:48)

But yeah, I mean I do use spreadsheets and when you suggest that use the number to shows, I'm like, duh, like, why didn't I think about that? So I always did and I haven't had a show without one. And I log everything when I log the set times on it, the changeovers, the contacts, the back line, the sound, everything.

Scott (1:33:09)

That's amazing. I mean, thank you. That's very touching.

Jess (1:33:12)

So

Rachel (1:33:12)

You know, that's like we were just talking about that quote that's like someone's drinking out of their favorite mug that you gave them. Someone knows that song because you know, from when you were fourteen from throughout your life, that like you don't realize the little pieces that we all take from each other. We were talking about that.

Jess (1:33:30)

The path. Like there's all these people that have like some kind of impact on our path. And that

Rachel (1:33:35)

Yeah, what's up?

Jess (1:33:36)

Definitely had an impact and it's helped me in so many ways. And like I said, I was utilizing spreadsheets for everything else in my life, but I don't know that I would have done that if I didn't have the conversation. So thanks.

Scott (1:33:48)

You're welcome. Thank you.

Jess (1:33:50)

And I mean it was good to talk to you before having my first show because I was a noob and you gave me some pointers. I don't remember them all, but I'm sure like subconsciously some of them came into play.

Scott (1:34:02)

I'm sure I revealed you with many things. I like to talk.

Rachel (1:34:06)

I love that. every time she sees a spreadsheet, that's when that's when spent memory. Favorite Mug. and Jess, I was just I think yelling at Jess today probably about thinking you're not not knowing just how important you are to your scene. And like anyone who is like a ska in that niche ska group, like if I ever get messages from anyone and then they see a picture of me and you, I have to tell you it's always I know Jess, she's dope. I know Jess. And I'm like, Of course you know Jess. I expect nothing less, scop people. So never underestimate the impact. Never underestimate the impact you have on other people.

Jess (1:34:52)

Just a tiny piece of the puzzle.

Scott (1:34:55)

Exactly. We're all just simple people doing things and everyone could get off could could do the things that we're doing and Jess and I would offer you advice and help for you to do it if you wanted to do it. We would love I'd love there to be more promoters. I would love instead of me doing eight shows in August, I did two of them and three of the promoters of the other six.

Rachel (1:35:17)

I don't know how to do a spreadsheet.

Jess (1:35:19)

Rachel, like earlier you had mentioned I don't remember your exact words, but you were like people talk to you about trying to get shows with Scott because they think you work with them, this and that. I'm gonna be honest with you.

Rachel (1:35:32)

We'll just say, Can you get me a show up north?

Jess (1:35:34)

I know, I know, but just listen to what I'm saying. Like two years ago, people were coming up to me like, can you get me a show at Camp Punksylvania Can you get me a show here? Because they see I'm close to people. They don't ask me that anymore. Now they're like, can you help me book a show in Philly? Because I used to tell them I don't book shows. I don't, I'm not involved in Camp Punksylvania I'm an attendee. I'm friends with Lara, but it's not my thing. Now they're like, we respect. That that, but we see now that you can help us somewhere else. And I remember talking to Laura about this two years ago. And Laura's been great also. I gotta give a shout out to always. I remember talking to her in Brockton at the Final NOFX show, and I was like, if one more person asks me to get them on camp and I have to tell them I don't fucking book shows and then all of a sudden I'm booking shows and I'm like it's crazy.

Scott (1:36:32)

The whole get people get get us on camp. I'm like, look, people, I have sponsored Camp Punksylvania for three years, four years, and my own band didn't get chosen. So I can't help you. I cannot help you.

Jess (1:36:47)

There's only one way for those listening that want to play Camp Punksylvania You have

Rachel (1:36:51)

Until the fifteenth, I think.

Jess (1:36:53)

Two more days to submit.

Rachel (1:36:55)

Fourteen.

Jess (1:36:56)

Two more days, go do it. We can't help you.

Scott (1:36:59)

But it's and people have to realize thousands like Punk Island last year, we had over a thousand bands apply and we had eight stages. So means we had about eighty bands we could pick from a thousand. And people got upset they didn't get chosen. I was like, Look, we have a thousand of applicants, and Punk Island's got really strict rules. Like for a stage, you have to have two new bloods. That's two bands that are less than two years old that you've never worked with before. Meaning you've never had them on a show as a promoter and you've never been in a band and played a show with them. So that like and you're not allowed to repeat a band that was on your stage the previous year. They can still play Punk Island. They just can't play your stage. The only bands that can repeat the same stage is if it's the organizers' band. So if I'm in a band and I run a stage, I can play my stage as much as I want. Because none of us get paid to put on Punk Island. No one gets paid to do sound for Punk Island. No one gets paid to organize Punk Island. No one gets paid to play Punk Island. And yet a thousand people apply and we do our best. But be aware that when there's only eighty out of a thousand being chosen, it can be hard.

Jess (1:38:08)

How long has Punk Island been happening? Like what year?

Scott (1:38:10)

Twenty years?

Jess (1:38:12)

Twenty years. I've never been there, right? She gets it one. Yep.

Scott (1:38:16)

So, I mean, it's been around a long time. It's the longest running all ages DIY festival in New York City. It's free for everyone to attend. It's free to park. There's free w bottled water refills. So if you pack your own lunch, you don't have to spend a dime.

Jess (1:38:33)

That's great.

Rachel (1:38:36)

Question that we do every podcast in honor of Eric is can you please share a memorable, preferably humiliating, tragic, hilarious story from a concert. More embarrassing the better. From a show that you were in, that you attended.

Jess (1:38:58)

Gonna just give it. So

Scott (1:39:01)

Your fault.

Jess (1:39:02)

May 19th, 2022, I'll never forget the fucking day. I went to see Jay Navarra and the Traders and Brunnavitt and Big D and the Kids Table and Milk Boy in Philly. I missed Ron of it because I was sitting downstairs at the bar with some friends. I met Skylar that night, who is an amazing trumpet player from Philly who jumps in with a lot of bands. Got upstairs for Jay Navarre and the Traders, had a great time. Me and Skylar were dancing partners. We had fun. Big D and the Kids Table comes on. I am all of a sudden crack. I drank nothing but beer. I don't know what happened to me that night. I know I didn't eat dinner. But I s to this day I'm like, someone slips out of my drink when I put it down to dance. I don't know. I was

Rachel (1:39:52)

I hadn't I had no food in my system and just drank a ton of beer. That's it.

Jess (1:39:57)

So it's

Scott (1:39:59)

If he

Jess (1:39:59)

What happened, but I got kicked out of Milk Boy during the big D set. And Jaynevar followed me down and okay. And that was kind of like the beginning of my involvement in this community before I went on the punk kimpunk summia. It's kind of funny. What a fucking great story to tell, right?

Scott (1:40:21)

I should

Jess (1:40:23)

Hmm.

Rachel (1:40:24)

Much show did you miss?

Jess (1:40:26)

I saw all of the traders. I didn't see any of Bretton of it. I met them that night and I was like, sorry, I'm as your setup is downstairs drinking. And then I think I saw like maybe have a big day in the kids' table. They said I was getting too rough in the pit. I find really funny because I've seen some really crazy big D pits, right? I think I was probably just stumbling my way through. I don't know. Anyway, my husband had to come rescue me and pick me up.

Rachel (1:40:54)

Badass.

Scott (1:40:56)

So all right, let's see here.

Jess (1:41:00)

Embarrassing. and Big D's coming back to play Milk Boy in September. And we've decided that I'm gonna try to get in. and Ben Basilva, not Basilli, how do you say Ben?

Rachel (1:41:16)

Basile he likes it when you say basil actually. He really likes it.

Scott (1:41:20)

You own that. No, that

Rachel (1:41:23)

That word.

Scott (1:41:24)

Was

Jess (1:41:25)

We were talking outside before he came on. I was wearing my bad religion shirt with my chucks on it. Favorite

Scott (1:41:30)

His favorite band is Bad Religion.

Jess (1:41:32)

Band. That's what I found out that night. So there's that too. It was a good night that ended up not so good, but yeah. Good memories, I guess. I'm still talking about it to this day, so

Scott (1:41:44)

There you go.

Jess (1:41:45)

It means something.

Scott (1:41:48)

Let's see here. I was on tour in Europe. I think we had played the Czech Republic and then Europe there's a lot of free beer. And I don't quite remember what happened after the show. Other than the next morning my bandmates and I were s wake we're we're sleeping in a building and all of a sudden people started tearing down the building while we were in it and yelling at us in a foreign language. Well, 'cause we were not in in America and I know what country we're in actually in. We got woken up and like literally they were tearing down the building we were in. And we didn't know how we got in that building. We didn't know where we were. We had to find a payphone to call Tanya, our driver from we started in Germany, so she was German. And we had to try and like find out where we were. She's like, Well, where are you? I was like, I don't know. I don't know what city we're in. I don't know what country we're in. I literally have no idea where I am. And we were not in the same country. So we had somehow crossed the border into another country between our s ending our set and waking up the next morning. To this day, I have no idea how we got there. we all had our wallets. We none of us were hurt. I don't know who took us there. I don't know what we did with them. And

Rachel (1:43:06)

Jess was there somehow. She got there from the show and the that she got out of?

Scott (1:43:11)

I am not sure what happened. It was like I don't think it was very far. Like might been from the Czech Republic to Slovakia, but it could have been or Romania, the Hungary. I can't remember which countries it was at this point. gosh, that was like twenty-five years ago. but yeah, I love that I literally woke up in a random country in a random building and had to like ask people in Eastern Europe at that point point in time their English was not great if they spoke English and try and find out where we were. And they looked like and of course we were disgusting dirty Punk rockers who had been on tour for like three weeks and had it showered. So

Rachel (1:43:45)

Great.

Jess (1:43:48)

Eric would have loved both of those stories. Actually Eric heard mine and did love it because I told Eric everything. But yeah. I

Rachel (1:43:54)

Yeah, he would have he definitely

Jess (1:43:56)

Loved her stuff.

Scott (1:43:57)

You know, mind you I told my kid that she shouldn't sleep in a car 'cause it's dangerous. And

Rachel (1:44:04)

And as much as I like to think I'm the common denominator between you two, I do know I'm not and you've met before, where did you two first cross paths, you and Scott, Justin Scott?

Jess (1:44:15)

Probably I wanna say Camp Punksylvania probably. Either

Scott (1:44:18)

Yeah, I'm sure it's camp punk something.

Jess (1:44:19)

That or Cordon Fest, but I'm pretty sure it was camp.

Scott (1:44:22)

I'm sure it's pretty sure it's camp. I think we talked more at This Is Not Croydon Fest. Yeah. But definitely it was camp.

Jess (1:44:28)

How long have you been going to camp, Scott?

Scott (1:44:32)

Since twenty twenty three.

Jess (1:44:34)

Okay, it's definitely camp though. 'Cause I know you're in.

Scott (1:44:37)

Yep. Back when they were at the one where it was on the old ground Yeah, yeah.

Jess (1:44:41)

Drew movie PB

Scott (1:44:43)

Yeah. Yeah. So

Jess (1:44:46)

I mean the place they have now is amazing, but I have some great memories from there, man. Yeah.

Scott (1:44:51)

Yeah. I had to leave that Sunday early because I had a paper due. So I missed the people showing up for like the super conservative Maga rally

Jess (1:45:01)

The flea market.

Scott (1:45:03)

Yeah. The double booking. Yeah. I only heard about it after I

Jess (1:45:08)

I was still sleeping at that point and I wasn't camping. I was at an Airbnb, so I didn't I didn't sleep

Scott (1:45:12)

I don't care.

Jess (1:45:13)

It, but yeah. That was the year I got my tattoo. I have my camp tattoo. I've had it for since twenty twenty three.

Scott (1:45:21)

That's awesome. I have not gotten one yet.

Jess (1:45:25)

I knew I had to have one because of the impact they've had on my life and Oxford's life.

Scott (1:45:31)

Very picky about my tattoos. And I don't mean that as a disaster

Jess (1:45:34)

Wow, I don't have I don't have money. But I had to get my campox tattooed.

Scott (1:45:40)

No. I appreciate that. I respect that. I love everything they do.

Jess (1:45:45)

Yeah, same, same.

Rachel (1:45:48)

And is there a show or anything else that you want to promote right now for anyone listening or watching?

Scott (1:45:55)

When is this coming out? Well, I guess it's live, isn't it? I mean I got my show tomorrow in Troy with at No Fun with Doomstompers, Ben Basile Girth Control and the Abrupters. And then the following week, Long Island, there's Fest at the Farm, Farm at the Fest, whatever it is, I can't remember. With a lot of good bands. the album release show for Half Dizzy and ChumHuffer And then that's Sunday at Snapper McGee's. It is a benefit show for Frenchie and the punk, particularly for Frenchie. she is a wonderful musician, a little older than me. They were on tour and she found out she had breast cancer and had to cancel tour and come home. So this is one of many fundraisers we've done to generate interest in her GoFundMe and to raise money because a working musician who does not have employer sponsored healthcare needs assistance to fight breast cancer. and Pilfers Show at the colony on in Woodstock on the 20th with the a brand new ska band in Kingston called the Kingston Skanks, plus the snorts and couch surfer

Rachel (1:46:57)

Yes, I'm very excited for that show. I got my sister to come and bring my nephews, which is exciting. I can never get our out at nighttime. And the Kingston Skanks, I think I reached out to way back when for a little interview. So maybe now's my chance 'cause I missed their last show.

Scott (1:47:13)

Yes, as did I.

Rachel (1:47:15)

Yeah. yeah, you have a couple benefit shows too. Don't forget, I asked if you need help for anything up. 'Cause one of them also is you there's a couple you have coming up.

Scott (1:47:26)

Yes.

Rachel (1:47:28)

You so much.

Scott (1:47:29)

Always.

Rachel (1:47:31)

And jazz, you have a bunch of

Jess (1:47:33)

So I talked about some of them earlier. August 28th, this one is fully announced. We have Paths of Glory, the Pandemics, the Sneaky Heat Missiles, and The Man in the Machine playing Bonks so close. Pandemics haven't been through here in a decade, they said. And I don't know about sneaky heat missiles. They're for Pittsburgh. It's probably been a while. On October 3rd, we have the originals, a real big fish cover band. Coming through and playing the Chamony Creek Brewery and I have not booked the show there yet. I used to go to a ton of shows there. I'm really excited to have a show there. That lineup is not announced yet. On October 16th, we are working on a show for Poncillo Clues. The venue's book, the sounds booked. We're just working on the lineup right now. That's gonna be a lot of fun.

Scott (1:48:22)

Okay. I love that. That sounds great.

Rachel (1:48:27)

Awesome, you busy bees.

Scott (1:48:30)

I'm gonna be in Billy on Saturday too for Gary from Soji's birthday.

Jess (1:48:34)

Are you going to a show that night?

Scott (1:48:36)

No, we're no, I'm just gonna go to Gary's birthday. this is the backyard. He was gonna have a band play a bunch of punk covers. But I don't know if he did or not. I don't really care. It's his fortieth birthday. I've known him for twenty some years, so that's rolling I'm just rolling out.

Jess (1:48:52)

So you're coming in for that rolling out Sunday morning or rolling out

Scott (1:48:55)

Sunday morning I'm rolling back up and then meeting a buddy for coffee and new boss, a guy named Jeff from Divided Heaven, who lives in Lancaster. He's Gonna be in my hood, so we're gonna hang out.

Jess (1:49:07)

How far are you from Philly?

Scott (1:49:09)

Three hours.

Jess (1:49:10)

Three hours. And Rachel, you're how far?

Rachel (1:49:14)

I thought I was like two and a half. Now I guess that would that make

Jess (1:49:17)

Close the Scott? Like Yeah. So you're almost three out of them. Okay. In addition to the shows we're hosting, I think there's a couple other things we should probably shout. One, I'm going to be attending a festival that Rachel's been working on and contributing to on August 29th. Do you want to give some information about that in Chester, New York?

Scott (1:49:43)

August twenty ninth. What are you talking about? What do I not know about here?

Jess (1:49:46)

Wait, I thought you were isn't he gonna be there now?

Rachel (1:49:50)

I sent you a I sent you a message asking, I think, making sure you knew about it. It's it's Joe's festival he's doing. Yeah,

Scott (1:49:59)

That festival. Okay, yes, yes.

Rachel (1:50:01)

I'm like, I mentioned you because I wanted to make sure.

Jess (1:50:03)

The having what is it? Tell me the name of it again. I forget.

Rachel (1:50:07)

Long long

Jess (1:50:09)

The did hear something hear me now?

Rachel (1:50:13)

L we it's the We Hear You Festival. I'm just We Hear You Hear

Jess (1:50:16)

Great festival, thank you.

Rachel (1:50:17)

You Festival and it's a fundraiser for punk rock as well as New York suicide prevent I keep forgetting to say prevention, like as if I'm like numbers aren't high enough. Like I sound like terrible. Prevention Foundation, and there's a great lineup, and there's gonna be great items that bands and local stores have donated to be raffled, and there's gonna be some great vendors as well as food trucks, and the brewery apparently does a great job with food and Bailey Pope's gonna be doing a comedy set. I know she did a little pop up for with for you, Scott. So that's

Scott (1:51:02)

You do, which I love.

Rachel (1:51:05)

So everyone should come out all day, twelve to nine. and we still need volunteers. So if anyone wants to volunteer sometime, set up breakdown, donate, yada yada.

Jess (1:51:16)

I think I mean I'll talk to you off the call, but I wanna help out. 'Cause I'm planning on being there.

Rachel (1:51:24)

Yeah, that's super exciting too.

Jess (1:51:26)

And then in addition to that, I wanted to just give a shout out to a show that was announced yesterday at Crossroads on Saturday Sunday, October eleventh. I thought it was gonna be a Saturday. And that is catch 22 with Jeff Davidson. They're doing a special show for Kevin's daughter who has a rare disease that she's fighting, and it's a benefit show. There's some great artists that are on that as well, besides catch, the Doomstombers, my favorite. day 19, the Derringers are going to be reuniting for that. There's like one or two other bands. I can't think of who they are right now, but that's gonna sell out real quick. if you are not local and you want to help out in any way, follow the ticket link to Eventbrite and there's a place to make a donation. So, I mean, Kevin's a great guy in the scene and Catch twenty twos, you know, it's our heart, right?

Scott (1:52:26)

Yep, I feel ya.

Rachel (1:52:28)

That's right. It's the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. I wanna say the right place.

Jess (1:52:36)

For the festival you're working on.

Rachel (1:52:38)

Yes.

Jess (1:52:40)

So yeah, lots of benefit things coming up. one I'll get

Rachel (1:52:43)

I feel like it is the heart of of Punk. So

Jess (1:52:48)

For sure.

Rachel (1:52:49)

And it's long, it's long lot farm brewery in Chester, New York, that festival for

Scott (1:52:53)

Well for

Rachel (1:52:54)

That. and before we sign off and say goodbye, is there something short and sweet you would say to people entering Doing live shows or promoting or anything in in the DIY scene. Piece of advice.

Jess (1:53:19)

I'm gonna let Scott get first on the

Scott (1:53:21)

I would just say DIY doesn't mean doing it yourself. Ask for help. You're doing it for community. So ask your community to be there for you. Don't do it alone. You're part of a community. Be part of that.

Jess (1:53:36)

What I'm gonna share is my boy, my brother Eric's message. And that is if you wanna have a scene, you have to beat a scene.

Rachel (1:53:45)

And that's what we go out on. Thanks guys so much for letting me do that.

Scott (1:53:51)

Appreciate it. Love y'all.

Jess (1:53:52)

Rachel.