Band Spotlight: Suburban Scum

Suburban Scum is a NJ hardcore band that has been making moves lately. They recently released the Internal War E.P. on RTF Records and have been seen on stage with bands such as Ensign, Skarhead and Shai Hulud. Suburban Scum's lead singer Ryan Donald Taylor took some time to answer some questions about the band.

1)When did Suburban Scum start?

Suburban Scum first started in July of 2007. The band first started as a complete joke. Me and Sam (drummer) thought at a party that it would be funny to start a band called Suburban Scum so we did it. He knew a kid named Evan (old guitarist) from his town and we just started jamming and recorded a really really shitty demo in Evan's basement. Got the help of our friend Shawn Urschler (old bassist) to play bass and thats how it started, as a complete joke. We wanted to start a band and have fun with it.

2)When was the very first Scum show?

The first show we ever played was in this weird basement up in north jersey at this girls house. Actually it wasn't even weird it was a pretty nice basement what the fuck am I talking about. Our first show was interesting. We opened with Sick OF It All "Clobberin Time" and that went over really cool and we also covered Inside Out "Burning Fight". We didnt have a sound for the band yet all we knew is that we really enjoyed NYHC and that was going to be a key element in writing. We played like three originals that we rushed to write for this show. This show actually went over well for our first show ever. Feels like 300 hundred years ago. It wasn't. Just about three.

3)What are some of the band's influences?

The band has influences from all over. We are all very divided when it comes to music. Jeremy (guitarist) is hugely influenced by Metallica. He fucking loves Metallica. Im pretty sure Metallica is the reason he even picked up a guitar. Jeremy loves Metallica, Shooting guns, fishing, etc. He is an outdoorsman. Im pretty sure those are his influences. Sam likes Hip Hop, like me, but is also a little more spread out. He has a Skarhead tattoo. He also has a Pat Benitar tatttoo. The kids all over the place with influences. He told me to type Michael Jackson "Thriller" as his main influence one time so ill leave it at that. Michael Jackson it is. Madden is also a huge music head. He loves loves loves Black Metal. Seriously a black metal/metal head in general. Look on his computer and I can guarantee you will find 500 bands that you have never heard of and Madden is crazy about. "Dude you have to listen to Dick Cutter Island," "What Madden?" Madden also likes real miserable stuff like I Hate Myself and Jim Yoshii Pile Up. Hes another one thats just all over the place as we all are. Me. Im heavily influenced by Rage Against The Machine. That self titled was the first extremely heavy tape that I got into that really gave me chills for the first time. Did something for me then and as I grew up to understand what he was actually talking about I only appreciated it more. Right now I would say im influenced by The Cranberries and a lot of stuff on the 90s side. All ive been listening to is Jawbreaker, Helmet, The Cranberries, and The Smashing Pumpkins for the last like 7 months and that will probably not stop. I appreciate and am influenced by music that has some kind of feeling poured into it as we all do.

4)You recently had the record release show the Internal War E.P. How did that go?

Our release show for the Internal War E.P. was absolutely a show to be fucking remembered. The whole entire show was stacked with bands that we have met over the last couple years along with Jersey friends that we have had the pleasure of knowing for quite some time now. It went better than it could have ever went. People traveled from the tri state to be there and it fucking ruled. I was so nervous the whole night but tried to shake it off because you can't be nervous at your own record release. Its the unwritten law in the book. Every band on the show got a fucking insane reaction and kids seemed to have a really good god damn time. POW and Incendiary were terrific. Two bands you need to check out if you haven't. Troublemaker got one of the coolest if the not the coolest reaction I have ever seen them get in NJ. Fleshtemple ripped their new songs from the tape that just came out.Everyone was great. Our buddy miller aka GDP did a short rap before we played and told everyone that they dont have to be friends during our set and that you may not have the same eyesight as you did coming into the show. Basically a bunch of funny completely ignorant stuff. It only got more ignorant when we came out to the Terminator 2 theme music then opened with From Whom The Bell Tolls. The place got real ignoarant real fast and for one night it brought be back to the way jersey was when I got into hardcore and the shows that I was going to when I was 16. Fun and rough. That was a night that I will remember for the rest of my life. It felt like the hard work that was put into the record really paid off and didnt go under appreciated for a second. We ended up making up a good portion of the money for the record back to Pat Gerity (CEO OF RIDE THE FURY RECORDS LOL). It ruled. I'd like to personally thank Pat Gerity at the end of this. This question wouldn't even be possible if it wasn't for him. He believed in us and still believes in us and has put a lot of work into promoting us as a band. It has been great to work with him and hes been a great friend of mine for many years. Pat when you read this I mean it. I love you. RTF. RIDE THE FUCKING FURY.

5)Describe the band's live show for those who've never seen the band before.

Describe our bands live show? Hmm thats tough. Its usually over quicker than it started at least for me. I tend to black out a little and by the time I know it its the last song. Um since the record came out shows have been awesome. We put our all into every set we play and hard work hasn't gone un noticed. I guess if I were to describe a set of ours I would describe it as real and raw. Raw energy. Life can beat you up in more ways than one and I think every single set that we play we wear the beating that we have taken all over our faces.

6)What's your thought on the current NJ hardcore scene? What are your favorite current NJ hardcore bands?

New Jersey is honestly on point right now. A lot of kids doing all different stuff. Younger kids thats have been coming around for a few years jumping up and starting new bands. Kids are open to check out new stuff and are looking to be involved which rules. AV has taken a slight step back so the Stelton Church has been on a hiatus. Thats my favorite venue in NJ easily. Besides that we have a new place in Warren and it rules. Shows there have been awesome. That's where our record release was. This place is great and so are the people that work there. They have a big part in holding NJHC together as a whole for giving us a place to put touring bands etc. New Jersey is in a really good state right now. I have a few NJ bands that I really completely dig. Im going to talk about one right now because they haven't even put out their EP yet. Anguish. New band from NJ full of guys who have been supporting the core for a few years now. They just put up two songs on their myspace player that are seriously crushing. You can hear a heavy Hatebreed influence in these songs and this is one new band that I am excited to do things with in 2010. Check out Anguish.

    Suburban Scum at Rad Skatepark in Mendon,Massachusetts

7)The band has been playing out of state shows over the past year. How has the response been from people?

We have played out of state a little bit. Not as much as I would like to but its rough when everyone in the band has something else going on besides this band..school..jobs..work..etc. I would like to play out year round but its just not possible so I settle for what we can get. Out of state the response has been great. In recent memory is Mass. They held it down. We went up there to play a gig with our nj brother Troublemaker and Mass heavy hitters New Lows also played. We started playing and these kids went nuts. I was beyond surprised because we never played the area before. Ohio showed us a lot of love last year and we are actually going back there next week to play this fest Summer Of Hate for the second time. Cant wait for that. I can complain. Any out of state show that we have played love was shown to us and we were treated with care. Excited to play more and see how it continues to play out. People have seemed to be very into what we are doing and as a band we could not be happier. Nothing goes unappreciated trust me when I tell you.

8)What are your plans for the remainder of 2010?

Oh the big 2010. Well the band has went through so many changes and member changes and all this in the last year. RIP Chris Fingaz (old bassist). We love you. We are on the verge of recording two songs for a split 7" with Incendiary. That should be out late this summer on Mayfly records. After that I think we may take a step back from the band. Not a hiatus. We'll still play a few shows here and there. We really really want to focus on writing a full length that everyone can truly appreciate. Something way above the EP and something that will stand the test of time and not just be taken in as just another hardcore record. I can see since July my life has been the roughest its been ever. Just got real. Real scary. I remember when I was in high school I said I couldnt wait to get out and and god dammit what I would give to go back and get away from real life. In 2010 we are going to write a full length that is really going to stand out and let us come into our sound. These two songs that we are recording on the split are super heavy and heartfelt and its only going to get deeper and darker and let you enter our minds a little more. 2010. GIG/WRITE/GIG/WRITE/GIG.

Suburban Scum will be opening for Terror at Dingbatz on Friday July 2nd. You can purchase tickets for that show here.

Comments

[Dave]

solid fucking band

[some guy]

this band ripped off their name suburban scum from some punk band I saw from Iowa in the early 2000s. nice pretending you are creative though. not that this band or the original Iowa band are that great.