Interview with The Scenic guitarist and vocalist Zach Andresen

Guitarist and vocalist Zach Anderson of the indie/pop band, The Scenic spoke with me recently about the band’s newest disc, Bipolaroid. After listening to this disc a few times through I think that the seamless melding of extremely melodic guitar parts with an indie sort of pop vibe make this release quite impressive and a more than enjoyable listen. The first time listening through, I found myself anticipating what was to come next. There are so many dimensions working in these songs that I found it hard to take it all in. The next few times I listened through from start to finish trying to appreciate all of the little nuances that are going on. Here is what Anderson had to say about the band and their newest release, Bipolaroid.

How is the tour going so far?
Zach: It’s been interesting so far, the first show was sort of a mess but we made friends with a bunch of dudes at a chop shop. Tonight was a great show in Nyack, NY. Sold out, but an utter mess as far as dealing with fire code crap.

Every band has its musical influences. What are some of the other bands and artists that have greatly influenced you guys and your music?
Zach: Collectively we all love mid 90’s rock. Weezer, Nirvana, Third Eye Blind, Everclear, Smashing Pumpkins, we all grew up listening to those bands. Solid power pop, big guitar rock n’ roll.

The name of the band The Scenic is interesting to say the least and sounds as if there is a story behind it. Where did the name come from and what is the story?
Zach: I don’t know where the name originated; I think it was a “pull a name out of a hat” sort of thing. This country is so diverse and beautiful and touring it is just the coolest thing I could ever think to do. So the name The Scenic has taken on that idea for me.

Now that your brand new CD, Bipolaroid is complete how do you feel about it? Are you satisfied with the outcome?
Zach: I don’t think you can ever look back at a recording and not hear something you wouldn’t change, but overall we’re proud of the record and happy with how it turned out. It’s us. It’s not trying to fit into the scene, it’s just songs that we dig and wanted to write and play.

What was the writing process like for this CD? Did you guys all write together? How long did it take?
Zach: We would all get together and jam ideas and arrange the tunes, do a rough demo and then go back and work out melodies and lyrics. We wrote for the better part of a year and half, really buckling down late last year before we hit the studio.

Give us some insight into the meaning behind the title?
Zach: The title reflects the theme of each song being a different picture in a collection of moods and emotions. Life is such a rollercoaster. You experience ridiculous highs and devastating lows, everything in between, and there is nothing you can do about it.

What is it that normally gives you inspiration when writing lyrics and is there a theme behind the writing of this record?
Zach: A few of the songs pulled from very personal experiences, and some are very tongue in cheek. So much of writing lyrics is just getting a vibe from the song you’re working on and running with it. I think there is an underlying theme of losing your mind amongst this mess of a roller coaster we’re all on.

Are there any tracks on this disc that are personal favorites or that have good stories behind them?
Zach: One of my favs is “So Cal So What?” It’s a satire on the whole Hollywood scene; I get a kick out of it. I’m probably biased though because it’s a blast to play. The song that means the most to me on the record is “Sparrow Song.” It was the song that kind of gave us fits as far as writing and arranging, just because we wanted the song to match the emotion that we felt in the lyrics which are by far the most personal on the record.

When you are on the road for a while I am sure you see and experience many different things you might not even have known existed. Are there any stories that stand out in your mind as being exceptionally strange or odd?
Zach: Oh man. Too many. So many that aren’t appropriate. There was an incident involving an old man following Jeremy into a rest stop bathroom and exposing himself. We split up one night after a show so some of the guys that wanted to get some sleep could, and the rest of us could party. The guys that wanted to sleep wound up at a crack house. The stories just get worse from there…

When you are out on the road anything can happen and often does. Can you think of any disastrous events that happened while out on tour? How did you solve the problem?
Zach: The worst thing that has ever happened was Jeremy having some serious health issues and winding up in the emergency room right before Warped Tour last year. We flew him home and met up with him a few weeks later after he had a chance to recover.

Any closing words?
Zach: Check out our video on for “Uh Oh” on YouTube, and come out to a show and hang! We’ll dance!  [ END ]