THE SCORSESES

00:00 April 11, 2011
By: Kristal Blue

BY J.J.

The Scorseses were born and raised in and around the New Orleans Metro area and the band members are DAMN proud of it!!! These guys are a hoot and definitely someone to keep your eye on. Where Y'at Magazine recently had the opportunity to chat some with these up and coming local musical legends simply as The Scorseses, and what they had to say is quite a surprise.

Vincent Ebeier: Vocals, Percussion—Metairie, La. David Latino: Guitar, Vocals; Metairie, La. David Demarest: Bass Guitar—New Orleans, La. Chris Noto: Drums—Gentilly, La. Jerell Rodriguez: Keyboards—Metairie, La. Jimmie Reamey: Trumpet, Trombone—Bridge City, La. Danny Nixdorff: Tenor and Baritone Saxophones—New Orleans, La.

Where Y'at: how did you all come together as a band? Chris Noto: All of us have crossed paths at some time either in the local rock music scene or local bar. Mainly Nicks on Tulane. Vince Ebeier, David Latino, and I began talking about putting a band together in June 2009 after realizing a shared passion for music in the punk rock, ska, and reggae genres. We then set out for a bass player fluent in punk/ska/ jazz/reggae and found NOCCA trained bassist Dave Demarest. These members became the core and foundation of the songwriting effort. Within the following eight months we wrote songs, added Jerell Rodriguez on keys, and went thru five different horn players until only Jimmie Reamey and Danny Nixdorff remained. It was a looooong haaaard year of good and bad gigs leading up to our present lineup and set list. It's pretty hard to find solid, dedicated, focused musicians in this city that aren't already involved in other projects.

Wyat: What are some of your musical influences? Vincent ebeier: Each member's influence is very diverse in respect to his instrument. We all grew up overloaded by MTV, underground bootleg mixtapes, cd's and dvd's, and more recently iTunes and YouTube. The plus of growing up in the New Orleans area exposed us to the riches of legends like Rebirth, Dr. John, and The Meters. We've collectively named artists like RX Bandits, NOFX, Glassjaw, The Misfits, At The Drive In, Iron Maiden, Sublime, Minus The Bear, The Police, Rush, Bob Marley, Chicago, Queen, and even

Michael McDonald as huge influences. Like most Generation X'ers we're a bunch of media sponges.

Wyat: how would you describe your sound for someone that has never had the privilege of experiencing The scorseses? Jerell rodriguez: The Scorseses is an original songwriting oriented band. Our foundation lies in rock and punk ska; upbeat rhythms, fast tempos, quick chord progressions, popping horns, and strong vocal melodies. But we also hint around elements of indie rock, funk, thrash metal, hip-hop, blues, and 1930s big band jazz. The diversity is what we and our fans feel help create a Scorseses original sound. WyaT: What makes you different from other rock and ska style bands in the area?

Danny Nixdorff: We're not trying to emulate or be a copy act. We don't wanna write songs that sound like another format or steal another bands image. Appreciation and knowledge of popular, mainstream, underground, and classic oldies music, regardless of style, is a huge part of us. Staying true to ourselves and where we come from is our creed. This attitude sometimes sets us apart from the typical act, but it also relates us to the bands, artist, and fans who share the same drive and passion. We love that!!!

WyaT: how has digital media like Facebook, Twitter, etc. helped you get your name out there? Dave Latino: It helped us just like it helped your Grandma let everyone know about her hip replacement or what your brother-in-law is having for dinner as he rants about BP!! LOL!! We'll go along with whatever the newest hottest social network is and try to stay on top of the changing trends. Thr crappy bands will out number you and the legendary bands will overshadow you— don't get caught up in the hype!

WyaT: how are you guys handling digital media in regards to iTunes, etc. to get your music out there?

Jimmy reamey: The core of the band selfmanages and is treating The Scorseses as a small business. We feel that digital and physical distribution are the only way to network and make contacts. We went through the usual pre-packaged deals with Discmakers, which guides you thru the iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, and CD baby setup. Our EPK is setup and we are scheduled to have online media and merchandise distribution by the end of March. We will also be expanding distribution to markets around the U.S.

Wyat: When you recorded your new CD, was there a specific theme or inspiration that drove you guys? David Demarest: The Scorseses are the everyday working man that dreams of something more at the end of the mediocre work day. Love, teachers, rock stars, heroes, and astronauts are our inspiration for the songs we write. We are also very proud of the amazing artwork that published comic sketch-artist LattieInk did for the EP. It continues that theme perfectly.

WyaT: What are your plans with the band this summer-touring? Vincent ebeier: No official plans yet. Now that the EP Presenting...The Scorseses is done we can focus on booking and touring. We'd like to be a part of more events like Voodoo Fest, Foburg, SXSW, and Jazz Fest before we hit the road. There are so many exciting things happening here in our wonderful hometown. We still wanna develop our sound and carve a niche in the NOLA scene so that we represent her right.

Wyat: Where can people usually find you guys playing? Jimmy reamey: Southport Hall, The Parish(HOB), One Eyed Jacks, Bayou Beer Garden, Tipitina's, The Howlin' Wolf, The Hanger, The Maison, The Varsity. Etc.

Wyat: What's been your favorite venue to play in NoLa so far? Where do you want to play? Jerell rodriguez: We just did our CD release party at The Parish(HOB) and had a great time. They are good people over there, but we also feel at home on the deck of The Bayou Beer Garden. One Eyed Jacks is my personal favorite. We made a list of venues and bars in the city we want to play, half of that list is checked off.

Wyat: are you currently keeping day jobs or simply full-time musicians? Dave Latino: Noto keeps us fed at Juan's Flying Burrito. Vinnie and Jerell do A/V tech work at the convention center and hotels. Demarest is a banker. Nixdorff is a lead network engineer for the department of ems and homeland security. Jimmie was just with the DOTD, and now is making a go at playing for a living. I do A/V at Southport Hall and have been fixing brass wind instruments since I was 17-years old.

Wyat: What type of advice would you give to someone that's looking to start a band in NoLa? Dave Latino: The crappy bands will outnumber you and the legendary artists will overshadow you. Don't get caught up in the hype of either. Play music you and other people want to hear. Most importantly, just because you're in a bar in NOLA doesn't mean you have to get drunk. Let the crowd do that for ya. Good judgment equals good execution.

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