Scott Barnes Interview By: Tiffany Plourd

Tiffany: What inspired you to write "Our Day"?

Scott: "Our Day" is about getting to see someone that you don't get to see much. And you may not have a lot of time to spend with them, but the time you do have with them, you make the best of it. The inspiration for that song.....well for me, it is my girlfriend, Olivia. For me the song is about her, and how in the long distance relationship I can't see her much at all, but when we do spend time with each other, we have the time of our lives. I definitely had Olivia in mind when I wrote it, and that's what it is about...seeing someone you don't get to see much.

TP: What do you describe your bands music as?

SB: I think you could describe our sound as quite a few different types of music. It depends on the song, but we'll cover a little jazz, especially with Steve on the sax. It will be some rock, too. In a couple songs, with what Ben will be playing on the banjo, it will have a bit of folk I guess you could say. You definitely can't identify it as one genre of music.

TP: When did the idea of The Scott Barnes Band come about?

SB: Actually, it started off as a joke, but then Jeff, Ben, and I just thought 'What if we did get a band started?' And we all loved the idea. So I started writing lyrics and music, and I knew we couldn't have a band with a banjo, drums, and acoustic guitar. So I just kinda told Steve one day, 'Stave, you're in our band.' The name of the band, that was Ben's idea, and maybe Jeff, too. So we just stuck with it.

TP: How long have you guys been together?

SB: As a band, we just started a few months ago to take it seriously, but we've known each other for a while. Ben and Jeff I have known since we were about seven years old. Steve, the three of us have known him for over a year.

TP: Where do you guys go to play? Is there quite an audience?

SB: Actually, uh, we have yet to play in front of an audience. There is still some work to be done on the songs. We are still unsure of how a few of Steve's parts will go. We'll try a few different things and see what we like. I have been playing small solo shows and playing our tunes, to see if it is 'accepted' or whatever. Nothing big at all. I play our stuff, and some covers. Some people there will get a little excited if I play a cover they like, such as "All Along the Watchtower." It's a fun time though. I hope the people watching are having as much fun as I am. And as for the band, I think what we'll do is add somebody gradually to shows. Like in a few months, maybe I will start playing with Ben or Steve. Then add the other. And then add drums. Nothing is carved in stone though.

TP: What are your inpirations, music wise?

SB: Music wise, I have just a few inspirations. For the instrumentals, my inspiration for those was Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. I love what they can do with an instrumental, especially in concert. Hopefully we'll be able to provide as much energy when we play instrumentals at shows. Some of my inspiration comes from Ben Harper, especially for slower songs, I think. And, of course, the Dave Matthews Band was a huge inspiration. Especially love songs. I want to be able to write love songs, so when people hear it, it isn't 'Oh, no! Not a love song!' I want it to be hard to tell it's a love song from the music. From the lyrics, I want you to be able to tell it's meaning, but not necessarily from the music in a love song.

TP: Where do you see the Scott Barnes Band in 10 years?

SB: Hopefully, still together, and playing music. I know it's hard to make it in the music industry. You have to have luck. You have to be positive about it, but you have to be practical, too, ya know. But, as far as popularity, it's not a big concern for me. I hope we'll be having fun playing music and making our fans happy. If we become huge stars, that'd be great, but I just hope we're still playing together and having fun.

TP: How are they fans right now? In meaning, how do they respond to your music?

SB: Well, the little amount of fans we have, I think they like it. A few have told me so, and I haven't gotten any complaints. But we, the band like it, so to us, that's what matters most. I think they like it.

TP: Yeah, that is what matters most. You guys seem very determined to make this work, and that's whatever it takes. How long, on average, does it usually take for you to write a song?

SB: The lyrics, they take about a day to three days to completely finish them. I can get the main parts down in a few hours, the I run over the lyrics and make a ton of changes, and don't stop 'til I am 100% satisfied with what I have. With the music, it can take weeks. I just try stuff. A few of the songs, "You're in My Mind" and "Things to Do" especially, have had three or four different types of music. I am satisfied with them now. It depends on the song, and how lucky I am with the music I try.

TP: Speaking of Things To Do, in my mind anyway, is similar to the Dave Matthews Band's "Ants Marching". Is this statement I just made correct? If not, what is behind this song?

SB: Yeah, Ants was definitely the main inspiration for that song. When you think about the song, it makes a ton of sense.

TP: Was it always your dream to be part of a band, or were there any other aspirations of yours?

SB: I had never thought of it until I started playing guitar. Then I realized how awesome it would be to play in a band, in front of an audience. Actually, all of us play hockey, on the same team. So, obviously, there's the dream of becoming an NHL star. But, as you grow older, you realize it's nearly impossible. I think we have a better chance with the band. Everyone has their dreams, and they change from time to time.

Scott Barnes Interviewed by Tiffany Plourd
Part II

Tiffany:    How is your solo album coming along?
Scott:        Well, it was going along just fine, but then after listening to a couple of the tracks, I noticed something was missing.  It just didn't sound right with just the guitar.  I mean, it sounded good, but it was missing something.  I tried recording tracks with multiple guitar parts, but I just didn't think that the sound was full enough.  So I decided to postpone the recording and I will pick recording back up this summer, probably with Nick, and maybe Ben and Jeff.

TP:        I read that you are asking a bassist to join your band, how did that come about?
SB:    Well, Nick is now officially in the band.  I went over to Ben's to jam one night and he was talking about this Nick kid.  So next time I went to Ben's, he had Nick over and the two of us jammed and had a ton of fun.  So I asked him to be in the band and he said yes without a doubt.  He'll play bass and acoustic guitar for us, I'm excited to play with him.

TP:        How many songs do you have written now? Which is your favorite one and why?
SB:    I think I've got about 20 songs written so far, some are instrumentals.  I write constantly, so the number I say may not match up with the number of songs that are on the site.  My favorite so far....there's a few that I like.  I like "Inheritance of Hatred" a lot, and I love the music to "Our Day."  "Just One Touch" gets stuck in my head easily, and I am working on a new one called "Nothing" that keeps getting better and better as I play around with it.

TP:        Are most of your songs with singing in them or are they instrumental?
SB:    Most of them have vocals, there are four or five instrumentals so far.  I think it will be a lot of fun to play instrumentals in concerts and just jam them out, but I love to write lyrics as well.

TP:        How many shows have you performed at recently, and when is the next one?
SB:    I've been playin a lot more than I had in the past.  I try to play at least once a week, but it's normally only once every two weeks.  It's nothing really big.  This summer I plan on playing 3 or 4 times a week.  The next one will be in a couple weeks.  Everyone, check our website often to see updates with the most recent setlists and info about upcoming shows.

TP:     I will be sure to look at the website. Have you ever spoke to someone that you didn't know who has been to one of your shows? What did they have to comment on?
SB:    Yeah, there are a few people I have talked to that I didn't know.  To me, it seemed like they really enjoyed my music.  They all tell me that I'm better than what they had expected.  'Cause you hear about a kid playin' some guitar, and you think 'Alright, he's just a kid, he can't be that good.'  So, all the people I have talked to have liked the music.  And there is definitely a favorite song of their's that I play and that would be DMB's "Two Step."  I hope someday that they get into all or most of my songs just as they get into "Two Step."  I try to not play the song at every show, but they ask for it, so I play it.  I know how it feels not to see song that you were hoping to see.  That's what we're gonna try to do at shows, if the fans start chanting a song name, we're gonna play it.  It will be hard to meet every request, but we'll do our best.  Sorry I got off topic there.   

TP:     For the last question, what band does your music mostly sound like? Are they one of your biggest influences?
SB:    There isn't one band that we sound like.  It really depends on the song.  I see some Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals in us, and a little DMB.  Once we get a sax player again, there will be a Bela Fleck and the Flecktones sound with the banjo and sax, especially in the instrumentals.  We have our own sound, really.  After hearing our music, you won't be able to say 'They sound exactly like so and so.'