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| Jared Hart at Asbury Park's Russo Music in 2015. |
Punk Rock, Politics, and Pressing Buttons with Jared Hart of The Scandals
by Matt Chrystal
"Jersey has a special way of making you feel at home when you are with the right people."
Jared Hart, by his own admission, is addicted to performing. Since he first got started screaming his heart out and shredding his guitar in graffiti-filled, beer-soaked basements in 2004 (which still happens to this day), Hart has been a relentless road warrior, crisscrossing the country and continent-hopping, all the while acting as the Garden State’s Ambassador of Rock n Roll.
Hart alternates between his duties as outspoken leader of The Scandals and as an acoustic troubadour, and each tour stop sees him baring his soul. He has become known, respected, and adored for his honest, warts-n-all performances complete with gravely throated vocals and broken guitar strings and for leaving it all on stage after stage, night after night.
He grew up in the "scene;" and, through dedication, hard work, and an unwavering DIY work ethic, he has emerged to stand tall amongst his peers to act as the torch bearer of punk rock.
I was somehow able to track Jared down in advance of his upcoming performance at this weekend’s Beer & Music Festival in Atlantic City to ask him a few questions about The Scandals' upcoming record, making the music he wants to make, as well on his thoughts about venues in NJ and how it feels to be the busiest man in the "scene."
CoolMattyC: So, first, let's talk about the forthcoming Scandals EP, Lucky Seven. You put out a solo album (Past Lives & Pass Lines) in 2015 and few 7" splits, but with regard to The Scandals, Lucky Seven will be the follow up to 2012's Trenchknife. Has it really been that long?
Jared Hart: We also had a European release called Time Machines, but we did not put that out here in the states. As far as proper Scandals releases, yeah, it's actually been that long.
CMC: Tell us about the writing and recording process for this record…
JH: This EP was technically done about two years ago, finished, mastered and everything. We did it with our buddy, Brian [Fallon] of Gaslight Anthem. We brought him these songs and he produced the whole thing. We all worked on the songs together for a while and got really proud of them, so we went right in to Red Bull studios. We blasted them all out in like three or four days. And then, we just played a waiting game with a lot of people for a really, really long time.
I'm glad that it is finally coming out because we put the most time into these songs compared to anything we have ever done.
CMC: You recently played the opening slot for both Brian Fallon's and Dave Hause's respective album release shows at The Crossroads in Garwood, NJ. And you were a part of several big shows at that venue including opening for The Bronx and The Falcon. Now it's your turn to host a record release show there… What do you like about The Crossroads that keeps you coming back?
JH: Crossroads is the new home spot! They just treat everyone like family. It's everything you would want in a bar, let alone a music venue. Even if you were only there once before, everyone there remembers your name and what drink you like to order. It's just a very rare thing to have in this scene in general and in New Jersey these days.
We have had to change our home base a few times since places seem to keep closing. We lost the Court Tavern, lost the Lanes. There just seems like nothing going on in North Jersey, and Lee Frankel [Crossroads management] opened his arms to us and to our buddy, Andy Diamond, who now books shows there. Anyone who goes through there always raves about how well they get treated there, whether they are a huge touring band or a local band. It just feels good playing there. It feels good to just show up and know that there will be no stress, no politics, and no bullshit.
CMC: I read that Dead Swords, which features members of Gaslight Anthem and Let Me Run, are playing their first US gig that night, opening for you at The Crossroads…
JH: It's gonna be a pretty wacky show. The lineup is insane. It all just came together great. Dead Swords just happens to be putting their record out and have never played a US show before, so I figured why not get all the homies together and throw a banger!
CMC: We talked about your playing with Brian Fallon of Gaslight Anthem and Dave Hause of The Loved Ones. You have also played with Brian McGee of Plow United and have an upcoming gig with Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music. You all have a common thread of playing in successful punk rock bands then going it alone as acoustic troubadours… How did this trend come about?
Did you all drop acid together and listen to Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska album?
But seriously, does that progression just come about from necessity of wanting to switch things up after playing such an intense style for so many years?
JH: I can't speak for those guys, but I definitely took from their example. I was at a point where touring with the band was getting really brutal. We were out all the time and losing a lot of money. Everyone was getting kind of testy after sleeping next to each other for six months straight. So I just kinda jumped into playing acoustic to have another option.
I have an obsession with playing. I just never get sick of it. It's just something that must be fucked up in my head that I need to play. So, when I needed to play, I started doing some acoustic stuff and it gave me that original rush of adrenaline that I felt when I played my first punk show in like 2005. It was just so new. It was just me up there, there was no one else to fall back on. When it's bad, it's bad! Everyone knows it. But it was just a kickstarter to everything feeling new again, no matter how many times I play shows. It just led me wanting to do it more and more. I did not expect it to last this long and I really did not expect to be playing with the people I am now playing with. I am really grateful that this all happened.
CMC: You brought up your obsession with playing, which seems to be an understatement. You are a relentless road warrior, you have played all over the US and in the UK, and continually announce tour after tour, sometimes as a solo act and other times with The Scandals… And, yet, you still find time to make triumphant returns to NJ and NYC when duty calls. What do you do to keep yourself grounded with all the traveling and to keep yourself from getting too homesick?
JH: I try to surround myself with good people. I try to go on the road with people I love, people that I enjoy the music that they are making and people that I enjoy as humans. I try to spend as much time as I can in each city with people I normally do not get to spend all that much time with. I try to make each night a little more memorable. Getting to see someone you have not seen in a year is like getting a little dose of therapy in each new place. We all just let it out and make a night of it. A big part of keeping it fresh, is just trying to keep things different. Even if we are tired or bored, we make sure to try go that extra mile to make each night special.
CMC: Speaking of triumphant returns to New Jersey, Punk Rock Bowling is coming back to Asbury Park this summer. It seems strange that Asbury Lanes is not currently open to be part of the festivities. I can recall catching The Scandals at the Lanes a few times, playing with the Dead & Gone, etc. Do you have any favorite memories of the Lanes that you can share?
JH: I grew up at the Lanes. The Lanes is the only place in NJ that I made sure I never drank at while I was underage. I did not want to do anything to get that place in trouble. I always said that I would have my 21st birthday party there. And I did in 2011, it was right after we got home from tour and all of our stuff got robbed in California. So this was our homecoming show with Dead & Gone and Walk the Plank. We had just gone through getting robbed and a whole bunch of shit but we walked in and everyone was there at the Lanes welcoming us, taking care of us, loaning us gear to use and telling us, "Don't worry. You are home now.”
Jersey has a special way of making you feel at home when you are with the right people.
The Lanes was just a great place. It was like walking in to Cheers.
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| The Scandals at Asbury Lanes in 2015. |
CMC: Speaking of cheers… You are playing the acoustic stage at the Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival this weekend. I have heard that you are partial to tequila, but are there any particular brews you are looking forward to sampling at the fest?
JH: I actually haven't taken a look at the list of breweries; but, usually, I am into anything that has alcohol in it. I don't discriminate when it comes to alcohol content but I have learned that I have to pace myself at beer festivals. I will have to stay away from the higher-end IPAs… at least at the beginning of the night. If I drink too many of those, I'll get too dazed and not know where I am walking to and that's not a good thing, especially in Atlantic City… I could walk into the wrong casino. I have heard the AC Beerfest is really wild, and I am looking forward to it.
My buddy, Paul Brown [Event Production, GoodTime Tricycle], works on putting AC Beerfest together and he really goes out of his way to try and make the event wacky and special for the attendees. I love seeing people that are my homies, just killing it! I feel like that is the best feeling. I'm looking forward to hanging there and having a good time.
CMC: As if you weren't busy enough, you have another side project, Baytown Buttons. Can you tell me about that business venture?
JH: I couldn't hold a job because I was on tour too much so I needed something to do to make some cash for beers. So, a couple years ago, I got a button machine and just started pressing buttons for all the bands I knew. This is like going on six or seven years now, and I'm still making fucking buttons when I come home from a tour. I'll get a friend's band ask for a couple bags of them, so I just sit in my underwear, watch The Sopranos, and press a couple hundred buttons. I have a little click in my elbow now for doing it for so long but it is kind of cathartic to just sit and not have to think about anything for a couple of hours.
CMC: You recently lent your talent and some songs to John Nolan of Taking Back Sunday's latest project, Music for Everyone, which is a compilation album to benefit the ACLU. Can you share how that came about?
JH: That compilation is an amazing thing. My buddies, Jon Nolan and Mike from Collected Confusion, are putting together all these great songs for this project. Mike has always been so supportive of me and The Scandals and he hit me up and told me about this compilation album he was putting together to support the ACLU. I was just like "cool," because at that moment I was just looking for some outlet to put positive energy towards. I had just recorded four songs from Past Lives & Pass Lines with a full band, and they ended up on the compilation. There are so many great artists on that album, and I am super proud to have my name next to theirs and super excited for what the album was shooting for.
CMC: You have been vocal on social media speaking out against immigration ban policies and playing events that support civil liberties and, as we mentioned, you took part on the compilation album benefiting the ACLU. What are your thoughts on the political climate in today's America and what are your hopes for the future?
JH: That's a loaded question. I've been in a punk band since 2004, and punk music in general has a massive history of being very political, open-minded, and out-spoken. At the beginning of my being in bands, I always felt like someone else was saying enough and that I would just be preaching to the choir when it came to politics. There was no reason for me to sit around in a house with my friends and tell them what is wrong with the world, because we all got it.
And that's just it, you have to tell people that do not get it. This is the first time in my career that I feel like we have to talk about what's going on because it is that important right now. It's scary what is going down. It is scary just to think of what kids have to see about the world on the news and see how people are treating each other. People are treating others horribly. This election has given a voice to racists and bigots. And these racists and bigots are getting a platform on social media to speak up and they are now acting on it too, and so we, in turn, have to get up and speak up and act too.
So, on social media, I am going to run my mouth a lot, because the fact that people are willing to interfere with the basic human rights of others is just sickening to me. I've always said that when you walk into a Scandals show, leave all the craziness and the bullshit behind you and take an hour to let go. That has always been my thing. Come to a Scandals show. Hug each other. Talk to the person next to you. Look around. We are all there for the same reason. It's important to do things to show solidarity and show the world that there are good people out there who give a shit.
CMC: You have been like the Garden State's Ambassador of Rock n Roll, playing anywhere and everywhere to a growing fanbase that is rabid for more. With that said, is it time we finally admitted that you have replaced Springsteen as New Jersey's favorite son?
JH: I don't know if it’s quite time for that… yet. But it would be pretty cool if someone could let him know that, to at least get a rise out of him. I can hear him say, "Who? Never heard of him!"
But, if you get a contact for him, let me know so I can give him my business card for Baytown Buttons.
Jared Hart will be performing on the Acoustic Stage at AC Beer & Music Fest (early session) on Saturday April 1st.
The Scandals will have their Night of Sin EP Release Party at The Crossroads in Garwood, NJ on April 29th.
You can grab a download of Music For Everyone over on Bandcamp.
For more info and dates for Jared and the Scandals please go to www.thescandalsnj.com.
For more info on AC Beer & Music Fest please go to www.acbeerfest.com.
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