Finding each other in one of the last places that you'd expect eclectic, mature alt-rock to develop, Running with Scissors accredits much of their unique sound to their Southern roots. Weaving the bluesy voice of singer Aaron Barr, the astute rhythm of lead guitarist Dave French, the smooth coherent bass lines of bassist Josh Houser and the clean beats of drummer Jason Scyphers, Running with Scissors sound a lot like a what would happen if Lynard Skynard, Ray Charles and The Mars Volta ever collaborated together. Packing up and settling just outside of Washington, D.C., these boys offer what many indie acts fail to deliver - something mature and new to the often trite East Coast rock scene. In speaking with them, its clear that despite their obvious differences, they are more than a group of simple Southern boys that get together to play music every once in a while:
There's not a lot of personal information about you on your website. Can you tell me a little more about yourselves and the band?
DF: I was a sophomore in high school when I met Josh, we played football together. Josh picked up a bass and I had just started playing guitar a few years before that. I jammed with this other guy for a while, but he wasn't very good. But, I figured what the hell? I'll try this guy because he's got nice stuff
JH: Nice stuff? I had like a fifty dollar bass and fifty dollar amp
DF: Nicer stuff than the people I knew. So, we jammed for a little while on these horrible little projects here and there. We played three shows, then the whole thing sort of dissolved
JH: After that, Syphers and I started a hardcore punk band. That lasted about two years. We went from being Working Class Heroes to Ballistics, which was the final name
DF: Working Class Heroes didn't seem to fit with the background of those two
AB: We basically finally got together in college
Dave: One of the years I was in college, let's say circa 2000, I met this fraternity guy and he was bugging the shit out of me to start a rap-rock band. We played with a bunch of different people and finally we were getting ready to play out for the first time. Immediately before, our drummer at the time went to jail for beating up his girlfriend. So, at that point, I decided to search after other people and this asshole here had been bugging me to play (pointing to JS). So I called him up and he started jamming with us. And by default, we picked up Aaron
JS: We started off as a five-piece rap-rock, or as it like to call it, crap rock band. It was pretty horrible
How did you evolve from there?
DF: When we finally picked up Aaron, we decided to play real music. We started searching and finding and we started growing as musicians. We learned to define the way in which we play
AB: I think we learned where we wanted to be
JS: I will never forget the first time we all played out together. We hadn't been practicing that long and he make up the lyrics the entire show. We have it on tape, a lot of mumbles.
AB: I do that now anyway
How long would you say you've officially been playing together?
Dave: About five years
Who are your major influences?
AB: We play music for ourselves
JH: We have influences, c'mon
JS: Definitely the Spice Girls
(collective laughter)
JH: Anything but metal
AB: I really like old jazz singers
DF: I started playing guitar because of Jimmy Page
JS: I started off as a marching band kid. I think that Chad Sexton from 311 really influenced me because he played in a marching band as well. But that influence has sort of faded over the years.
JH: I don't think any of my influences actually stuck; I started playing Rage Against the Machine covers. Definitely Rage and The Red Hot Chili Peppers
How did your sound evolve from rap-rock to what you have now?
JH: Our messed up sense of rhythm
AB: I think we started listening to better music
DF: I don't think we started listening to better music, I think that we found better ways to express ourselves. We all started facing reality and things come out of that
JS: I didn't want to listen to pop-punk anymore
DF: Well, some of us weren't listening to pop punk to begin with
Of all of the venues that you have played, which one is your favorite?
ALL: Alley Cat, in Richmond
JS: Great sound
AB: The Velvet Lounge is cool too
JS: Yeah, The Velvet Lounge is probably one of my favorite places in DC
How do you compare the Richmond versus the DC crowds?
DF: In Richmond, we have young kids that are really interested in music, whereas in DC you're lucky to have people there
JS: Richmond allows all ages more than DC does. It's hard to get a lot of people out for 21 and up shows
AB: It's hard to get people out to the city in general, it's less accessible
Do you feel like your music is more accessible to a younger crowd?
JS: I think they're more receptive. They seem to be more hungry. Kids these days seem to find themselves in music
DF: Whereas adults just like to go out, get drunk and bob their heads
I noticed that you guys have played a couple of shows in Tennessee. Seems like a long way to travel
DF: We grew up in Southern Virginia, about an hour away from that town. It feels like going home. We always get good crowds there. The people are always really receptive. With the exception of maybe Fabio...
Fabio?
JH: I got into a fight with him once after a show. I get drunk and have some anger issues
What do you like and dislike about the DC scene?
JH: The thing we kind of noticed immediately was that bands came out to support other bands. Our first show, I don't know how many bands were there. A lot of the other bands that we know now, we met during our first few shows
And what do you dislike?
DF: We can't get into the Black Cat
JS: It's definitely difficult to get into some of the venues initially.
Did I hear a dirty little rumor that you played with Story of the Year? How was that?
DF: They were really cool
AB: Those guys had to have been taking gymnastics or something
JH: They were doing back flips. They have one of the most amazing stage presences I've ever seen in my life
DF: One point in time, they all got up from their spots and just switched instruments and didn't miss a beat. I mean, how the hell do you do that live?
AB: Playing in front of 1,000 kids...
DF: is pretty much like crack
JH: Then the first couple of shows after that were just like, oh
Would you say that was one of your better shows?
JH: As far as the people and the energy and the feeling you get inside, yes. We got the classic rock star intro, kinda like Spinal Tap where they introduced us and as soon as you step onto stage people are cheering and crowd surfing even before you get out there
DF: It was a very Spinal Tap show
What do you think is different about your sound as compared to other east coast indie bands?
JS: The big emo movement, none of us are really into that that much
DF: There are a whole bunch of good bands that are on indie labels. They're all great bands. We're not competing. They all have their unique sounds as well
AB: When you're really into your music, there's really no way to answer that
What do you foresee yourselves doing two years from now?
DF: Still playing. Hopefully, signed to Dischord, ahem
JS: No day jobs
JH: Definitely no day jobs, being able to support ourselves with our music would be great
AB: Playing music at this point barely pays for gas. If we did this for money, we would have been out a long time ago
DF: The way that I look at it is that even bands that are doing it for themselves, they're still working for the man in some sense of the word. With us, we work for the man half the day and then the other half we work for ourselves
If you could play with anyone who would you play with?
AB: Music, right?
JH: Don't go there
DF: Probably Mars Volta. They're stretching the boundaries. They're honest
JH: I'd love to play with Flogging Molly
AB: The Irish drinking band?
JH: Dude, it would be so awesome to play with them. They're so high energy when I've seen them at shows and everything
DF: The Medications
JS: I'd play with the White Stripes
JH: Victor Wooten. I'd love to just jam with him
What are in your iPods right now?
AB: I was listening to Citizen Cope on the way over here. Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, some pop-punk
JS: Recently, the Beatles White Album, the Mars Volta, Zepplin, that's about it
JH: MxPx, Kasabian, Bloc Party, The Mars Volta of course and the new System of the Down album rocks
DF: Everyday I listen to the Rain Song by Led Zepplin. It's probably the most beautiful song I've ever heard. Music wise, it's just unbelievable. Butthole Surfers, Black Flag, the Mars Volta, Dead Kennedies, The Medications, Ella Fitzgerald
When you guys aren't playing together, what are you doing?
DF: Painting
JH: Not playing music and not working?
DF: He's probably downloading porn and masturbating.
JH: Just watching movies, going out and seeing other bands
DF: Trying to support the scene
