Scott Sterling: Striving, Thriving, Surviving & Still Diving into Rock & Roll
Purity is a good word. Purity is when you focus on a specific subject and explore it until you realize the many facets discovered within the totality of the one thing are it’s own endless universe.
Music is a good word. And likewise, unto itself, it is its own universe. After all . it has its own language, its own rules and freedoms. It has its its own subculture. And in that subculture are the people who actually ‘live’ the music life. They live it. They breathe it. They dig it. They work it only because this is what they do.
Enter Scott Sterling. A purist rock and roller. A guy who plays it, writes it, books it, records it, carries heavy things to it, cheers about it, organizes it…. who lives it. And he lives it right here in Syracuse. Perhaps you’ve caught him performing in one of the various blues rock soul groups around here. Maybe you saw him running the show at the Dinosaur. Maybe he was just being a fan at the same show as you on his time off. Who knows. Its a big universe living the music biz, but he’s like a ball bouncing through all of it.
I managed to get him to take some time for an interview.
CS: Hi Scott. Thanks for taking a little bit of time for us.
SS: Hey Chuck.
CS: You’re a born rocker. When did you know you were a rocker? How did you get into music?
SS: In third grade at the end of school, each day, my friend Billy Forte and I would run to his house (in Ridgewood NJ)—his house was closer—and we would watch Dark Shadows (60s vampire soap opera), every day (our favorite show)! Billy had Beatles and Rolling Stones and Monkees records—so did I—and we loved them! He also had a Guitar! So, I figured I better get one too!
CS: Right. That’s all a dude can do. What kinds of music do you play, these days?
SS: Playing soul-blues with recording artist Johnny Rawls (Mississippi); myself, along w Don Martin on bass & Paul Mastriani on drums, have morphed into Rawls’ back-up band in this region (Canada to downstate NY). Somehow, his purist soul-blues style and my rock & roll style form a compatible sound! We’ll be performing with Mr. Rawls December 26 through Dec 31, including New Years Eve at the Syracuse Dinosaur BBQ!
I recently re-visited Marshfield, Mass—Iwent to high school there—and played a huge party with members of my band from 1976 -1979: THRUST—the ultimate rock n roll experience. I know this because it said so right on our buissness card! Amazingly, I live here. The drummer (Frank Corby) Lives in Sydney, Australia. bassist (Greg Paquette) lives in Hampstead, North Carolina! We rocked the 70s. A surreal musical experience to be sure !
Oh yes and if you ask me to sit in – i will play !
CS: Ok. I’ll ask you to sit-in, next time we see you.Inspirations?
SS: Rolling Stones. The Replacements. The Who. Sponge. Porcupine Tree. Beatles. Jason & the Scorchers. Warner E. Hodges. Miles Davis. Mark Doyle.
CS: Aside from being a performer, you are involved with the music business on a number of levels. Explain.
SS: To survive & eat ,etc., I figured out long ago one would need to be versatile in the music biz . I have been a stage hand, spotlight operator, sound man, monitor engineer, stage manager, prompter rep., band booking agent, club booking agent, road manager, band manager, concert promoter, all in addition to playing guitar singing & writing songs!
CS: Man… we sure got a lot in common. Recording?… I believe you’re also involved in the rrole of record producer, now and then, yes?.
SS: I’ve taken on producer and executive producer roles a few times. I’ve worked with Dracula Jones, Penny Jo’s Trailer Trash, Zig Zag Zen, Turnip Stampede & just out The Lightkeepers!
The first three were done at Penguin Studios with Steve Feldman (studio moved to California) the most recent two were done at Moletarx Studios with Jeff “The Mole” Moleski. Both Steve and The Mole play major roles in these recordings. Most of these bands were acts I got to work with a lot, live—and did business with them before recording them. The Lightkeepers has been a bit different in that they came to me before they had ever played out. But, all share great players within their styles and great songs. It makes being the producer a lot easier!! (lol)…
CS: (lol)
SS: …The right pre-production is key. And, that can be from rehearsals to performances. Whatever whips the band and songs into shape – and then the right place & people to record with – if the atmosphere is wrong – the performances may suffer – and having a reasonable idea of what you want it to sound like – but also being open to trying or accepting things that just happen in the studio! Producing is more than just the songs – but making all the parts happen. The Turnip Stampede and The Lightkeepers albums took over 6 months to complete.
And, both were well worth the time spent!
CS: You probably possess one of the more complete perspectives on the Syracuse music scene. Please hare the view from your post.
SS: Like any place: where there are people there is music. Syracuse, for it’s size, has a great talent pool of many styles. Use Syracuse to your advantage. It’s a soild place to base yourself —and not too far from many major cities! No reason one could not make a stand right here!
CS: Sowhaddya know?…. You also book bands into venues. What’s the best tip you can give to emerging artists on how to approach getting a gig. What do you look for in an artist?
SS: How to get a gig:
1 ) Do not suck! 2) Do not be an overbearing knucklehead. Remember that there is always lots of competition out there. Not just you! 3 ) Have an easy way to sell yourself. If you are sending a demo or video and you feel it needs to come with an an explanation, go make another demo and/or video . 4 ) Put your best foot forward. It’s better to wait and make the best product rather than short-change yourself.
CS: I was there for you induction into the SAMMY Hall of Fame a couple of years ago. I drank 4 drinks during your speech, man. Haha. You obviously have a book’s worth of memories. Please share a highlight or two.
SS: Managing Dracula Jones in the early 90s. Well, it could be a book. But, to help take a band from total raw start and accomplish all the things they did was an amazing journey—coming so close to the ever elusive record deal . It was a great time! We did everything the way we wanted and how we wanted, and it made for great music and shows!
And, as a performer, I relly loved playing in Rockin’ Bones, a cool original rock band.
CS: Share a funny war story…. the night aliens popped out of your amp and stole your drummer’s beer…..
SS: One night back in the Lost Horizon days we were finishing up a show and it was near to closing time – when in walks through the door – Jon Bon Jovi, his drummer Tico Torres, and 2 members of their opening act Skid Row: bassist Rachel Bolan and guitarist, Snake Sabo. Bon Jovi & crew had just flown from the end of their show in Rhode Island. It was Jons birthday and he rented a van at the airport and wanted to go to the club they had played twice before. The next day they were playing a sold-out carrier dome show—a small leap from the 250 folks who saw then at the Lost on the first tour! Jon’s then girlfriend (they would marry weeks later on that tour) was with him too! Owner, Greg Italiano locked the front door, opened the bar.Ticco Torres took over our DJ booth and we had us a surprise party for Bon Jovi. Just another day at work!
CS: In all seriousness, I believe my Gramma and Grampa actually catered “that” gig. Rock and roll.
Anyway…. What does music mean to you?
SS: Music has been everything to me all of my life. Music is life. And, I have some serious support to my all music life—my fabulous girlfriend Miss Jeanine and my lovely daughter Jessic a Sterling. Without them I could not navigate all these musical waters.
CS: Scott, thanks for taking the time to talk with us all here at Table Hopping.
SS: Thanks, Chuck.
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Chuck Schiele is an award-winning musician, art director, producer, editorialist, artist, activist, member of SaltCityChill.com and fan of the CNY music scene. To be considered for this column, please write chuck.schiele@gmail.com.
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