Being tasked
with describing bands is often a fraught and ambiguous task, and yet when we
are looking for new tunes, it is the first thing we ask, what do they sound
like or who can you compare the band
too. It is often easy, and yet there is
always a curveball, a band which is not easier definable or pigeonholed, simply
because there are bands who are sound like no other.
Enter
Scientist. A 3 piece instrumental band.
Who simply put are an indefinable metal juggernaut.
With their
roots firmly embedded within the Chicago metal scene and featuring ex founding
members of the band Yakuza, I knew this debut S/T album was going to be
something special. So when I found their
album in my in box, I was immediately drawn to the record, being a massive
Yakuza fan. Simply put Scientist is just
a brilliant record and given my love of the record, I immediately hooked up
with Eric Plonka (guitarist/founding member) to get the low down on how Scientist was
created, their views on the changes in the music industry and why his guitar
tone is such a secret.
Interview :
SL) Eric, welcome to the Sludgelord.
First of all, thanks for reaching out to us and sending us the record
for review. You guys, cool? How are
things in the Science Lab at the
moment?. What are your immediate plans for the rest of 2013?
Eric Plonka)
You are very welcome, we love Sludgelord!! Hail!!! Things in the lab are great;
we always have something cooking on the bunson burners! Our plans for the rest
of ‘13? Not sure.... whatever comes. We’re a big "off the cuff" type
of band. We don't plan very far ahead of ourselves but I imagine new songs and
gigs. You know the regular stuff.
SL) Before we get onto the good stuff, (taking about your excellent
debut record), Can you perhaps give us an idea of the roots behind the band? Who are you, that kind of thing? It is
your opportunity to tell the world about yourselves.
EP) Well, I’m Eric Plonka, guitar player and sometimes vocalist. I’ve been playing the Chicago circuit for a very long time... I won't say HOW long but, long enough.... I’ve been in a lot of bands but most note worthy would be 'Yakuza' (Profound Lore) I was the original founding member and played on the first two albums 'Amount To Nothing' and 'Way Of The Dead' (Century Media). I started Scientist with my friend and drummer Justin Cape who was the drummer in our old band 'Fire Is Born' he also was in 'Raised On Zenith'. We originally started out as just the two of us. We played like that for the first year until we did a demo and I put bass on it and we were like "So that’s what that sounds like..... We NEED that!'' Just so happens our guitar player from Fire Is Born, Patrick Auclair was recording this demo and was like 'I’ll play bass, this stuff rules!' and so it was. Even though he never played bass before! He jams too! Both of those guys do, I’m super lucky to have these guys in this band. We work really well together.
SL) Chicago is a mecca it seems for heavy music, what was it like
growing up in your hometown and being fans of rock / metal for example?
EP) Growing
up in Chicago was awesome, so many great local bands to see. When I was younger
it was mostly punk and hardcore though, Sharon Tate’s Baby, Tyrants Reign,
Salem Cross, Wrath, The Gruesomes and The Black Muslims were some of my
favorite local metal/crossover bands back then. Also lots of skinheads and the
sort. It was awesome; I had some of the best times back then... I started to
see more and more metal bands around 1991 or 1992. Bands like Wicker man, and God
Box were among the first to breakthrough the punk thing and start to change the
scene but now, the metal scene has exploded in Chicago. Bands like Nachtmystium, The Atlas Moth, Minsk
and Yakuza are doing great things to put Chicago on the map. Those are the more
well known of the metal bands though. There are literally hundreds of other
local metal bands in this great city HUNDREDS!!! Taken By The Sun, Electric
Hawk, Pale Horseman, Johnny Vomit, Ox King, Making Ghosts, and Of Wolves are to
name a few of my favourites. I could go
on and on though... Did I go off topic? I think I answered the question right?
Meh.... I do that sometimes.
SL) The songs are named after elements of the periodic table and you
called yourselves Scientist, your music
is certainly not easily definable or categorised, what’s the deal, are you guys
the next Stephen Hawkins? Are you a
concept band, because the record titles and names lends itself to such a view?
EP) You know
what, now that I think about it. Yes, we
are definitely NOT a concept band. Hahaha.
Had you going there right? The
name just came about. It was a band name
I kept hidden for a long time that I thought would be cool. We wanted something
that was easily remembered and a word you hear often. I feel it's the perfect
name for us seeing as how we like to experiment musically. The periodic table
thing I just thought would look cool. Just
kind of came up with it looking for artwork for the CD, Justin was worried it
might come off as pretentious and 'douchey', Lol. But after seeing it on the CD,
we loved it and it just fits. No one remembers song titles any ways really. In
hindsight though, I wish we would have gone into the studio knowing all this
and we could have went with the concept album thing. I love those.
SL).
Which band or artist turned you guys onto music and specifically introduced you
to Heavy Metal/Rock and wanting to form a band?
EP) Me
personally, I’ve been in bands as long as I can remember. Since I was 15.
My main influences were local. Johnny vomit, Ozfish, Internal Bleeding and
others would do these gigs at local VFW’s and we would go and mosh and drink
and I was just like 'this is the coolest! I’m gonna do this!' so, I did. But it
wasn't until years later like, 1990 or 1991 I was at a loft party and seen a band
called Godbox. THAT'S the very moment I was like I want to do THAT! That’s when
I got serious about writing songs and learning my instrument which was bass
guitar then. I didn't even pick up a guitar (6 string) until I was 27 and
started Yakuza almost the very next day. Another giant influence was Don Caballero.
I accidentally seen them in 1993 at a local club in Chicago and could NOT
fucking believe what I was witnessing. That’s when I started to get
experimental with playing. Later bands like Meshuggah, Gojira, Tool, Eyehategod
and Napalm Death influenced me even further. These bands all definitely had
major influence on Scientist
SL) In
your experience, how easy/difficult has it been it for Scientist to get
coverage? Was your association with Yakuza
a help or a hindrance?
EP) Yakuza
has been very little help to me so far; it’s gotten me some things easier than
if I was never in the band, but so far not a whole lot of help. Though I wish it was. We’ve only been a band
for almost three years though and only a three piece for a year or so now so,
time will tell. Definitely not a hindrance though. My main motivation to start Scientist was
just to do it, you know? It’s what we all love to do.
SL) What was your motivation to start Scientist?
EP) It’s just that thing I want to do, I can't
NOT do it. I’ll be relaxing at home and I’ll just feel this song working It's
way out of my body and I have to get up and write it or it will make me
actually physically sick be it a keeper or not. Is that weird? I took a
lot of time off after I split with Yakuza and it was always there poking my
brain and pushing me to start another band. I joined another band after Yakuza,
'Fire Is Born' playing bass. That’s where I met these guys. But, as much as I
loved that band (they were awesome) I NEEDED to play my own stuff. As far as
Yakuza having a hand in moulding Scientist, absolutely not. Maybe when we were
just starting out when we were moulding the band but now, it is its own animal.
SL) You worked with Sandford Parker, an established/renowned
producer and musician, with a guests spots from Yakuza and The Atlas Moth. What can you tell us about the writing and recording
process? What are your overall thoughts about having it out in the public
domain?
EP) Working
with Sanford was cool; Justin and Patrick are actually friends with him. That’s
how we got in with him. I tried to play my 'Yakuza Card' with him and got shot
down at first try, trying to get into his studio. Although Sanford’s and my old
band used to do a lot of gigs together back in 'the day'. The writing process
consists of me writing at home then, bringing it to those guys and going from
there and see if they say, hell yea! Or no,no,no, dude that sucks, Lol. Those two have a lot of input and a lot of
great ideas. The songs on the CD are already so old to us! It took 9 months
from recording day 1 to CD in hand. Our
next recording we will know what not to do you know? We love the public domain
thing. Although me personally, miss the days of just CD's and flyers and the
street level things that go with that. The computer world is a blessing and a
curse for musicians.
SL) As music fans yourselves and given that music seems to be so
disposal at times, it is important to offer a great package to your fans, and yet
not alienate them by producing something which is not affordable. Taking
the release as a whole, how much involvement did you have in terms of overall
package? You’re a DIY band right?
EP) We did
everything ourselves. We really need help with this stuff though. We really need to find a good label as a home
so we can really begin to spread our wings musically and not have to worry so
much with the business end. I spend
hours everyday trying to get things done for Scientist and it's really frustrating
at times and tends to kill that creative spark I need to do the rest (and the
best) part of the band.
SL) There
some controversies this year in terms of expensive record releases and another irritant
for me is meet and greets, or VIP packages, seemingly it is more difficult for
bands to make a living, but is this asking too much of fans ?
EP) The VIPs
thing, the meet and greet thing in my opinion is yes, asking too much of your
loyal and also broke and starving fans. I could rant for an hour about 'the
right and wrong' way to do such things and the morality of it all but, these
things are best left to anonymous emails and blog posts. You need extra money?
Get a job. Period. I have one.
SL)Steering away from the record a little, I’m assuming all musicians
like to talk about the gear they use, so with that in mind what do you use in
terms of guitars, amps and why? Also what tuning do you use?
EP) My tuning
shall always remain untold. I’ll take it to my grave, SOOOOO many people
always asking me after gigs "What do you tune to?" ''What is that
tuning"? Ever since the Yakuza days. I made it up. But, I will say this; I
approached my tuning like a cave man. Meaning if a cave man found a guitar and
no one told him how to tune it, what would he do? hahaha. Caveman Scientist.
Gear wise, I play a Washburn P3 guitar with an EMG gold 85 pick up. It’s the
first guitar I used to learn how to play 6 strings. I worked for Washburn Guitars for 11
years. I use two heads and two cabinets
live, a Peavey 6505 and a Bugera 6260 and split them with an a,b,y, switch. and
various delay and wah pedals.
SL) Has their been much opportunity for Scientist to do live shows
and is playing live important to you, because touring can depend upon work
commitments etc?
EP) When we
started we gigged as often as possible to get the experience. Now, we do maybe
once a month. We haven't toured but, we did play SXSW this year.... we all have
jobs that would allow us to tour if need be. I absolutely love playing live;
it's my favourite part of being in a band. But, if you play 19 gigs a month and
hog all the shows, no one is going to want to see you anymore and you’re going
to piss off the other local bands trying just as hard as you are to do their
thing.
SL) Continuing on the theme
of playing live, if you can have your own version of Woodstock, who would have
on the bill and why?
EP) I hate hippies so, no Woodstock’s. EVER.
SL).
Reflecting upon your time together as a band and active musician, what have
been some of the high and low point in your careers?
EP) Oh God,
I’ve had so many highs and lows in my "Career'' (lol) I can write a book
and just might someday.... for instance after Yakuza I was homeless for two
years fucking rock bottom man. Just a
horrible horrible time in my life. But I punched and kicked and clawed my way
out of that pit and have the best life ever now. I’m super happy nowadays.
SL) How valuable are blogs and social media?
EP) Blogs suck,
haha and social media is alright. It’s the way to do it now ya know? It took me
forever to give in to it. I still want to go out and hand out flyers and put up
posters and do the footwork but, that’s just not how it's done in 2013. I got
with the times bro...Lol.... I don't want to be that guy in Logan’s Run where
all of a sudden he's the geezer and everyone wants to eat him for not getting
with the program (I know, I know, don't send emails that I got it wrong).
Soilent Green is people!!!!!
SL) Quick fire question, what’s your preference? Cassette, CD,
Digital Download or Vinyl? And why?
EP) Meh, whatever gets Scientist to the Soilent Green is ok with me. I like CD's because I can jam them in my van and whip the ones I don't like out the window!
SL) Thanks for answering my questions, but one final question, you
got anything you like to say to your fans and what can we expect from Scientist,
in the future, new record? Tours?
EP) Sure
man! Um, we love Soilent Green? Look us
up on www.scientistchicago.bandcamp.com
www.reverbnation/scientistheband
and www.facebook.com/scientist.chicago
for dates merch etc. Rock on! We can't wait to get across the pond and live on
The Sludgelords floor for weeks!! Fish and chips gov'na? Lol. You the man Sludgelord keep doing your
thing!
RockWords and Interview by : Aaron Pickford
Big shout out to Eric from Scientist for originally reaching out to us and presented us with such a fantantic record. Pleasure to have discovered this band and Eric is a genuine salt of the earth dude. Check em out. Review due soon of their debut record. In the meantime, listen to the record below.
For more information :
Bandcamp
