The Chariot
Interview with vocalist Josh Scogin
by Chris Fox
January 2011
The Chariot
Raw, gritty, and sheer underground attitude. THE CHARIOT brings their unique brand of heavy music to Madison in January. Dubbed metalcore, these guys are quite distant from their genre brethren. Their placement in the heavy metal scene give reminiscence of bands like the Misfits, as singer Josh Scogin explains, “it’s all part of the expression derived more from punk rock.” His abrasive brand of vocals is sure to unite the punk and metal crowds and he is happy just to have audiences to play for. Scogin continues, “as an artist, you always want to push boarders, that’s why we hate classifications.” A seasoned listener can hear the southern roots that litter their riffs, but it is the sudden and impulsive feeling of their music that give THE CHARIOT so much character. “There really- there’s no road we didn’t travel down, or at least try to. We push ourselves to places we’ve never been before.”
There is a definitive difference between what Scogin refers to as metal and THE CHARIOT’s style of music. “We aren’t metal, in my opinion. We get thrown in with metal bands, but I don’t think we are metal.” Following punk rock ideologies, this quartet takes on a self-proclaimed genre, soaked in the back-yard concert experience. “So many metal bands now are copy and paste,” Scogin continues, “There is too much composing; there are no mistakes.” THE CHARIOT, in fact, recorded an entire album using a single live take to maintain the raw feeling that their music produces. All the mistakes and tiny nuances that occur in a live performance shine in their first album. The experience of the album will never happen exactly that way again, and Scogin is happy to keep the performance changing from album to album, and night to night.
The live experience creates a truly underground punk feeling. “It is really more of a punk rock camaraderie. A true community,” Scogin explains. His past with the band Norma Jean has certainly allowed this singer experience with a live crowd, but THE CHARIOT style is much more interactive for the audience. “[Playing live] means everything. It has since day one. We love writing music, but if I’m honest, I only write so we can play more shows.” They are true to their word, playing upwards of three hundred shows a year, and just like their recordings, every show is different, “every show, we are very impulsive.” THE CHARIOT has built their reputation on their live performances. Scogin credits his luster for performance to influences like James Brown, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. The show is about the experience of being there, not just a band on stage.
Scogin and the rest of the band truly appreciate their fans. He explains, “one of the most rewarding things is to see familiar faces. Repeat offenders. Those are the biggest rewards for us… see someone that wants to keep coming back.” Pushing the limits of their defined genre with an unrefined sound that “is full of soul.” They are not pitch perfect, and they might even hit a few wrong notes, but “we call it rock and roll, and that’s what we want it to be. We want to be broad, and hard to define.” Whether you’re a metal head looking for a true mosh pit or a punker scouring the bars for a new sound, these guys are sure to deliver. THE CHARIOT will be playing the Majestic Theater on January 12.
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