A trailblazer, an enigma, a sixth of one of the most revered groups in the history of underground music, a record label boss and now a troubadour - Scott Kelly has inspired generations of bands and fans. Now, 25 years into his career, the Neurosis frontman is winning over a new audience with his solo work. He shares wisdom and memories with Harry Guerin.
The musical journey began early for me.
I first started writing songs when I was 13. When I was about 15, I had this really, really strong feeling to do something really significant. I had a bunch of traumatic experiences when I was 15: I was thrown out of the house and ended up on my own, my best friend died - along with all of the regular 15-year-old stuff as well. I wasn't feeling comfortable with my life or what was going on and I remember saying out loud, 'I'm going to form a band and crush everyone with it'. I dedicated the band to my friend who had passed away; I just really wanted to do something for him. It took a few years to get there, but Neurosis recorded our debut album, 'Pain of Mind', when I was 18.
When Neurosis started playing together there were only three of us, but it sure sounded like there were four.
There was always something extra there. We had an adverse reaction to what was happening around us. This was 1985 in the Bay Area [of San Francisco] and everyone was playing thrash metal or crossover stuff and basically we didn't feel we could do it because it wasn't how we played. We were way sloppy and raw and we wrote these weird parts that didn't really fit.
Right from the start, we were totally committed.
We said: 'We're just going to do this and we're not going to stop. Ever'. We always got really bored, really quick and we'd be moving ahead much faster than audiences were willing to go with us. We alienated fans constantly. It wasn't until 1993 on our first European tour that we came across people who seemed to 'get it' on some level. We were shocked when we ran into these journalists who were making some pretty amazing parallels between what we were doing and music that we considered really significant. Now we're on to the generation of bands that was influenced by the bands that were influenced by us - that's what happens when you go 25 years.
Having a solo career was just something that I wanted to do.
I had this thing about 10 years ago where I kind of came full circle with the music that my dad raised me on, which was old country music and stuff. He and I had come to a new understanding and I found that I really loved that music. I became kind of obsessed with writing songs. Hank Williams is the prime example - the guy wrote 200 perfect songs and was dead at 29. How the hell does that happen? He just had this thing - simple lines, paint a picture, chords that just ring straight into your heart. The simplicity of it and the way that it was seemingly 180 degrees opposed to what I did normally with Neurosis was intriguing, so I just started digging in. Now I feel like I'm on the path.
Springsteen is my guy.
I love him. I had a friend when Neurosis started who told me about [Springsteen's 1982 album] 'Nebraska'. It took me around six years to get around to actually listening to it because I didn't believe him. I was 18 and was like: 'No way that guy has good stuff'. I found a copy of 'Nebraska' in a gas station, put it in the cassette deck as we were driving down the road and I've been totally obseessed with him ever since. Three years ago, at a Neurosis show in Brooklyn, I was standing backstage and Max Weinberg [E Street Band drummer] was backstage with his son, who's a Neurosis fan. Long story short, Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band were playing a couple of hundred miles from where I live and Max got my wife and I into the show. We went back and met Bruce. My wife was about seven months pregnant with our youngest daughter and he blessed our baby. He couldn't have been a nicer, more humble and low-key guy. You can tell - he's had the same band the whole time.
I play every night like it's my last show.
In 1989 Neurosis had a gig with some friends of ours. Not too many people showed up and we weren't particularly inspired because of that. We got up on stage and we kind of half-assed it. It wasn't something that normally happened but it did happen that night. One of our friends came up to us afterwards and said: 'What was that? You guys are better than that. You guys can't do that'. It was a lesson we took to heart. We were ashamed, and we realised that wasn't the idea, that wasn't the commitment. The commitment was that every night regardless you go out and you destroy the place and whatever happens happens. Ever since that night there's never been a night off. Our inspirations didn't take nights off. Every time I get the chance to do it I feel humbled, and I play the same to three people as I play to 300.
Now is probably the best time ever for young people planning a career in music.
They don't have to mess around with all these labels and stuff that we had to do. They can do the whole thing independently. If they want to do something long-term, the first thing they have to do is find some people who really want to do it with them, or decide to strike out by themselves, which is also possible. Try to forge something that will last and to get wise to the fact that there is a business side to it, no matter how much you wish there wasn't. Decide how you want to do it, decide how you want to present it and stick to it. Then, it's all about dedication, sacrifice and commitment. If you do that, just keep pushing it and do it for the sake of the sound. The sound will take care of you in the end.
I have a lot of things to be thankful for in my life.
I don't know if I would've said that to you 15 or 20 years ago while I still had something to prove. I've had the absolute pleasure of playing music that comes straight from my heart for 25 years, with guys that I love. I've got great kids and a great wife and I get the chance to do solo stuff in a more intimate setting. I'm still as wide-eyed about discovering music as I was 20 years ago. Music means more to me now than ever, and there's just more music coming from me. Ten years ago, I might've said: 'I don't know. It seems like it's kind of going away'. But it's not. Things just keep coming my way. I didn't find a new portal, it found me.
