Kevin Scott plays bass in three of Echo Play Live's four bands. So Long Goodnight, Jambi, and Elite. Which means he is locked in on three completely different catalogs at any given time, from emo-era anthems to the spiritual weight of the TOOL discography to the moody dynamics of a Deftones set. The thing he says he brings to a band is energy, and any room he has played in agrees. The bass underneath an Echo Play Live song is rarely there to be polite. It is there to drive.
Kevin is also honest about why he does this, in equal parts deflection and disclosure. The first time he was asked what pulled him into music, he said "to get chicks." A minute later, talking about what music actually gives him, the answer landed quieter. Drive and purpose, and the chance to keep striving toward something. That is the version that shows up on stage. He is the guy who will tell you the goal of a Jambi show is to play "The Pot" with enough force that everyone in the room understands why TOOL still matters, and then catch himself before the answer gets too pretentious. Because that is Paul's job.
Read the full interview with Kevin
What first pulled you into music?
To be honest, it was to get chicks. [laughter]
What has music given you that nothing else really has?
I would say possibly a drive and purpose. Maybe to keep striving to do something.
What do you feel like you bring to the band?
Energy. Lots and lots of energy.
What do you care about most when you're performing live?
Getting lost in the music, and providing entertainment above all.
What do you want the crowd to feel when they watch you perform?
I want them to feel and resonate with everything that I, and the bands that I'm playing with, are giving out at the moment.
What is one song you always look forward to playing live, and why?
I would say it'd be "The Pot" from TOOL. It's just so driving and heavy, and it brings all the chaotic energy that everybody can understand, no matter who they are.
What separates a decent show from a great show?
A great show is when everybody is on the same playing level and having fun, and the energy is vibing — crowd and band-wise. A decent show is when we're still giving out the energy, but there's not enough crowd.
What makes a great cover or tribute performance?
The amount of heart and energy the band performing puts into it.
What is harder than people realize about playing this kind of music well?
Knowing as many songs as I — slash *we* — do, and keeping the level of musicianship high within those.
What does being part of Echo Play Live mean to you?
Being part of Echo Play Live, for me, means more than friendship. It's camaraderie. The accumulation of just really great friends vibing together, having a great time. And it just so happens that everybody else is vibing off of that as well.
What can people expect when they come to one of our shows?
[Low ticket prices.] *[laughter]*
People should expect to walk away from one of our shows with not only a memory, but a heartfelt presence when they leave from the show that they saw.
What would you say to someone who has never seen one of our shows before?
Get in the van. Come to one of our shows. It doesn't matter which band. It doesn't matter what kind of music you like. You will have the most fun that you've had in such a long time.