To Denny and Kenny Scott, the accomplished songwriters and performers in L.A. five-piece Echo Jet, a good song is all about melody, an interesting, non-clichéd lyric, and professional production. Those are qualities abundantly evident on the bands self-titled debut recording, led by monster single "Wave". After years of slugging it out in the biz, the two brothers now count many heroes as peers. People like Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Jellyfish, Beck) and Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne). In fact, the two Navy brats, still in their teens at the time, decided to turn their musical hobby into a career after hanging out with radio hit makers The Outfield.
The Scotts opportunity came sooner than they imagined, when a rich kid they knew built an elaborate home studio and invited them to come by. Denny showed him our song, and next thing you know we were cutting vocals with a drum machine, Kenny recalls.
So fresh out of high school, the pair moved from Florida to L.A., demo tape in hand, ready for their big shot. But, as Kenny notes, we were not ready for it, man. Admittedly green and struggling with an early label deal that had them fighting a boy band tag, Swirl 360, their first outfit, was marketed on its looks rather than their ample musical skills. We refused to do any teeny bop magazines, Kenny adds. We said, no way. (Rolling Stone, decidedly not a teeny bop magazine, awarded 3.5 stars to Swirl 360, saying it's been a while since McCartney-esque pop has gotten quite this explosive.
The two then turned to television and film, quietly placing songs on soundtracks right and left. We were lucky in that our songs would land on someone's desk, Kenny says and it made us feel good, because music supervisors definitely don't use crappy songs. So we were able to pay the bills that way. Since their westward move, the two have been plying their craft on stages and in studios for the better part of a decade. But make no mistake, Echo Jets beefy lineup, fueled by the Scotts battle-tested songs, make this their definitive moment in the Southern California sun.
Ultimately, the band wants its moment in the sun to last long enough to require SPF 45. We would love to keep putting our records and writing good songs, touring year after year, and maintaining our fan base, Denny says. Ultimately, I hope we make a mark and that when people remember us, they say, “Hey, that band was cool”. On the strength of its debut, Echo Jets chances seem good for just that.
AAM: Talk to US about your debut release, are you happy with the response you are getting so far?
DENNY SCOTT: Man, the response has been great! The kids have been awesome. We were a bit skeptical at first because we thought we'd be playing in front of a bunch of young kids, but they weren't as young as we thought.
AAM: Do you still have people coming up to you asking to do material from your days as Swirl 360?
DS: We actually still do, we have people come up and ask if we are going to play any of the older songs, which we never do. It's kind of shocking when that happens actually. Echojet is totally a different project from what we did in Swirl 360. Swirl has been gone for awhile now and we want to focus on the future.
AAM: The Music Industry can be a really drag something, huh?
DS: Yeah, we just got caught in that merger man. They just buried us like they did with a lot of other bands.
AAM: Who came up with the name for the band?
DS: Kenny and I were pretty much brain storming and we knew we wanted to call the band something new. We came up with two words that sounded really cool when we put them together.
AAM: We noticed there are a couple of songs on the album that were remastered. How many of the songs are actually new songs?
DS: "Wave", "Love Kills" and "Something To Believe In" are all new songs. Pretty much half of the record consists of new material. Originally our producer, Arnold Lanni wanted seven new tracks to go along with a few remixed older songs. In all actually, all the songs are new because they were never released here as singles. Even in Europe due to our label then went under.
AAM: We noticed that you co-wrote some songs with the guys from the band, The Tories. How did that come about?
DS: We've been friends over the years. All the guys that co-wrote with us live around us. Steve (Bertrand) actually lives around the corner from me, so we always run into each other. The track, "Light Shine", is a song that I wrote with J.J.(Farris) a couple of years ago. I wanted to write with Steve for some time, but I didn't want to go down the Tories road. So, I wrote the music and melodies, sent it to him and had him write lyrics for the songs.
AAM: Are you pleased with how you guys are coming together as a band. Being that you've only been together for a short period of time?
DS: This tour that we are currently on has brought us closer to our fans. We're playing better that ever and band's chemistry is really starting to gel.
AAM: So, you are satisfied with how the band is coming together?
DS: Man, so far it’s been great. We basically met the band through friends that we've known in L.A. The chemistry and the whole demeanor of the band has been awesome. We're all laid back, we just vibe really well.
AAM: So, this current tour you guys are doing, you guys are playing summer camps?
DS: Yes, this tour that we are doing we play to camps anywhere from 200 to 1000 people. It's been great. They love the songs, buy our t-shirts and CDs. Then some of them go to our Myspace page, most of them have I-tune accounts, and buy the songs from there.
AAM: What are you hoping to gain, as a band, from this current tour?
DS: We're doing this tour to connect with our fans and getting into the routine of playing shows and touring. As well as getting better as a band and that is the main reason we did it.
AAM: How has the industry changed for you today?
DS: Oh my god! Man, the industry today is so much harder now. It’s actually more frustrating. Ten years ago a band could get added radio with no problem and radio could pretty much break a band. Nowadays it’s much harder because people hardly listen to radio anymore. Kids today have their I-pods and i-tunes and stuff like that. So a band today has to think of different avenues to get their music out to the public. For any band to come out today, whether you are on a major or indie, you have to win your fans over one fan at a time. Today you are not selling records, you're selling songs. It's so crazy how the times have changed.
AAM: Regardless of the craziness, are you still excited about the music you guys are making?
DS: Kenny and I are really excited about that. Rolling up our sleeves and getting to know our fans, one fan at a time. It's such a thrill to win over a huge crowd. Because in Swirl 360, we were with a major label and they made sure we got played on radio and in the public eye. Now we are on our own, which now makes us more proud of our record and the songs we wrote. It makes us proud as artists as well.
AAM: At one point, you guys were going to call it quits. Can you talk to us about that?
DS: That is right, before we got this deal. After signing to Atenzia, we got a couple of indie deals, which both fell through. One was on Orphanage and the other was on a Universal label, Fontana. Fontana, sent us to work with Sylvia Massey and she tried to make 'California Blur', more heavier. Which, in our opinion, was a wrong move. Then Fontana went belly up. Then Kenny and I just said, “ Okay, we're done”. Then Machine Records came along and told us that they were going to put out our record and get you guys played on the radio. We're like, 'Yeah, right?'. It was like whatever, put your money where your mouth is. Sure enough they did and the next thing we know we're writing and recording with Arnold Lanni in Temecula, that was just so bizarre.
AAM: Are their plans on touring overseas?
DS: Yes, there are plans on going overseas. The records will be released in September or October. But for now, our main goal is to make a dent here in U.S. market. That was something that happened with us while we were with Mercury. They would send us overseas back forth and it really hurt us our fan base here in the States.
AAM: Okay, what would we be hearing if we pressed play on your CD player right now?
DS: U2, Incubus a band from Australia called Powderfinger. Right now as we rocking out to 'Bellybutton' by Jellyfish as well as the new Black Crowes record, which I am really digging right now.
AAM: Denny we had a blast talking with. We wish you and the rest of the guys in Echo Jet, the best of luck! We have a feeling, we are going to be hearing a lot more about Echo Jet very soon.
DS: Thank you guys for your support, I had great time talking with you guys. We'll have to hang out when we get back to L.A.
AAM: You got it.
The Rocker and I along with All Access Magazine would like to Thank Denny Scott for talking with us. Denny, it was a blast brother!
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