Interview With the Rock Band The Young Scones
We speak to Toronto's four-piece outfit The Young Scones on the creation of their latest single, "Bone," their high-energy rock sound, their plans for 2024 and much more.
Since bursting onto the Toronto music scene in early 2022, The Young Scones have quickly made their mark with their electrifying rock 'n' roll, Scottish-infused sound. Known for their high-octane performances, this quartet—consisting of Gary McGuinness, Marcelo Maltez, Brian Derro, and Zach Lennon —draws from a rich tapestry of influences, from The Beatles and T-Rex to Arctic Monkeys and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
In our interview, the band shared insights into the creative process behind their latest banger "Bone", their gear choices, how their diverse influences come together in their unique sound, their plans for the rest of 2024, and much more.
Can you walk us through the recording process of your new single 'Bone'? What was the most challenging part of the recording sessions at Wychwood Sound?
We were conscious of the fact that our lead singer gives everything in each take and would eventually strain his vocals, therefore it was important to get it in at the very least 2/3 takes if we wanted it to be live off the floor.
What specific music gear and instruments did you use during the recording of 'Bone' and your upcoming LP? Are there any particular brands or models that you favor?
For guitar, Electro Harmonix Big Muff & Behringer Vintage Phaser, it's fundamental to the Young Scone sound.
How has your music production approach evolved since the recording of your previous works like the 'Guerrilla Tapes' LP?
We were more confident this time around and felt pretty tight as a band. mainly due to the fact we had played a considerable amount of shows in the run-up to the recording session. We wanted to do live off the floor as we felt it was the best way to capture the energy we put out at our gigs. Only 3 out of the 7 tracks from Guerrilla Tapes were Live off the floor (one being the acoustic track).
It's personal preference of course, but in the case of The Young Scones, it has to be live off the floor from here on out. The rawness you get from the takes is unparalleled compared to recording multitrack.
Can you share some insights into the mixing and mastering process for 'Bone'?
How did working with Dylan Frankland, Dylan Duthie, and Phil Demetro influence the final sound of the track? Dylan Duthie was the recording studio engineer, he was responsible for setting up and for the guitar, choosing which amps to use which were available from the studio. I trusted his judgment due to him being a guitar player himself and having seen our band play live a number of times. He did an excellent job and we were really chuffed with how Bone sounded in the raw demos.
It was also Duthie who recommended Dylan Frankland for mixing. The guy is an absolute professional from start to finish, he took on board our notes and even made some suggestions which between the band and himself we found the song had taken a journey and before we knew it, it was sounding pretty cool!
Lastly, it was Frankland who suggested we go with Phil Demetro to master the final mix, he was very professional and enhanced the great work which had been already laid down by Duthie and Frankland.
Overall, we're absolutely over the moon with the result of this one.
The Young Scones have a unique blend of influences from The Beatles to Arctic Monkeys. How did the band's diverse backgrounds and musical tastes come together to shape your distinctive sound?
Since a young age, (14) I've been listening to and learning to play the songs of The Beatles. They are the biggest influence for me in terms of songwriting and singing vocals.
Arctic Monkeys, amongst many other bands of that ilk, are also extremely inspirational and it's that combination of 60s psychedelic rock n roll and modern indie rock that shapes the Young Scone sound.
To be fair, none of our songs are really similar, and yet at the same time they are, if that makes sense!
More Scone influences which are due a mention would be Bowie, Pixies & Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
When we are all in a good place together, that's when the creative juices flow and magic really happens. There is no right or wrong way to write a song.
Your live shows are known for their high energy and sweaty aftermath. How do you translate that raw live energy into your studio recordings?
This sort of ties in with the first answer regarding recording live off the floor. We know that for each song, the best takes are going to be either the 1st or 2nd, perhaps the 3rd.
Before recording each take, I would burn some Palo Santo and drink some Lemon & Ginger Tea. This always puts me in the right frame of mind to give the song my absolute everything.
When it comes to songwriting, what does the creative process look like for The Young Scones? How do you balance individual input with the band's overall vision?
My process for writing songs has changed over the years. I rarely 'write' the song now, it writes itself and I just try to put myself into the mental zone I was in when it initially came to me.
When an idea is solidified in my head I'll show it to the band and together as a team we develop the structure. It's important to not get too attached to the song and allow other people you trust (the band) to take it to a different place if that's how it happens in the studio.
When we are all in a good place together, that's when the creative juices flow and magic really happens. There is no right or wrong way to write a song, in the end, all that matters is you are enjoying the process and the result.
With 'Bone' set for release and a new LP on the horizon, what are your plans for the rest of 2024? Are there any tours or special projects your fans should look forward to?
We are going to be playing more shows around Toronto and the surrounding area as much as possible. One goal for this or next year would be to play Montreal, as it's such an amazing city.
We'll absolutely organize a big release show for the upcoming album ''SCONISM'', which will be in the fall sometime.
Connect with The Young Scones
Facebook / X / Instagram / YouTube / Spotify / Website
Listen to 'Bone'
About Chris Roditis
Chris Roditis has been an active musician since 1995 in various bands and projects across a variety of genres ranging from acoustic, electronic to nu metal, british rock and trip hop. He has extensive experience as a mixing engineer and producer and has built recording studios for most of the projects he has been involved with. His passion for music steered his entrepreneurial skills into founding MusicNGear in 2012.
Contact Chris Roditis at chrisroditis@kinkl.com
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