INTERVIEW BY SHAUNA CROWLEY
PHOTOS BY EVE ROGERS
OUT ON THE WEEKEND, a trio from Harrisonburg, Va., is not your typical garage band. They aren’t in it to play shows, but rather to write songs. They just released their first EP So It Goes on May 5, 2015. The riffs on So It Goes combine indie rock with something that came out of someone’s basement. The lyrics provide a rollercoaster for the listeners, as the band paints a picture of where to go next. Each song transitions into the next without missing a beat, each with their own unique sound. So It Goes tells a story from not knowing where to go, to not giving up, to changes in relationships. OUT ON THE WEEKEND combines guitar riffs with soothing melodies. We caught up with lead vocalist and guitarist Nathan Scholz to discuss the band’s love for Neil Young and quality song writing.
How does your band stand out from other bands?
I think [it] comes from personal songwriting. We’re more focused on songwriting, and instead of other punk bands that are focused on sound and playing shows to play shows.
Why did you decide to start writing songs with a band and no longer by yourself?
I created a band last year, but we went our own ways. But the way I write, I don’t write for one person, I always wanted to have a band again. I wanted to wait to find the right people instead of having a band [just] to have a band again. It’s been a tight group with the three of us; we are looking to expand in the future.
Do you think you will continue with the combination style of indie rock and Neil Young as the band produces more music?
More or less. I had a conversation with my drummer, [Jack Merline]; we [will] eventually add the keyboard into the band in the future and maybe have his brother play the guitar. We already looking into expand the sound, but not looking to change the sound. We’re taking it as it goes right now.
Is Neil Young just the sound the band is trying to emulate, or is he considered an influence of the band?
He’s a huge influence on me; he’s the influence of the name. We aren’t trying to emulate that album, but the sound of the album that, the overall aesthetic of the album really inspired me. The rest of the band, maybe not so much. He’s not my favorite artist, but [he is] one of my favorites.
What story is the band trying to produce with So It Goes?
It all started with songs which I produced before we met our drummer, mostly from the last year and a half. It was [about] a transition after college. You’re free from school, but not really free. It’s more [of a] demo for us; it’s not perfect. We didn’t spend any money on it, and it was like ok, so it goes. It’s a stepping stone for us. We’re going to keep working, and produce an album. Some of the songs from So It Goes might be on there.