Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A Pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.
When Bradley Scott joined Emarosa, the band had already made a name for itself in and out of the scene sound. Since he took over vocal duties, Emarosa has embraced a diverse sound and range of influences and earned a whole new audience along the way. While the band prepares to premiere the new single “Again”, TGEFM had the opportunity to speak with Bradley about the changing sound and influences, facing the haters and what’s next in our latest Roll of the Dice series.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats in advance on the release of the new single “Again.” What was the process like in fleshing out that song and bringing it to life?
It’s my absolute pleasure. Thank you for having me. “Again” was brought in as a rough concept that really wrote itself. I feel like all I had to do was tell my story and it just poured out. There’s a part of the song thats very literal, I was listening to a demo in the car and completely zoned out. Almost wrecked, pulled over and wrote the whole part.
Emarosa, over the course of its history has embraced a very diverse set of influences across your releases. What was going on with the band when you started working on this album and what were you listening to that influenced this record?
It was a rough pandemic, for many reasons. I think the shift in the band had a big impact on writing this album. I was nervous to hop in and make a record but it’s what ER & I needed to do. I was listening to a lot of MJ, George Michael, Phil Collins. It really leaked into the album, almost too much haha.
Emarosa’s sound has changed more than many of the artists you were touring with when Bradley joined in 2013. I think your charting and tour sales show that the change has resonated as a net positive, but it’s a digital world and there is quite a bit of entitlement amongst those who can speak from behind a screen. How, if at all, have you reacted to the criticism of the vocal minority on social media and have you found a way to channel it into the music?
Bless your heart for acknowledging that. This may be a little long winded but it’s honest. For years. YEARS. It bothered me so much, I came into this band almost a decade ago and got the blunt end of the stick right away. I think it forced me to put a chip on my shoulder that I didn’t want to have there. I spent a lot of years in this band very sad, very alone and I took it out on everyone around me.
“Preach” is the first song that I’ve ever addressed any of it. Everything from joining this band, the sound changing, member changes, accusations, hate online. All of it, I tried to talk about it a tastefully and as pop centric as I could. I realize it’s the vocal minority but you ask anyone and that 1 person who hits a nerve for some reason outweighs 1000 praises. Not sure why, maybe it’s human nature.
Nowadays I give it right back to them, who cares? We’re all gonna die, may as well say your piece.
What stood out most to you with this recording compared to 2019’s Peach Club?
I think with this album, there were no restraints. No one telling me “dont do that”, no one saying, “thats too much”. So we let loose a little bit.
One of our obligatory questions in these interviews also tends to be the one I have found most important on a personal level. Who are some bands on your radar that TGEFM readers may not know about, but you think they should know about?
That’s easy. I think Cayley Spivey is dope. Cherry Pools, Love You Later, Hatchie. So many dope artists out there.
Now that the world is getting its hands on “Again,” what’s next for Emarosa?
We’ve got plenty of plans and the new record is out January 28th. So we’re not that far away.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/
