NYC punk trio The Take, was formed by NYHC drummer Will Shepler (Agnostic Front, Madball) and vocalist Scott Roberts (Biohazard) and bassist Eric Klinger. Following the recent release of Live For Tonight, the trio’s frontman Scott joined TGEFM for the latest in our Roll of the Dice series. Check out the record here, and take a look as Scott and I discuss the trio’s sound, their previous bands and the live scene after pandemic lockdowns.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats on the release of Live For Tonight. What can you tell us about The Take, your sound and what you stand for?
Thank you. No problem, thanks for taking the time to ask. Sorry it took me song long to get these answers back to you. I think the easiest way to describe The Take is a punk band. We’re a mix of punk, hardcore punk, Oi and just plain old rock and roll. I think we have our own sound, and I’m proud of that. It seams like most bands just copy the other bands in their so called “genres”. I wouldn’t say we necessarily stand for something. We’re just making music we like.
What album or band or significant singles made you go “Yeah, this is what I want to do” Not just an influence but who or what was the catalyst?
Probably the 1st time I saw AC/DC when I was a teenager. I already loved the music but seeing them live was incredible. Angus blew me away.
We’ve all got a few, what is your biggest regret? A gig you turned down, advice you didn’t take, what one thing do you wish you handled differently as a musician?
I regret not doing this band sooner.
Between Agnostic Front, Madball, Bloodclot And Biohazard, You have each been part of such influential acts that mean so much to so many of us. Does the high bar you’ve set for yourselves in the past help, hinder or affect the music you make today and to what extent?
I would like to think it helps. I definitely don’t want to put anything out there that I’m not proud of. I’ve made a few records in the past that I don’t care for, and I don’t want to do that again. I want to be able to look back and be proud of what I’ve done. In the end that’s kind of all you have, that and memories.
What’s the state of the live scene from your point of view? We are living in a “just deal with COVID” world and everything about this timeline is some level of completely fucked. What impact, if any, do the current cultural and political landscapes have on your music?
Right now the live scene is pretty good. After 2021 when things started back up slowly, I think a lot of small venues disappeared and promoters were hesitant to book bands yet for fear of cancelling. So it was a tough time to play, we had a few shows here and there. 2022 got a lot better with many bands going on tour, almost to the point where it was tough to play because of so much competition. Now it seems like it is a little more normalized, but probably harder for small bands with fewer small venues available. So physically it has impacted us the same way it has impacted any band, politically or culturally it has not really impacted our music. “Comfort Crisis” started out being about the lock down, but changed into being more about how modern living is making modern man soft.
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?
I’ll be honest, I’m not up on new bands. I have been listening to Rixe and Bishop’s Green lately. I hope your readers know who they are, but check them out if you don’t.
Now that the world has its hands on the record, what’s next for The Take?
Keep playing shows and keep writing/recording more music. We don’t really have a plan, we’re just rolling with it, taking things as they come.
What do you wish I asked about or that you had more of an opportunity to speak about during this interview?
We have a new bass player: Eric Klinger. He has been a close friend for years and is an incredible musician. He really brings a lot to the band and you can hear his contributions on our new EP “Live For Tonight” out now on Patient Zero Records (US) and Demons Run Amok Entertainment (EU)!
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.
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/
