1: How did you decide on the name, “Scarlet Magnum”?

Azi: I came up with the name “Scarlet Magnum” in late 2017 and was my way to make fun of “Velvet Revolver”. I shelved it for years and on May 24th, 2020, right in the thick of quarantine, Nick messaged me to express his interest in joining the band. We ended up using that name and rest is history.

Nick: Azi had the name about like 3-4 years ago before I joined and when I first heard the name, I thought it was cool and interesting. Kinda just went with the flow.

2: What inspires you to create?

Azi: We are inspired by the necessity to better ourselves as musicians and as people. We know that if our music doesn’t evolve over the course of time, we will slowly and surely sink into irrelevance.

Nick: I think my inspiration to create comes from my mood/how I’m feeling depending how I am at the time. Also just the world around me and writing music gives me another creative outlet to have fun with

3: What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in a creative profession?

Azi: Don’t just do it because you want to get rich and famous. Fame can and will kill you in time. Do it because you want to make music. Do it because you want to share a story. Do it because you enjoy it. 

Nick: Honestly don’t get too stressed about it and just have fun that’s all I can say.

4: Do you feel open minded when it comes to what you listen to? Do you like going out of your comfort zone?

Azi: I have been listening to a lot of ambient indie and bedroom pop recently, and I want to find a way to integrate those sonic textures into the raw, unprocessed nature of Scarlet Magnum. It’s intriguing to me how you can deliver such a powerful message and still have a calm backing to either soften the blow or to completely contradict it. It’s very impressive.

Nick: Yes I am very open when i listen to music, I’ve actually been listening to more anti folk, skramz, midwest emo(4th/5th wave emo), local/big hardcore bands, noise rock, and trap metal. Sometimes I like going outside my comfort zone because it expands my musical taste and gives me more listening options.

5: What outlets do you find out about music from? (Record stores, magazines, samplers, etc.)

Azi: I usually get recommendations from Nick and my other friends involved in other bands, as well as algorithmic Spotify playlist and browsing Instagram and Twitter to see what the latest buzz is.

Nick: I find new music mainly from youtube, bandcamp, apple music, and sometimes my friends.

• Follow Scarlet Magnum on Instagram: Scarlet Magnum
  
• Check out Scarlet Magnum on Spotify: Scarlet Magnum
• Hear the playlist Scarlet Magnum curated for us: Guest Playlist - Scarlet Magnum
  

I found out about Too Much Joy after my record store pal, Jim put it aside for me.

The reason he put it aside was because it stuck out to him, and he thought of me and my dad when he found it.

Not only is this an awesome color vinyl, it’s a promo piece and a really rare one at that.

It’s a mix of all different tunes of Too Much Joy, and it’s a really interesting listen.

It is awesome.

Essential Tracks: Nothing On My Mind, Drum Machine, King Of Beers

Listen on Spotify: Too Much Joy

This was an album I found when I was digging for used vinyl and I found this band at the same time I found “Clocks”.

I saw both albums, but I left them. I have a tendency to debate in the record store because I want to be practical about what I purchase.

I’ve outgrown this in recent days, because if I see something I want, I shouldn’t debate over it. 

So, I go another time and these same two albums are there.

I stop hesitating and I get both of them.

Both are underrated gems. 

Just another one of the many amazing, overlooked bands of yesterday.

Essential Tracks: Breaking Away, No Getting Around My Love, Fly Through The Night

Listen on Spotify: Balance

This was an album that I found at the same time as a band called Balance.

You know the story. I saw it. I left it. It stayed.

I got it the next time, and I love it.

I had this album for quite a while before I really sat down and listened to it though. 

I actually heard Clocks for the first time on a compilation on Spotify, called “Heard It On The Radio”, which is actually an ironic title because none of the songs on those compilations were actually radio hits but instead songs that someone liked and compiled.

There’s a lot of great stuff on them though, a lot of stuff you don’t hear about these days.

When I finally listened to their album, I loved it.

It has this awesome 1980s vibe to it, and it’s just so cool. 

Don’t sleep on these guys because they are spectacular.

Essential Tracks: 19, Nobody’s Fool, Here They Come

Listen on Spotify: Clocks

Retronaut Jukebox is back. Here is our seventeenth installment!!

As you know, we feature cool songs from the past and the present.

This month we feature Angel City, Radkey, Liar, Sweet Fever, Off Broadway, Leprous and more!!

For our latest feature, we feature the tremendous ZIG MENTALITY, so read along to learn more about them and hear their tune, “Best Direction”.

I’ve gotta admit that I’ve been wanting to feature Zig for a while and I’m glad that I finally have because this band is too good not to share.

I remember first hearing about them from seeing numerous friends sharing their EP, “THE SESH” when it was first released. I made time to listen to it and I remember hearing it and liking it, but after I saw a Ready the Prince livestream where Steve covered “Stoned Love” on piano, I knew that I had to give THE SESH another listen.

When I did, I was blown away, because every song on that EP is so good for so many different reasons. I love that EP because it made me love every song. I feel that it’s rare that EP/album releases are this good because a lot of times, I think that it’s more common for people to like a certain song instead of the whole EP…but this isn’t the case with Zig at all. With them, you’ll hear one song and you need to hear more because it’s just so good.

I’m actually supposed to be writing this feature about “Best Direction”…so I apologize for going off topic, but I wanted to document my journey of finding and getting into Zig.

Let me start by saying that the new era has begun, and “Best Direction” is the first single from Zig for it. I remember the first day I heard it, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I know I was excited to hear new Zig after listening to THE SESH so many times. I couldn’t wait to hear more from them.

The morning of November 20th, I woke up and “Best Direction” was the first song I listened to. It is amazing. It’s bombastic. The story behind this song is amazing because they were signed to a record label and the label refused to release their album. Instead of getting discouraged, these guys did this. They took the money from that record deal and built their own studio, so they could do it their way. Nobody telling them what they don’t like about what they’re doing.

I think that that’s amazing because there are numerous artists signed to major labels putting out average music, while these guys are recording music in their basement and it’s better than any of the music the industry is trying to make popular. This is because Zig isn’t mindless. If you think about it, they’re taking their experiences and inspiring others. If you listen carefully to the lyrics, it shows that you can do it too. Forget about trying to get signed, take a DIY approach instead. It’s a harder road, but it’s worth it to know that you didn’t have to rely on someone else to make you successful. Your efforts are what made you successful.

Lyrically, this song talks about the pros and cons of being signed to record label and how this has led them to their new direction. Anyone can be upset about things not working out with a record label, but this is not the first time this has happened. ZIG MENTALITY wouldn’t be who they are if a producer told them what to do and tried to change who they are. The reason that Zig is great is because they are themselves.

Everyone should take note of what these guys have done, because if you want to be creative and have something that is truly yours without anyone’s criticism causing it to change, then you to need to do it yourself.

The reason why great things become subpar is because of the people who think that something is too different, and this input makes us question if what we’re doing is going to be liked. People have to remember that they are the ones creating, and not everyone is going to like what you’re doing. As long as you feel that you’re creating something that is original, that’s what matters.

People will always have something to say, so don’t let those people change who you are. If you have an idea, go with it. Stop worrying about what they think, and start focusing on what you think.

Zig wasn’t afraid to create something that is 100% them, and as a result, they’re one of the best bands ever.

Listen Here: Retronaut Jukebox

New Releases:

1: BRKN LOVE - BRKN LOVE
2: Palaye Royale - The Bastards
3: Ace Frehley - Origins Vol. 2
4: ZIG MENTALITY - THE SESH
5: The OBGMs - The Ends
6: Brendan Benson - Dear Life
7: The Strokes - The New Abnormal
8: Radkey - Green Room
9: U.D.O., Das Musikkorps Der Bundeswehr - We Are One
10: Neon Trees - I Can Feel You Forgetting Me

Offline BlackBerry Albums:

1: Baton Rouge - Lights Out On The Playground (1992)
2: Every Mother’s Nightmare - Wake Up Screaming (1993)
3: Shotgun Messiah - Second Coming (1991)
4: Circus Of Power - Magic & Madness (1992)
5: Spread Eagle - Open To The Public (1993)
6: Tuff - What Goes Around Comes Around (1991)
7: Collision - Collision (1990)
8: Saigon Kick - The Lizard (1992)
9: Bulletboys - Bulletboys (1988)
10: Sea Hags - Sea Hags (1989)

Vinyl:

1: Wham! - Fantastic (1983)
2: Harlequin - One False Move (1982)
3: The Kings - Amazon Beach (1981)
4: Fandango - One Night Stand (1979)
5: Simon F - Never Never Land (1987)
6: Frankie Miller - A Perfect Fit (1979)
7: Diamond Reo - Dirty Diamonds (1975)
8: Nantucket - Long Way To The Top (1980)
9: Clocks - Clocks (1982)
10: Roadmaster - Sweet Music (1978)

I was introduced to Platinum Blonde through my dad’s cassette collection.

He had an original copy of “Alien Shores” and I recall “Situation Critical” and “Crying Over You” always sticking out to me.

I used to have my cassette time at night after dinnertime, but I only had about 15 minutes to listen before I had to shower and wrap up for the night.

It wouldn’t be until the following night that I got the time to listen to some more since I was always busy with stuff for school.

I got into Platinum Blonde and from then on, I was on the hunt to find their complete catalog.

I currently own “Standing In The Dark” and “Contact” on vinyl but I’m still on the hunt for “Alien Shores”.

Oddly, I never knew about “Contact” until I had seen it online when Oldies.com was having their big warehouse closeout sale.

I made some time to check it out and it is fantastic.

It’s a really cool 1980s album and it still utilizes real instruments so it doesn’t sound so digital, there’s still a human touch to it.

Essential Tracks: Contact, System, Tough Enough

Listen on Spotify: “Contact”

The first Charlie Puth song I ever seriously listened to was “How Long” after I saw him perform it one night on The Late Late Show With James Corden, and I loved everything about it.

I followed each single until this album came out.

I remember the first time I listened to “Voicenotes” in full and it was during one of my final exams for one of my semesters of college.

This album is excellent, and it stands out in comparison to most pop albums released today.

It has this “difference” in the fact that it isn’t mindless pop music, and it’s more musical.

It’s music you’d actually want to sit down and listen to.

Essential Tracks: How Long, BOY, Somebody Told Me

Listen here: Voicenotes

Finding out about Cornershop happened because of my dad talking about a video he remembered seeing on MTV years ago, but he couldn’t remember the exact artist or song, but he recalled everything about the video.

We had days of endless Google searches to try and figure out but we had no luck.

During one of our record store trips to Double Decker Records, we ran it past our friend, Chris.

He figured it out. The tune was “Brimful Of Asha” and the band was “Cornershop”. 

Soon after this, Chris surprised one day when we came to the store with a CD copy and we’ve listened to it countless times since we got it.

It is simply awesome.

Essential Tracks: Brimful Of Asha, Funky Days Are Back Again, Good Sh**

Listen on Spotify: When I Was Born For The Seventh Time

At last, it is finished.

I present, Generation Clash’s covers playlist! 140 cover versions of great songs done by great artists like Artful Dodger, Nantucket, Riot, Waysted, Bulletboys, The Runaways, Judas Priest, Eagles Of Death Metal, Girl, Union, Massive, Greta Van Fleet, Dead Boys, Spiderbait, and more!!

Listen Here: Generation Clash: Got It Covered