Scars on 45

Scars on 45 are an English indie rock band from Bradford.^[1]

Recent success

After years struggling to become known in England, the band rose from obscurity when their song “Beauty’s Running Wild” was featured in an episode of CSI: New York.^[2]

The band were soon signed to Atlantic Records' Chop Shop Records label, which has been successful in getting previously unsigned bands heard through song placements in popular TV programs. Most recently, the band’s single, “Heart on Fire” was selected as the lead song for the eighth season soundtrack for ABC’s top rated hospital drama, Grey’s Anatomy.^[3]

Scars on 45’s first EP, Give Me Something was released in January 2011 and yielded a hit single of the same name that rose to the top 5 of the Adult Alternative Charts and was recognized as one of the “Top 3 Singles of the Year” by Amazon.com.^[4][5] The quintette was also named to Entertainment Weekly's "Must List." ^[6]

Their second EP, which also features “Heart on Fire”, was released on 24 October 2011.^[7]

The band released "Scars on 45," their first full length studio album, on 10 April 2012. The album was selected by the editors at Amazon.com as number 7 out of 50 "Best Albums of 2012." ^[8]

History

Early years (2007 - present)

When a broken foot ended lead singer Danny Bemrose’s professional football career as a striker for the Huddersfield Town F.C., he earnestly decided to learn how to play his father’s guitar. After his injury, Bemrose struck up a close friendship with another former footballer, Stuart Nichols, who had played for rival Bradford City A.F.C. Bemrose taught Nichols to play bass as they spent the next few years improving their skill and making computer recordings to develop their music. After adding pianist/keyboard player David “Nova” Nowakowski, the band began playing the local music scene, rounding out their performances with a variety of other guitarists and drummers that came and went over time.

When Bemrose wrote "Insecurity," which is featured on the "Heart on Fire" EP, the band began looking for a female singer that could compliment his vocals. Soon thereafter, Nova was at home playing The Cure's "Friday I'm in Love" while his visiting schoolmate, Aimee Driver, was making a cup of tea and chimed in with the lyrics. “I just started singing along when Nova rushed in seeming really shocked,” Driver recalls. “I thought his dad had a heart attack or something! He made me stand there in his living room and sing to him - which was the scariest thing ever at the time. At first I wouldn’t do it, but he wouldn't shut up so I just put my tea down, shut my eyes and sang...just to stop him pestering me. Danny recorded me on 'Insecurity.' The next thing I knew I was in the band. When I told my family and friends they were saying, ‘but you can't sing, can you?’” Before joining the band, Driver had never performed in public.^[1]

Stuart Nichols recruited drummer Chris Durling after meeting him in a pub and giving him a CD of the band’s music. After a late night out, Durling returned to his house and gave it a listen. He enjoyed the results and agreed to work with them on recordings. He ended up becoming the final member of the band a short time later.

The band had difficulties deciding on a name. They realized a name was critical after a chance meeting with one of their musical influences, Noel Gallagher of Oasis. A friend introduced Nichols and Bemrose to Gallagher who asked the band’s name, but they didn’t have one. “A band with no name?” Gallagher reportedly asked, “What kind of fucking band is that?” and walked off on them.^[1]

The name Scars on 45 comes from an Emmylou Harris interview Bemrose heard in which she talks about scratching up her dad’s records and being scolded by him for getting “Scars on his 45’s.” ^[9] It was one of the few names considered that band members did not dismiss out of hand.^[10]

2010 – present

On several occasions, the band were poised on the brink of success only to have their hopes for a record deal dashed at the last moment. When their song “Beauty’s Running Wild” was selected for an extended closing scene of an episode of CSI: New York, they finally had a select amount of money in hand to purchase equipment for recording. They also caught the ear of TV music supervisor Alex Patsavas. At the time, Patsavas had just entered an agreement with Atlantic Records to acquire her Chop Shop label under which the band is now signed.^[10]

Their EP “Give Me Something” was released digitally by Chop Shop Records in January 2011, and the physical EP came out in June. A video for the single "Give Me Something," produced by DJ Brauner, turned out a bit darker and sadder than originally scripted.^[11] “The video was weird,” explained Bemrose. “It tells the tale of young kids that fall in love, going through the years, and at the very end, the old fella walks back to the tree where they’d carved their names, and she’s passed away. That’s not how it was supposed to be. There was an old woman cast to play the part, so at the end, both were going to be there and fall in love again, but [the actor] couldn’t be bothered to turn up, so we just killed her off.”

On 13 September 2011, the Grey’s Anatomy Vol. 4 soundtrack was released featuring “Heart on Fire” as the lead track. The song was also used heavily in ABC's TV promotion of the new season, and a music video directed by Jordan Bahat was produced with the band for the ABC Music Lounge.^[3] In addition to CSI: New York and Grey’s Anatomy, they have also had their music featured on TV’s One Tree Hill, The Cleaner, Pretty Little Liars, Warehouse 13, Lost Girl, and Supernatural. Their second EP with Chop Shop Records, “Heart on Fire,” debuted on 24 October 2011, as well as the band's cut of the music video, also directed by Bahat.

In the winter of 2012, the band conducted their first headlining tour of North America, featuring support from solo artist Anya Marina who is also signed to Atlantic's Chop Shop record label. Scars on 45 also participated in a west coast tour with The Fray in February 2012. After supporting The Fray, Scars on 45 resumed the final dates of their headline tour. The band made their American network television debut as musical guests on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Friday, 2 March 2012. The band's self-titled debut album, Scars on 45, was released on 10 April 2012. In support of the album, Apple's iTunes featured the album's 6th track, "Burn the House Down," as the free "single of the week." The album also entered Billboard's "Heatseekers" album chart in the number 4 position. Scars on 45 played some solo dates in April, and is set to tour with singer Ingrid Michaelson for dates in May 2012. After that they band will be headlining throughout the summer and will play additional dates in support of "The Voice" finalist Dia Frampton. On August 10, 2012, Scars on 45 played a show back home in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, at The Live Lounge (also known as Utopia) which was a venue dedicated to supporting local musicians. In September 2012 Scars on 45 embarked on their first European tour, supporting American recording artist/songwriter Joshua Radin, including dates in Sweden, The Netherlands, Germany, England, Scotland and Ireland. The band will be in the US with dates beginning in October, 2012.

Band members

Current band members

• Danny Bemrose –lead vocals, acoustic guitar

• Aimee Driver –vocals

• Stuart Nichols –bass guitar

• David “Nova” Nowakowski –keyboard, piano, backing vocals

• Chris Durling –drums, percussion

Additional support

Although not a member of the band, Scars on 45 fills out their sound with the support of live session guitarist Matthew Baxter, an accomplished musician who hails from Leeds, UK.

Social media

The band is very plugged into social media and leverages the Internet to keep fans up to date. They actively use social media apps like Facebook and Twitter to share new tour dates, candid photos, and other announcements. They regularly post live performances and amusing tour diaries on YouTube that provide up close vignettes of their life on the road. In February 2012 the band began using the social networking app CrowdStream to promote their music.

The band spent the majority of 2011 crossing the United States on tour to promote their records. They toured with artists Marc Broussard, Jack's Mannequin, and Matt Nathanson. In 2010, they spent four weeks touring the states with London's One Eskimo. They are hoping that their newly found success in the states will soon translate to more recognition back home in England.

References