Scott H. Biram

Scott H. Biram

Scott H. Biram @ Roadburn. April 2015

Scott H. Biram @ Roadburn. April 2015
Background information
Birth name Scott Alan Biram
Also known as Scott Biram
SHB
Hiram Biram
The Dirty Old One Man Band
Born (1974-04-04) April 4, 1974
Lockhart, Texas U.S.
Origin Austin, Texas U.S.
Genres Blues
Punk
Country music
Occupation(s) One-man band
Guitarist
Singer-songwriter
Record producer
Instruments Vocals
Guitar
Harmonica
Keyboards
Percussion
Years active 1990s–present
Labels KnuckleSandwich Records
Bloodshot Records
Website scottbiram.com
Notable instruments
1959 Gibson guitar
Home-made Footstomp Board

Scott H. Biram aka The Dirty Old One Man Band (born April 4, 1974)[1] is an American blues, punk, country, heavy metal musician, and record producer. He is primarily known as one of the prominent musicians of the One Man Band musical genre. He has appeared on national television shows such as NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and performed in prestigious and legendary venues such as Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, CBGB in New York City and The Fillmore West in San Francisco, California. His music has been featured in many American television shows and films. He has also appeared as himself in several films and documentaries. The Dirty Old One Man Band has continuously toured in The U.S.A., Canada, and Europe since 1998. He shares his birth date appropriately with blues legend Muddy Waters.

Early life

Biram was born in Lockhart, Texas, to father Danny Lee Biram and mother Donna Lynn Biram (née Beyer).[1] Biram was raised in Prairie Lea and San Marcos, Texas.

In 1992, Biram graduated from San Marcos High School and in 1997 graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Texas State University, at that time known as Southwest Texas State University.

Career

Prior to becoming a one-man band, he was a member of a punk band (The Thangs) and two bluegrass bands (Scott Biram & the Salt Peter Boys and Bluegrass Drive-By).[2]

Biram first released five albums under his own record label, KnuckleSandwich Records. His first album was This is Kingsbury?, released in 2000. This was followed by a second release, Preachin' & Hollerin in 2002. In February 2003 he released his third album, Lo-fi Mojo, recorded live on the radio in Austin, Texas. In April 2003, while recovering from a major head-on collision with a big-rig semi truck he recorded and released the "Rehabilitation Blues E.P." The recording was made at his parent's home while he was still bedridden from his crash. In 2004, he released The Dirty Old One Man Band. Subsequently, it was re-released (with a few changes) in 2005 when Biram signed with Bloodshot Records from Chicago, Illinois. After signing with Bloodshot, Biram released Graveyard Shift (2006), and Something's Wrong / Lost Forever (2009). Something's Wrong/Lost Forever reached #5 on the Billboard Blues Chart. His fourth record on the Bloodshot label, Bad Ingredients, was released on October 11, 2011. The Album reached #35 on the iTunes Rock Chart on the day of release.[3] A week after the release of Bad Ingredients he appeared on the cover of the Austin, TX weekly magazine, The Austin Chronicle. He received the "Best Blues Record" award in the 2012 Independent Music Awards. On November 29, 2013 (Black Friday/Record Store Day) he released a limited edition gospel 7" vinyl single, "When I Die," (with B-side "John The Revelator" featuring Jesse Vain). The downloadable version was also made available. Another full-length album,"Nothin' But Blood" was released on Bloodshot Records, February 4, 2014 on both limited edition, blood-red vinyl, and compact disc. His albums, Dirty Old One Man Band and Graveyard Shift were re-released on colored vinyl in 2015. On February 24, 2017 Bloodshot released another full-length album, The Bad Testament on CD, ltd. edition orange swirl vinyl, and 180 gram black vinyl. "The Bad Testament" debuted at #3 on the Billboard Blues Charts, only 2 spots under The Rolling Stones' "Blue & Lonesome". It also debuted at #93 on the CIMS independent record store sales charts.

On March 25, 2003, Biram was involved in a head-on collision with a big-rig semi truck, which resulted in both his vehicle and his body being crushed. He survived the wreck and was flown to Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He suffered from a broken femur, knee, foot, and arm, and severe internal injuries. Metal rods and pins were placed in all of the broken bones, and one and a half feet of his intestine had to be removed from his body.[4] One month later he was back on stage at Austin's Continental Club playing a show from a wheelchair with an I.V. still dangling from his arm.

Since 1999, Biram has toured the United States, Canada, and Europe (performing approximately 200 dates a year). Between 2005 and 2015, he has toured Europe 20 times, including France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. He has toured and/or shared the stage with bands such as Reverend Horton Heat, Willie Nelson, Shooter Jennings, Ryan Bingham, G. Love & Special Sauce, Roky Erickson, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Dwarves, No Means No, and Hank Williams III. Biram has also performed on bills with blues legends such as Pine Top Perkins, David "Honeyboy" Edwards, T-Model Ford, and Cedell Davis, as well as support for hard rock bands Clutch, Social Distortion, The Misfits, Weedeater, The Sword, and Pentagram, and appeared at large music festivals such as South By Southwest, Austin City Limits, Fun Fun Fun Fest, Ink & Iron, Hell Fest, and Sweden Rock Festival with big names like Judas Priest, Motley Crüe, Def Leppard, Slash, Toto, The Darkness, Dokken, Robert Plant, Foo Fighters, Black Keys, John Fogerty, The Black Crowes, Snoop Dogg, King Diamond, Jello Biafra, Sonics, and Dinosaur Jr.. When Scott H. Biram took the stage at his 2004 SXSW festival showcase right after country singer, Kris Kristofferson he was quoted as growling "They said that was a hard act to follow….I'm a hard act to follow motherf***ers!!"

Although Biram doesn't cite anyone, or thing as an influence for becoming a one-man band besides "a need to pay bills" and "a need to avoid the politics of being in a band," he has mentioned that he is proud to have shared the stage with other prominent one man bands such as the late Hasil Adkins and his friend Bob Log III.

Although primarily known as a One Man Band, other musicians have participated and appeared on multiple Biram releases. Austin, TX musicians, The Weary Boys appeared on songs featured on Biram's records, "Preachin' and Hollerin'" and "The Dirty Old One Man Band". Particularly the songs "Truckdriver," "Sweet Thing," and "Ocean of Diamonds". Ethan Shawe of Austin, TX based band, Chili Cold Blood contributed steel guitar on the song "18 Wheeler Fever" on Biram's 2006 release "Graveyard Shift". John Wesley Myers and Van Campbell of Black Diamond Heavies appeared on two songs on Biram's release "Something's Wrong/Lost Forever". These songs were "I Feel So Good" and "Hard Time". Walter Daniels, more widely known for his harmonica playing, contributed saxophone solos on the song "I Want My Mojo Back" which was featured on Biram's 2011 record, "Bad Ingredients". Percussionist, Matthew Puryear of the local Austin, TX band Chili Cold Blood also contributed various percussion on several of the songs on Biram's "Bad Ingredients" album.

Scott H. Biram's fans are commonly referred to as "The First Church of The Ultimate Fanaticism". This title was inspired by a fanatical extremist church in the town of Fentress, TX near where Biram grew up. His father jokingly referred to it as "The First Church of The Ultimate Fanaticism" because of its reputation for playing rock records backwards and burning them. The original Scott H. Biram heavy metal song "Church Babies" was written while Scott Biram was the front man for his 90's punk band, The Thangs. The lyrics are about "The First Church of The Ultimate Fanaticism." Despite his seemingly sarcastic lyrics protesting organized religion in various songs, he is also known for recording and performing both original, and traditional, genuine gospel music. In many interviews he has mentioned that he is fascinated with the push and pull of spirituality on a person's life and what he calls "The Human Condition."

He is popularly known for playing original trucker songs such as "TruckDriver", "Reefer Load", "18 Wheeler Fever", "Hit The Road", "Open Road", and "Draggin' Down The Line," among others. He is also known for writing and singing songs about "chickens," which he claims refers not just to poultry, but also to lovers, ex-lovers and "loose women" in general. He also raises real chickens at his home in Austin, TX.

Scott H. Biram's long time fans will recognize his sense of original, casual, rural fashion. He is known for wearing mesh-back trucker hats, and proudly sporting velcro shoes on stage.

Scott H. Biram songs have been used in many films and television programs.

The song "Blood, Sweat & Murder" from The Dirty Old One Man Band album, is featured on the soundtrack to 2016's "Hell or High Water" film starring Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, and Ben Foster, written by Taylor Sheridan. The film was nominated for an Academy Award best picture, as well as several other nominations. The soundtrack also features Townes Van Zandt, Waylon Jennings, Chris Stapleton, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and other country artists. The film's score was written and performed by Nick Cave, and Warren Ellis. "Blood, Sweat & Murder" was also used in the television program, Dog the Bounty Hunter, in the episode titled "A Helping Hand" and also on an episode of NBC's My Name Is Earl. Biram's song "Hit The Road" was also used on Dog The Bounty Hunter. "Lost Case of Being Found," "Still Drunk, Still Crazy, Still Blue," and "No Way" were used in season four of FX Cable Channel's Sons of Anarchy. His song "Wreck My Car" was used in the film, The Darwin Awards,[5] starring Winona Ryder and Joseph Fiennes. The Biram song, "BBQ Commercial" is used in a television commercial for Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q, a popular Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Colorado restaurant chain. Biram has appeared in many documentary films, including a part in J.D. Wilkes 2008 film, Seven Signs: Music, Myth & the American South.[6] Biram appeared in the 2008 German film The Folk Singer: A Tale of Men, Music & America.[7] He was also featured in the French documentary, One Trip Some Noise. Biram's music was featured in the documentary, Running Heavy,[8][9] and another short documentary entitled The Tuesday Nighter. He also appears in the film My Blue Star, a biography about the late Hasil Adkins, a prominent musician in the One Man Band genre. In 2013, Biram was the featured artist on an episode of the PBS television show The Sun Studio Sessions.

Songwriting

Biram's musical style covers a wide spectrum. "I grew up on Doc Watson, Lead Belly and Lightnin' Hopkins," he revealed, "and in college, I discovered more obscure people like Lil' Son Jackson and Mance Lipscomb."[10] Biram mixes roots music, CB radios and a punk rock attitude.[11] "I kind of pride myself on being able to release my emotions freely and not hold back at all," he says. "So many people these days have timid little weak voices like they're scared to belt it out."[12]

Collaborations

Hard rock band, Nashville Pussy covered his song "Raisin Hell Again" on their 2005 album, Get Some![13] Hank Williams III covered Biram's song, "Truckdriver". Biram also appears as a guest vocalist on "The White Trash Song" featured on southern rocker, Shooter Jennings's 2013 release The Other Life. Biram appeared with Jennings as musical guest on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in March 2013.

Discography

Full-length
EP
Singles

Awards

References

  1. 1 2 "Scott Alan Biram – Texas Birth Index". FamilySearch. 4 April 1974. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  2. ↑ Usinger, Mike (May 27, 2009). "Scott H. Biram, the one-man electrical band | Georgia Straight, Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly". Straight.com. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  3. ↑ "Out with a bang: 2009 Austin albums packed with sonic goodness". www.austin360.com. December 25, 2009. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  4. ↑ Atkinson, Brian T. "Scott Biram – A Crash Course in Perseverance " Americana and Roots Music – No Depression". Archives.nodepression.com. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  5. ↑ ""Seven Signs" Trailer 1". YouTube. January 16, 2007. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  6. ↑ "Seven Signs: Music, Myth & the American South (2008)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  7. ↑ Archived June 8, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ↑ "A Trucker Documentary by Nick Robespierre". Running Heavy. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  9. ↑ "Scott Biram is on the Soundtrack!". Running Heavy. August 2, 2007. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  10. ↑ "Austin News, Events, Restaurants, Music". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  11. ↑ Parton, Chris (June 26, 2009). "News : Scott H. Biram Mixes Roots Music, CB Radios and Punk Rock Attitude". CMT. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  12. ↑ Swedlund, Eric. "Fierceness of Exposure | Music Feature". Tucson Weekly. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  13. ↑ "discography | Get Some". Nashville Pussy. September 20, 2005. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  14. ↑ "11th Annual Independent Music Awards Winners Announced". The Independent Music Awards. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
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