Interview With Rex Scott
LINKS: Official Site | Facebook | Request SongsRequest X-Sinner | Request Zion
By Rick "The Screamer" Lindner 06/20/2012
Rick/D2S: Thank you for hanging with the Dead-to-Self rock community! It is great to have you here!
RS/GXP: Well thank you. Good to be here! Dead To Self Radio really helped us get the GX word out.
Rick/D2S: Congratulations on another great project, this time being “Bite Stick” under the GX Project moniker.
RS/GXP: Thanks! It’s been a fun roller coaster! (Laughs)
Rick/D2S: Give us a little detail behind the newest project and the recording process behind it.
RS/GXP: Producer Glenn Thomas from Canada contacted me last year and asked if I would be interested in tracking some vocals to some stuff he had written. I get asked this from time to time from various people so I said, “Send what you have and I’ll at least take a look at it.” I liked what he presented. It was what was to become ‘Love I.V.’ He had another title for it at the time. I think it was N.I.V. or something like that. I didn’t care for whatever it was so I changed it and it became I.V. instead. I wrote the verses and suggested some instrumentation ideas which he liked and we tracked it. He said he was floored when he got it back with the changes from my studio. I then said, “Where’s the next one.” So he sent me another idea. All this was done via the web sending wav files back and forth to each other from my studio to his. He has the ITunes Audio Studio facility in Canada and he mixed and mastered it there and did a great job. As we went it became more and more of a cooperative endeavor on each song that followed until a whole album was completed.
Rick/D2S: A couple of the songs off the project have done well for themselves on this station. “Tricky Little Devil” and “Angry Eyes” in particular have been highly requested. Talk about those songs and what you hope fans will take away from them.
RS/GXP: Whatever the listener thinks they hear is fine with us. We purposely decided that lyrics were not going to be part of the album art. We want the listeners to use their brains and imaginations to get out of the lyrics what they think they say to them. Putting lyrics in the CD cover defeats the purpose of what it used to be like in rock allowing the listener to imagine what was being sung. Giving the lyrics away is for lazy thinkers/listeners including some who want all the answers and to be able to judge if we are up to their ‘standard’ of what they think a good lyric or message is. They asked Jesus to say stuff more plainly and complained why He always talked in riddles too so all we have to say is ‘deal with it’ like He did. He said ‘he who has ears to understand - will’ and that’s the way we look at it. “Angry Eyes” lambastes modern Christianity and its shallow judgmentalism. It’s lyrically derived from actual encounters I’ve had with so-called Christians. We do not hold back at all lyrically on this album. “Tricky Little Devil” is a fun song and can be about whatever anyone thinks it’s about.
Rick/D2S: Do you anticipate the GX Project being an on-going band as you move forward or more of a one-time recoding
RS/GXP: It’s an ongoing project. The album was meant for more of a mainstream audience primarily and we are about to embark on some mainstream advertising on secular FM radio, but we didn’t want to completely alienate Christian listeners at the same time. We want it to be accessible to both. I lean towards a mainstream approach lyrically more and more as time goes on. We have a number of riff ideas for the next one. We enjoyed working with each other so much that a second album is a ‘no brainer’ to us. (Laughs) We just wanted to see if file sharing was going to be kept to a minimum so we could actually afford to make a follow-up album from CD sales. These things do cost money you know! We plan on integrating GX material into the X-Sinner set list as well and bring Glenn out to perform with us live. To bring GX to the rock fans is what we want to do.
Rick/D2S: GX stays in the musical vein you’ve become popular for over the years; stripped back, raw, straight forward rock-n-roll that translate live as well as it does recorded. Obviously it works for you. With that said, do you think fans would allow you to go a different direction if you wanted to at some point down the road? (Also talk about your influences and where your trademark style started, etc.).
RS/GXP: I’ve always liked the stripped down blues based stuff that started with bands like Zeppelin and evolved with bands like Free and songs like ’Alright Now’ all the way to AC/DC and the rest. I’m in my niche or groove and I am most comfortable there. Airborne is another new act that carries on the tradition. In my previous band Zion that element of me came out and can be heard on songs like “Who Pulls The Strings” and “He Loves You”, but was only fully realized when I joined X-Sinner and of course now, on GX as well. I’m too old and have no desire to go another direction musically. (Laughs) It is what I am and genuineness comes from it compared to trying to do something else. I’ve always liked rock music and singing as long as I can remember.
Rick/D2S: What are the best ways for fans to pick up the new project?
RS/GXP: It is a limited edition pressing and a few retailers have picked it up, but it is primarily available from www.x-sinner.org. We are about to go live on Amazon.com and other retailers may result out of the Amazon deal. We give every online purchaser from the X-Sinner site a free mp3 of the cut ‘Tricky Little Devil’ right away when they order as a thank you and also ask them not to file share the stuff online. If the need for a second pressing arises then we will go for it. It currently has sold all over Europe and the U.S. and is getting great reviews. We are very happy because we knew the project was good but until you have the public say so you never really know for sure if it is a ‘success‘.
Rick/D2S: Going back to 1981 and the formation of your first national project with Zion, could you have envisioned at that time you’d still be recording rock music 30 years later?
RS/GXP: Not really. Who could? I am just grateful that Greg Bishop from X-Sinner called me to audition for the band. It’s been a great adventure. Being able to play in Europe for enthusiastic fans has been incredible not to mention performing with many great U.S. bands like Warrant, Joey Belladonna from Anthrax, Jefferson Starship, and The Tubes to name a few has been wonderful also. We have been asked to perform in Puerto Rico this fall so that should be good.
Rick/D2S: I am particularly fascinated with Zion as that band was based out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. First, it isn’t not exactly the hot bed of Christian rock music. Secondly, I actually live in the Sioux Falls metro area as we speak. Of course, I moved here right after Zion had disbanded (1992). Apparently, the town isn’t big enough for the two of us so with my arrival meant your departure! (Laughs) Talk about that project and a few highlights for our fans as that band still remains popular here and is still requested quite frequently. (BTW – Who Pulls and Kick In rock!!!)
RS/GXP: Thanks a lot for that. (Laughs) You’re too kind. I moved to Sioux Falls in my junior year of high school from Minnesota (Go Vikings - laughs) and played in some high caliber local secular rock bands in Sioux Falls, the most well-known was ROX band. I eventually joined Zion in 1981. We performed for 11 plus years in the area and the entire upper Midwest region actually. Once we got on the bill for the Sonshine Festival in the Willmar, Minnesota area in 1984 the band took off in popularity. The rest is history. Lifelight Communication’s very own Vicki Greene was kind of our manager of sorts and was our booking agent which now has become the creator of the largest Christian music fest in America. We really broke the ground for what was to come for sure there in Sioux Falls. I really want to come back and do a show there sometime soon for sure. We recently got an order for the GX Project from Sioux Falls and it took me back big time thinking about those days. Zion was very respected by all the other secular rock bands that were made up of our friends we used to be in bands with before we created Zion. We rented a trailer every weekend to go perform someplace and eventually bought a school bus and had most of the seats removed and sofas and carpet and curtains put in it. We drove it until it died in Minot, North Dakota. (Laughs) We have a ton of great memories from those days. Once we went national with the release of the very successful “Thunder From The Mountain” album we toured all over the country for a short time.
Rick/D2S: In all seriousness to the band coming to an end and your leaving Sioux Falls, SD meant a good thing in that it was due to your joining another popular band here at D2S Radio; X-Sinner
RS/GXP: Zion was about to record a follow up to the very successful debut “Thunder From The Mountain” in 1991/92, but a lot of different things were going on in the band at that time. Some of the band did not want to use David Zaffiro from Bloodgood to produce the next one like he did the first one. I wanted David for one more. Two of the members were about to get married and these future ‘wives to be’ were not from the area and were new to the whole Zion scene and that added an element that none of us were used to. It became a struggle to make the seemingly littlest decisions. At this same time Greg Bishop of X-Sinner had contacted me looking for a singer to replace Dave Robbins who they fired. I felt the almost 12 years in Zion had finally reached its end and I decided to audition for X-Sinner. I was flown to Los Angeles and the rest is history.
Rick/D2S: How cool is this….as we are doing this interview “Tricky Little Devil” is just fired up and is rocking live on the station’s airways! Rock on!
RS/GXP: Tricky” is a great song. I love listening to it as much as anyone else would. I am very proud of that song and how it turned out.
Rick/D2S: With any of your previous projects, what other bands that are currently featured here on D2S Radio did you have the honor of sharing the stage with back in the hair rock heyday?
RS/GXP: Zion played with Rez, Whitecross , White Heart, Guardian and a bunch of other bands live over the years. When X-Sinner was in Germany last year we shared the stage with Ken Tamplin, Whitecross and old label mates Guardian to name a few. We’ve played with Bloodgood and Bride at Cornerstone 2007. I’ve got road stories that would make you laugh and cringe that I don’t really have the time to relay here. Have me over for dinner and I’ll share some after desert. (Laughs)
Rick/D2S: What was the scene like back in the late 80’s – early 90’s compared to today in your opinion?
RS/GXP: Well, fans were more excited than today I think. When we go to Europe it is like the nineties here really. They are much more into it and vocal than U.S. fans are. The U.S. fans are more trend driven and into the trend of alternative rock and the like. Over there it is not like that. Another good thing is technically speaking; you can get your music out to the public much quicker today than ten years ago. Labels are not really a necessity like in years past. That’s the main differences.
Rick/D2S: Is there any one song from all your recorded work to date in your mind that most exemplifies Rex Scott as an artist?
RS/GXP: Probably “Tricky Little Devil” on the hard rock side and “Is It A Crime‘” from Zion from my softer pop side.
Rick/D2S: Who does Rex listen to as a music fan?
RS/GXP: All mainstream stuff. I do not listen to ‘Christian rock’ at all. I find most of it shallow, formulaic lyrically and cheesy. One can only sing about being the light of the world so many ways before it becomes boring and repetitive no matter the musical genre.
Rick/D2S: What do you enjoy to do when you are away from music?
RS/GXP: Cooking, wine tasting, reading theology books. Greg is a theologian. He has a master’s degree in theology and is a major influence in the bands thinking. He writes great stuff and introduces us to other great writings and religious thought.
Rick/D2S: Do you have a Bible verse that inspires you that you would like to share with our readers?
RS/GXP: Sure. I think this verse applies to every ’Christian’ today although most of them do not think so. “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” John 5(39-40) Christianity has been reduced to a simple belief and conversion system today. I don’t think that is what Jesus had in mind as requirements to be a true disciple. It is much harder and requires an unbelievable amount of dying to one’s self constantly. In other words, it’s difficult - not easy to be a real Christian. Today 'Christianity' is much like joining a club or a scene for the most part.
Rick/D2S: Rex, it has been a blessing to speak with you and feature your music here on the station. As a longtime fan of your music it has been my honor, thank you and God Bless!
RS/GXP: Thank you. The honor has been all mine.
RS/GXP: Well thank you. Good to be here! Dead To Self Radio really helped us get the GX word out.
Rick/D2S: Congratulations on another great project, this time being “Bite Stick” under the GX Project moniker.
RS/GXP: Thanks! It’s been a fun roller coaster! (Laughs)
Rick/D2S: Give us a little detail behind the newest project and the recording process behind it.
RS/GXP: Producer Glenn Thomas from Canada contacted me last year and asked if I would be interested in tracking some vocals to some stuff he had written. I get asked this from time to time from various people so I said, “Send what you have and I’ll at least take a look at it.” I liked what he presented. It was what was to become ‘Love I.V.’ He had another title for it at the time. I think it was N.I.V. or something like that. I didn’t care for whatever it was so I changed it and it became I.V. instead. I wrote the verses and suggested some instrumentation ideas which he liked and we tracked it. He said he was floored when he got it back with the changes from my studio. I then said, “Where’s the next one.” So he sent me another idea. All this was done via the web sending wav files back and forth to each other from my studio to his. He has the ITunes Audio Studio facility in Canada and he mixed and mastered it there and did a great job. As we went it became more and more of a cooperative endeavor on each song that followed until a whole album was completed.Rick/D2S: A couple of the songs off the project have done well for themselves on this station. “Tricky Little Devil” and “Angry Eyes” in particular have been highly requested. Talk about those songs and what you hope fans will take away from them.
RS/GXP: Whatever the listener thinks they hear is fine with us. We purposely decided that lyrics were not going to be part of the album art. We want the listeners to use their brains and imaginations to get out of the lyrics what they think they say to them. Putting lyrics in the CD cover defeats the purpose of what it used to be like in rock allowing the listener to imagine what was being sung. Giving the lyrics away is for lazy thinkers/listeners including some who want all the answers and to be able to judge if we are up to their ‘standard’ of what they think a good lyric or message is. They asked Jesus to say stuff more plainly and complained why He always talked in riddles too so all we have to say is ‘deal with it’ like He did. He said ‘he who has ears to understand - will’ and that’s the way we look at it. “Angry Eyes” lambastes modern Christianity and its shallow judgmentalism. It’s lyrically derived from actual encounters I’ve had with so-called Christians. We do not hold back at all lyrically on this album. “Tricky Little Devil” is a fun song and can be about whatever anyone thinks it’s about.
Rick/D2S: Do you anticipate the GX Project being an on-going band as you move forward or more of a one-time recoding
RS/GXP: It’s an ongoing project. The album was meant for more of a mainstream audience primarily and we are about to embark on some mainstream advertising on secular FM radio, but we didn’t want to completely alienate Christian listeners at the same time. We want it to be accessible to both. I lean towards a mainstream approach lyrically more and more as time goes on. We have a number of riff ideas for the next one. We enjoyed working with each other so much that a second album is a ‘no brainer’ to us. (Laughs) We just wanted to see if file sharing was going to be kept to a minimum so we could actually afford to make a follow-up album from CD sales. These things do cost money you know! We plan on integrating GX material into the X-Sinner set list as well and bring Glenn out to perform with us live. To bring GX to the rock fans is what we want to do.
Rick/D2S: GX stays in the musical vein you’ve become popular for over the years; stripped back, raw, straight forward rock-n-roll that translate live as well as it does recorded. Obviously it works for you. With that said, do you think fans would allow you to go a different direction if you wanted to at some point down the road? (Also talk about your influences and where your trademark style started, etc.).
RS/GXP: I’ve always liked the stripped down blues based stuff that started with bands like Zeppelin and evolved with bands like Free and songs like ’Alright Now’ all the way to AC/DC and the rest. I’m in my niche or groove and I am most comfortable there. Airborne is another new act that carries on the tradition. In my previous band Zion that element of me came out and can be heard on songs like “Who Pulls The Strings” and “He Loves You”, but was only fully realized when I joined X-Sinner and of course now, on GX as well. I’m too old and have no desire to go another direction musically. (Laughs) It is what I am and genuineness comes from it compared to trying to do something else. I’ve always liked rock music and singing as long as I can remember.
Rick/D2S: What are the best ways for fans to pick up the new project?RS/GXP: It is a limited edition pressing and a few retailers have picked it up, but it is primarily available from www.x-sinner.org. We are about to go live on Amazon.com and other retailers may result out of the Amazon deal. We give every online purchaser from the X-Sinner site a free mp3 of the cut ‘Tricky Little Devil’ right away when they order as a thank you and also ask them not to file share the stuff online. If the need for a second pressing arises then we will go for it. It currently has sold all over Europe and the U.S. and is getting great reviews. We are very happy because we knew the project was good but until you have the public say so you never really know for sure if it is a ‘success‘.
Rick/D2S: Going back to 1981 and the formation of your first national project with Zion, could you have envisioned at that time you’d still be recording rock music 30 years later?
RS/GXP: Not really. Who could? I am just grateful that Greg Bishop from X-Sinner called me to audition for the band. It’s been a great adventure. Being able to play in Europe for enthusiastic fans has been incredible not to mention performing with many great U.S. bands like Warrant, Joey Belladonna from Anthrax, Jefferson Starship, and The Tubes to name a few has been wonderful also. We have been asked to perform in Puerto Rico this fall so that should be good.
Rick/D2S: I am particularly fascinated with Zion as that band was based out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. First, it isn’t not exactly the hot bed of Christian rock music. Secondly, I actually live in the Sioux Falls metro area as we speak. Of course, I moved here right after Zion had disbanded (1992). Apparently, the town isn’t big enough for the two of us so with my arrival meant your departure! (Laughs) Talk about that project and a few highlights for our fans as that band still remains popular here and is still requested quite frequently. (BTW – Who Pulls and Kick In rock!!!)
RS/GXP: Thanks a lot for that. (Laughs) You’re too kind. I moved to Sioux Falls in my junior year of high school from Minnesota (Go Vikings - laughs) and played in some high caliber local secular rock bands in Sioux Falls, the most well-known was ROX band. I eventually joined Zion in 1981. We performed for 11 plus years in the area and the entire upper Midwest region actually. Once we got on the bill for the Sonshine Festival in the Willmar, Minnesota area in 1984 the band took off in popularity. The rest is history. Lifelight Communication’s very own Vicki Greene was kind of our manager of sorts and was our booking agent which now has become the creator of the largest Christian music fest in America. We really broke the ground for what was to come for sure there in Sioux Falls. I really want to come back and do a show there sometime soon for sure. We recently got an order for the GX Project from Sioux Falls and it took me back big time thinking about those days. Zion was very respected by all the other secular rock bands that were made up of our friends we used to be in bands with before we created Zion. We rented a trailer every weekend to go perform someplace and eventually bought a school bus and had most of the seats removed and sofas and carpet and curtains put in it. We drove it until it died in Minot, North Dakota. (Laughs) We have a ton of great memories from those days. Once we went national with the release of the very successful “Thunder From The Mountain” album we toured all over the country for a short time.
Rick/D2S: In all seriousness to the band coming to an end and your leaving Sioux Falls, SD meant a good thing in that it was due to your joining another popular band here at D2S Radio; X-Sinner
RS/GXP: Zion was about to record a follow up to the very successful debut “Thunder From The Mountain” in 1991/92, but a lot of different things were going on in the band at that time. Some of the band did not want to use David Zaffiro from Bloodgood to produce the next one like he did the first one. I wanted David for one more. Two of the members were about to get married and these future ‘wives to be’ were not from the area and were new to the whole Zion scene and that added an element that none of us were used to. It became a struggle to make the seemingly littlest decisions. At this same time Greg Bishop of X-Sinner had contacted me looking for a singer to replace Dave Robbins who they fired. I felt the almost 12 years in Zion had finally reached its end and I decided to audition for X-Sinner. I was flown to Los Angeles and the rest is history.
Rick/D2S: How cool is this….as we are doing this interview “Tricky Little Devil” is just fired up and is rocking live on the station’s airways! Rock on!
RS/GXP: Tricky” is a great song. I love listening to it as much as anyone else would. I am very proud of that song and how it turned out.Rick/D2S: With any of your previous projects, what other bands that are currently featured here on D2S Radio did you have the honor of sharing the stage with back in the hair rock heyday?
RS/GXP: Zion played with Rez, Whitecross , White Heart, Guardian and a bunch of other bands live over the years. When X-Sinner was in Germany last year we shared the stage with Ken Tamplin, Whitecross and old label mates Guardian to name a few. We’ve played with Bloodgood and Bride at Cornerstone 2007. I’ve got road stories that would make you laugh and cringe that I don’t really have the time to relay here. Have me over for dinner and I’ll share some after desert. (Laughs)
Rick/D2S: What was the scene like back in the late 80’s – early 90’s compared to today in your opinion?
RS/GXP: Well, fans were more excited than today I think. When we go to Europe it is like the nineties here really. They are much more into it and vocal than U.S. fans are. The U.S. fans are more trend driven and into the trend of alternative rock and the like. Over there it is not like that. Another good thing is technically speaking; you can get your music out to the public much quicker today than ten years ago. Labels are not really a necessity like in years past. That’s the main differences.
Rick/D2S: Is there any one song from all your recorded work to date in your mind that most exemplifies Rex Scott as an artist?
RS/GXP: Probably “Tricky Little Devil” on the hard rock side and “Is It A Crime‘” from Zion from my softer pop side.
Rick/D2S: Who does Rex listen to as a music fan?
RS/GXP: All mainstream stuff. I do not listen to ‘Christian rock’ at all. I find most of it shallow, formulaic lyrically and cheesy. One can only sing about being the light of the world so many ways before it becomes boring and repetitive no matter the musical genre.
Rick/D2S: What do you enjoy to do when you are away from music?
RS/GXP: Cooking, wine tasting, reading theology books. Greg is a theologian. He has a master’s degree in theology and is a major influence in the bands thinking. He writes great stuff and introduces us to other great writings and religious thought.
Rick/D2S: Do you have a Bible verse that inspires you that you would like to share with our readers?
RS/GXP: Sure. I think this verse applies to every ’Christian’ today although most of them do not think so. “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” John 5(39-40) Christianity has been reduced to a simple belief and conversion system today. I don’t think that is what Jesus had in mind as requirements to be a true disciple. It is much harder and requires an unbelievable amount of dying to one’s self constantly. In other words, it’s difficult - not easy to be a real Christian. Today 'Christianity' is much like joining a club or a scene for the most part.
Rick/D2S: Rex, it has been a blessing to speak with you and feature your music here on the station. As a longtime fan of your music it has been my honor, thank you and God Bless!
RS/GXP: Thank you. The honor has been all mine.
Original real link - http://www.deadtoselfradio.com/
