If you believe that commercialization has made us lose sight of what music used to mean, you would find an ally in Wade Eno. Wade believes the world has forgotten about music that makes you feel, that takes you on a journey; and that’s just what we need. Last week, I got to sit down and talk with him about his music. As a short interview turned into a two-hour conversation, he revealed his highly contagious passion.
Can you tell me a little about yourself and your latest projects?
Right now, I’m going in a thousand different directions… My band, The Scorched (Wade Eno– vocals, guitar, bass, keys; Kris Tuttle- vocals, guitar, bass; Derek Carlson- drums; Samuel Rasmussen- keys, bass, guitar; Josh Ritz- guitar, bass, harmonica), is getting bigger, so we are working on a 13 song LP in a studio in Mesa, Arizona; it’s kind of our masterpiece… I do a lot outside of the band as well. I’m a venue booker. I also do social media stuff, networking, and endorsements.
In your own words, how would you describe the music The Scorched plays? Influences?
I couldn’t really define us with a genre, because we have such an eclectic style. We really focus on how we are feeling when we play, and we just want to share those feelings with our audience. It’s about expression. Combine Pink Floyd, Zeppelin, anything Chris Cornell ever did, and Nirvana; the list goes on.
Do you guys write your own music? How do you guys go about the writing process?
Kris or I will write lyrics and pair them with a guitar. I like to write with an acoustic guitar, because you can really feel it. Then we show it to the band and ask them what they think. The other musicians add their own flavors to it, so we end up with a pretty unique sound… We definitely write based on feeling and raw emotion. The whole point for us is take you on the journey… it’s about the artists and how we feel; we just wanna share that with whoever will listen. Rock music has been so commercialized, that it no longer provides that for you… This is why EDM [electronic dance music] got so big; people are chasing that emotion that used to be a part of the music… We are just trying to end the mainstream take over and preserve real music.
What kind of venues do you typically play in?
We play all over the place. We’ll play small venues, but we’ve also played at bigger venues like the Viper Room. I even just came from playing an acoustic gig at a farmer’s market, just because I enjoy it. The only thing is… with our music, the bigger the venue, the better it sounds.
Do you mostly play locally or do you travel as well?
We travel a lot, because the other members of the band are in Arizona and I’m in Vegas, so we do shows both here and in Arizona. We recently did a tour in Maine. We kinda just go wherever the rock is needed.
What was your most memorable performance?
It was about a year and a half ago at Spirit room in Arizona, which is supposedly haunted… It was one of best shows we’ve played as far as energy is concerned… We were playing in a 3-piece band in the middle of nowhere Arizona, and we surprisingly had a great turn out… During the show, we were so confused where all these people were coming from; it was like they were crawling out of the woodwork, almost as if it was actually haunted…
What are your fans like?
We have a very widespread fan-base. They are all over the place. We have fans back in Maine where me and Kris are from, and then we have fans all the way in China, Germany, and Brazil.
How did The Scorched get together?
I moved from Sacramento to Vegas. My cousin Kris was living in Arizona, and he came up to see a Temple of the Dog show with me. He was like, “we are both doing solo rock, let’s try and mess around and play some shows together. It ended up being a lot more powerful than we expected.
What got you into music in the first place?
Well, I grew up in Maine around acoustic guitars; I come from a very musical family. I’ve always been a vocalist and poet. I was singing and writing my whole life, until I picked up guitar sophomore year in high school. I had tried playing the trumpet, tried bass, but I just really connected with guitar. My mom never wanted to buy me one though.
Now let’s talk a little bit about gear. How many musical instruments do you own?
About 20…10 guitars, 1 keyboard, the harmonica, 6 string bass
I know you just came from an acoustic gig. Do you prefer electric or acoustic?
Depends on what show I’m playing or what feeling I am trying to portray. I enjoy the playability of an electric guitar, the way I can move when I’m playing, the different tones/tone options. It feels powerful… I like the resonance of acoustic, like I can feel if I’m in the right key.
What is your favorite guitar? Both electric and acoustic.
Right now, my main guitar is my Gretsch Electromatic, with TV jones classic pickups, but It depends on the sound and what I am playing. That’s why I have so many….
How would you describe your style?
All over the place…classic rock and grunge alternative.
How did you hear about the WiC? Do you use the WiC when you perform?
I perform with the WiC all the time. I am too active as a guitarist to be attached to a wire. I need to be mobilized. Plus, I am too unorganized, so it helps to eliminate wires. A lot of other wireless systems are heavy, but the WiC is extremely lightweight. It’s about half the price of those other systems, but way better. The range is better, and I like the clarity and low noise. I love that I am free to do stage jumps and run around.
Before we wrap things up, are there any performance or events coming up that you are especially excited for that you wanna share?
On July 27th, we are playing with War Twins at Beauty Bar in Las Vegas, and I’m pretty excited about that. Also, in July, Sin City Shredders is doing an article about me.
Featured Artist of the Week: Wade Eno