Lightning’s Local Artist of the Week: Easy Roscoe
Ian Fondrk, Logan Coats, Jon Worthy, Austin McFall, and Brian Martin came together in the spirit of finding their own catharsis through music, and with a shared goal of making people smile.
After graduating from Penn State, Fondrk and Worthy picked up their lives and moved into a quote-on-quote “crappy apartment” in Nashville to pursue their music. It was here that the two met McFall, Martin, and a neighbor in an equally crappy apartment across the way, Coats.
Named for their originally easy-listening/acoustic sound, as well as a type of gun in documentary profiling 1920s gangsters, Easy Roscoe tells the stories of their own lives and the people around them through their music.
“Our writing process is different from other bands for sure,” said guitarist and trumpeter Logan Coats. “Everyone in the band writes everything, music and lyrics, and then on ‘New Song Tuesday’ we get together and show each other stuff then start arranging.”
“It is probably worth pointing out that ‘New Song Tuesday’ doesn’t always actually even happen on Tuesdays,” laughed guitarist and ukulele player Jon Worthy. “It just kind of happens all the time. We get together to play everything anyone comes up with, bare bones and acoustic, then start arranging.”
Easy Roscoe is composed of five bandmates with a gradient of differing musical influences; these influences include Pearl Jam, Kings of Leon, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, The Police, and current pop music.
“The whole journey, so far, has consisted of victories and stagnant points, but I’m sure everyone in the band would agree, that’s what makes us a band,” said singer and guitarist Ian Fondrk.
Easy Roscoe dropped their first album, “Keep the Dancin’ Dancin’”, in January. The band starts touring this August, and will be playing at The 5 Spot on August 14th. For more information, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/easyroscoe .
“Everyone should come out and say hi! I know that’s kind of lame, but we’re all very relaxed people,” said Fondrk. “A lot of music coming out now is sort of down-ish stuff. We want to bring a lighthearted feel, help everybody have a good time, and take a different approach to our music.”
Written by Aziza Cunningham