Texan musician Scott H. Biram has just dropped his newest album, ‘The One & Only Scott H. Biram’. This marks his 13th album in total and the 9th under the Bloodshot Records label, showing that he’s still dedicated to creating raw, unfiltered music.

Hailing from the outskirts of Austin, Biram’s sound is deeply influenced by his Texas roots, taking cues from iconic artists like Doug Sahm and Roky Erickson. He reflects on his musical upbringing, saying, “My dad used to play sax at home. My uncles were in a band together, strumming their guitars. Guitars and pianos were just always around.”

The album includes nine original tracks and two traditional covers, crafted during the pandemic when Biram found himself with more time to make music. He says, “I always try to return to that raw, lo-fi vibe from my earlier albums.” The songs range from raw bluesy tunes to softer ballads, exploring themes like love, loss, and the passage of time. He explains, “Most of the time, I’m just getting things off my chest.”

After releasing the album, Biram is gearing up for a European tour in May and June 2024, where he’ll be bringing his high-energy shows to clubs and festivals across the continent. On his upcoming tour, he comments, “I can’t wait to meet my European fans and bring my music to new ears. It’s all about sharing that raw energy.” With his blend of blues, country, punk, and metal, Biram’s European audiences are in for a treat.

“I’m just a fan of a lot of kinds of music, and I have to bleed it out of me”

In what ways does your upbringing in Texas influence the sound and themes of your music on ‘The One & Only Scott H. Biram’ album?

Scott H. Biram: Just about everything on most of my albums is heavily influenced by growing up in rural Texas, not just this one. When it comes to writing songs, the first thing my mind usually goes to is all the old gravel roads and running around in the woods down by the river as a kid. I don’t always stick to those ideas, but I start there often.

Would you like to share about your upbringing? Where did you all grow up? Tell us about daily life back in your teenage years.

Until I was 10 or 11, I lived in Prairie Lea, TX, the same tiny little river town where my mom and her parents grew up. I’m glad I had those early experiences and was able to obtain those country roots. We moved to San Marcos, TX when I was in 6th grade. My dad listened to a lot of Leadbelly and Lightnin’ Hopkins. He and my mom also took me to see Doc Watson at the legendary Armadillo World Headquarters back around ’79. I think that’s really where my fascination with music started. After we moved to San Marcos, I got a little more into heavy rock, etc. By the time I was in high school, we had a punk band and spent all our time either rocking out at college garage parties or swimming in the beautiful headwaters of the San Marcos River all day. Life was grand.

Texas is really a unique place for music, especially considering the psychedelic ’60s and artists like Roky Erickson and Doug Sahm. When did you first hear about the 13th Floor Elevators, and how influential are they to you?

Man, it’s great—I actually ended up with a pretty cool connection with Roky. I first heard of the 13th Floor Elevators in high school. We were dropping a lot of acid then and listening to a lot of early Butthole Surfers stuff. BHS were part of a tribute record to Roky called “Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye.” I’m not sure if that’s where I first heard of Rok or not, but it had to be somewhere around there. Fast forward 30 years: after meeting him a couple of times, I ended up becoming good friends with his son, Jegar, and even spent some Christmas time with Roky. I also got to play on stage with him for not only a badass Halloween show but also for his 70th birthday. It was a huge honor to play with someone I respect so much. Here’s a photo of us playing together…

Was there a certain scene you were part of? Maybe you had some favorite hangout places? Did you attend a lot of gigs back then?

I went to a ton of shows! My first arena concert was in ’82, featuring Charlie Daniels and Bonnie Raitt. My first arena rock concert that I went to without my folks was David Lee Roth and Poison. But growing up near Austin, I got to see all kinds of great bands. King Coffey from Butthole Surfers, and his husband Craig Stewart, had a great label called Trance Syndicate in the ’90s. They had great bands like Crust, Pain Teens, Ed Hall, and Cherubs. We spent a lot of time at the club Liberty Lunch in ATX, seeing bands like Agony Column and Bad Livers. There were also great performances from folks like Don Walser, John Mayall, The Cramps, Reverend Horton Heat, and Gwar. I really couldn’t have asked for a better place to grow up as far as music went.

If we would step into your teenage room, what kind of records, fanzines, posters, etc., would we find there?

Haha! I remember I had an Elvira poster and a Whitesnake poster on my wall in high school, haha. I think I had a Metallica poster from ‘…And Justice for All’. I had a Garfield phone too, and a gumball machine filled with Micro Machine toys. Haha.

What about when it comes to Doug Sahm?

I grew up with my dad listening to a lot of Sir Douglas Quintet. Also, my first band, The Thangs, recorded our first time in the studio at Firestation Studios in San Marcos, the day after The Texas Tornados recorded their big record. I love Doug. I love Freddy Fender, Flaco Jimenez, and Auggie Meyers too!

Amidst the pandemic, you mentioned delving deeply into your craft. How did this period of introspection influence the creation of your latest album?

Nothing but time to create during the pandemic. I buried myself in the studio. This new record was actually mostly recorded during 2020. I finished the whole thing in Feb ’23. Now here we are in Spring ’24, finally getting all these songs out there! Too much time to second-guess myself, for sure!

Your music is a fusion of punk, metal, blues, country, and bluegrass. How do you meld these diverse influences to craft your distinctive musical style on this record?

It just happens. I’m just a fan of a lot of kinds of music, and I have to bleed it out of me. There are even some hip-hop elements on this record. I never thought that would ever happen. I’m just a music connoisseur, I guess!

“I play what I feel”

You’ve emphasized the importance of authenticity in your music. How does this dedication to staying true to yourself impact the connection you establish with your listeners through your songwriting?

As much as I like to say that I only stay true to myself through all this, I definitely care what people think. It’s almost impossible to write every song without wondering what the general public’s take will be. I don’t think I really ever compromise the authenticity of my songs, but I do contemplate how people will take it. I don’t stray too far away from what I think is true. Any compromises are tiny and basically insignificant. I play what I feel.

<a href="https://scotthbiram.bandcamp.com/album/the-one-only-scott-h-biram">The One & Only Scott H. Biram by Scott H. Biram</a>

Your album explores a wide range of themes, from mortality to romance and religion. How do you weave together these varied themes to form a cohesive musical narrative?

I barely try to glue all this together. Maybe in the EQing and the general sound of the record, but really I pour out my soul, and if it sounds good to me, that’s good enough. Religion, physical pain, heartache, anger, anxiety, love, and loss—I just put it out there and hope they like it.

You’ve mentioned embracing a “junky, lo-fi” sound in your earlier works. How does this artistic choice contribute to the overall ambiance of your latest album?

I was definitely trying to revisit the under-produced feelings of my old records on this new one. It’s crazy—the more you learn about production, the harder it gets to make shit sound cheap and lo-fi. One of the ones I’m pretty proud of on the new album is ‘High & Dry’. I was trying to create the vibe of a drunken open mic night. Haha. I think I did pretty good.

What else currently occupies your life?

I love cooking and smoking meats, or just exploring some cooking stuff that I haven’t tried before. I won 1st place in a chili cook-off a couple of years ago. I don’t get to watch much TV on the road, so when I’m home from tour, I like to watch a lot of movies. I’m a big classic movie buff. My wife and my dogs, and my sweet parents, are the most important things to me. I miss my doggies so much when I’m out on the road.

What are some of the most important players that influenced your style, and what, in particular, did they employ in their playing that you liked?

Lightnin’ Hopkins, Doc Watson, Leadbelly, ZZ Top, Merle Haggard, and Waylon Jennings. Man, you can’t get better than that! They all just rock and rule the world!

And what are you spinning right now on your turntable?

Believe it or not, I’ve been listening to Cyndi Lauper and Madonna a lot lately. Haha. There is always a healthy dose of Muddy Waters on my turntable. I was recently listening to a lot of Southern Death Cult and Siouxsie & The Banshees. I am all over the place with music! It’s the way to be.

Is there an album that has profoundly affected you more than others?

There are too many to just pigeonhole one. ‘The Essential Doc Watson, ‘ZZ Top’s ‘Tres Hombres’ (and all their other ’70s records!), ‘Million Mile Reflection’ by Charlie Daniels, Muddy Waters’ ‘Live at Newport,’ Van Halen’s 1’984,’ Doc Watson & Bill Monroe’s ‘Live On Stage,’ Lightnin’ Hopkins’ ‘Texas Blues,’ and Metallica’s ‘Garage Days Re-Revisited. ‘Shit, man, I could go on forever.

Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?

No, but listen to Judas Priest’s first album, ‘Rocka-Rola’. Damn, that’s some good shit!

What are some future plans for you?

Just keep rockin’! Make some more records! Make some money, baby!! Haha!