Is Street Chess, the bluesman from Bean Town back on the scene? He took Wrong Flavor from sorority party to international stages on no label. The self contained rocker businessman lead the band with hardcore hits such as "Rock of Rages" "Foreign Body Extraction" "I Put Draino in Your Jello" to the soulful sounds of "Mileage Don't Mean a Thang" and "Kiss Me So Hard it's Soft." So where is he now? Guitar World has the exclusive interview.
GUITAR WORLD: "Hey Hey Street Chess. Nice to see your face again. How's it been, your Euro-tour was legend."
CHESS SCOTT: *takes hand for shaking and makes squinty face* "Oh dud-o-ral. I haven't heard that name in forever. Dude. That tour was one kick ass party. At least I think it was. Half of it's blacked out man." *extreme laughter*
GUITAR WORLD: "Would you rather we use just Chess? How did you get that nickname anyway?"
CHESS SCOTT: "Naw. I don't care. Me and my cousin actually play the game chess and he's a grand master and well studied and shit. But, I learned on the street in the parks and can still beat him. There's Chess Hustlers just like in pool and I used to go scam money in the parks. I don't know the name just stuck, because I was hustling Street Chess. He always said I was hooking my skills." *laughs*
GUITAR WORLD: "We heard your dog has an interesting name?"
CHESS SCOTT: "Oh you mean Hooker? Yeah." *giggles and leans head back playing with his zipper* "I swear I didn't name her after a prostitute. I named him after the great John Lee. John Lee Hooker baby." *reaches out to knuckle touch me*
GUITAR WORLD: "Yeah, that's a late great. So, then what has Chess Scott been doing since Wrong Flavor?"
CHESS SCOTT: "I am currently the main sound tech at the House of Blues in Boston."
GUITAR WORLD: "What in the world is making you hide your talent behind the curtain?"
CHESS SCOTT: *leans forward* "Hey man, there's an art to that too. It's a skill and I'm good at it. I couldn't have learned that stuff without my experience on the road. It's steady work. You have to know music inside and out to understand acoustics. I like it. That aint no crime."
GUITAR WORLD: "Some acts that come through there are smaller than Wrong Flavor. Does it ever feel wrong to be catering to those with so much less experience than you? I can imagine fans passing them by get to you. Has that ever happened?"
CHESS SCOTT: "Man it has a couple times. I'm flattered dude, but I don't like taking their spotlight." *lifts shoulders and laughs* "But what do you do right?! HAHAHHA. I am what I am. But, a couple have come and asked for advice on how to get famous and I'm like, like I mother fucking now dudes. Stay in school. But, for those about to rock I salute you." *salutes two fingers off his forehead*
GUITAR WORLD: "You’re recording now, right?"
CHESS SCOTT: "Yes I am."
GUITAR WORLD: "Label?:"
CHESS SCOTT: "No. I'm not signing a thing. I'm doing everything my way. Fans either want me or they don't. And I have some kick ass support."
GUITAR WORLD: "Are these songs that you’ve been playing live already or some are brand new?"
CHESS SCOTT: "These are all original Chess Scott tunes. And they're kick ass tunes that shred and melt your face, gut busters to tear jerkers."
GUITAR WORLD: "Give us the deets. What's the real scoop? What happened with Wrong Flavor?"
CHESS SCOTT: *looks at ceiling* "All good things come to an end. I'm riding solo."
GUITAR WORLD: "Sounds like avoidance?"
CHESS SCOTT: "Sounds like you should have read up on your last interview with me to not do repeat questions."
*long silence*
GUITAR WORLD: "Let’s talk about how you got started with guitar. What made you want to pick one up?"
CHESS SCOTT: *leans back and smiles like a dream* "Oh that's because of my Dad. He taught me on an old box guitar. He used to play folk songs in the backyard at picnics. He's a singer songwriter. He taught me as far as he could take me and took off from there. I trained classically in college and took some voice lessons back in the day."
GUITAR WORLD: "Do you remember your first guitar?"
CHESS SCOTT: "Yup. Cheapest ass Epiphone money could buy from Toy's R Us. But when I graduated high school my grandparents gave me a thousand bucks and I spent every penny on first Fender Strat."
GUITAR WORLD: "Ever had an embarrassing onstage moment?"
CHESS SCOTT: "I aint embarrassed of nothing. But, I had some funny ones. Ohhhhhhhhhhh oh oh. Like the time I stage dove and they caught me alright and I was surfed off but somehow I ended up on the floor with no pants on. Lesson learned. Wear boots on stage. They can slip your pants off over converse." *laughter*
GUITAR WORLD: "What's your current setup like for this tour?"
CHESS SCOTT: "The dates and locations haven't been released yet, but it's a small show. We're hiring guns right now to sling with me."
GUITAR WORLD: "Do you have a significant other?"
CHESS SCOTT: *Long pause and slow funny grin* "Well yeah."
GUITAR WORLD: "Do we hear wedding bells in the future?"
CHESS SCOTT: *silence* "uh"
GUITAR WORLD: "What's her name?"
CHESS SCOTT: "His name is Kay Wilde."
GUITAR WORLD: "What's he look like?"
CHESS SCOTT: *silent shrug* "Like Kay. Red hair." *motions around his own face* "Special face. I don't know. Like Kay. He's hot. Here." *reaches in pocket and pulls photo out of his wallet to share with me*
GUITAR WORLD: "What's he do for a living?"
CHESS SCOTT: *mutters under breath inaudible* "He owns In Your Ear Records out there in Boston."
GUITAR WORLD: "How long have you been together?"
CHESS SCOTT: "I thought we were supposed to talk about music?"
GUITAR WORLD: "Fans like to know these things Chess."
CHESS SCOTT: "Um. I'm not sure."
GUITAR WORLD: "Guess he shouldn't expect gifts on your anniversary?"
CHESS SCOTT: "Uh"
GUITAR WORLD: "I'm just teasing you Chess. Ok. At least tell us how you met?"
CHESS SCOTT: "Oh I know that one. He rescued me from zombies that attacked my house during the Boston Riots after the tidal wave hit."
GUITAR WORLD: "Zombies? Are you messing with me? We know you're the original prankster."
CHESS SCOTT: "Heck no. I mean it. If you don't have a survival kit, get one. It could be the difference between life and death." *looks at me hard in the eyes* "YOUR life and death. Get one."
*long silence*
GUITAR WORLD: "So when can we expect the recordings release?"
CHESS SCOTT: "August 1st."
GUITAR WORLD: "Anything else you'd like to say before we close?"
CHESS SCOTT: "August 1st. Go to the store. Buy it. I mean, shite? Ready to rock? Are you down? or no?"
((There would be images from his past and current through the spread))