Scott Helland is an American alternative rock musician, acoustic guitarist, bassist and songwriter. A founding member of the groups Deep Wound,[1] Outpatients,[2] and Frenchy and the Punk. He also performs instrumental music as Guitarmy of One. Helland was born in Centralia, Illinois and raised in Westfield, Massachusetts.
Scott Helland | |
|---|---|
 Helland performing with Deep Wound in 2013 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Scott Donald Helland |
| Born | Centralia, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Alternative rock, folk punk, punk cabaret, Instrumental, hardcore punk, thrash metal, new-age, post-punk, Surf Rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | guitar, bass, drums, Vocals |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Website | www |
Career
editHelland attended high school in Westfield, where he met Lou Barlow. The two formed the Massachusetts-based hardcore punk band Deep Wound in 1982. J Mascis joined the band after answering their ad for a "drummer wanted to play really fast".[3] While playing bass guitar in Deep Wound, Helland formed Outpatients with brother Vis Helland in 1982 and released The Basement Tape in 1983.[4] The Outpatients were also part of the Western Mass hardcore scene and shared the stage with bands like Hüsker Dü, Battalion of Saints, Crucifix, The FU's and GBH.[5] Deep Wound broke up in 1984 and "Scott... went in the Outpatients full time."[6] The Outpatients toured the East Coast of the US, Canada and Argentina throughout their 13-year career and disbanded in 1995.[7]
Helland released seven albums under his own name beginning with the experimental Hellbox Mood Rings CD in 1996. In 2000, he released an ambient/instrumental/new age[8] CD called Space Age Tranceology "and made the striking transition to atmospheric soundtracks."[9] In the same year he composed music for the film Riders.[10] Songs from his 2002 CD release, Earthbound,[11] were played on the syndicated radio program Echoes.[12] In 2006, he released the all acoustic 12 song Catapult album[13] with his tribute to the BBC series of the same name Monarch of the Glen.[14] He formed Scott Helland and the Traveling Band of Gypsy Nomads[15] in 2005 with French-born singer and percussionist Samantha Stephenson, which later became Frenchy and the Punk.[16]
In 2004, Helland reunited with his old Deep Wound bandmates for a song at the John M Greene Hall in Northampton, Massachusetts.[17] In June 2013 they reunited, to perform the song "Training Ground" at the Governor's Ball in New York City.[18][19] More recently Helland and his bandmates played together in 2018 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts when the other half of Deep Wound, J Mascis and Lou Barlow's band Dinosaur jr were opening for the Foo Fighters. [20]
In 2014 his duo Frenchy and the Punk performed at Scotland's prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Fest.[21] In 2016 he released a book of his pen and ink drawings titled Feast. "Helland’s pagan-organic lines recall the gothic style of Aubrey Beardsley, as well as those of punk pen wielders like Savage Pencil, Nick Blinko, and Raymond Pettibon."[22]
Helland returned to the instrumental rock world with his Never End the Rocket Century record in 2017. Intended as a multicultural mashup of the classic Ramones albums Rocket to Russia and End of the Century, his acoustic (guitar) has the propulsive drive of punk rock, but his riffs resonate with sounds ranging from Krautrock to flamenco and spaghetti western pastiche.[23] Helland has released 6 videos from the album including the title track, 'Never End the Rocket Century', in which he donned a space suit and walked around Los Angeles.[24]
In January 2019 Helland and Stephenson's cabaret rock duo Frenchy and the Punk released a video for the song Lanky Bell Bottoms from their forth-coming album Hooray Beret.[25]
Helland released the all instrumental spy themed album 'The Spy Detective Collective' in 2021. The music journalist Justin Vellucci from Pop Matters says "Helland has tapped into something interesting and, dare we say magical on The Spy Detective Collective."[26]
Discography
editSee also Deep Wound
Albums
edit| Year | Title | Name | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | American Style(demo) | Deep Wound | Self Released |
| 1983 | The Basement Tape | Outpatients | Free Association |
| 1983 | Deep Wound(7") | Deep Wound | Radiobeat Records |
| 1985 | Committed | Outpatients | Free Association |
| 1987 | Free Association[27] | Outpatients | Incas Records |
| 1989 | Insomnia | School of Violence | Self |
| 1991 | Life on the Outside | Outpatients | EA Recordings |
| 1993 | Test of Time | Outpatients | EA Recordings |
| 1995 | Hardcore Outcast's '82-'84[28] | Outpatients | EA Recordings |
| 1996 | Hellbox Mood Rings | Scott Helland | Exotic Aquatic Recordings |
| 1997 | Anthology Compilation[29] | Deep Wound | Damaged Goods |
| 1998 | Outcasts II '85-'95 | Outpatients | EA Recordings |
| 1998 | Ambitions Make Way for Dread[30] | Darkside NYC | indie release |
| 1998 | Deep in It | Scott Helland | Hellectrifly Records |
| 1999 | Motion Sickness | Scott Helland | Exotic Aquatic Recordings |
| 2000 | Space Age Tranceology[31] | Scott Helland | Exotic Aquatic Recordings |
| 2000 | The Blushing Bachelor | Stephen Rand and the Magic Ponies | Wormco Records |
| 2002 | Earthbound[32] | Scott Helland | Exotic Aquatic Recordings |
| 2004 | Brocade[33] | Scott Helland | Exotic Aquatic Recordings |
| 2004 | Cathedral[34] | Ware River Club | Spirit House Records |
| 2005 | In Pursuit of Your Happiness[35] | Mark Mulcahy | Mezzotint |
| 2006 | Almost Complete | Deep Wound | Baked Goods Records |
| 2006 | Catapult | Scott Helland | Exotic Aquatic Recordings |
| 2007 | Thread & Stone[36] | The Gypsy Nomads | Exotic Aquatic Recordings |
| 2008 | Eternal Summer[37] | The Gypsy Nomads | Exotic Aquatic Recordings |
| 2008 | At the Carnivale Eclectique | The Gypsy Nomads | Exotic Aquatic Recordings |
| 2010 | Happy Madness | Frenchy and the Punk | EA Recordings |
| 2011 | Live at Bube's Brewery | Frenchy and the Punk | EA Recordings |
| 2012 | Hey Hey Cabaret[38] | Frenchy and the Punk | EA Recordings |
| 2013 | Elephant Uproar[39] | Frenchy and the Punk | EA Recordings |
| 2014 | Cartwheels EP | Frenchy and the Punk | EA Recordings |
| 2014 | Bonjour Batfrog | Frenchy and the Punk | EA Recordings |
| 2015 | Feast Art Book [40] | Scott Helland | Paris Punk Press |
| 2016 | Compilation | Scott Helland Guitarmy of One | EA Recordings |
| 2016 | Batfrog Tracks - Lyric/Photo Book | Frenchy and the Punk | Paris Punk Press |
| 2017 | Never End the Rocket Century | Scott Helland Guitarmy of One | EA Recordings |
| 2019 | Hooray Beret | Frenchy and the Punk | EA Recordings |
| 2019 | Rock Lobster (Scott Guest Vocals)(Single) | Boom Boom Shake | Independent |
| 2019 | Chupando (Scott Guest Guitar)(Single) | Voltaire | Voltaire Recordings |
| 2020 | The Storm is a Call for Rebuilding(Single) | Frenchy and the Punk | EA Recordings |
| 2021 | The Spy Detective Collective | Guitarmy of One | EA Recordings |
| 2021 | Readmitted | Outpatients | Painkiller Records |
| 2022 | Zen Ghost | Frenchy and the Punk | EA Recordings |
| 2023 | The Wave Files | Guitarmy of One | EA Recordings |
Featured in compilations
editReferences
edit- ^ Cogan, Brian: "The Encyclopedia of Punk", page 74. Sterling Publishing, 2006
- ^ Blush, Steven: "American Hardcore: A Tribal History", page 244. Feral House, 2001
- ^ Azerrad, Michael: "Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981–1991.", page 348. Little, Brown and Company., 2001
- ^ Blush, Steven: "American Hardcore: A Tribal History", page 321. Feral House, 2001
- ^ Turcotte, Bryan Ray and Miller, Christopher T: "Fucked Up and Photocopied: Instant Art Of The Punk Rock Movement", page 194. Gingko Press, 1999
- ^ Mudrian, Albert: "Choosing Death The Improbable History of Death Metal and Grindcore", page 51. Feral House, 2004
- ^ "Frenchy and the Punk". Frenchy and the Punk. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Artist / Discography Search". Zonemusicreproter.com. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ Jack Rabid. "Space Age Tranceology – Scott Helland | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Riders (2001) : Full Cast & Crew". IMDb.com. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Artist / Discography Search". Zonemusicreproter.com. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Echoes Playlist Week of April 29, 2002 (Week 18)". Echoes.org. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Scott Helland And Traveling Band of Gypsy Nomads, The – Catapult (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "'Monarch of the Glen' tribute by Scott Helland (2005)". YouTube. December 9, 2010. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ Digitalis, Raven: "Goth Craft", page 14. Llewellyn Worldwide, 2007
- ^ "Interview: Frenchy and the Punk". Sepiachord.com. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Deep Wound-Video Prick". YouTube. December 2, 2007. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Governors Ball Day 1 Recap: Dinosaur Jr., Best Coast Rock Before Storm Forces Cancellation". Diffuser.fm. June 8, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Deep Wound reunion – J Mascis, Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr) Scott Helland (Frenchy and the Punk)". YouTube. June 10, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Deep Wound / Dinosaur jr / Scott Helland / Fenway Park". YouTube.
- ^ Oldman, Atticus (August 18, 2014). "Frenchy and the Punk". Archived from the original on January 4, 2019. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ "New Paltz Guitarist's Book is a Visual Feast".
- ^ "CD Review: Scott Helland".
- ^ "SCOTT HELLAND - Never End The Rocket Century - (Official Music Video)". YouTube.
- ^ "Frenchy and the Punk - Lanky Bell Bottoms (Official Video)". YouTube.
- ^ "CD Review: Scott Helland". April 9, 2021.
- ^ "KFTH – Outpatients: Free Association LP". Files.nyu.edu. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ Jack Rabid. "Hardcore Outcasts Revisited '82–'84 – The Outpatients | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Deep Wound – Deep Wound at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Ambitions Make Way for Dread – Darkside NYC | Credits". AllMusic. May 26, 1998. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ Scott Helland. "Scott Helland | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Earthbound – Scott Helland | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. May 7, 2002. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Brocade – Scott Helland | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. July 7, 2004. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Cathedral – The Ware River Club | Credits". AllMusic. March 9, 2004. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "In Pursuit of Your Happiness – Mark Mulcahy | Credits". AllMusic. March 22, 2005. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Thread & Stone – The Gypsy Nomads | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. November 13, 2007. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Eternal Summer – The Gypsy Nomads | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. January 30, 2008. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Hey Hey Cabaret – Frenchy and the Punk | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Here Come The Drums!". Steampunkchronicle.com. March 12, 2013. Archived from the original on June 24, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "New Paltz Guitarist's Book is a Visual Feast".
- ^ "KFTH – Bands That Could Be God Compilation LP". Files.nyu.edu. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Various – Flipside Vinyl Fanzine Vol 2 (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ "Various – Guillotined at the Hangar: Shielded by Death, Vol. 2 (Vinyl, LP)- All Music Guidedate=". AllMusic. Retrieved January 17, 2019.