Harum Scarum
/By: Michelle McArdle
There is an image that I can hear when I call it into memory. It is pitch black and rising up through this darkness is a white outlined amorphous tentacle like creature. The only truly defined areas are two large upturned eyes and a prominent centrally located mouth. This wicked mouth is thin lipped and jagged with a sparse collection of pointed teeth jutting out from its gums. It is this wicked mouth combined with bats, mysterious turbaned fortune tellers, and tentacle like creatures that make it easy to recall the spooky sounds of local musical success Harum Scarum.
There is no doubt that this band knows who they are and what they want. A triple threat of enticing visual imagery, unique sounds, and theatrical performance all merging together to form a band that can only be described as… What? Spook rock? Admittedly even they have trouble defining their genre. One thing is for sure they certainly elicit a “things that go bump in the night” feeling in each song.
How did they get this formula down? Sitting down and meeting with the team it was easy to see where this passion came from. Each adding their own unique ingredient to the mix we have Lara Yancey on bass, Kyle Bogdan on vocals, keys, and guitar, Jeremy Pappa on guitar, Keven Stephens on vocals and keys, and Michael Kazazian on drums. Kevin originally was from a band called Casanova Frankenstein which he described as a “do-wop group with Halloween influences” and desired to start a new band that carried the Halloween aesthetic. His first recruit was Kyle and with a fun-loving and outgoing personality they clicked right away. Both Kyle and Kevin are the main songwriters of the band but they have very different methods.
Kevin takes a visual approach to song writing. This started in grade school with Kevin’s teacher, Mr. Kuiper, who would play a piece for the class and describe the scene as the score played. Kevin recalled being in class listening to the Hall of the Mountain King and feeling the pace of the score intensify as the goblins climbed up the mountain. He also remembered identifying all the creatures musically personified in the Carnival of Animals by Camille Saint Saens describing how he could hear the texture in the slides of the violin. It is this early introduction to musical perception by visualization that has become the basis for his song writing. Kevin can make you see a creaky floor or bubbling waters in his music, an integral part in adding to the dark and eerie factor so important to their sound. I remember driving in my car and listening to a track where I could hear creaking and the distinguishable sound of coins being dropped. I immediately began to imagine a man slowly walking in and saddling up to a bar and dropping the coins carelessly on the counter. This visualization set the scene and mood of the song, and that is what Kevin does.
Kyle on the other hand is all emotion. A huge smile on his face and a bursting ball of energy, Kyle is a stark contrast to Kevin’s cool even temperament. My first impression of Kevin was one where he is jumping around the stage with a frightening wolverine mask on. Hard to imagine that early on in his musical career Kyle had to overcome a fear of stage fright. He recalled the pivotal moment in his music career when he played “In my Life” on his Esteban guitar for show and tell. He described his performance as nerve wracking and shaky but he managed to dig in and play the whole way through. Getting through that first performance was the key to overcome his fear and move forward with his musical career. It’s this strong current of emotion Kyle channels in every song. Kyle raises his hands as he speaks and drives his fist into his hand as he says “I write with my heart and my emotions and I just want to pummel that feeling into the song.” While Kevin paints an ekphrastic scene with his writing, Kyle implements the emotion felt when hearing the song. As he mentions in one of his favorite songs, Blue Green, he invokes the strong feelings of love and loss that he feels for his late grandmother.
Michael added a unique twist as he came from a metal background, and Kyle and Kevin admittedly were not sure that this musical style would be the best fit for the band. However, Michael proved to be the most adaptable bandmate which is vital when working with a songwriter like Kyle who often excitedly describes his ideas through an engaging series of sounds that could be compared to trying to tell your mechanic what’s wrong with your car, but Michael says he’s learned to speak Kyle’s language and interprets this into the rhythm of the song. Truly with such an eclectic sound, Harum Scarum needed a drummer who had a dynamic skill set such as Michael. During our discussion Kevin said “songwriting is a growing seed and as we develop the different parts it grows” surely, given this analogy, Michael would be what gave the seed the roots.
From Michaels first drum lessons to Kyle’s first guitar there is a musical empire which every local musician knows well, Yancey’s. This store was run by Lara’s family for many years and was known by all as the go to place for all your music needs. Growing up in this environment, naturally Lara developed a keen musical ability. Lara recalled attending a Halloween show at Tir na Nog where she first encountered Harum Scarum, and was instantly hooked on the sound. She said she remembered excitedly telling everyone who passed by about the band playing inside. After she heard that they were losing their bass player and eager to be a part of this exciting project Lara picked up her bass and with her strong musical background it was easy for her to fit right in with the band. Lara defines playing music as being the closest to her truest self. “It’s about feeling comfortable doing something so special and private.” I have spoken to many musicians who tell me it is not so much about the musical talent of the bandmates that makes a good band as it is being able to connect with them. Given Lara’s wholesome response it was easy to see she developed an almost familial connection to her band. Even her bandmates describe how her nurturing nature makes them see her as the mother of the band, often taking care of them when they’re at shows or touring.
Anyone who knows Jeremy Pappa knows he is a modern day Renaissance man. From his talented portraits and beautiful paintings of wildlife to his role as a musician, Jeremy is one of those people who are excellent creators and have been blessed with natural talent. Which raised the question what is his true passion? Jeremy states that, while he sees himself as a more talented painter, his true passion is playing music; declaring it the most fun and fulling artistic venture he practices. He claims that painting comes easily to him while music is more challenging, making it more appealing. Like Lara, Jeremy was a fan of the band first. A BIG fan actually. Kyle recalled a Sarbez show in which Jeremy sang every lyric. Learning the songs on his own time, and even messaging bandmates asking for lyrics, it was easy to accept him into the band and he has been a prominent member ever since. Jeremy is an example of what we all hope to achieve: someone making their way just doing what they love. Simply put Jeremy claims, “The most rewarding thing to me is just playing a good gig.”
With such a creative line up its clear how Harum Scarum has cultivated their unique sound. They invoke that feeling we get when need to look in your rearview mirror at night or that unexpected chill runs down your spine. They play at our natural fascination with the macabre or eerie. It’s fun to indulge in the strange and they enjoy providing that experience for us. As Michael states, “It doesn’t matter if we’re playing in front of five people or one million people, it’s just magic. That feeling, especially when we’re playing, it’s like this bubble of sound where anything can be happening outside and it doesn’t matter. It’s fun and it makes my heart happy and everyone’s having a good time. It’s just fun there’s nothing like it.”
So next time you feel the tickling curiosity for the darker side you can find the next Harum Scarum experience at Ormond Brewing Company where they will be launching their newest album release: Harum Scarum: Spider Island. Can you see it now? That wicked smile?
The band would like to give thanks to all the audience members who attend and support their shows.
