Scott H. Biram Interview: SXSW 2010

Scott H. Biram is a Texas musician who plays onstage as a one-man band. A former punk rocker, Biram devoted himself full-time to his solo career after the breakup of a former band and developed a unique method of keeping the beat. From stomping on the ground to building his own box with pick-ups, the musician has earned a reputation as an impressive live act, and attracts fans from both the country and rock sides of the fence with his genre-melding songs. Spinner recently spoke with Biram about his music, his thoughts on SXSW and his plans for 2010.

Your music is rawer than what most casual music fans would probably consider to be the blues. How would you describe your sound in your own words?

It's hard to describe, which I think is a good thing. The rawness of it is the way I keep it punk rock a little bit. I play country and blues, a smorgasbord of country and blues and punk and rock, and mix it all in there. So it's hard to say.

What do you consider your primary musical influences?

I would say that blues is the first thing that I reach for, but always with a kind of a punk edge on it, man. Because I grew up playing in punk rock bands, I like playing rock clubs, I like the rowdiness of it all. I try to keep it a little bit punk.

What prompted you to be the "Dirty Old One-Man Band"?

The "one-man band" part of it came out of a necessity to pay bills -- my band had broken up, and I just kept playing. What happened was, I was in several bands before that and I always on the back burner had this solo guitar-singing thing. I used to play out at Gruene Hall, and stomp my foot on the wood and I liked the way that sounded, and so I started stomping on the microphone and that led to making boards with pick-ups in it that could do that. It was my way of competing with rock bands and I could play in big clubs, rock clubs and not just get pushed off into a coffeehouse or something.

Being from Austin, what's your take on SXSW? There are typically mixed opinions from people who live there.

I love it, man. I think it's great. Maybe that's because I'm always accepted. [laughs] It brings some great music to town and it's a little bit of a highlight for Austin for the world to see. I'm always excited when it comes around. I mean, it's kind of crazy, and there's people all over the place, and the traffic gets kind of s---ty, but for the most part man I love going down there and watching a band and looking next to me and H.R. from Bad Brains is standing there.

What are you looking forward to at this year's SXSW?

Making up for last year when I had a broken leg and all I could do was sit there and play guitar. This year, I have the whole deal going.

What do you consider your proudest or favorite accomplishment as a musician?

Traveling all over the world and being known in random countries kind of makes you feel pretty good, like I've done something. Just being able to pay my bills doing what I love, I think is a good accomplishment.

What's your favorite part about touring?

Getting away from home for a while. It's like having your own birthday party every night in a different town, just the camaraderie on the road with friends that are on the road with me, good laugh, and meeting some interesting people too.

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

I usually admit it all, man. I tell you what, we listen to a lot in the van: Eddie Money, David Lee Roth ...

Beatles or the Rolling Stones?

Stones. You know that's right.

David A. Cobb is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.