Get to know... Jarad Rogers

Jarad Rogers has been a fixture on the Tri-Cities music scene for years, getting his feet wet as a young man and, over time, paying his dues with lots of area legends and staples. His tastes run towards the heavier side of things, with bands who like to keep things loud and raw, but that isn't all he can do. He's played in country and Americana outfits as well, working to bring songs to life and keeping the groove on bass and behind the drum kit. He made himself a versatile musician, which made him indispensable in our region. He stays busy, either here at home or on the road. He stays involved. And he stays ready, because he never knows when the next opportunity will come knocking. Take a few moments and get to know Jarad Rogers. When did you decide music was going to be a big part of your life, and how did you first get involved? "I've been obsessed with music for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid in the '80s, my grandparents were gospel musicians and my mom played piano, but what really pulled me in was my dad constantly playing classic rock radio around the house and in the car. I loved the Beatles, Hendrix, Blue Oyster Cult - basically all the standards. My parents never tried to shelter me from anything in my life and I never had a bed time, so by the early '90s I was staying up late every weekend to watch Headbanger's Ball, where I was discovering stuff like Ozzy and Slayer. Then, grunge hit and I was all in. I became obsessed with all of it, but particularly Nirvana. My parents gave me a cheap guitar and I started a band with my life-long friend Lane Blevins before either of us could really even play. We did mostly covers of Nirvana and Weezer songs. I started checking out every band that Kurt Cobain referenced in interviews or wore on his shirts. Black Flag, Scratch Acid, Meat Puppets, Tad, Flipper, etc. My world expanded from there and by 14, I discovered the local music scene, which was really thriving in the 90s. I started going to every show I possibly could and I never looked back. Now here we are." Is this current project the first, or have you been involved in other things? "I've been playing music in the region for about 26 years now. When I was 17, a local musician I admired, Moose Roberts, noticed me and asked me to play bass in his band KillCity. I said yes, despite not owning a bass or knowing how to play one. The singer, Scotty Almany, loaned me a Peavey T-40 and within weeks we were playing gigs. I went on to be in many bands with those two - The Haints, Thee Birds ov Paradise, the Fury Heat, and Moose and the Monkey Paws, to name a few. I started playing drums in bands around 2001 and that landed me more gigs than I could handle, because everyone needs a drummer. I was playing every weekend and doing everything from rockabilly to sludge metal. Later, I ended up playing country/Americana for years with my dear friends Steve Gilbert and Jason Wilson, who are sadly no longer with us. I received my musical education on the fly from all these talented people and for them I will always be grateful." What is it about music that makes you want to perform or be involved? "The community. The bond that forms between people with a shared passion for making things and building a scene and the way that you can walk into a room full of working musicians and know that, even if you don't know them, you have more in common with them than anyone else in the place. I could never give that up. And the fact that music has allowed me to travel extensively and make so many great friends across the country has been a really nice bonus." How would you describe your music/band/project? "I currently play bass in a band called Nerve Endings that I suppose you'd call a punk band, though we draw a ton of influence from bands like the Jesus Lizard and Shellac, as well as a lot of the weirder '80s hardcore bands. It's wild and rowdy but also really technical. I've been playing music with our guitar player, Will Armstrong, for well over 20 years and we've developed a kind of psychic link that makes for an interesting musical dynamic. I also play drums in a band called Obsidian Urn that's easily the heaviest thing I've ever been involved in. It's slow, low and mean. Then, I'm one of two guitarists for the post-rock/shoegaze/atmospheric metal band Vespers and I play guitar (and sometimes drums) for my friend Jacob Danielsen-Moore. Members of the latter two bands make up yet another band, which is basically a comedy act and who's name isn't printable here." Is this something you see yourself doing as a career? "Yeah, I suppose it's become that. I've spent over a hundred days on tour this year with my friends Weedeater, selling merch, doing roadie and tech work, and often getting up to do a song with them. It's been an incredible experience, getting to tour with bands like the Melvins, Napalm Death, Baroness, Acid Bath, etc. When I'm not on the road I'm home working on my own bands. This is the first year I've made most of my living off of music." What are your other interests? Do you have any surprise talents or hobbies? "I used to be focused on visual arts when I was younger, before music took over. During the pandemic, I started making collages to pass the time. I ended up getting decent at it and selling some pieces and having some others get used for merchandise designs and album art. Now it's become a relaxing, meditative part of my life, to sit in my office with music or a podcast going and just kinda forget about everything but the piece I'm working on." Who are your influences/favorites (worldwide and local)? "The influence of Moose Roberts and Scotty Almany can't be overstated. They not only gave me my start when I was too young to even get into the venues we were playing, but they taught me how to play music as part of a group, to listen to what every player is doing and, above all, to serve the song. They also introduced me to about 50 of my favorite bands. I could (and sometimes do) spend hours rattling off the better known bands that have meant the world to me, but local music had just as much impact on my life. I saw Punchin' Judy and the Ghoultones play Stella Blue in downtown Bristol when I was maybe 14 and I couldn't believe people in my hometown were playing this music - not just playing it, but crushing it. I was hooked. I'd go to Judy or Omega Tribe practice and stand right behind Scott Thomas and try to learn everything he was doing on drums. He's so good. That dude influenced me more than John Bonham and Bill Ward combined. Later, I ended up taking over drum duties from him in a band called the Edibles and I remember thinking 'I have to do this right. I can't let him see me suck at playing these parts.' I continue to be inspired by the incredible wealth of talent in this region. Bands like Haal, Godsize, Terror Trash, Monakopsis, Coffin Smoke, Generation of Vipers, Die Laughing, Povertybomb, the Kindest People, Demon Waffle, Wyndrider, Basement Days, Bacalou, Season of the Witch, Buzzhound, any noise project by Patrik Daugherty, Todd Burris, Maggie Ledes, and so on. Too many names to name and I know I'm leaving a lot out, but suffice it to say they're all my extended family, thanks to this little community of creative misfits and artists we've built here in our corner of Appalachia." If you could tell people one thing they should know about you, what would it be? "Being a big weirdo has actually worked out great for me. I don't like a lot of the things that most people seem to like, and I love a lot of things that many people don't enjoy or understand at all. But, I think that's allowed me to make the kind of art that feels vital and interesting to me, much more so than if I'd paid attention to what's popular at any given moment. I'm happy with my life, my partner, and my friends… I did alright with the cards I was dealt. If I leave this world tomorrow, I'll leave being proud of what I've made, and knowing that I had plenty of love in my life." How can people contact you about booking and information? "You can email me at jaradrogers42@gmail.com or check out my art on Instagram @j.rogers.art. Or just message any of my bands on socials!"