Interview: The Many Bands Of Scott Vogel, Part 2 (Despair)

So I admit that I get easily sidetracked but I finally followed up with Scott Vogel for part 2 looking back on the bands that he's been a part of. Well here we are with part 2 (yes, finally). This time I covered Despair, the first band that Scott was in that really made some waves, not only in the US but also overseas. I'm currently working on questions for the Buried Alive interview so if you want to ask something, hit me up. Without further ado, here's Scott looking back on his time in Buffalo's Despair.

Stuck In The Past: How did Despair form?
Scott: Buffalo hc was at a really cool point just before Despair formed. Bands like Slugfest, Against All Hope and Discontent all played shows together and hung out at shows ect., so when bands were breaking up, new ones would form. I think this is how Despair started. My first memories of the band would be at the Against All Hope practice place writing the first songs together. No one in the band lived close to each other so we would all just show up, load the gear we had on and try to write songs and laugh and not be so serious I guess. This week I did a guest vocal spot on a new band from Montreal. They wrote me a nice email telling me how it would be really cool to have me on their record, ect. so of course I did it. But what I'm getting at is after spending the day with the bands frontman, I learned they don't have a demo out, aren't touring but they already have a manager, are talking to booking agents and labels like Epitaph are offering them record deals. This blew my mind and now typing this out and thinking of how Despair began just shows me how much had changed. We were kids that went to shows together and wanted to maybe put out a 7 inch if things went well. Maybe play in Syracuse and Erie. ha ha ha

SITP: Who was in the original lineup?
Scott: Me , Phil was on drums (really great all around musician, played guitar in Against All Hope and - was in lots of buffalo hc bands - currently a dad to a few children i believe), Joe Garlic (Garlipp) on guitar (total weirdo, I mean weird - currently tour manages ted nugget ha ha ha , for real), matt denty on guitar (pretty normal, down to earth guy - i heard he's like a millionaire from inventing some computer thing or something), Brian Fligger on bass (liked to party, I think he still does. I've seen him at a few Terror shows in Buffalo this year, seems cool).

SITP: How quickly did recording come about? How soon were you approached about releasing a record?
Scott: I think when we had about 8 songs we decided to record a demo. I'm sure we just went to some studio we could afford. We got the songs done and at the same time I was living with this kid Kurt. He pushed carts at a grocery store. One day he found a purse left behind with a band evelope with 1000 bucks in it. So of course he kept that shit. He came home from work and asked if we wanted to do a 7 inch as the first release (on the label) he was going start with the poor old womens money.So we gave him 4 songs, which became the 1000 Cries EP, and put the other 4 out on a demo tape. It was cool living with him as I would see the mail orders coming in and we would ship records off to Europe and all over. We all made zines and went to shows all over . DIY stuff. HC stuff. Kinda like what I'm doing now living at Fort Reaper .

SITP: With Despair, was this the first time you went to Europe?
Scott: Yeah, we went twice. I mean this was a dream come true. The shows were all very small unless we got to jump on with bigger bands but we felt like we were on top of the world. Getting passports and flights to Europe for your band was pretty fucking cool. At shows, there were always a few kids that knew the songs and sang along and we sold some shirts and explored Europe.

SITP: Give us some of your more memorable moments in the band.
Scott: We always had great shows in Buffalo, Toronto, Erie and Syracuse. A lot of energy and good times. Playing with Strife in LA was so cool. The first real tour I ever did was with Despair, Brother's Keeper and Harvest. It'd was a few weeks down to Florida in the winter. Playing the Syracuse new years day shows and the first Hellfest was unreal at the time and then the full USA tour with Hatebreed was so fun.

SITP: How did you hook up with Trustkill?
Scott: Trustkill was a zine at first i believe (ed. It was). Josh (Grabelle) was going to school in Syracuse and the label just started when we where ready to do a record. He had a few records out and seemed like he was doing it pretty serious. I'm not sure how it all started or who approached who but it all came together and i think it was a cool combo at the time.

SITP: A lot of people may think of Initial Records as a label that catered more to the Emo crowd but they actually released quite a few hardcore records. How did you guys end up going with Initial after releasing records with Trustkill?
Scott: well first off I love Falling Forward, Enkindles and all that shit but yes he did This World Rejected, Pitbull, Ricochet and a lot of hard stuff. I believe I really liked the label and sent him a demo which i got a letter back saying thanks but no thanks. But I guess as time went on Andy (Rich) and I stayed in touch and Despair was doing records with Initial. That label was great to us. Much respect.

SITP: Tell me about the Hatebreed tour during the summer off 1997.
Scott: Pure madness. Lawlessness. Me and Jamey booked the tour and we hit the road for a month. Seeing the Hatebreed machine grow every night and bulldoze every city was so cool. We drank a lot, played wiffle ball, caused a lot of trouble - played shitty shows, played great ones. Tony Victory came out to Cali and signed Hatebreed and asked Despair to do an EP. That was pretty unreal man. Tazzors pulled on trannys, stabbings, dirty videos made, ha ha ha ha. Good times man. RIP Boulder.

SITP: What caused the band to break up?
Scott: We went to Europe again right after this tour (the tour with Hatebreed). Like over two months straight of touring. Some dudes couldn't live like that so they said I'm out. The rest of us said fuck it, its over and it was.

SITP: Do you ever miss playing in Despair? Any chance of playing another show to revisit those old songs?
Scott: Cool band but I don't miss it. No Despair reunion needed. Reunions are cheap for the most part. Dudes that turned there backs on HC and ate there words realized they have no other crowd to play to or they want to feel that I'm so cool on stage again. They are going through the motions and don't even believe in the words they are saying... or they need money and use HC. It's all cheap. I mean believe me there are exceptions but this is what I see mostly. I'm at a show almost everyday. Terror is the realest band I've ever know. I'm living for today not 95.