Artist interview with Scott Beetley vocalist and guitarist for Warhog.
What first got you into music?
I was a kid who was into music at a very young age. I remember being able to work my parents' turntable and listening to Beatles and Michael Jackson records before I could ride a bike. There's no memory in my brain old enough that it goes back to a place "before I was into music."
How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t heard it before?
Warhog is a heavy band that blends elements of power metal, thrash, groove, and doom together. We're a headbanging type of band with a sing-song, melodic quality that I think catches people off guard.
Was there a defining moment when you realized music was your calling?
I've always wanted to play music for people. I didn't have a really clear idea of what that looked like or how I wanted to achieve that until I saw "Live After Death" on VHS. That was the moment where I realized I wanted to achieve a certain level of show and performance with music. Iron Maiden is not a very realistic bar to set for oneself, but I was young and didn't know any better.
Where do you find inspiration for your lyrics or melodies?
The lyrics come from different places. My own personal experiences, current events, random stuff related to the things I happen to be interested in. Music just tends to pop into my head. If I think I've got an idea, I try to quickly make sure it's not just something someone else did that I'm half remembering. If it's too close, I'll let it go, but if it's something that seems to be standing on its own, I'll just follow it where it goes and let it write itself.
How do you balance personal expression and creating something your audience will love?
I don't try to think too hard about certain aspects of the music because I don't see us as that kind of band. We're not overly technical or innovative. We're trying to bring energy and fun for the duration of the show. To me, the job is to be entertaining while playing music, so we're looking to make music that'll give us the best shot at letting the audience enjoy the next 45 minutes of their lives, because they're the ones paying for the show. It's not my $10 getting them in the door, it's theirs.
What has been the most rewarding moment of your career so far?
I'm being really honest; I just am so amused that I'm in my mid-40's and still playing music with my friends. Justin (our bassist) and I live close to each other, so a lot of local shows, I just ride along with him to our gigs and I'm always saying stuff like, "isn't this crazy that we're doing this again?" There was a time that I honestly had hung up the guitar and moved on from doing a lot of this stuff, and Warhog has been in a lot of ways a second chance to do all the things we didn't figure out how to do as younger men.
Are there any specific milestones you’re working toward in your career?
We're really dying to get some kind of management arrangement going and get on some festivals or a tour. We're doing well booking shows locally and stretching out regionally some, so now we're trying to figure out what the correct next steps are to get to the level above where we're at. I think a supporting spot on a small tour, maybe a couple festival slots would be good. I'd love to have someone doing a lot of the background work for us, too.
How do you prepare for a show or tour?
I don't. I don't think the guys do much, either. I think we play enough that each show is prep for the next one and we feel practiced and confident each time we're on stage. If anything, I think my pre-show prep is just to walk around and clear my head, soak in the vibe of the venue, walk around Deep Ellum if we're playing there, and get a quiet moment in to focus my mind. That's about it.
What’s the most unusual or memorable thing that’s happened to you on stage?
We recently played a show where in the moment, I knew we had clicked and were playing the best we'd played together until that point. It was like we were all in a state of flow as a band and I remember thinking, "oh wow, this is it, this is what the well-oiled machine feels like." It was somewhat out of body, in a way. I don't remember anything else about that show except for that moment a third of the way into the second song. I'll probably always have that memory.
Can you tell us about your latest project or release?
Our latest project is "The Dystopian Chronicles, Vol. 3," which we'll be releasing in early June. We had worked up material for a second album while recording our first (Call of the Voyager) and decided to break it up into EP's so we had more things to release throughout the year. We're really excited to get it out there because there's some strong material, we're very interested in hearing reactions to. It'll be four tracks totaling about 25 minutes of music and it'll close out the "Dystopian Chronicles" Trilogy nicely. All three of those EPs should be an interesting listen back-to-back. Also, it's good to be done with this second phase of our work so that we can move on to recording more new music and adding new songs to the live show.
Are there any collaborations in the works you’re excited about?
No, but that's something fun we've thought about and would like to do in the future. We've got lots of friends in other bands that we'd like to do stuff with. I think we'll eventually get to a point where we do an EP or something with guest players on every track or something.
What message or emotion do you hope people take away from your music?
The message is in the music if you're paying attention. Emotionally, we just want people to feel entertained. I want nothing more than for someone to come watch us or listen to our music and go, "that was fun, I enjoyed that, I think I'll have some more of that."
Who are you listening to right now?
Early Megadeth, Thin Lizzy, Helloween, and the Lonely Island because comedy is my second love after music so any mix of the two is something I'll go all in on.
How do you see your music evolving in the next few years?
I'd like to write music that challenges us on stage without being a burden to our performance. I have an idea of what that is, I just need to start writing in that direction, but I also don't want to push against the other things we're already working on. We'll figure it out.
How do you handle the balance between commercial success and artistic integrity?
I would love to get some commercial success so that I could answer that question. I think ultimately, we're just going to commit to being our authentic selves.
What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects, tours, or surprises?
We've got lots of shows booked already in 2025. After we release "Chronicles, Vol. 3," we're going to record another EP that we've been waiting to get working on for several months. Then we've got some singles we're not sure what to do with that might be another EP with some bonus goodies. We're shooting for a full-length album release in 2026. Hopefully we can figure out some kind of tour support spot or get on a festival or two as well.
Anything You'd Like Your Fans to Know.
We're a very hard-working band. It's not something we do part time; it's not something we half ass. We're constantly writing new songs, recording demos for future releases, and booking shows months in advance so that we're always pushing forward. Follow us, go on this adventure with us, because we're a band that is ready to get some shit done.
Link to Album or Other Media.
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