We recently had the chance to connect with Jess Scott and have shared our conversation below.
Jess, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Have you stood up for someone when it cost you something?
Quit my highest paying job the height of the pandemic as my employer told me I should/could legally threaten our staffs unemployment if they wouldn’t go work in hospitals. First time I ever quit a job without a plan after.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Jess, the front woman of Subpar Snatch, an Austin-based punk rock force known for blistering riffs, riotous rhythms, and unapologetically raw lyrics. Fusing riot grrrl energy with garage punk grit, our live shows are a chaotic, inclusive celebration where mosh pits meet inside jokes. Fun and ferocious, Subpar Snatch is known for turning chaos into community.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I lost 45 lbs my freshmen year of college. I saw how differently people treated me as someone without those 45lbs. It is impossible to unsee? My 91 year old grandmother still asks me how much I weigh on our phone calls, if that tells you how influenced my immediate family is by vanity.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
This year I wanted to quit. Our band Subpar Snatch had worked to get it planned out- our next EP release and strategies, music video and photo shoots and we’d landed our first distribution deal via Stupid Monday Records. Then our bassist had to take a month off. We worked to reschedule everything. Lol then our bassist suddenly had to take a permanent time off. So we worked to reschedule everything again, in order to not delay release schedule.
The stress started to suck the fun out of it, which can feel stifling when you make music for fun, not money.
Stupid Monday Records founder and owner Salazar Gomez and designer Joseph La Grand, were both our Obi Wan’s during this time. They kept us high-spirited and focused on the successes. Reminding us we were making good stuff, for the right reasons and in the right ways.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
Everyone. We value merit > power, periodt.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
As a band we maybe have about 3 good years left. I, Jess, am the front person in this punk rock trio, known for bringing way too much move-around energy, who also has an invisible disability; benign tumor in my left foot. This tumor is not removable until my pain is unbearable and once removed has 90% reoccurrence rate. It was diagnosed 10+ years ago, provides chronic pain and I get steroid shots administered locally. Anyway….that’s why I go so hard at shows cuz in a few years I won’t be able to.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/subparsnatch/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/subparsnatch/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@subparsnatch
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-341560782
- Other: https://stupidmondayrecords.com/pages/subpar-snatch
Image Credits
Steve Hughes
