San Francisco-based emo-indie band The Scenic Vermont were a short-lived phenomenon, lasting only from 1995-1998. But to the members of the West Coast indie scene, they’re remembered fondly for their brief time playing with peers like Modest Mouse, Red Stars Theory, 764-Hero, Nuzzle, and Track Star. The band released one EP in 1997 called Worse Further South, a six-track release on Suicide Squeeze Records, recorded at Moon Music out of Olympia Washington, that was only pressed on 500 black vinyl copies.
The band’s four members frequently changed instruments and vocal duties, but the core lineup was Aron Ward (guitar), Yoshi Nakamoto (guitar), Brooks Bonstin (bass), and Jules Konig (drums), with the members branching out into other projects afterwards. Nakamoto became the drummer for The Aislers Set; Brooks joined The Rapture from 1998-2000 as a bassist, and Ward, who is the son of Black Sabbath founding member Bill Ward, is still playing with Bryn Wyrd and Harpoon.
Worse Further South is finally seeing a re-release on Suicide Squeeze Records with a 2025 remaster by Chris Common at Twin Hills Mastering. Today, the band are premiering two tracks off the remaster, “Instant Martyr” and “Elementary,” capturing the warmth, soul, and beauty of ’90’s indie and emo music. Check out the two tracks below.
We chatted with the members of The Scenic Vermont to talk about the re-release and the history of the band. Here’s what they had to say.
It’s been quite a long time since The Scenic Vermont were active. How does it feel for your sole EP to finally get this re-release almost 30 years later? The Scenic Vermont’s music has been largely out of reach for decades, and now Worse Further South is finally getting a re-release nearly 30 years later. What’s it like to see this EP resurface after so long and to have people discovering (or rediscovering) it now?
Aeron Ward: Kinda weird because it’s been so long, but mostly super heartwarming. We worked really fucking hard in the short time we were around, so I think it deserves to be out there. Why not, eh?
Yoshi Nakamoto: Listening back to these songs made me realize that I have no idea how to play guitar anymore. For the life of me, I wouldn’t be able to remember any of the chords or leads I played. But it’s very, very cool that these recordings will get a new life. I’ll be so happy if there’s even one kid who discovers these songs and “Instant Martyr” or “Elementary” becomes their new favorite song on repeat. It’s definitely a trip to realize that these songs are older than we were when we recorded them.
Jules Konig: It’s a mix of emotions … pride, nostalgia, and a bit of disbelief. That EP captured a moment in time for us, and revisiting it now feels like opening a time capsule. I’m thankful it’s getting the chance to reach new ears after all these years. I’m also super stoked on how the digital remastering by Chris Common made us sound. Forever grateful to David Dickenson and Suicide Squeeze for making this all happen.
Brooks Bonstin: I feel absolutely humbled and honored that David would be willing to take this on, to be honest, just like I felt almost 30 years ago when he offered up that he was willing to put out a record for us, line up the studio time, the mastering, and even setting us up to get those cool silk screened covers for the release.
The EP spans six tracks, but you’re starting with the release of “Instant Martyr” and “Elementary” on October 17 ahead of the full EP reissue on November 7. Can you tell me a bit about those two songs, their background, and what they capture about where the band was at the time?
Aeron Ward: “Elementary”’s lyrics were bleak, your gears grinding through happy thoughts before driving or jumping off the Bay Bridge. I think we always played this last because it was so ‘epic’? Ha! “Instant Martyr” is a dig at cool kids? Kinda slow ‘n’ sassy take on the scene. What made these tracks so special in the recording process was having the privilege of Nicole doing backing vocals took it to another level—made us sound professional. Moon Music was such a relaxed studio as well in quiet Olympia. Like, it couldn’t exist in the bay area or LA. I felt like we were treated really well, and I remember Steve being super patient and open to suggestions. I know I was bricking it the whole time, but we played these tracks to death before recording so I believe we had enough confidence to get through it.
Brooks Bonstin: These two are Aron songs, so I can’t say much about Aron’s intentions. I will say that “Elementary” was maybe my favorite song to play live over the short span of bands I was in, screaming “east 80, east 80, west” on stage with Aron was great angsty catharsis. I also remember being so stoked that David got Nicole to do these backing vocals, since I really loved what she did on that first Modest Mouse record. I got goosebumps hearing her in the final mix then, and I get them now listening to her in Chris’s re-master.
The Scenic Vermont were part of the ‘90’s emo-indie scene and then emo exploded into the mainstream (albeit with more of a pop-punk bent) in the early 2000s. Do you think of yourselves as partially responsible for that emo boom?
Aeron Ward: I have no idea, I’ve heard that some folks have cited us as influential, but yeah, that’s just too wild for me to accept. However we were definitely seeped in the scene as much as any other band—made some really close friends and to this day enjoy each other’s music. There was something going down!
Yoshi Nakamoto: When we were active, there were so many islands of emo, but overall, I tend to think we were a little isolated from all that and more aligned with a specific geography that included bands like Nuzzle, 764-Hero, Modest Mouse, Red Stars Theory, and Strictly Ballroom, a Pacific Highway of bands stretching from California to the Pacific Northwest. I don’t feel we were anywhere remotely responsible for any sort of boom, but many bands that were our contemporaries did influence it.
Jules Konig: Not at all. I think we were still trying to figure out where we fit into the music scene. I remember we and other people had a hard time describing what we were and what our music was. Some said we were “prog rock,” probably because we always had a lot of changes in our songs, and some said we sounded like Pavement. We all had similar but varied music taste and were just making what we all thought sounded good and was fun to play.
Brooks Bonstin: Please don’t blame us for any part of that early 2000s emo thing!
Worse Further South originally came out on Suicide Squeeze back in 1997, and now it’s being remastered and reissued through them again. What has it been like revisiting the release with Suicide Squeeze after all these years?
Aeron Ward: It’s been awesome to listen back to the EP and reconnect with my brothers, David included! A lot of rad times were had. The crazy thing is all the recent talk between us and the EP getting all this love makes me wanna write a new album and play some shows together. SVT forever!
Yoshi Nakamoto: It’s been nice to have this chapter brought back into our lives again. All of us have full lives, and it’s been wonderful to have an excuse to be in each other’s worlds again. Being part of the Suicide Squeeze family has been very important to us as a band. Our single was the label’s second release back in 1996 and many of who we met and played with along the way was because of our relationship with the label.
We had a brief moment to grow up together, and it’s incredible to see the label still going strong almost three decades later. I’m really proud of David. It’s so easy these days to be busy and distracted and only able to really invest in what’s directly present around us. So I especially feel grateful that the past has reached out to remind me of all these great memories and the deep appreciation I have for the other three members of the band and for David.
Jules Konig: Besides finally having a digital version of the EP, for me, the best part has been reconnecting with Aron, Brooks, and Yoshi and looking back at all of the photos, show posters, and re-listening to the music again, together. It’s been so long, that it’s almost like listening to it for the first time.
Brooks Bonstin: Joy, just pure joy to have an excuse to hang out with all of these dudes (even digitally) and collaborate in some small fashion again.
Worse Further South is out on November 7, and you can preorder it here.
Photo Credit: Ben Clark
