by Chandler Christopher
Boyscott is the harmonious, sweet-sounding brainchild of New Jersey hailing Scott Hermo. The project was established in Nashville, Tennessee when Scott encountered bandmate Tiger Adams at Belmont University and displayed his catalog of demoed tunes. “I was a bit nervous to show people my music, but when I met Tiger it just felt right for me to show him,” Hermo explained. It was this original synergy and mutual vision that sparked a burst of confidence, shepherding the formation of Boyscott. A self-prescribed “metamorphic rock band,” the band’s first and only project to date, ‘Goosebumps (2015),’ is a beautifully instrumented collection of melodies. Composed primarily through writing sessions at his mom’s house in high school, Scott says that he wrote Goosebumps as a way to decompress and relax his mind. Boyscott could have never fathomed the venture that awaited.
Throughout the expanse of Boyscott’s journey, numerous people have become pivotal counterparts of the entourage with their proven commitment to the show’s production. I had the pleasure of speaking with Scott and longtime counterpart and bandmate, Emma Willer. The pair joined forces in 2017 while studying film at Belmont University, arranging as a collaborative puzzle with their flawless timing. As Boyscott was in need of instrument players for their upcoming tour, Emma graciously accepted Scott’s call to action. While band buddies have come and gone over the years, it’s been Scott, Emma, and Tiger who have maintained the core of the bunch.
Boyscott made the timely relocation to its current base of Memphis, Tennessee just weeks before the start of the pandemic in 2020. Prior to this chapter, the troop (pun intended…Scott + Boy Scout) spent a couple of years basking in the small-town lifestyle of Connecticut. It was here that Scott hunkered down and narrow-focused on writing, perfecting a collection of sounds that would soon be divulged to Boyscott’s global fanbase. Time spent outside of songwriting compiled peaceful hikes in the northeastern wilderness. Boyscott shared a tale of their unique relationship with a family of beavers (yes, beavers) they stumbled across on a trek one day. In the succeeding months, the crew regularly returned to this spot to observe the beaver’s unity in creating a cohesive home for themselves. Scott and Emma describe these experiences as formative and therapeutic for their recent artistic journey.
Still in production, their upcoming project is being recorded in an empty, windowless theatre in downtown Memphis. Scott and Emma spend most of their weekly time co-writing music here, subconsciously complementing each other’s musical abilities. While Scott focuses the vast majority of his time perfecting Boyscott’s tunes, Emma’s time is consumed by her personal project, “Lazy Trail,” which is set to launch in the not-so-distant future (so be on the lookout for that!).
With Covid having severely affected innumerable lives cross-nationally, Scott and Emma pragmatically sought out positives. As the political and social climate magnified in our communities, the duo took the liberty to educate themselves about the surfacing social movements. With plans to implement elements of social education into their post-pandemic shows, the forefront of Boyscott’s musical mission has significantly shifted. Inspired by ideas like putting a voter registration stand at shows (which they saw Pinegrove do when on tour with them), many brainstorm sessions will prepare the band for their next tour. Charming, unalloyed, and pure, Boyscott offers sensational tracks backed by a core band that uses music to aid in social reform transnationally. Support these sublime beings at all costs!
