Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Olya Viglione - Songwriter, vocals, piano & keyboards

Brian Viglione - Producer, drums, vocals, guitar

Mark Christopher Kohut - Guitar

Ed Goldson - Bass, vocals

For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to (insert band/artist name here)? How long has the band been around?

Olya Viglione has toured with Jesse Malin and recorded with Voltaire but Scarlet Sails is her first group as a bandleader.

Brian Viglione is a founding member of The Dresden Dolls, and played with Nine Inch Nails, and Violent Femmes, as well as countless other acts since 2000.

Mark Kohut played in The Killing Floor and is a current member of David Bowie tribute act, Michael T. & The Vanities.

Ed Goldson has an exciting history as a touring musician with artists like Pharoahe Monch, Jean Grae, and Imani Coppola, and numerous sessions with top hip-hop and R&B acts such as Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Big Pun, Dead Prez, and members of Wu-Tang Clan.

Scarlet Sails was formed in summer 2015, with Kohut joining in March 2016, and Ed joined literally yesterday. Phew.

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?

The name Scarlet Sails is taken from the 1923 adventure novel by Alexander Grin.

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

Brian:  Olya writes all of the songs. She will have the chords and lyrics and then we will flesh the idea out together, experimenting with various ideas, rhythms, and arrangements. The main themes seem to be about reinventing oneself, or turning negative inward tendencies into positive outward expression. I’m sure the ideas will evolve over time, yet most songwriters seem to have a theme that they explore over and over again from different perspectives, so we’ll have to wait and see.

What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

Brian: Queen, Alice Cooper, Radiohead, Funkadelic, Stevie Wonder, Bjork, Anthony Hamilton, Kendrick Lamar, Nick Cave, The Supremes. 

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?

Brian: The great jazz drummer, Elvin Jones, has been my primary inspiration since I saw him in 1992 when I was 11 years old. It changed my life and drove me to explore the instrument and share the joy I found playing music more than anything.  I know Olya was very inspired by the band Night Snipers and Diana Arbenina who was a founding member of that band. She’s a total power house as well.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …

Brian: Absolutely. I make sure to stay hydrated and doing some stretching to get myself limbered up. Also, just simple vocal warmups. Olya has been studying with Don Lawrence who has worked with all kinds of huge singers and his vocal warm up helps a lot to get ready for stage.

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

Brian: I would say getting this new album out via Kickstarter and surpassing our two stretch goals to raise of over $20K and seeing all the fans come together in support of it. Touring and recording in the short time we’ve been together has been a great experience, but when you see everyone out there believing in what you do and adding to it, that’s the best feeling, especially when you’re just starting out.

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

Brian: Would of course love to play with Radiohead, Nick Cave, Tom Waits, or of course any of the classic soul artists like James Brown or Marvin Gaye, because the sheer amount you can lear from observing performers like that up close is invaluable education. Plus, who wouldn’t want to see that from side of stage for a whole tour?

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Brian: We are excited to put together run of shows out to the west coast this July and August, so anyone who wants to help out a bill together, hit us up at ScarletSailsBand.com. Can’t wait to tour.