Scott Schorr joins Preston Frazier to discuss the second album from MFTJ, the Lazy Bones Recordings founder‘s exciting new collaboration with Mike Keneally. They delve into the recording process of MFTJ’s impishly named My Mom’s Getting a Horse, Schorr’s future projects and his five favorite albums:
PRESTON FRAZIER: Scott, how did you and Mike Keneally connect to form MFTJ?
SCOTT SCHORR: Mike was touring with Joe Satriani and they visited New Zealand, where I was residing a few years back. Marco Minnemann (who I had worked with on three of his solo records, plus two Levin Minnemann Rudess albums) was the drummer with Satriani at the time, so all of us hung out. That was the first time I met Mike. We got along and kept in touch. I was always a fan of him as a musician and mentioned that we should do an album together. I told him I had some cool instrumental tracks I had been compiling for a while and a band name I was dying to use – Mankind’s Final Traffic Jam. He dug the tracks, thought he could add a lot to them (which he did!) so MFTJ was formed.
PRESTON FRAZIER: Your 2020 debut, MFTJ, is an eclectic mix of rhythmic, hard-driving instrumentals and one of the best prog/funk albums of 2020. How did you approach the new album, My Mom’s Getting a Horse?
SCOTT SCHORR: Thanks, man. Stoked you liked our first album! We approached the new record the same way we did the first: I would write the foundation of rhythm tracks, always starting with the drums (which is my primary instrument) and adding a piano, bass and/or guitar loop. I really tried to keep my stuff fairly simple and rhythm based, as I knew how complex Mike could get as a writer. He would then just freestyle over the tracks with guitar, bass, keyboards, noises – whatever he felt like doing. In most cases, he wouldn’t re-listen to what he did – just would record one take, stop, and move onto the next track. He’d send me back all his work, and I’d put on my miners hat and dig for his gold nuggets!
Believe me, it wasn’t that I had to look too hard. It was a matter of which bits of genius of his I would select to try and build a four minute song! I’m a pretty impatient songwriter so I wanted to do short, tight, compact songs – so hopefully when you finished listening, you’d want to hear more. I’d then send back what I put together to Mike and he would maybe add more stuff, make comments on arranging and other notes. I’d implement his suggestions, send back to him again for any more of his thoughts and that’s how MFTJ is done. Super fun and creative process for both of us!
PRESTON FRAZIER: When was My Mom’s Getting a Horse written?
SCOTT SCHORR: We started writing just after the first album was released in early 2020. We tried to shoot for a Christmas 2020 release, but didn’t want to rush it so we opted for a January 2021 launch.
PRESTON FRAZIER: What instruments do you write on? What brand drums did you use? What did you use to program your rhythm tracks, samplers? What bass did you play?
SCOTT SCHORR: I’ll start with a beat on my KAT KT2 electronic drum set or an acoustic kit. I’ll then add drum loops on top of those beats. I’ll either play those secondary drum beats or add a loop from a big library I’ve compiled. For other instruments, if I’m not using loops or noises I’ve made or get from other sites, I’ll write riffs on my Fatar Keyboard controller using numerous modules, Fender Precision Bass or this shitty $200 Aria Acoustic guitar I’ve had for years – which surprisingly sounds fine. I’ll also record everything clean and then add effects later, whether it’s using ProTools plug-ins or old outboard gear or pedals. As drums are my primary instrument, thank God for ProTools because if I didn’t have that to be able to jam on guitar, bass and piano for six hours just to find a four to eight bar loop that works, I’d be screwed! The last thing I add once we’ve both agreed the song is “done” is percussion and maybe stack snares or kicks. I usually use my trusty Roland Dr. Groove DR-202 for those sounds.
PRESTON FRAZIER: How do the two albums differ in musical approach?
SCOTT SCHORR: No difference in the musical approach for the two albums. We’ve found a pretty cool way to work together, and we’re sticking with it!
PRESTON FRAZIER: Which songs from My Mom’s Getting a Horse presented the biggest challenge to arrange?
SCOTT SCHORR: Bro, they’re all gnarly and challenging in their own way. Again, it’s really first deciding on the best parts I can write and then whittling down the plethora of creative choices Mike sends me and deciding, “yeah, that’s the shit! This is the one I want to center the song around.” That’s for sure always the biggest challenge.
PRESTON FRAZIER: What’s next for MFTJ?
SCOTT SCHORR: World domination and deciding if we like Dijon or American yellow mustard on a corned beef sandwich. Also, Mike’s totally opposed to mayo on pastrami, but I say he’s dead wrong.
PRESTON FRAZIER: What major projects are you working on for 2021 for Lazy Bones Recordings?
SCOTT SCHORR: For the first time in 87 years, I have no projects planned. I want to keep my schedule flexible to maybe produce bands or singer/songwriters outside of the Lazy Bones umbrella. It would be nice to be the producer on a project, and not also be the Label Weasel. I’ve put together a site for my freelance producing. You can also buy both MFTJ albums on Bandcamp, and check out the Lazy Bones Recordings catalog through Bandcamp or the main label site.
PRESTON FRAZIER: Finally, what are your five favorite albums?
SCOTT SCHORR: Dude, that’s a tough one. I’ll give it a try. Yes – Close to the Edge; Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road; Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti; Public Enemy – Fear of a Black Planet; and Cheap Trick – In Color.
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