With fronting a band, it’s like you're naked up there. There is nothing to hide behind.” - Michael Saint
Scarhaven, a four-piece, 90’s grunge-influenced rock band, has been gaining traction at breakneck speed in the world of nu-grunge and with rock fans of all kinds. They released their first EP, “Changing,” in April with six killer tracks, including “Changing,” “Levitate,” and “Drowned.” The band is poised to begin a national tour supporting Alien Ant Farm mid-September, so check out tour dates! Scarhaven just released a new single, “My Way,” and their second EP is set to be released around the end of the year.
"My Way" Official Music Video
I sat down with singer Michael Saint to discuss their upcoming tour, the band’s influences, and what lies underneath his deep and poetic musical style.
Saint came into frame on my laptop screen for our interview with short dark hair, a dark shirt, and round-rimmed sunglasses (which he kept on the whole interview), which contrasted sharply with the deep pink and peach light that drenched the rest of the room.
MSM: "Hi, it’s so colorful! Where are you?"
Michael Saint: “Hi, I’m in my writing room. I was writing all night, and I like to keep it this way..."
It was 5:30 PM on a Friday when we spoke, and his voice had the gravely, quiet sound of an all-nighter. I wondered if he hadn’t slept at all before hopping online.
Saint: “..I try to write almost daily, whether that's, like, a simple riff idea or a full-out song. Yesterday, I wrote a full song, and I pitched it to the band.”
MSM: "Well, thanks for taking the time to come chat with me."
Saint: “No problem, thank you for having me; I appreciate it.”
The singer struck me as sincerely humble, thoughtful, and soft-spoken, which was interesting as his band is about to embark on their first national tour. In the recent grunge-rock revival, Scarhaven started gaining serious attention, including from Riser House Records, who signed the band early last year. They have been heavily compared to 90’s grunge bands Soundgarden and Alice In Chains, while maintaining their own crunchy, nuanced, emotion-laden sound. I was interested in his thoughts on these comparisons, how the band developed their sound, and more about the emotionally raw and powerful content of their songs.
MSM: "How has it been for you with this fast-paced trajectory? You are about to start a tour."
Saint (laughing): “There's a little bit of whiplash and some jet lag, but we are stoked to be getting ready for this tour.”
Saint shared that before becoming a musician, he started out acting in New York City in 2018. When COVID hit and locked everything down, he turned to music, teaching himself guitar and experimenting with his voice as a much-needed creative outlet.
Saint: “I actually got into the music game pretty late. Then, for shits and giggles, I thought, I'll join a band, nothing's gonna come of it. Just, I needed something creative to do.”
Saint joined a band and met bassist Jared Edson. Together they began creating a body of work that they put on social media. Producer Jim Kaufman came across the duo and expressed interest.
Saint added,
Kaufman said, ‘You guys have a great sound, but you sound like a full band,’ so that's when we added our guitarist, Matt, and our drummer, Shap. We started to try to create somewhat of an organic following (on social media).'
In two years, the band generated a following on TikTok and Instagram.
MSM: “I’ve seen so many comments from fans about how much you sound like Chris Cornell. Are you getting tired of that comparison?”
Saint: “It’s an honor to be compared to a legendary singer/songwriter. It's not something I try to do when I'm on stage, or when I'm singing, or recording, or writing, to try to emulate or try to sound like Chris. I’ve always wanted to carve my own path. I didn't even really register who Chris Cornell was until someone said I sound like him. I actually knew the name from Casino Royale because he wrote for that film. I dove into his work, and into Alice in Chains and the whole 90s sound. I really fell in love with it."
When asked about his musical influences, Michael talked about growing up in DC with his mother and her taste in music: “She'd listen to a lot of 70s R&B, 70s Motown, 70s soul, Tina Turner, Elton John.” Michael eventually found his own way in music, listening to Coldplay, U2, Radiohead, Chris Martin, and Jeff Buckley, among other alternative artists, as well as cinematic scores and classical music. He acknowledged Scarhaven's heavy guitar, rock vibe, but mentioned that in the future they want to experiment with other styles and not be pigeon-holed into a strict genre.
"Changing" Official Music Video
MSM: “I wanted to touch on the emotional quality of your songs. I am also a psychotherapist, and I am interested when I hear the kind of authenticity that I hear in Scarhaven. Can you speak to that?”
Saint: “First I want to say thank you, because it means a lot to me when someone recognizes that in our music. I have had mental health struggles; growing up with a single mom was hard. In the Catholic school system, I experienced racism and bullying, and that sticks with you. I think that made me a little shy. I try to fly under the radar. As an actor, it was a little different because I could dive in and hide behind the role. With fronting a band, it’s like you're naked up there. There is nothing to hide behind. I do pull from the truth and the things I have gone through in the past. But I want the audience to figure it out (the songs) for themselves and have their own story. I don't want to necessarily rob them of their own interpretation of my song.”
MSM: “Have you experienced any fear when you're getting ready to go on stage, as the audiences get bigger?”
Saint: “No, I kind of feed off of it. I enjoy it. I enjoy connecting with them. I love seeing the audience and having them enjoy my music. I am really looking forward to this tour to connect more with the fans.”
MSM: “Is there anything else you want people to know?
Saint: “It’s pretty divided right now. I want to tell people, don't be afraid to be who you want to be and speak up for yourself. If you disagree with someone, there is no need for hate.”
MSM: "So, have the interviews officially started?"
Saint (laughing): "Yeah, I have three more this week!”
MSM (laughing): “Well, buckle up!”
Check out Scarhaven's website for upcoming tour dates (here), and look out for the new EP later this year!
