The High Score - Metropulse Interview

The High Score hope their carefree rock will land them squarely in the middle

The High Score is getting anxious. The group's debut CD, Sexy Losers, has been ready for months. But, they've held off releasing it until Jan. 14, in hopes of garnering a little buzz and not getting lost in the cracks with just about every other indie release.

But, as Tom Petty says, "the waiting is the hardest part." The group just wants to get out and perform. "We've been wanting to play a lot but we were holding off so we can play out a lot when the CD comes out," says Chris Cook, guitarist and singer. He and his bandmates are sitting at Spicy's in the Old City, eating chicken wings and sipping beer.

"We're ready to go full throttle as soon as someone helps us book shows," adds Robbie Trosper, who also plays guitar and sings.

Somewhat of a supergroup in the Knoxville scene, the band formed with the demise of two other local groups. Robbie Trosper (guitar, vocals) and Jason Peters (drums) were in the Faults—another supergroup of sorts, which included ex-V-roys Paxton Sellers and Mic Harrison (now in Superdrag). "Basically, we were just losing members," Trosper says of the breakup. Chris Cook (guitar, vocals) headed up Mustard. "I was just ready for a change," Cook says. "I always wanted to play in a band with a second guitar." Their friend Dave Walker fills out the group on bass.

The music is in the vein of '80s indie rock. It's pop rock played ragged and rough—some obvious models are the Replacements and the Pixies.

There are inspirations closer to home, as well. "I like to think we carry on the same kind of attitude or spirit from the Knoxville scene of the late '80s or early '90s," Trosper says. "We grew up listening to the Taoist Cowboys, Smokin' Dave, and the Swamis. I think there are still good bands in Knoxville, but it's never been like it was then."

All of them grew up playing music in their early teens, self-described social outcasts. Trosper and Peters have been friends since then. "We knew 'Jingle Bells' and 'Holiday in the Sun.' We were playing very bad music," Trosper says. "We've gotten a lot better. I now know power chords and scales."

Trosper and Cook write the songs for The High Score and the band arranges (Peters in particular has a flair for arranging songs, Trosper says.) Mustard fans might be disappointed to only find two Cook-penned songs on Sexy Losers: "Laid Up" and "Let it Go." "I had to kick him in the ass to get those on the record," Trosper says.

"Robbie has always been a writing machine," says Cook. "That's been an inspiration to me. I feel like I've got to get off my ass and work. I try to stay one up on Robbie. It doesn't always work."

Since the album has been recorded, Cook has been contributing more songs. The band already has an album and a half of new material and they'd like to put out a couple of releases a year.

The four hope to make music their career, but they're hardly hoping for a hit single on Extreme 94.3 FM. For Trosper, the act of creating something and recording it is enough. "I've got the best drummer, guitar player and bass player I'd ever want to play with," Trosper says. "Tomorrow, for some reason, we may hate each other. But at least we have a CD to remind us that we liked each other."

"It's kind of like looking back at your old school pictures," Cook jokes.

They do have some ambitions though. Like their idols, the notoriously underachieving Replacements (whom the band played at a Pilot Light Halloween benefit), they're aiming squarely for the middle. For now, that means selling enough copies of Sexy Loser (available on the local Lynn Point Records) to make back the money they spent pressing 1,000 copies. They've given close to 500 away to press and radio.

"Success would be selling 200 CDs and making our money back," Trosper says. "You read these band profiles and they say, 'We're going to tour this summer and hopefully try to get signed.' I've said that too many times in my life to say it again. I hate to think I'm a cranky old man. But our expectations are more realistic. It went from taking over theworld to selling 200 CDs."