November 18, 2025 • 35 mins
A deluxe release hits different when the songs feel like they’ve been kicking around in the dirt for years. On release day for Tear Your Heart Out (Deluxe), we sat down with villagerrr to walk the long, crooked road behind it—a story that starts in a small town, rattles through a red Pontiac Sunfire, and settles into the stubborn, hand-built joy of figuring out recording alone. Mark Scott talks about how long runs in cold air, odd hours cutting concrete, and a phone overloaded with gritty voice memos shaped a 16-track world that blends indie twang, folk warmth, and slowcore quiet. It’s the kind of record that asks to be played in sequence, the way you’d leaf through an old photo album—front to back, smudges and all.
We get into the slow shift from solitude to letting other people into the room, and why he only opens the door when the feel is right. The Merce Lemon feature arrived the old-fashioned way: see a set, feel something, and send a message that isn’t coated in industry varnish. Drummer Zane Dway adds heartbeat without sanding the rough edges, while Boone Patrello shows how a single late-night vibe call can lead to parts that sound like they were dug up rather than written. Most of the songs were nearly done before the guests stepped in, which is why the whole thing still sounds unmistakably Villager—one voice, one hand on the wheel, just more colours in the dust.
Real life hums in the background too: fans quietly singing the deep cuts, someone shyly handing over a record to sign after an opener slot, the strange feeling of seeing slow growth in places that aren’t algorithms or charts. We map out the Ohio college dates and a December run with Teethe, then lift the tarp on what’s coming next: another album already mastered, still self-recorded in the margins of real jobs and real days, sharper but cut from the same honest cloth.
If you care about albums built to be lived with, about DIY recordings that prize feel over polish, and about indie music that smells like cold air, old cars, and real life, this one is for you.
Spin the conversation, let the deluxe play straight through, and if it hits you right, follow the show, pass it on, and leave a quick note. It keeps the whole thing moving.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
colleyc (00:46):
Season six here.
Reaching down to the Midwest, Ihave Mark Scott from villagerrr
from Columbus, Ohio coming in.
And we're going to talk aboutit's actually released day.
I'm recording this on October10th, 2025.
You probably will hear this acouple weeks later, but this is
(01:06):
uh Villager's official releaseof the deluxe version, deluxe
version of Tear Your Heart Out,which is a today on Darling
Records.
This is Mark's fourth LP thathe's put out, and it is an
amazing record, I will say,Mark, um, which kind of dives
around with I love this indietwang.
(01:29):
I love that that that style.
I mean, it's very indie.
There's some folky elements,there's some slow core elements
to it.
It's a real diverse record, butit's, I think, meant to be
played from top to bottom.
It makes so much sense as acomplete record, um, then
(01:50):
picking and choosing songs.
So if you're listening to thenew deluxe, listen right
through.
Mark, pleasure to have you onhere.
Uh I really have been enjoyingthis.
Uh I mean the deluxe just cameout is out today.
Um, but I've been enjoying therecord since its release in
March of Tear Your Heart TearYour Heart Out.
(02:12):
Um, Mark, as we start ourconversation, I'd love to kind
of look back into your tree oflife and are there moments that
you recognize that were kind ofturning point in your musical
career?
Um, you know, encounters,experiences, meeting somebody,
(02:37):
fighting something that you weregonna just do thing.
Kind of pull out some of thosememories of kind of the
beginning art villager and andjust your musical.
Mark Scott (02:51):
Yeah, I think um probably like a lot of people it
just started like when I when Igot my first car, it was like
it was like a hand-me-down frommy grandma, a Pontiac Sunfire,
(03:13):
Red, 2006, I believe.
Um it yeah, just like listeningto the radio and like a lot of
like stuff like prints andclassic rock and just really
anything with guitars just mademe, I think, decide like, oh, I
want a guitar.
(03:34):
You get the guitar, and then Irealized it was like, oh, I
can't play this, like it's justimpossible, and it hurts my
hands.
And then yeah, that wasprobably when I was like 16 or
something, and I yeah, tried.
It was hard, came back like ayear later, and I don't know if
(03:56):
it was just like the musclememory or what, but it felt a
little easier, and then it wasjust like learning how to play
like other classic songs, andthen and then it was like, oh,
I'm gonna try to sing like whileI play, and yeah, I used to
(04:18):
like post like because I was inChillicothe, Ohio, small town,
right?
Nobody really to play withexcept for a couple friends, but
yeah, I was just like postingvideos of me covering like
MacDamarco songs on Instagram tolike 40 followers.
I don't know.
colleyc (04:39):
You just try and yeah, just I mean it's archived as
well because you have this traceevidence of your footprint
anyway.
Yeah, on your bank hand page.
It's really I really haveenjoyed going back into some of
your older like your firstrecord come down.
I mean, yeah, wow.
(04:59):
Like it's a nice record.
Mark Scott (05:02):
Yeah, thank you.
I have a hard time believingthat it is, but there are
probably some glimpses of whatwas to come.
Or like there are albums beforethose too.
I don't know if you would calllike, yeah, albums.
That feels like reallyintentional and like purposeful,
but I have a few projects thatI've made private before.
(05:27):
I've thought about like makingthem public again, but I don't
know.
colleyc (05:33):
We'll see.
Anticipate, Mark.
It's anticipation, that'sreally good.
That builds more of afollowing.
Right.
And was it always like when youwere first starting to be a
singer-songwriter and you'rewriting your own songs?
Did you find that process quiteeasy to do?
Or you know, was it always likethat first guitar, like when
(05:56):
you first put it out, like itwas painful and it was just
didn't feel right?
And like, what were your firstkind of steps into the process
of writing songs, your own song?
Yeah.
Mark Scott (06:08):
I think it was it came pretty suddenly.
Like I just knew again fromlike me like being interested in
somebody like MacDemarco orwhatever, trying to learn his
songs, or even I mean, I'm gonnasound whatever, who cares?
(06:29):
But just like the classic,like, like Tame Impala, Alex G,
just unknown mortal orchestra,like all these people who were
known for like, oh, theyrecorded everything by
themselves.
That just like made me itinspired me to be like, well,
why can't I do it?
And like, yeah, just went andgot a laptop.
(06:52):
I told my mom it was gonna befor college.
She helped me get it.
Thank you, mom.
And then I think she knew thatI was just trying to record
myself.
So yeah, I think it came prettynaturally.
It was just like exciting.
It was just writing about likevery real things that were
(07:16):
happening to me.
Like, I wasn't doing a wholelot of like embellishing or that
I guess came naturally, but Iguess it was like I didn't
really feel that uncomfortableor anything because I was just
like sharing it with my friendsand family.
(07:44):
Yeah.
Usually just in the moment, likerandom.
Like I feel like I write a lotof times with somebody in mind.
I feel like that hasn't reallychanged years later.
Like it's usually aboutsomebody, or like loosely about
(08:07):
somebody I know, or likesomebody I want to know, or like
just stuff like that.
colleyc (08:16):
Like but occasionally it's like broader than that.
I don't know.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
And when you were first writingsongs, you said that you were
sharing them mainly withfriends.
Was that I mean that feedbackmust have prompted you to keep
going, to keep pursuing this?
I'm sure if if if your closestfriends to you like brought you
(08:38):
aside and said, Hey Mark, Idon't want to be the bearer of
that, you know, like theyweren't coming to you saying
that.
They were like, there wasencouragement and support.
What were they finding in themusic that you were making that
they thought, you know, andexpressed to you what it was
about the music that they reallywere attracted to?
Mark Scott (09:00):
Yeah.
I mean, there certainly werepeople who were not as hot on it
for sure.
But like then on the moreencouraging side, yeah, like I
don't know, they would just belike, hey, it's pretty good for
your first song ever.
And I'm like, okay, sure.
(09:22):
Like, I don't know.
colleyc (09:24):
Like, yeah, I should do another one.
Yeah, it does help.
Mark Scott (09:28):
Like, I yeah, that's a good sometimes it's easy.
I think I have a tendency tofeel like people aren't that
supportive sometimes, but Idon't yeah, that's probably not
true.
Like, there have been a lot ofpeople from the very beginning
who have just yeah, encouragedme to keep going and to explore
(09:55):
for sure.
colleyc (09:56):
I mean, four records in that that you put out you know,
to the public.
I mean, it's you've you have agood consistency.
And this has only been youstarted well, the first release
I see on Bandcamp came out in2021.
Five now.
So over spec you know, fouryears it's like an a record a
year you've been putting out.
Mark Scott (10:18):
Yeah.
I think it just I mean, I don'tknow if I'm jumping ahead or
anything, but I I think it wasdefinitely easier to write more
often, just be like with lessresponsibilities and like uh I
(10:44):
guess just that.
Like I went to college, but itwas mostly to like not in a bad
way, if they ever if my parentslistened to this to please them,
but also because I like rancross-country and track and
really liked that, and theschool I went to allowed me to
(11:06):
do that more, and so like reallythose were like my only three
obligations like running schooland uh playing the guitar for
the play.
Not as such a bad uh gig.
colleyc (11:24):
No, it sounds very lovely, actually.
Yeah, and you started out as Imean, you did everything
yourself on on you know yourfirst few albums.
It was when did thecollaboration come in?
What when did you say, okay, II I want other ideas or you
(11:45):
know, like how did you decidethat you wanted to open the door
to other people to come in andparticipate in your creative
process?
Mark Scott (11:53):
Yeah, I think I'm like still opening that door
more.
But like I think it just camedown, especially with drums.
Like, I'm a little better atdrums than I used to be.
I mean, I never even I didn'thave a drum set for like a lot
(12:14):
of those albums you'rementioning.
Um so yeah, sometimes that wasa big issue.
Like my friend DaltonKersheeter.
I haven't seen him in a while.
He lives in Tennessee now, buthe uh he played drums on that
come down album.
That was like the first time Iever recorded anything with
(12:36):
anyone else on it.
Uh but then I went, yeah, Iwent back to just me for like a
lot of stuff.
I think, yeah, it just comesdown to like, well, I'd
sometimes I physically can'tplay the instrument as well as I
would want to.
Like also, I just like the ideaof uh inviting like those close
(13:02):
to me into the the music.
Like, even though I feel prettyparticular about how it sounds,
like it's nice when I findsomebody who I just am like,
okay, like I like their music,they like mine.
Like I'll we like similarthings, like I can just feel
(13:25):
confident handing it over andgiving like loose instructions,
and then they send it back, andI'm like, yeah, that's exactly
what I wanted.
colleyc (13:37):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I love that.
Well, your collaboration withMercil Owen, like such a great
tune that's on this this latestrelease.
Uh how did that collaborationcome to be?
Just I mean, she's such a Imean it's such great music that
and there's a similarity,there's definitely a thread that
that yeah.
Mark Scott (14:02):
I mean, honestly, I saw it started the band Feeble
Little Horse was coming through,Columbus, and I didn't even
know at the time like who was onthe show or anything.
I just knew them, and I don'tusually do this, but I just like
emailed their booking agent andwas like, Can I open?
(14:26):
And they were like, sure.
Like, literally, it was thatsimple.
They I think they literallywere like, That's chill.
And I was like, Okay.
So then, yeah, and then Murcehappened to be on a run with
them.
That was in 2022, maybe.
Uh and yeah, they I saw Merceplay.
(14:49):
That was the first I mean, Ihad been once I found out she
was on the show, like I waslistening to her music and loved
it.
And then yeah, they played andsounded even better, like not
yeah, not to compare the two,but it was just like even better
to see them play in person andafter the show.
(15:10):
Similarly, I was just like,hey, I have this new song, like,
do you want to sing on it?
And she was like, Yeah.
Like, I wish there was a moreromantic story, but it was like
literally as simple as justasking, and she's down like
(15:34):
yeah.
Yeah, I'm glad that it seemslike people really like that
song.
It's and I do think there arelike similarities between us,
maybe like musically orsonically, somewhere, but all in
(15:54):
all, I do feel like ourprojects are like pretty
different, so it's cool thatlike it fits like as it does,
like yeah.
colleyc (16:07):
Yeah, and kind of looking back now, so I mean the
deluxe is coming out today, butI mean this record's been out in
the world for a while.
How did this record cometogether?
This was the first record thatyou did with Darling Records, is
that right, Mark?
Mark Scott (16:22):
Yeah, and Windspears re-releasing it, yeah.
They how did it come together?
I just kind of was coming off ofa pretty wild, like I don't
(16:43):
know, I was spending like a lotof time alone and like almost
exclusively like making music.
Like yeah, I don't even know.
Like, not even in like abragging way or anything, just I
was just so into it, like kindof just retreating into myself,
(17:04):
yeah.
Kind of and just constantlywriting, and this kind of came
on like a lot of those songscame on the tail end of that
spurt.
colleyc (17:14):
And yeah, I don't think about like what was your so
it's 16 songs.
I mean, it's it's a it's a it'sa very big record, right?
Typically you're not passingthem.
Mark Scott (17:32):
Right, right.
Initially 10 or 11 before okay.
colleyc (17:36):
And like what was your process like when you were you
know kind of like in yourselfand in into your music?
What was your ritual forassembling these songs?
Did you kind of have a routinethat you would go through that
allowed you to these songs soclose together?
Mark Scott (17:55):
For sure, yeah.
I feel like when I'm like mostactive with writing, like I'm
very yeah, I have a pretty goodroutine of like getting up
pretty early and like whetherit's for work or like my work
(18:16):
schedule at the time was prettychaotic.
Like I was cutting concretewith my dad, like me and him,
and yeah, sometimes that wouldbe really early in the day,
sometimes it'd be later,sometimes I would have like a
few days off in a row, sometimesI would work all day and like
till like three in the morningor something.
(18:37):
But yeah, like I would berunning a lot because I always
yeah, that is like a huge part,I think, just yeah, the
repetitive nature of running,and uh it just helps me I don't
know, lock into some kind ofgroove or something, and I'd be
(19:02):
thinking of stuff while likelistening to either my own mixes
or ideas or other people'sideas or other music interviews,
whatever it is, really, ornothing, listening to nothing,
and like but finding inspirationthrough all of these different
(19:26):
medias or no media, like yeahfinding ideas and cultivating
and what when you would catch onto an idea where you weren't
close to you know your recordingdevices or your instrument,
like how do you how do youpreserve those those were like
(19:47):
Yeah, sometimes I mean just thetypical thing, I guess.
Like it's funny you talk aboutthis stuff and then you realize
how like uh maybe it's not asunique as you think it is, but
it's like yeah, just like voicememo on the phone or notes app
(20:08):
or a piece of paper, like orjust humming it in your head
until like you get somewherewhere you can do it.
There are definitely like voicememos on my phone, like me
typing out the title like ofwhat it is, and then I go to
listen to it, and it's just likethe concrete saw just like
(20:28):
roaring like so loud, and youcan like very faintly hear me
like humming something.
Like I'm probably even and Iprobably even like
misinterpreted those ideas andthey came something totally
different.
Right.
Uh yeah, sometimes I go back tosongs too that I've released
(20:50):
and like change, like almostlike cover my own song, get
something new and put it out onthe next album or that's a great
idea.
I like that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I don't know.
I try not to I'm precious aboutthings, but like I try not to
be too precious.
Right, right.
colleyc (21:11):
Well, speaking in that, in that on that line of not
being too precious, when youwent to record this this record,
what did you have ready for thepeople that were gonna help you
uh play it?
Like, was it pretty definedalready as how you wanted it to
sound?
Like you had those ideas inyour head?
(21:32):
Or were you able to let peoplebring in certain aspects um that
they felt would fit well?
Like how how how much did youlet others collaborate with
these songs that we have um onyour latest release?
Mark Scott (21:50):
Yeah, I think with Merce, like she was just down
and open to sing harmonies, andit was like that easy.
Um Zane Dway, who drums with menow like all the time, added to
some songs, and like that waskind of like hey, do whatever
(22:14):
you want.
Maybe I was like, oh no, playthe ride there.
But like I wasn't gonna tellhim how to play the drums, like
just did it.
Uh but yeah, my friend now,similar to Merce, like I know
him better now, but BoonePatrello, who plays in the band
Teed, has his own project calledDead Sullivan.
(22:37):
He kind of added the most.
Like, we just had one phonecall, and he asked like what the
vibe was, and like a weeklater, before he went on a tour,
like the biggest tour they everwent on, or went on to that
point, uh, with like the band'swaveform, and they're getting a
(23:01):
body of water, like they wentlike across the country.
Anyway, it was just wild thatthis guy who I I mean, I do
think he's cool, but in my mind,I was like, oh my god, this
guy's so cool.
Like, and yeah, he was sochill, and I think we had the
most like collaborative, like Idon't want to say chemistry, but
(23:28):
just there was a little moreback and forth, and he sent me a
lot back, and I I picked a lotout of what he sent.
And but I guess to your sorry,I'm not really answering your
question, it it started most ofthe songs were pretty fleshed
out.
It was almost kind of like Iwas comfortable even saying they
(23:48):
were done, and then I just waslike, maybe this person will add
to it, or maybe it was almostdone, and I asked if they would
add, and if they couldn't, thenI was just gonna find a way to
like fill it myself, like yeah.
How are you feeling about it?
colleyc (24:09):
Like it's had some times to time to percolate and
kind of get massaged out in theworld a bit.
Yeah.
How have you found the responsehas been to this latest, your
latest release?
Mark Scott (24:24):
I think it's been good.
I think like it's really hardnot to get down sometimes with
the way like the music industrycan maybe just feel naturally
competitive.
Um I feel like I'm like acompetitive person, but like not
(24:46):
in a way that not with music,yeah.
I don't know.
Maybe I'm like constantly wantto compete with myself and like
make things better, but I thinkif you put all that aside, like
it is really special sometimesto play a show and maybe not
(25:08):
feel that great about it, likeopening for some big band or
something, and then having likepeople come up and just be like,
hey, you made you made a newfan, or like they want to buy
our our record, and they've beenlistening since blah blah blah
album three years ago, or likeor they ask us to sign
(25:30):
something.
I'm like, you want my screen?
I can't even write in cursive.
But yeah, it's just it's cool,like it's it's really I have a
hard time focusing on those morepositive sides sometimes,
right?
So I want to in this moment andsay that I think it's been
(25:53):
going pretty well.
colleyc (25:54):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, it's very validating too,and I'm sure it drives the
next, you know, the next releaseas well.
That particularly I I love whatyou said about being amongst
the people doing a show and justyou know being in the crowd and
then you know, people wantingto, you know, hey dude, awesome,
(26:16):
like whatever it might be, youknow, hey, you want to sign my
head forehead or you know, likethat's a valid, I mean it's it's
a very it validates all of thatstruggle because it's not easy
doing what you do.
As you said, the music industryis not doesn't make things easy
and well doesn't make thingseasy, period.
(26:37):
Um, so you do have to struggle,and it takes a long time from
the idea of the songs toactually putting them down on
tape.
And it's a huge journey thatyou go through.
So it it it must feel good thatyes, I I think that I have
something that people areenjoying, and they're they're
(26:59):
singing the words when I'm I'mI'm playing live on on stage,
and I'm like, what the hell?
Why are you singing my songs?
For sure.
Oh yeah.
It's like weird experience,yeah.
Mark Scott (27:09):
And it's funny, like, I guess it's all a little
vain, but like it's kind of likeyou you want that sort of, and
then I think recently we'venoticed people doing that, like
we've noticed a few people likesinging the words, even to some
(27:31):
of the songs that are a littlemore, you know, like a deeper
cut.
Everything is a deep cut, we'renot that big or anything, but
to me, but like yeah, it's cool,or like having somebody like
tell us to play a song that'snot out yet, even kind of like
(27:52):
how do you know?
Like, and they're like, Oh,I've seen a live video or
something.
Like, yeah, it's just likewhoa, like yeah, it's cool, but
obviously that doesn't happenwithout yeah, I don't know.
We have our friends who havecame with us and have recorded
us, our my friend Trevor Hawk,who does a lot of our music
(28:14):
videos up to this point.
He's recorded so many like livesets for us, and yeah, I
wouldn't be able to play the thelive band shows without the
band, like so you know, likethere's a lot of people I have
to thank, but it is cool thatlike things seem to be getting
(28:37):
better, I guess.
I don't I don't know.
colleyc (28:40):
I mean, just take a gander at your October 10th
release of your deluxe, andeverybody has purchased it
already.
I mean, right, just that isamazing validation that you know
I have a bank camp page and Ihave one person the bottom.
I mean, yeah, you know, youtake the crunches with the
smooths, but I do think thatyou're on to um an incredible
(29:06):
thread with this record.
Um, and it's shown the progressthat you've been going through
and the maturity that your musichas gained over time.
Uh, and I really, reallyappreciate this latest release.
What can we look forward towith Villager down the road?
What does the end of this yearinto 2026 look like for
(29:26):
Villager?
Mark Scott (29:28):
Yeah, we're playing a few shows here in Ohio.
Um, one at Oberlin College andone in Athens, uh, Ohio, at like
near Ohio University.
Uh, those are both in October.
And then in December, we'rehopping on uh tour with that
(29:52):
Banteed, who's also onWindspear.
They just put out a really goodrecord and they're amazing new
records.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, they're so good.
But yeah, Boone, who Imentioned he's played on.
So yeah, I don't know.
I don't even know if there areany rules about this or
(30:15):
anything, but I do have my nextalbum, it's done, and it's
getting mastered, so like that'scool.
But Boone plays on that.
I have a few other friends toowho I really love who have their
own projects that are awesome,who are on there, and I have a
(30:36):
little more of my own band.
My live band is involved alittle more than before.
Still not a ton.
They probably want to beinvolved more.
It's not that I don't want themto.
I just like get going and thenit's like I'm done.
Yeah, but like we have a lot ofstuff.
colleyc (31:00):
Yeah, really.
Mark Scott (31:06):
Yeah, for sure.
Probably earlier than later.
Yeah.
I think so.
I think it's you know, I stillaside from like friends who I
(31:27):
had record like remotely, Istill like recorded and
engineered and producedeverything.
Like I think it sounds better,like just sonically, I think it
sounds better.
I think the writing might belike I'm not even trying to talk
myself off and just like Ithink it follows a similar
(31:49):
thread, but I think it just isbetter.
Like in all way.
colleyc (31:58):
Yeah.
Hello Mark.
I really appreciate you takingsome time and and sharing your
thoughts with us.
Very introspective.
Um and I just love your storiesand your thoughts that you have
about your music and yourrecords and the collaboration.
It's been a real treat to kindof get a little glimpse into
(32:21):
that.
The new record is sensational.
I in my books, I listen to itoften.
Um so listeners out there,please go and check Villager.
Get a show-in, get a t-shirt, arecord if they have them.
Mark loves signing them.
Sign it, go and talk to himabout his music if you love it,
and sing along if you can.
(32:42):
But support Villager, they're agreat, great outfit.
And Mark, this has beenawesome.
I hope that we can do thisagain, uh maybe in the new year.
Mark Scott (32:53):
Yeah, thanks, Chris.
Yeah, it's it's really cool.
I think this is yeah, you got acool thing going yourself.
Thanks, man.
I appreciate that.
colleyc (33:03):
Yeah.
You have yourself a good one.
Mark Scott (33:05):
Yeah, you do not know.
Season six here.
Reaching down to the Midwest, Ihave Mark Scott from villagerrr
from Columbus, Ohio coming in.
And we're going to talk aboutit's actually released day.
I'm recording this on October10th, 2025.
You probably will hear this acouple weeks later, but this is
(01:06):
uh Villager's official releaseof the deluxe version, deluxe
version of Tear Your Heart Out,which is a today on Darling
Records.
This is Mark's fourth LP thathe's put out, and it is an
amazing record, I will say,Mark, um, which kind of dives
around with I love this indietwang.
(01:29):
I love that that that style.
I mean, it's very indie.
There's some folky elements,there's some slow core elements
to it.
It's a real diverse record, butit's, I think, meant to be
played from top to bottom.
It makes so much sense as acomplete record, um, then
(01:50):
picking and choosing songs.
So if you're listening to thenew deluxe, listen right
through.
Mark, pleasure to have you onhere.
Uh I really have been enjoyingthis.
Uh I mean the deluxe just cameout is out today.
Um, but I've been enjoying therecord since its release in
March of Tear Your Heart TearYour Heart Out.
(02:12):
Um, Mark, as we start ourconversation, I'd love to kind
of look back into your tree oflife and are there moments that
you recognize that were kind ofturning point in your musical
career?
Um, you know, encounters,experiences, meeting somebody,
(02:37):
fighting something that you weregonna just do thing.
Kind of pull out some of thosememories of kind of the
beginning art villager and andjust your musical.
Mark Scott (02:51):
Yeah, I think um probably like a lot of people it
just started like when I when Igot my first car, it was like
it was like a hand-me-down frommy grandma, a Pontiac Sunfire,
(03:13):
Red, 2006, I believe.
Um it yeah, just like listeningto the radio and like a lot of
like stuff like prints andclassic rock and just really
anything with guitars just mademe, I think, decide like, oh, I
want a guitar.
(03:34):
You get the guitar, and then Irealized it was like, oh, I
can't play this, like it's justimpossible, and it hurts my
hands.
And then yeah, that wasprobably when I was like 16 or
something, and I yeah, tried.
It was hard, came back like ayear later, and I don't know if
(03:56):
it was just like the musclememory or what, but it felt a
little easier, and then it wasjust like learning how to play
like other classic songs, andthen and then it was like, oh,
I'm gonna try to sing like whileI play, and yeah, I used to
(04:18):
like post like because I was inChillicothe, Ohio, small town,
right?
Nobody really to play withexcept for a couple friends, but
yeah, I was just like postingvideos of me covering like
MacDamarco songs on Instagram tolike 40 followers.
I don't know.
colleyc (04:39):
You just try and yeah, just I mean it's archived as
well because you have this traceevidence of your footprint
anyway.
Yeah, on your bank hand page.
It's really I really haveenjoyed going back into some of
your older like your firstrecord come down.
I mean, yeah, wow.
(04:59):
Like it's a nice record.
Mark Scott (05:02):
Yeah, thank you.
I have a hard time believingthat it is, but there are
probably some glimpses of whatwas to come.
Or like there are albums beforethose too.
I don't know if you would calllike, yeah, albums.
That feels like reallyintentional and like purposeful,
but I have a few projects thatI've made private before.
(05:27):
I've thought about like makingthem public again, but I don't
know.
colleyc (05:33):
We'll see.
Anticipate, Mark.
It's anticipation, that'sreally good.
That builds more of afollowing.
Right.
And was it always like when youwere first starting to be a
singer-songwriter and you'rewriting your own songs?
Did you find that process quiteeasy to do?
Or you know, was it always likethat first guitar, like when
(05:56):
you first put it out, like itwas painful and it was just
didn't feel right?
And like, what were your firstkind of steps into the process
of writing songs, your own song?
Yeah.
Mark Scott (06:08):
I think it was it came pretty suddenly.
Like I just knew again fromlike me like being interested in
somebody like MacDemarco orwhatever, trying to learn his
songs, or even I mean, I'm gonnasound whatever, who cares?
(06:29):
But just like the classic,like, like Tame Impala, Alex G,
just unknown mortal orchestra,like all these people who were
known for like, oh, theyrecorded everything by
themselves.
That just like made me itinspired me to be like, well,
why can't I do it?
And like, yeah, just went andgot a laptop.
(06:52):
I told my mom it was gonna befor college.
She helped me get it.
Thank you, mom.
And then I think she knew thatI was just trying to record
myself.
So yeah, I think it came prettynaturally.
It was just like exciting.
It was just writing about likevery real things that were
(07:16):
happening to me.
Like, I wasn't doing a wholelot of like embellishing or that
I guess came naturally, but Iguess it was like I didn't
really feel that uncomfortableor anything because I was just
like sharing it with my friendsand family.
(07:44):
Yeah.
Usually just in the moment, likerandom.
Like I feel like I write a lotof times with somebody in mind.
I feel like that hasn't reallychanged years later.
Like it's usually aboutsomebody, or like loosely about
(08:07):
somebody I know, or likesomebody I want to know, or like
just stuff like that.
colleyc (08:16):
Like but occasionally it's like broader than that.
I don't know.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
And when you were first writingsongs, you said that you were
sharing them mainly withfriends.
Was that I mean that feedbackmust have prompted you to keep
going, to keep pursuing this?
I'm sure if if if your closestfriends to you like brought you
(08:38):
aside and said, Hey Mark, Idon't want to be the bearer of
that, you know, like theyweren't coming to you saying
that.
They were like, there wasencouragement and support.
What were they finding in themusic that you were making that
they thought, you know, andexpressed to you what it was
about the music that they reallywere attracted to?
Mark Scott (09:00):
Yeah.
I mean, there certainly werepeople who were not as hot on it
for sure.
But like then on the moreencouraging side, yeah, like I
don't know, they would just belike, hey, it's pretty good for
your first song ever.
And I'm like, okay, sure.
(09:22):
Like, I don't know.
colleyc (09:24):
Like, yeah, I should do another one.
Yeah, it does help.
Mark Scott (09:28):
Like, I yeah, that's a good sometimes it's easy.
I think I have a tendency tofeel like people aren't that
supportive sometimes, but Idon't yeah, that's probably not
true.
Like, there have been a lot ofpeople from the very beginning
who have just yeah, encouragedme to keep going and to explore
(09:55):
for sure.
colleyc (09:56):
I mean, four records in that that you put out you know,
to the public.
I mean, it's you've you have agood consistency.
And this has only been youstarted well, the first release
I see on Bandcamp came out in2021.
Five now.
So over spec you know, fouryears it's like an a record a
year you've been putting out.
Mark Scott (10:18):
Yeah.
I think it just I mean, I don'tknow if I'm jumping ahead or
anything, but I I think it wasdefinitely easier to write more
often, just be like with lessresponsibilities and like uh I
(10:44):
guess just that.
Like I went to college, but itwas mostly to like not in a bad
way, if they ever if my parentslistened to this to please them,
but also because I like rancross-country and track and
really liked that, and theschool I went to allowed me to
(11:06):
do that more, and so like reallythose were like my only three
obligations like running schooland uh playing the guitar for
the play.
Not as such a bad uh gig.
colleyc (11:24):
No, it sounds very lovely, actually.
Yeah, and you started out as Imean, you did everything
yourself on on you know yourfirst few albums.
It was when did thecollaboration come in?
What when did you say, okay, II I want other ideas or you
(11:45):
know, like how did you decidethat you wanted to open the door
to other people to come in andparticipate in your creative
process?
Mark Scott (11:53):
Yeah, I think I'm like still opening that door
more.
But like I think it just camedown, especially with drums.
Like, I'm a little better atdrums than I used to be.
I mean, I never even I didn'thave a drum set for like a lot
(12:14):
of those albums you'rementioning.
Um so yeah, sometimes that wasa big issue.
Like my friend DaltonKersheeter.
I haven't seen him in a while.
He lives in Tennessee now, buthe uh he played drums on that
come down album.
That was like the first time Iever recorded anything with
(12:36):
anyone else on it.
Uh but then I went, yeah, Iwent back to just me for like a
lot of stuff.
I think, yeah, it just comesdown to like, well, I'd
sometimes I physically can'tplay the instrument as well as I
would want to.
Like also, I just like the ideaof uh inviting like those close
(13:02):
to me into the the music.
Like, even though I feel prettyparticular about how it sounds,
like it's nice when I findsomebody who I just am like,
okay, like I like their music,they like mine.
Like I'll we like similarthings, like I can just feel
(13:25):
confident handing it over andgiving like loose instructions,
and then they send it back, andI'm like, yeah, that's exactly
what I wanted.
colleyc (13:37):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I love that.
Well, your collaboration withMercil Owen, like such a great
tune that's on this this latestrelease.
Uh how did that collaborationcome to be?
Just I mean, she's such a Imean it's such great music that
and there's a similarity,there's definitely a thread that
that yeah.
Mark Scott (14:02):
I mean, honestly, I saw it started the band Feeble
Little Horse was coming through,Columbus, and I didn't even
know at the time like who was onthe show or anything.
I just knew them, and I don'tusually do this, but I just like
emailed their booking agent andwas like, Can I open?
(14:26):
And they were like, sure.
Like, literally, it was thatsimple.
They I think they literallywere like, That's chill.
And I was like, Okay.
So then, yeah, and then Murcehappened to be on a run with
them.
That was in 2022, maybe.
Uh and yeah, they I saw Merceplay.
(14:49):
That was the first I mean, Ihad been once I found out she
was on the show, like I waslistening to her music and loved
it.
And then yeah, they played andsounded even better, like not
yeah, not to compare the two,but it was just like even better
to see them play in person andafter the show.
(15:10):
Similarly, I was just like,hey, I have this new song, like,
do you want to sing on it?
And she was like, Yeah.
Like, I wish there was a moreromantic story, but it was like
literally as simple as justasking, and she's down like
(15:34):
yeah.
Yeah, I'm glad that it seemslike people really like that
song.
It's and I do think there arelike similarities between us,
maybe like musically orsonically, somewhere, but all in
(15:54):
all, I do feel like ourprojects are like pretty
different, so it's cool thatlike it fits like as it does,
like yeah.
colleyc (16:07):
Yeah, and kind of looking back now, so I mean the
deluxe is coming out today, butI mean this record's been out in
the world for a while.
How did this record cometogether?
This was the first record thatyou did with Darling Records, is
that right, Mark?
Mark Scott (16:22):
Yeah, and Windspears re-releasing it, yeah.
They how did it come together?
I just kind of was coming off ofa pretty wild, like I don't
(16:43):
know, I was spending like a lotof time alone and like almost
exclusively like making music.
Like yeah, I don't even know.
Like, not even in like abragging way or anything, just I
was just so into it, like kindof just retreating into myself,
(17:04):
yeah.
Kind of and just constantlywriting, and this kind of came
on like a lot of those songscame on the tail end of that
spurt.
colleyc (17:14):
And yeah, I don't think about like what was your so
it's 16 songs.
I mean, it's it's a it's a it'sa very big record, right?
Typically you're not passingthem.
Mark Scott (17:32):
Right, right.
Initially 10 or 11 before okay.
colleyc (17:36):
And like what was your process like when you were you
know kind of like in yourselfand in into your music?
What was your ritual forassembling these songs?
Did you kind of have a routinethat you would go through that
allowed you to these songs soclose together?
Mark Scott (17:55):
For sure, yeah.
I feel like when I'm like mostactive with writing, like I'm
very yeah, I have a pretty goodroutine of like getting up
pretty early and like whetherit's for work or like my work
(18:16):
schedule at the time was prettychaotic.
Like I was cutting concretewith my dad, like me and him,
and yeah, sometimes that wouldbe really early in the day,
sometimes it'd be later,sometimes I would have like a
few days off in a row, sometimesI would work all day and like
till like three in the morningor something.
(18:37):
But yeah, like I would berunning a lot because I always
yeah, that is like a huge part,I think, just yeah, the
repetitive nature of running,and uh it just helps me I don't
know, lock into some kind ofgroove or something, and I'd be
(19:02):
thinking of stuff while likelistening to either my own mixes
or ideas or other people'sideas or other music interviews,
whatever it is, really, ornothing, listening to nothing,
and like but finding inspirationthrough all of these different
(19:26):
medias or no media, like yeahfinding ideas and cultivating
and what when you would catch onto an idea where you weren't
close to you know your recordingdevices or your instrument,
like how do you how do youpreserve those those were like
(19:47):
Yeah, sometimes I mean just thetypical thing, I guess.
Like it's funny you talk aboutthis stuff and then you realize
how like uh maybe it's not asunique as you think it is, but
it's like yeah, just like voicememo on the phone or notes app
(20:08):
or a piece of paper, like orjust humming it in your head
until like you get somewherewhere you can do it.
There are definitely like voicememos on my phone, like me
typing out the title like ofwhat it is, and then I go to
listen to it, and it's just likethe concrete saw just like
(20:28):
roaring like so loud, and youcan like very faintly hear me
like humming something.
Like I'm probably even and Iprobably even like
misinterpreted those ideas andthey came something totally
different.
Right.
Uh yeah, sometimes I go back tosongs too that I've released
(20:50):
and like change, like almostlike cover my own song, get
something new and put it out onthe next album or that's a great
idea.
I like that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I don't know.
I try not to I'm precious aboutthings, but like I try not to
be too precious.
Right, right.
colleyc (21:11):
Well, speaking in that, in that on that line of not
being too precious, when youwent to record this this record,
what did you have ready for thepeople that were gonna help you
uh play it?
Like, was it pretty definedalready as how you wanted it to
sound?
Like you had those ideas inyour head?
(21:32):
Or were you able to let peoplebring in certain aspects um that
they felt would fit well?
Like how how how much did youlet others collaborate with
these songs that we have um onyour latest release?
Mark Scott (21:50):
Yeah, I think with Merce, like she was just down
and open to sing harmonies, andit was like that easy.
Um Zane Dway, who drums with menow like all the time, added to
some songs, and like that waskind of like hey, do whatever
(22:14):
you want.
Maybe I was like, oh no, playthe ride there.
But like I wasn't gonna tellhim how to play the drums, like
just did it.
Uh but yeah, my friend now,similar to Merce, like I know
him better now, but BoonePatrello, who plays in the band
Teed, has his own project calledDead Sullivan.
(22:37):
He kind of added the most.
Like, we just had one phonecall, and he asked like what the
vibe was, and like a weeklater, before he went on a tour,
like the biggest tour they everwent on, or went on to that
point, uh, with like the band'swaveform, and they're getting a
(23:01):
body of water, like they wentlike across the country.
Anyway, it was just wild thatthis guy who I I mean, I do
think he's cool, but in my mind,I was like, oh my god, this
guy's so cool.
Like, and yeah, he was sochill, and I think we had the
most like collaborative, like Idon't want to say chemistry, but
(23:28):
just there was a little moreback and forth, and he sent me a
lot back, and I I picked a lotout of what he sent.
And but I guess to your sorry,I'm not really answering your
question, it it started most ofthe songs were pretty fleshed
out.
It was almost kind of like Iwas comfortable even saying they
(23:48):
were done, and then I just waslike, maybe this person will add
to it, or maybe it was almostdone, and I asked if they would
add, and if they couldn't, thenI was just gonna find a way to
like fill it myself, like yeah.
How are you feeling about it?
colleyc (24:09):
Like it's had some times to time to percolate and
kind of get massaged out in theworld a bit.
Yeah.
How have you found the responsehas been to this latest, your
latest release?
Mark Scott (24:24):
I think it's been good.
I think like it's really hardnot to get down sometimes with
the way like the music industrycan maybe just feel naturally
competitive.
Um I feel like I'm like acompetitive person, but like not
(24:46):
in a way that not with music,yeah.
I don't know.
Maybe I'm like constantly wantto compete with myself and like
make things better, but I thinkif you put all that aside, like
it is really special sometimesto play a show and maybe not
(25:08):
feel that great about it, likeopening for some big band or
something, and then having likepeople come up and just be like,
hey, you made you made a newfan, or like they want to buy
our our record, and they've beenlistening since blah blah blah
album three years ago, or likeor they ask us to sign
(25:30):
something.
I'm like, you want my screen?
I can't even write in cursive.
But yeah, it's just it's cool,like it's it's really I have a
hard time focusing on those morepositive sides sometimes,
right?
So I want to in this moment andsay that I think it's been
(25:53):
going pretty well.
colleyc (25:54):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, it's very validating too,and I'm sure it drives the
next, you know, the next releaseas well.
That particularly I I love whatyou said about being amongst
the people doing a show and justyou know being in the crowd and
then you know, people wantingto, you know, hey dude, awesome,
(26:16):
like whatever it might be, youknow, hey, you want to sign my
head forehead or you know, likethat's a valid, I mean it's it's
a very it validates all of thatstruggle because it's not easy
doing what you do.
As you said, the music industryis not doesn't make things easy
and well doesn't make thingseasy, period.
(26:37):
Um, so you do have to struggle,and it takes a long time from
the idea of the songs toactually putting them down on
tape.
And it's a huge journey thatyou go through.
So it it it must feel good thatyes, I I think that I have
something that people areenjoying, and they're they're
(26:59):
singing the words when I'm I'mI'm playing live on on stage,
and I'm like, what the hell?
Why are you singing my songs?
For sure.
Oh yeah.
It's like weird experience,yeah.
Mark Scott (27:09):
And it's funny, like, I guess it's all a little
vain, but like it's kind of likeyou you want that sort of, and
then I think recently we'venoticed people doing that, like
we've noticed a few people likesinging the words, even to some
(27:31):
of the songs that are a littlemore, you know, like a deeper
cut.
Everything is a deep cut, we'renot that big or anything, but
to me, but like yeah, it's cool,or like having somebody like
tell us to play a song that'snot out yet, even kind of like
(27:52):
how do you know?
Like, and they're like, Oh,I've seen a live video or
something.
Like, yeah, it's just likewhoa, like yeah, it's cool, but
obviously that doesn't happenwithout yeah, I don't know.
We have our friends who havecame with us and have recorded
us, our my friend Trevor Hawk,who does a lot of our music
(28:14):
videos up to this point.
He's recorded so many like livesets for us, and yeah, I
wouldn't be able to play the thelive band shows without the
band, like so you know, likethere's a lot of people I have
to thank, but it is cool thatlike things seem to be getting
(28:37):
better, I guess.
I don't I don't know.
colleyc (28:40):
I mean, just take a gander at your October 10th
release of your deluxe, andeverybody has purchased it
already.
I mean, right, just that isamazing validation that you know
I have a bank camp page and Ihave one person the bottom.
I mean, yeah, you know, youtake the crunches with the
smooths, but I do think thatyou're on to um an incredible
(29:06):
thread with this record.
Um, and it's shown the progressthat you've been going through
and the maturity that your musichas gained over time.
Uh, and I really, reallyappreciate this latest release.
What can we look forward towith Villager down the road?
What does the end of this yearinto 2026 look like for
(29:26):
Villager?
Mark Scott (29:28):
Yeah, we're playing a few shows here in Ohio.
Um, one at Oberlin College andone in Athens, uh, Ohio, at like
near Ohio University.
Uh, those are both in October.
And then in December, we'rehopping on uh tour with that
(29:52):
Banteed, who's also onWindspear.
They just put out a really goodrecord and they're amazing new
records.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, they're so good.
But yeah, Boone, who Imentioned he's played on.
So yeah, I don't know.
I don't even know if there areany rules about this or
(30:15):
anything, but I do have my nextalbum, it's done, and it's
getting mastered, so like that'scool.
But Boone plays on that.
I have a few other friends toowho I really love who have their
own projects that are awesome,who are on there, and I have a
(30:36):
little more of my own band.
My live band is involved alittle more than before.
Still not a ton.
They probably want to beinvolved more.
It's not that I don't want themto.
I just like get going and thenit's like I'm done.
Yeah, but like we have a lot ofstuff.
colleyc (31:00):
Yeah, really.
Mark Scott (31:06):
Yeah, for sure.
Probably earlier than later.
Yeah.
I think so.
I think it's you know, I stillaside from like friends who I
(31:27):
had record like remotely, Istill like recorded and
engineered and producedeverything.
Like I think it sounds better,like just sonically, I think it
sounds better.
I think the writing might belike I'm not even trying to talk
myself off and just like Ithink it follows a similar
(31:49):
thread, but I think it just isbetter.
Like in all way.
colleyc (31:58):
Yeah.
Hello Mark.
I really appreciate you takingsome time and and sharing your
thoughts with us.
Very introspective.
Um and I just love your storiesand your thoughts that you have
about your music and yourrecords and the collaboration.
It's been a real treat to kindof get a little glimpse into
(32:21):
that.
The new record is sensational.
I in my books, I listen to itoften.
Um so listeners out there,please go and check Villager.
Get a show-in, get a t-shirt, arecord if they have them.
Mark loves signing them.
Sign it, go and talk to himabout his music if you love it,
and sing along if you can.
(32:42):
But support Villager, they're agreat, great outfit.
And Mark, this has beenawesome.
I hope that we can do thisagain, uh maybe in the new year.
Mark Scott (32:53):
Yeah, thanks, Chris.
Yeah, it's it's really cool.
I think this is yeah, you got acool thing going yourself.
Thanks, man.
I appreciate that.
colleyc (33:03):
Yeah.
You have yourself a good one.
Mark Scott (33:05):
Yeah, you do not know.
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