Alcohol Blues: Scott H. Biram Comes Full Circle
Photo: Sandy Carson
It was kind of surreal to stand back and watch Scott H. Biram perform in front of a packed area on Sunday at Fun Fun Fun Fest this year. The Scott I knew used to play in front of no more than about 150 people in small smoky bars. The Scott I watched at Fun Fun Fun, is what I was happiest to see, an artist playing in front of an adoring crowd. Playing songs from his newest album, “Nothin’ But Blood” as well as those from his previous albums; Biram had the crowd in the palm of his hand as he spoke about Mance Lipscomb, sang the blues, and all points inbetween. When you have the kind of touring schedule that Biram has, it was nice to sit with him for about twenty minutes to catch up with him. The one man band is rumored to perform between 250-300 dates a year, though he says it’s about half of that.
FPH: How’s the new record doing?
SHB: I don’t really pay much attention to the sales, but it’s doing good as far as I know. So much of the money earned from sales goes back into the label for the discs I get advanced for tour, that I don’t really know where it’s at.
FPH: How was the tour, both the US and Europe?
SHB: We’re off now, but I just did the Deep Blues Fest in Mississippi. It was pretty cool, we passed the Parchman Chain Gang while we were driving, and ironically we were playing Parchman blues music. We also drove past the Parchman farm..there’s so much history there it’s crazy. In Europe I got to do about eight or nine countries, visit the topless beaches, and I spent a whole week in Spain just eating seafood..it was great.
FPH: What’s in the pipe next?
SHB: I just finished remastering both “Graveyard Shift” and “The Dirty One Man Band” for vinyl reissues and release next year, as well as a live album I’ll have come out next year. I’m really excited to start recording my next album in my new home studio I built too.
FPH: How’s everything going with Bloodshot?
SHB: Well, I’m through the contract, so technically I’m a free agent until something bigger comes along. But, they’ve been good to me so I’ll probably keep putting out my stuff with them.
FPH: Besides the reissues and the live records, what do you have planned for next year?
SHB: I know that I’ll be at a festival in Holland next year, and that I’m touring the West Coast as well. I’m taking Jesse Dayton out with me, so that should be fun.
Biram literally embodies the world of blues music in that he performs by himself, just a man and his guitar. His newest album, 2024’s “Nothin’ But Blood” is his most diverse yet where he mixes country, blues, and rock together as only he can. You can stay tuned for those reissues and tour dates here, or you can trek up to Austin to catch Biram when he performs at The Continental Club on November 19th.
