Recently, Shawn Michael Scotton (The Back Ridge Union, Bedlam, Sonic Graffiti and formerly Bleed Down and Justice 86) sent along this transcript of an interview Iceberg conducted with The Black Ridge Union just after the band released their first single for their debut album Love-Life-Loss. Below is the entire unedited transcript. Thank you for passing this along!
Discussing their album Love – Life – Loss by Jerry Hayes
We sat down with The Black Ridge Union for an unfiltered chat about Love, Life and Loss.
________________________________________
RR: “Love – Life – Loss feels incredibly personal. What does this album represent for the band?”
SMS: This record is us without the armor. It’s every chapter that shaped who we are—falling in love, losing people, breaking cycles, rebuilding after mistakes.
We didn’t want to hide behind metaphors or polish.
We wanted it to feel like real life: loud, messy, and honest.
________________________________________
RR: The album opens with “Flesh.” Why start the journey there?
SMS: “Flesh” is the moment where hunger hits before logic or reason.
It’s instinct. It’s vulnerability.
Starting with that track felt like throwing the listener straight into the fire with us, no easing in, no warnings.
________________________________________
RR: “Some Other Way” has a reflective tone. What inspired it?
SMS: That song came from a place of finally admitting something isn’t working—but not knowing how to fix it yet.
It’s the moment between realizing and changing.
A lot of people live there longer than they admit.
________________________________________
RR: “Say Please” has a swagger to it. What’s the story behind that one?
SMS: We wanted to explore the tension between control and surrender in relationships.
It’s seductive, dangerous, and fun—but there’s an emotional undertone to it too.
It’s about power dynamics and the way two people can pull each other apart or pull each other in.
________________________________________
RR: “Run” is one of the most introspective tracks. What sparked its creation?
SMS: We wanted a song that captures what it feels like when something becomes too loud to stay still.
It’s escape, reflection, realization, and survival in real time.
________________________________________
RR: “Awake” feels like the emotional turning point of the record. What does it mean to you?
SMS: “Awake” is clarity.
It’s the moment you finally see yourself honestly—what you did right, what you did wrong, and what you still need to face.
The song starts small and ends big because awakening isn’t gentle—it’s seismic.
________________________________________
RR: The song “Lay Me Down” is incredibly vulnerable. Was it hard to write?
SMS: Absolutely.
It’s about trusting someone with the parts of yourself you usually hide.
There’s strength in surrender, but it’s not the kind that drives you—it’s the kind that saves you.
________________________________________
RR: “Something About a Monkey” has a very different energy. Where did it come from?
SMS: That track came from identifying our own issues and the “monkeys on our backs.”
It’s symbolic, chaotic, and a little unhinged on purpose.
We wanted a moment of unpredictability on the album—because life always has one.
________________________________________
RR: “Push” closes the album with intensity. Why that song as the finale?
SMS: “Push” is about breaking through the wall—mentally, emotionally, spiritually.
It’s not a pretty ending, but it’s a powerful one.
We wanted the last word of the album to feel like momentum.
________________________________________
RR: Who influenced the sound and direction of this album?
SMS: We pull from everywhere—Hard rock, heavy bands, even a little outlaw Country,
But more than any artist, we were influenced by what we feel.
Life was loud and complicated, our songs reflect that.
________________________________________
RR: If listeners could walk away with one message from Love – Life – Loss, what would it be?
SMS: That it’s okay to feel everything.
Love, life, and loss are all brutal in their own ways, but they can shape you into someone stronger if you let them.
You don’t have to hide the hard parts—sometimes the hardest moments are what define us and are the most honest.
________________________________________
RR: What’s next for The Black Ridge Union?
SMS: Playing these songs live.
Connecting with people who see themselves in this record.
And writing the next chapter—whatever it turns into.
We’re not slowing down. Not even close.
