An Inside Look at Andrew Scotchie & The River Rats’ Newest Single, “Stepping Stone”

Who: Andrew Scotchie & The River Rats. Official website andrewscotchiemusic.com

What: New single “Stepping Stone” 

Where: New single will be available on Spotify, Apple Music , Amazon, Pandora, Google Play, YouTube Music etc. (all streaming and download platforms imaginable) 

When: September 20th 

About The Release: Official “Stepping Stone” Press Release below:

September 20^th, Asheville, NC based Rock N Roll power trio Andrew Scotchie & the River Rats release their most highly anticipated single yet, “Stepping Stone”.  Recorded, mixed and mastered by multi instrumentalist/Grammy winning producer Matt Williams at The Eagle Room in Weaverville NC, “Stepping Stone” is a sonic journey from start to finish. Featuring Lenny Pettinelli of Empire Strikes Brass on keyboards, Scotchie and the Rats have found a seasoned mix of melodic guitar driven rock n roll, pop, funk and psychedelic soul music.

“We went back in the studio with a shared goal; out-do our previous work and create something collectively that we felt had the best arrangement yet” says Scotchie.  “As much as we love down and dirty rock n roll, we are also fans of pop with rock solid production and dynamics. We worked closely with Matt Williams to present the best combination of the bands wily live show and what we feel is our most mature or polished work yet.” Even from the first 15 seconds, its clear the band has accomplished their goal.  

“Stepping Stone” is the first track to be released off the band’s forthcoming studio effort “Everyone Everywhere” and the song’s release date will coincide with the kick off of Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion as well as several stops around the southeast including Athens, GA, Charlotte, NC, Greenville, SC (Fall for Greenville), Richmond, VA, Wilmington, NC and many more. 

What’s Next: The band will continue to tour up and down the east coast until the holidays and then we will head back in the studio to record the rest of the band’s upcoming EP “Everyone Everywhere “ due out spring 2020. This November the band will also release another single entitled “Natural Romantic” and the band’s Christmas classic “My First Xmas Without You” will be released on all major streaming/download services.

My Three Records on a Desert Island: 

Tattoo You – Rolling Stones 

Wired – Jeff Beck 

Revolver – Beatles 

If I/We Could Open For Anybody, It’d Be: Contemporary tie between Moe. and Cage the Elephant.

Musical Pet Peeve: Overplaying. Less is more and some of the best songs have super simple arrangements. The power of soul strikes a chord with people more than the power of technicality or “noodling” on your instrument. Serve the song and the message of said song, and try to remove ego. I love Petty’s motto of “don’t bore us, get to the chorus”.  That stuck with me when I heard that. People appreciate raw, unbridled emotion and a sense of urgency. That’s one reason I love rock n roll so much….it’s a universal experience and like all good music, can serve as a release.

First Thing I’ll Do When I Hit The Big Time: I have a few different definitions for “making it big” but success at any rate to me is beneficial for not just the musician, but their loved ones and their communities or the greater good of humanity. A few things on my list are to buy my mom any and everything she wants for her house / take her on weekend trips all around the world. Another would be to start a non-profit helping underprivileged kids acquire music gear/lessons. Also donate as much money as possible to mental health services around the country. I’ve witnessed mental illness tear people and families apart. There needs to be more resources for those in need of help. 

Closing Words: “Stepping Stone” is the band’s most musically diverse track yet. We are excited for fans old and new to hear how we explored more options in the studio. The brand of rock n’ roll we present is always going to be evolving. This song marks the beginning of a new chapter creatively for the band. The bar has been raised and we plan to keep pushing ourselves as artists. Touring the country has been an addictive experience, and we can’t wait to hit Bristol TN , Greenville SC , Athens GA and so many more great cities this fall.  

Pre-save “Stepping Stone” HERE!

Photo Cred: Tom Farr

Artwork for Stepping Stone created Josh Levy / Asheville Art Family.