Commonly categorized as noise rock, ’68 founder Josh Scogin resists labeling the band’s style. “But we do have a bumper sticker that says it’s ‘Rock and Roll with a kick in the pants,’” he tells me. By “we” he means himself and drummer Nikko Yamada. Though they are small, they are mighty: loud and intense, with a definite confluence of influences—punk, blues, surfer rock—that give ’68 their signature style.
Named for his late father’s ’68 Camaro — “that car brought a lot of joy to him and also to me…”—the band is proudly influenced by its Atlanta, Georgia roots. “Our environment has a huge impact on our music,” Scogin says. “Atlanta is such a musically busy city, I was able to go to shows every single weekend when I was in middle school and high school. I got to see every band I ever wanted.
“The title is a very simple concept that if more people lived by then the world would be a better place,” he says of their third album Give One Take One,released last March. “It means exactly what it says, you should only take ONE (don’t be greedy)… and only AFTER you have given one. If our focus in life was, ‘How can I give?’ Or ‘How can I make the world a better place?’ Then we could be a much friendlier place. It goes deeper than that but if you just think on it long enough I think the meaning of it all starts to reveal itself.”
Try and catch them on tourat a city near you.
Here’s a day in the life of Josh Scogin from ’68.
Date November 30, 2021
Time I woke up 1:47 p.m., I tropically miss the A.M. part of the day the first time around.
Every day starts with Waking up.
Breakfast consists of Could be a healthy smoothie, or it could be pizza or nothing at all. Just depends on my emotional status at the moment. But we are all near death, so I do try to keep things healthy so that my time on Earth is at its best potential.
To get going I always I have no set routine. I don’t drink caffeine anymore, so I literally don’t need anything to “get going.” I just open my eyes and get to work.
I don’t feel dressed without Clothes.
Before I start working I must Again, nothing needed. Just start working. Everything else is wasting my time.
Currently working on Touring.
But I’d really love to be Still touring.
Book I’m reading I don’t read.
I don’t know how anyone ever Landed on the moon.
If I had to play one album on repeat, it would be Our album, Give One Take One. So I could get the royalties.
The perfect midday consists of An amazing lunch. I love food.
To help get through the day I need Air, water, and food.
Not a day goes by without speaking to Myself.
My daydreams consist of Touring.
In a perfect day, in a perfect world I would be touring.
I’ll always fight for My right to party. #RIPMCA
Currently in love with Life.
Hoping to make time to watch Robin Hood (the animated Disney One with the animals). It is my favorite movie so I watch it multiple times a year.
By my bedside I always have I don’t even have a steady BED much less is there anything that is always by it. My bed could be a hotel, or a bus or even a van bench, it is always different. This interview is making me realize that maybe some folks should rely less on routine and just live life for the adventure it was meant to be. (That is just my humble observation, no judgements if anyone out there needs comfort and routine just to make it through a day, we are all different. And differences are to be celebrated.)
To help get through the night I need nothing.
Bed time Whenever my body won’t work anymore…usually around 4 maybe 5 a.m.
When I think about tomorrow, it’s always Sunny in Philadelphia.
