“Ya Get What’cha Pay For”
Stoop Solo Records
By Peter “Blewzzman” Lauro © February 2021
Based out of Northern Arizona, The Scott O’Neal Band consists of: “Rev” Scott O’Neal on guitar, vocals and percussion; Gary Van Slyke on bass and backing vocals; Greg Woodbury on guitar and backing vocals; T-Roy Schilperoot on keyboards; Greg “Arizona” Funk on drums and “Guitar” Mary Kelly on backing vocals. “Ya Get What’cha Pay For” is the band’s debut release and it features twelve all original tracks.
The disc opens with a song called “Enough Is Enough”, and with a title like that, I’m sure each and every one of us can come up with a situation we’d like to apply those words to…. especially right about now. With that said, Scott’s using them for another good reason: to describe his disgust over a frustrating relationship… enough is enough, already! The hard driving rhythm “Funky G” (Greg Funk’s other nickname), Gary, and T-Roy are pounding out on the drums, bass and organ, along the gritty guitar leads by Scott, add a high energy to the track – an energy similar to what Scott needed to take charge of the situation.
Although the lyrics on the title track have absolutely nothing to do with my interpretation of what the song meant, the music surely did. You see, the song’s title is “Ya Get What’cha Pay For” and when it opened with such an ear popping guitar lead by Greg Woodbury and a profound rhythm beat by “Funky G” and Gary I couldn’t help but think that Scott who, with beautiful and melodic backup help from Mary, is nailing it on the vocals – must be paying this band quite well. Since the lyrics state “Ya get what’cha pay for and I pay for what I got” – and what Scott’s got is one hell of a talented band – he must be paying them a lot. Side note to radio peeps: this one’s a spinner.
Put ten pounds of cash in a five-pound bag and somehow most of us would make it work no matter how far we had to schlep it. On the other hand, lugging around “10 Lbs. Of Blues” in a five pound bag just doesn’t cut it. Mind over matter or matter over mind? Interesting thought, interesting track.
The swampy, minute long instrumentation on the intro had me thinking “Crescent Moon” was going to be an instrumental, but once Scott and backups Gary, Greg, and Mary added to the vibe with lyrics pertaining to voodoo down on the bayou, it all came perfectly together.
The title of this one tells you exactly what the band is up to – they’re “Busy With The Blues”. It’s a swinging shuffle featuring both guitarists swapping out scorching leads; the disc’s most smokin’ piano highlights; more of that “I don’t have to tell you how good they sound” rhythm and percussion; and Scott enticing the movers and shakers out to the floor as he croons about “being downtown and dancing in uptown shoes”. Real good stuff!
This one is titled “No Good Deed” as in “no good deed goes unreward… ” ooooops, I me as in “no good deed goes unpunished”. Yep, that’s what it has sadly come to. That said, I’ll be happy to offer “rewarding” compliments to the vocals on this track. From Scott’s lead, to the bands backups and to Mary’s snarky interjections, this was the disc’s best sung song.
Other tracks on this well done disc include: “The Way I Roll”, “Anytime Anyplace”; “Fine Thing”; “Soul Survivor”; “and “Carefree Highway”.
You can email Scott at [email protected] and you can also friend him by searching his name on Facebook. When you contact him, please tell him the Blewzzman sent you.
Peter “Blewzzman” Lauro
Blues Editor @ www.Mary4Music.com
2011 Keeping the Blues Alive Recipient
The Scott O’Neal Band
