Ringside is the creation of Scott (singer / songwriter) and Balt (beat master) – two kindred musical spirits who first met during their teen years.
Their debut is a testament to the power of artistic experimentation and friendship. In the case of Ringside, those two elements blend effortlessly to staggering results. Their paths first crossed at a birthday party for Timothy Leary. While everyone hung out downstairs – Scott, Balt and Timothy listened to a vinyl recording of the Bulgarian Women’s Choir upstairs.
Scott and Balt bonded over a mutual love of good music. While their full-fledged collaboration wouldn’t happen for years – they became best of friends. Years later, each rented a unit in a non-descript Hollywood
apartment building. While Balt worked out rhythms upstairs, Scott wrote songs on his acoustic guitar downstairs. Call it osmosis – music seeping through the stairwells, pipes and ventilation ducts – the foundations of Ringside were laid without either member realizing it. Scott and Balt would check in on each other from time to time and listen to the other’s music.
Balt’s hypnotic beats and layered rhythms inter play with Scott’s deft songcraft, soaring melodies and introspective lyrics. Gorgeous acoustic guitars, Motown worthy bass lines, atmospheric keyboards, tasty electric guitar riffs, strings, horns – all the work of Scott. Once Balt completed the final production tweaks, they created and designed
the demo’s artwork. Ringside had officially arrived.
On the merits of these recordings alone, Flawless Records signed the band.
Scott and Balt wrote, engineered and produced their entire debut album. In keeping with their original ideal and vision, they recorded
everything in Scott’s garage. The conditions weren’t always ideal – the garage once so cold that Scott recorded the flamenco guitar on “Spanish Faster” while wearing a parka and cut-off gloves. The songs testify to their collective years of life experience and paying dues. Scott wrote to guitar hook and lyrics to the aptly titled “Struggle” while working
night shifts as a limo driver.
Ringside is the first experiment by two friends who’ve always shared a love of good music.
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