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Unsigned518 - Episode 175 - Vintri Hill · Unsigned518

• 0:01
  Speaker A: He was born on a Saturday in 73 he loves punk rock music fighting the 13 cabin radio bat his motherfucking envy sc motherfucker. Cuz here he comes Andy Sculling wearing his orange hat.
• 0:27
  Speaker B: Welcome to unsigned 518. I am here again with Vintry Hill. How's it going?
• 0:33
  Speaker C: It's going good.
• 0:34
  Speaker B: And, and I guess we'll. We'll start here. Introduce yourself to the. The folks and what you do in the band and we'll go around the room.
• 0:41
  Speaker C: I'm Vincenzo. I'm the lead guitarist. Well, only guitarist and lead vocalist.
• 0:47
  Speaker D: I'm Dimitri Cerrone. I am the drummer and comedic relief.
• 0:52
  Speaker E: I am Tyler Munson and I play the bass guitar.
• 0:55
  Speaker B: And while we have had Vincenzo and Dimitri on the show before, we have not been introduced to Tyler. And it kind of goes back, it ties in. This is like a sequel episode of sorts. I almost want to go back to your initial episode and be like, stay tuned for the update. But I guess update us with what's happening with Vintry Hill.
• 1:22
  Speaker E: Yeah. So, I mean, just kind of going back a little backstory of how I joined the band. I've always been huge fan of their music and I've known Vincenzo since I was probably about like 5 years old. So I was at a show one day, I knew they were looking for a bass guitarist. I was just coming out to support them. And then after the set, I. I have never played bass in my life. This was back in like probably June or July. I was just like, what if I learned bass and went home that night, bought a bass and here we are now.
• 1:57
  Speaker B: Had you played guitar before?
• 1:58
  Speaker E: Nope. I played saxophone for about eight years, so.
• 2:02
  Speaker B: Well, I mean that's, that's something.
• 2:03
  Speaker E: It's something.
• 2:04
  Speaker B: It's, you know, it maybe doesn't line up, but it's, it's music. You have some music theory and I do have some. And keeping time.
• 2:12
  Speaker E: Yes.
• 2:12
  Speaker B: And understanding of.
• 2:14
  Speaker E: Yeah.
• 2:14
  Speaker B: What a note is. So you had a foundation. Yeah. So you're saying July, like of last of last year.
• 2:23
  Speaker E: Yep. So that's when I bought the guitar. I hadn't really played it that much at first, but around late September, early October, they had a show at the Hangar with FC Inc. Which is Franche Coma's band. And so early October we just started drilling through the set list they had. I think it was like a 12 song set list around there. So I just learned all those songs. That was basically the first time I had played. So it was a pretty cool experience, just.
• 2:53
  Speaker B: And when you were learning the song, like. Cause these were songs that you have, like, on, you know, that are recorded. You have recorded. So was it mostly sitting in your room, pounding through the recorded version, playing along with it, and then bringing it to these two and playing along?
• 3:09
  Speaker E: So, I mean, Vincenzo basically, like, it started out with him just from scratch. Like, I would go over to his house, he would have a few songs, or, like, we started out with, like, one song at a time where he would just kind of show me the bass line and then. Then I would go home and I would drill through it like, a hundred times a day. But it took. It took a while. The first. First couple months were rough, but I.
• 3:35
  Speaker B: Mean, even as, like, even if. You know, because I play bass as well, and I, like, switched over a couple years ago, but I also switched over after 30 years of guitar, you know, so it was, like, not that difficult of a switch, but it was still learning songs and learning techniques, even with that deep background took time, so.
• 3:55
  Speaker E: Oh, yeah.
• 3:55
  Speaker B: So to not only be learning that, but learning a brand new instrument. Yeah, like, it must have been a. A lot of work, you know?
• 4:04
  Speaker E: Yeah, it was. I mean, it was worth it 100%. I would not go back and change anything. So glad that I made that decision.
• 4:13
  Speaker B: And so that was. You joined the band, like, basically full time, like, and learned as you were already a member of the band. So we're talking not quite a year ago or about a year ago it would be.
• 4:26
  Speaker E: I was officially, like. It was announced that I was in the band, like, the night of the show, pretty much. Like, no one knew that they really had, like, FC Inc. Kind of knew that I was gonna be there, but no one else.
• 4:39
  Speaker C: It was. It was like the show was in. I think it was like, December 7th or December 7th. It was early December. And, like, we started. I started, like, working with Tyler. We worked together on it in, like, October. So in, like, two months. He was like, show ready. And he fucking killed it. Sorry for the swear. He did a great job. He did. He did terrific.
• 5:01
  Speaker B: You can say he did fucking terrific. So nobody knew, but at this point, you had already put in the work to, like, learn all the songs and was it, like a deliberate secret? Like, were you kind of like, hey, we want this show to be, like, this explosive surprise of, like, hey, we're in our final form now.
• 5:23
  Speaker C: And it was cool because it was like, not only was it a show that we, like, got pretty much blessed, the opportunity to open up for, like, the original guitarist of the Misfits, but we were able to Star. Our first bassist or our, like, for the first time. I mean, right? Yeah. And we didn't announce it, like, the day of the show. We said, please. Like, we did a lot of promoting, but, like, the day of, we kind of, like, we, like, cryptically, like, alluded to, like, certain things. Like, we did, like, a promo video of me and Dimitri talking about the show. And, like, we had, like, a bass guitar in front of an amp. Like, oh, why would there be a bass guitar? And then the day of the show, we were just like, you better come out to this, because we've been Free Hill as a massive surprise for all of you. And then, like, we got there, and then, like, Rob Smittics from Radio Radio X, he was like, oh, my God, I knew it. It's a bass player. Yeah. You guys are fully complete. Yeah. So it was like a little. There's a little event, I guess.
• 6:22
  Speaker D: Yeah.
• 6:22
  Speaker B: If.
• 6:24
  Speaker D: Since our last interview with you, with the first one, but the last one.
• 6:28
  Speaker B: Right, right.
• 6:29
  Speaker D: We have had people like, where's your bass player? You need a bass player. Bass player, bass player, bass player. And then finally, to be able to come out and actually have a bass player and for. Not only for us to have a bass player, but for him to actually come out and kill it was like. It's just like a whole nother step up for us. That's huge. And really opens doors that weren't open prior to having that.
• 6:55
  Speaker B: I mean, it really does. And, like, you know, not only coming out and, like, killing it, but. And not only learning the instrument from scratch, but it must be cool for, like, you two to know that someone learned, you know, spent that much time and learned an instrument to fit your band, you know? And like, there's one thing of, like, someone joining your band, but it's like, oh, no, that was meant to be, you know, like, formed to join your band.
• 7:23
  Speaker D: It helps the chemistry, too, because as he said, he knew Vincenzo 5. I mean, I've. I.
• 7:30
  Speaker E: We. We knew each other, but it's like we never really crossed paths that much.
• 7:34
  Speaker D: Yeah. Like, I'm. But regardless, like, it's someone that we've been around, so I think we had that worry. What was that. Was that band mix? What was that thing we were trying to look for? We were trying to look for bass players on band Mix, and we had come across a couple. But the thing was, we were like, well, some are gonna be too old. And then we also, like, we. We were like, maybe have a girl in the band. But it was like, would it be Weird because there's two other guys and it's like, would she feel out? And then it was like there was just so many different things and we're trying to filter through. And then some people were like, well, we're. I'm in this band and kind of play bass, so I kind of have the time to do this. But so to have him step in, learn the instrument, have it be someone we know.
• 8:16
  Speaker B: Right.
• 8:17
  Speaker D: Doesn't mess up the chemistry at all, if not makes the band stronger. So it's really just like, in all angles. We have grown so much from this in ways that I couldn't even explain a band growing without you actually being in those shoes and watching it.
• 8:33
  Speaker B: And I think it's, like, so important too, like, more than anything. Like you said chemistry and, like, having that, you know, you knew him and you know who he is, you know, and, like, that's more important to me than almost anything in a band because, like, I would rather play with people that I trust that, you know, I know that I can get along with as a person than the most talented person on the planet. Like, you know, I'd be like, I. Or, you know, I mean, the most talented person who's a dick, I guess, is, like, what I meant to say. But, like, I'd rather just, you know, because that's what it's about. That's what makes a band. And like, that's like, almost like that definition of it. You know, you have a band of people that have common interests and stick together, and that's how you make good music.
• 9:19
  Speaker C: Yeah, we. Though. I think that was the. That was definitely the biggest issue. This is like, okay, so we have to get. Like, what if this person is this person even real? That were. That just liked our profile on Van. But, yeah, so we. We definitely lucked out in the. With the. Our luck department.
• 9:41
  Speaker D: Hopefully we didn't use it all. I don't think we did, but I think we were pretty close. It was like 90% of our luck department we. We threw at Tyler, so. But he's. He's definitely. Definitely made the most of it, if not more so. Definitely really proud to be a part of something like this where we've grown this much and really made something amazing.
• 10:02
  Speaker B: And how many shows have you played as the Power Trio since becoming a Power Trio?
• 10:10
  Speaker C: I would say so far since. So I guess since that December has been like five. And then since our interview, I would say 11.
• 10:18
  Speaker B: Yeah.
• 10:18
  Speaker C: Because that's including those five. So that was, like, last April. Not. Not like, not okay, so like a.
• 10:24
  Speaker B: Year and a half ago. Ish year. And plus, yeah, I get a mom, like, totally. You could have told me it was three years ago and it would have been like, yeah, yeah. So a lot has happened, a lot of shows since your first appearance here.
• 10:41
  Speaker C: An album came out, right?
• 10:43
  Speaker B: Yeah. When. When did the album come out?
• 10:45
  Speaker C: The album came out in October.
• 10:47
  Speaker D: October 16th.
• 10:48
  Speaker C: You remember the day?
• 10:49
  Speaker D: I only remember. I only remember the day because I dropped my own album the day before. So the day after I had. I completely forgot we were dropping ours. So they kind of overlapped. But it was like that was kind of sick for me because I had two of my own projects to like sink in. So I was just soaking. Like I had a whole week of just like going between rap and punk and it was dope. But yeah, October 16th, we dropped it and it got really good feedback. Like people loved. Took what we were really strong in in the first album and almost it took in like, I'd say, like our heavier tones in a way. We kind of worked with some heavier tones that we did really well in the first album. But then also on our slower songs, we really like honed in on what we were good at in those. And definitely having crescendos and, you know, changes of pace. We did that a lot too. Overall, I'd say that album was just, just awesome. Just everything we wanted it to be, it came out to be. And we listened through the first album and then listen to the second album and the growth from A to B was just like, holy shit. Like we're really like getting pace now.
• 12:04
  Speaker B: And it you play on the album or was that. Did that predate you?
• 12:08
  Speaker E: That predates me.
• 12:09
  Speaker B: All right. All right. But you know, hey, you gotta now you have a starting point where you can grow even more.
• 12:17
  Speaker C: And it's funny cuz like I. I recorded the bass lines for like our first two records, right? And it's funny because the second album is very like very like ear tickling bass line. And in a way we were shooting ourselves in the foot doing that, not having a bass player to play with live or like being a complete live band. So it's really cool that not only did Tyler learn bass, but he learned it to like a professional level.
• 12:50
  Speaker B: Yeah. Right at. Right out of the gate. You might as well throw everything at it. That's awesome. So I think we should probably hear a song, I don't know which one that you guys want to play or, you know, play virtually not in the, in the room.
• 13:09
  Speaker D: You know, we'd Love for the audience to hear Van Gogh. It's one of our favorites from the second album.
• 13:14
  Speaker B: Okay. Anything you want to say about it before we hear it?
• 13:19
  Speaker C: It's essentially a song about. This is a reoccurring theme in our music. It's feeling stuck where you are and being discontent with yourself and what's going on in your life and maybe how you're treated, how things are going around you socially, you see other social things going on. You're like, what the fuck are these people doing, dude? So it's essentially like that. But I'd say it's. It's kind of like I want my life to be better, but let me tell you why it can't be essentially that.
• 13:48
  Speaker B: All right, cool. Well, let's listen to Van Gogh, Vintry Hill, and then we'll be right back.
• 14:14
  Speaker A: Picture of my life that I was supposed to be I love the blurry picture I disguise everything I say I know where's your life? Stop you this way won't I know where's your this way Roy. I know it's wrong to defend myself But I get here yeah.
• 14:50
  Speaker C: She said.
• 14:50
  Speaker A: Thoughts are headed that my gray has a sicken to the wall Another blurry picture of my life Art isn't real I love nowhere it's your something this way, Ro and I know it's your life Suck you this way, Ro and I know a joy to defend myself But I can't heal I know it's your right Suck you this way lose I know it's your right to defend myself that I can't give.
• 16:05
  Speaker E: All right.
• 16:05
  Speaker B: That was Van Gogh, Ventry Hill, and I guess let's just, you know, continue the tale of what's been going on with Vintry Hill since the. The last time we spoke.
• 16:17
  Speaker C: All right. Since the last. I guess since the last time we spoke, we played. We played, like, a whole ton of shows. Very busy. I'd say one or two a month since the last time we spoke. And then. Except for, like, during winter, there was, like, a grace period, but we still did, like.
• 16:37
  Speaker B: Winter's tough. It's tough. It's tough to do gigs in the winter, man.
• 16:41
  Speaker C: Yeah, but we still, like, did, like. There was, like, events going on that we were part of, though, that we weren't playing, but we had to be a part of it. Like, I don't know, a public appearance, I guess we could call it. But, yeah, so we. We played on a float. Like a. Pretty much a float. I say a float. A flatbed of a truck in Troy During a parade for Memorial Day. And then what else we do? We played. We played in Troy for the big Troy Pig Out. We, we went all the way to Alfred State for their Hot Dog Day festival. This was like after our first interview, we went all the way out. It's like a four and a half, like five and a half hour drive. And we played two shows in one day. One at a frat house and then one at the big main stage during the festival. And it was literally snowing during the main stage show was outside. Yeah, it was snowing. They weren't expecting was at SUNY Alfred and it was snowing and like me and Dimitri had like bundle up but we still played. I couldn't feel my hands.
• 17:49
  Speaker B: That sucks.
• 17:50
  Speaker D: This is like, like mid to end April, by the way. This isn't like. It's not like. Yeah, it wasn't like right after like we're talking like April, April 20th. So it was just snowing and everyone's just standing out there and we're like, what? What the fuck? I'm trying to play and I can't feel my fingertips. But yeah, we did that. The Memorial Day flow was sick. That was awesome. It was like, like just going down the street and so much support from like the community just for like not only for the veterans but also just for the music too was sick. And I thought that was awesome. What else, what else do we hit?
• 18:31
  Speaker C: I'm just trying to think of like big like niche like I'm trying to think of like niche like concerts that we did that would be like, oh, that's a unique setting. I don't know. But we, we played the Empire live does the emas. So they did the first ever like halfway to the EMA like sponsor party.
• 18:51
  Speaker B: Extreme Music Awards for those not, not into brevity.
• 18:54
  Speaker C: I'm so sorry. But yeah, so we were a part of the like have the first ever Halfway to the EMA sponsor party with some like. We played with some local, really cool local bands like Phoenix and the Raven. Out of my head again. We against the Rain. Oh, they're so good. And this band that's from like out of state, they're called. They were in Massachusetts. They're called after the Winter. But it was, it was a funny setting because it was this punk band, these two 18 year old kids and we jump on a set with like these like hardcore metal, math metal, like death metal and they like everyone loves each other. Yeah, it was so supportive. Probably the most supportive like show we've ever been or one of the most supportive, like, function shows we've ever been a part of.
• 19:45
  Speaker B: Yeah. I always say, and, like, it's the same in. In Madeline. I'm also like a horror. Horror guy. And a lot of people are like, oh, horror people are scary. I'm like, it. They're not. Like, horror people are the nicest people you meet. And usually, like, the harder the metal, the nicer the human being behind.
• 20:01
  Speaker D: I swear to God, they get it out.
• 20:03
  Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 20:04
  Speaker B: That's.
• 20:04
  Speaker D: Then you talk to, like, these pop artists and they're like.
• 20:07
  Speaker B: They're angry, little controlled by the devil.
• 20:09
  Speaker D: And those are. Those are the people you actually have to watch for.
• 20:13
  Speaker B: Yeah, yeah.
• 20:16
  Speaker C: Like the. The. The Kirk from Out of My Head. He's up there and he's like, like, becomes like Satan. And then like, you talk to Adam Levine in real life, and he's like, the biggest piece.
• 20:27
  Speaker E: Yeah.
• 20:28
  Speaker B: It's like that old adage about punks and hippies. You know, it's like, punks are good people pretending to be bad, and hippies are bad people pretending to be good.
• 20:37
  Speaker D: But, yeah, overall, the whole EMA thing was sick. Getting the nominations with was awesome because we got nominated for best punk band of the year and then what else? Jim, you're like our savior over the band historian. I just look over to him for.
• 20:50
  Speaker E: The Emmys and then for the Listen Up Awards. You were also nominated for that as well as Best Social Media.
• 20:57
  Speaker D: Yep. We got nominated for best Social Media. Shout out. Jim. He's sitting over there. He's looking pretty. But yeah, over. Overall, it's awesome to just get those nominations. And. And it's great. I mean, this music scene we have up here. I mean, you know, you podcasts all the time, you're always interviewing people, and it's amazing, the support that's up here.
• 21:20
  Speaker B: And I always say, like, I feel like it's a special thing. And like, I've. You know, I've seen other scenes where, like, people don't get along like this.
• 21:31
  Speaker D: You have people coming in from. As he said. And after the winter, like Springfield, Massachusetts. And we've seen. There was a band, I forget their name from Boston that came in. It was a while ago. Remember, there was a. We did a concert. It was a metal band. They came in from Boston. We've had. We even. We did a show that was another show that we did. We did a show with Cool Keith, which Tyler was there for us with that. And that was sick. That was April 2nd of 2025. Drop out. 2025. It's already pass. We're past this. It had already happened, but that was sick. He came up from the Bronx, I think. Was it the Bronx? But they were on tour. But just for them to come to Albany and to do it. It's just our area has music and it's thriving and people are pushing together, and it's just a great thing that we have going on here.
• 22:24
  Speaker B: I agree. And, you know, I think everybody can work together in all facets to. To raise it up. And I think we're making great strides. Like, it gets better every year, like, I think. And maybe it's just my perception, but I feel like it gets better every year.
• 22:38
  Speaker D: Speaking of the making strides, we also did the. We had a show for breast cancer awareness. We did. We put together. That was. That was a huge show. We had a huge show out for that, which was awesome. We had Cryptic Entertainment, which I am a part of. We had Curveball. We had Audubo, and then we had us. And overall amazing show out. We had. We did. We get. We didn't have sponsors necessarily, but we had, like. We did get donation. We did, like, donate to societies for breast cancer, the American Cancer Society for breast cancer research and whatnot. In October, we did that. So that was. That was really cool too. But again, like, just to show that we're all making strides up here. We're all bringing the community together and it's cool stuff we're doing. So it's awesome.
• 23:24
  Speaker B: Hell, yeah. So I think at this point, we're. We're at the point we need to hear another song. So what do you got for us?
• 23:34
  Speaker C: I'll introduce this one. You guys. Who wants to introduce it? This. I look over my two shoulders to see if anyone's eager to introduce it, and they're just like, you go. This song is called Without Me. And we have. There's a little. Few tidbits of information on this. Something up and coming is a music video nice for. For this. And it was. We filmed with this really cool guy named James, and he's out in California right now. But he's like, pretty professional. And it's gonna be. It's gonna be choice. It's gonna look really cool. But it's. So this song is pretty much about feeling isolated in and very inward on yourself and feeling distant from people because you're overthinking about how you're affecting them and kind of just like the urge to just like, cut. Just cut. Cut things off. Burn bridges or nuke them because you're just like, so anxious about your impact on people and if you're doing the right thing, doing the wrong thing. So it's called without me. Funny enough, they're going to be without you, but, yeah, it's really cool. And it's. It's, yeah, pretty awesome.
• 24:44
  Speaker B: All right, well, let's check out without me, Vintry Hill, and then we'll be right back to wrap it up.
• 25:08
  Speaker A: Sad. Not a thing at all I can't confess what I feel inside.
• 25:49
  Speaker C: When I.
• 25:49
  Speaker A: Wake and get out of my head you're always there it's like you never left I don't know why why I feel this way it's time I said tail I think it's time to go Just as someone you can say Jump back and pray yes. Another night staring at the wall and I'm worried about nothing at all I can't confess what I feel inside.
• 27:00
  Speaker C: But.
• 27:00
  Speaker A: When I wait and get out of my head it's like you're here it's like you never left I don't know why why I feel this way it's not my. I think it's time to go Just in a stop wide you can say and though you hit me Jump back and pray yes. It's starting to move on without me Sam, you can still and though you'll hit me Jump back and play yes. Yeah. It's starting to move on it's not my shadow I think it's time to God said somewhat you can tell.
• 29:27
  Speaker B: All right, that was without me. Ventry Hill and guys, want to thank you so much for coming out here and doing this. And before we go, like I do with all my guests, I want to give you the chance to say your gratitudes.
• 29:39
  Speaker C: All right, this is Vincenzo here. I am very grateful and thankful for, I guess everyone in the music scene that surrounds us and supportive of us. I'm thankful and grateful for Tyler on my left, band brother bass player Dimitri on my right.
• 29:57
  Speaker D: Thank you, Vin.
• 29:59
  Speaker C: And of course, our manager, Jim. He's super cool.
• 30:02
  Speaker D: He's definitely not like your dad.
• 30:04
  Speaker C: He's definitely not my dad, but he wears a chain, so he's cool. And obviously thank you, Andy, for having us. Yeah. And I guess mom. All I ever. All of our support system merge team, social media team. Everyone who books us and looks at gives us a chance. Yeah. And handing it off to Dimitri.
• 30:29
  Speaker D: I'm gonna just branch off from what he said. Thank you to my family, always supporting me, my friends, my girlfriend, always there supporting me, always lifting me up when I, you know, need it. Thank you for the scene. Mike Valenti, huge thank you to you for always looking out for us, always trying to get us gigs and stuff, all the bands that we do shows with. Andy, I'd like to thank you not only for getting us on the show, but also shedding light to all the underground here really makes a big difference in this scene. And yeah, I think that's my gratitudes.
• 31:09
  Speaker E: Yeah. First and foremost, I'd like to thank Andy for having us on here and I'd like to thank Calvin for being very supportive little pup during this podcast. But yeah, I would like to thank our listeners, each and every one of them. I mean, we love you all. Thank you to Vin and Dimitri for taking me into the band, even though I was a work in progress for sure when I first got here. But it's been a hell of a ride and I'm hoping that keep doing this for a long, long time.
• 31:44
  Speaker B: All right, so they are Ventry Hill. I am Andy scullin. This is unsigned 518. I'll see you on the road. Unsigned 518 is produced and hosted by me, Andy Scullin. New episodes are available every week wherever you stream podcasts. If you'd like to help support the show, please like and subscribe wherever you are listening. Or you could buy me a coffee@buymeacoffee.com unsigned 518 if you would like to advertise on the show, send me an email@unsigned518mail.com and to be a guest on the show, reach out to me through Instagram at unsigned518. Take care of one another and I'll see you next week.