“Don't let the bastards get you down. Imposter syndrome is real. Keep healing, growing, and fighting regardless.”
Saul Seibert, frontman of former band Boo Hag, and creator of the four-part artistic experience, Zion, has become a surprisingly positive and encouraging force in Columbia art’s scene. His newest band, King Saul and The Heretics, released their first single “Grow”, on September 2nd along with a video that features a number of well-known Columbia faces. Read what Saul had to say about his new band, playing music sober and the Columbia arts scene.
JASPER: What spurred King Saul and The Heretics? How did the band come together?
SEIBERT: King Saul and The Heretics is basically a catch all for anything I have written to date, or I am currently writing… outside of Zion. I asked players I've worked with in the past and a few I have respected and wanted to work with to help fill out the songs and contribute their creativity to the arrangements.
I am cataloging notebooks of songs and writing new material a little here and there.
JASPER: Who all is in the band and how do y'all work together?
SEIBERT: Sean Thomson is on keys and is a multi-instrumentalist. He is producing and recording the music. Andrew Collins is on guitar, Hot Tub John is on bass, Kevin Brewer is on drums, and Adam Colbert is on sax and a contributing visual artist. I sing and play guitar.
Everyone is given freedom to build structure around the songs and write their own parts. I'm very fortunate to be welcomed into such a talented group of creators.
JASPER: How would you describe your sound?
SEIBERT: It's a mess. I honestly don't know.
JASPER: What inspired your single "Grow"?
SEIBERT: Grow was written about two years ago. It was directed at my brother. I had recently gotten clean from cocaine and heroin and was looking at kicking booze. I went out into the woods for a few weeks alone and wrote the song. It sat in a notebook until recently. Its meaning is on the surface and remains the same:
Don't let the bastards get you down. Imposter syndrome is real. Keep healing, growing, and fighting regardless.
Zach and Darren Woodlief sat with me and brought me back to life. I owe them everything.
JASPER: What about the video for “Grow”?
SEIBERT: The video is an invitation to the broader community to leave the scene and cool kid culture, turn in your membership and start building real relationships that are healthy mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Don't posture. Produce growth.
JASPER: What do you want most for Columbia, and what changes would you like to see?
SEIBERT: I want Columbia to be known for its artistic infrastructure. Columbia has some of the best bands and performing artists in the south… period. Let's throw some light on them and let them shine! I use the term Cola Centric when talking about the city because we are unique.
You have more diversity than a lot of cities in SC. We could always do a better job at highlighting our cultural diversity and celebrating the variations of this.
My personal take is simple. The NY and LA art and music "scene" didn't just happen. It was built very intentionally …and not with a lot of the advantages of technology that we have today. Seattle in the 90s didn't just accidentally happen. We build the art culture we want and in turn get the art culture we deserve.
JASPER: What does your writing process look like?
SEIBERT: It looks and feels like fucking hell.
JASPER: How has your sobriety impacted your music and creative process?
SEIBERT: I don't remember much about the previous decade. I don't know how it's impacted my process. I think it's possible I'm a better player and more honest of a writer. I would assume I'm easier to work with. Sobriety has only improved my production.
JASPER: When do you know something is done?
SEIBERT: I have never experienced this feeling. I imagine it must feel good.
JASPER: What advice would you like to give other creatives?
SEIBERT: Fuck pride. You are not famous or special. When you truly don't care what people think, you become a dangerous creator. It's my hope they are blessed enough to be truly cursed so that something absolutely beautiful can be brought into existence and speak and maybe even benefit the larger community. Fuck pride. Break rules.
JASPER: If each project you've been a part of was a living thing what would they be and why?
SEIBERT: They would all be buffalo.
You can see King Saul and the Heretics play their first show, Thursday, September 15th from 8-11pm at Uncle Festers with The Water Kickers, and Free Weed. See the Facebook event for more details.