Blue Philly is Seattle-based band that makes rowdy rock songs for liberation in the modern age – and an occasional pretty love song, for fun.
Blue Philly was first conceived by Andrew Scoggins in 2019 as a means of escaping the emotional toll of working as the supervisor of a 24/7 youth shelter. It was envisioned as an honest rock project to provide catharsis, connection, and hope for those feeling ground down by the casual day-to-day suffering in America.
To cope, Andrew channeled his painful experience into blunt anthems combining no-frills chord progressions and a stark, aggressive singing style. As he developed his songs, he began to collaborate with drummer Aaron Valenta and bassist and vocalist Jason Norman. And after being christened by a mysterious stranger at a local pizzeria, the band became a cohesive unit. With Jason's experienced eye for unearthing glittering pop hooks, as well as Aaron's dynamic control of both aggression and restraint, the band has honed its songs to a razor's edge.
The fruit of their labor is a collection of jagged, earnest rock songs that touch on themes ranging from the sweet ache of falling in love to the hollowness of modern life in late-stage capitalism. Andrew’s lyrics drill deep into what it’s really like to feel alive. His words are driven by singalong pop hooks, harmonies, snarling guitar, and a pounding rhythm section.
In May 2022, Blue Philly recorded two singles: "40 Hours," an anti-capitalist banger (with a heartfelt "F**k Bezos" singalong section) and "Not the 1," a song about hopeless love. Their first EP is out now!
Aaron
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle is now home. Aaron learned to play drums by beating on cardboard boxes while watching MTV, graduating to a real drum set at age 10. Self-taught, he has performed in rock, jazz, and marching bands throughout the West Coast. He has also instructed dozens of percussion students across all ages.
Aaron is influenced by Kellii Scott of Failure, Jon Theodore, Abe Cunningham of Deftones, and anything Dave Grohl has ever done.
Andrew
Andrew grew up playing in suburban garage bands shouting into his sister's karaoke machine. He got to the point where he could play power chords, very nearly in time, whereupon his friends begrudgingly let him play rhythm guitar as well.
He has been compulsively writing pop hooks over distorted guitar ever since, and has the noise complaints from his apartment to prove it. In his spare time, Andrew enjoys piña coladas and getting caught in the rain.
Jason
A multi-instrumentalist, Jason plays bass and sings backup. A Michigan native, Jason began playing music as a teenager, however his first instrument was not the bass, it was the electric guitar. Bass came later in life after taking a break from guitar playing. His influences include Carol Kaye, Paul McCartney and Sting.
When he isn’t playing bass and singing for Blue Philly, Jason plays drums for Straight to Video and sings in Güero Brown. In addition to music, Jason enjoys foreign languages, traveling, and soccer.