The contemporary classical, heavy rock/metal influence pianist comes from a very musical & artistic family. Her father Bill is a successful visual artist and art teacher & her mother Mary a violin teacher, guitarist, folk singer songwriter. Scarlett has been playing piano since the age of 4. But it was at age of 13 she took more after more readily to songwriting grunge alternative rock guitar sounds and started her performing career at age 16 as a solo acoustic guitarist vocalist. There after, she went on to play some of her previous and new works in a 3 piece grunge rock band called ‘Autonomy’.
-Interview- (2/21/24)
1. How did you get started with music and how did you develop your sound? How did the name "Scarlett Cook" come about and is there any meaning to it?
I come from a musical family. I started learning piano at 4 across all styles and did formal exams. However, at 13 I fell in love with grunge rock heavier sounds, took up guitar and first started songwriting that way. After a little break from the piano, I had a lightning bolt moment and went back to the instrument and started spewing out this music. A beautiful fusion of heavy guitar influences, expressed with formal classical piano training.
Scarlett Cook is my real name. My Mum is a violinist. She named me after Bob Dylan's Violinist, Scarlett Rivera.
2. What do you want people to take away from your music?
The sincerity I guess. It's not contrived. It's my medicine. A lot of music is very contrived, cerebral and reactionary based too early in the creative process these days. This is catharsis for me and hopefully people experience catharsis too. It is in making the subconscious conscious, that it has less power over us.
3. How would you describe your sound to the average listener?
Heavy melodic neo classical grunge goth. Classical metal. Cinematic. Eco doom. Unconventional. Piano Power.
4. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?
Myrkur. Apocalyptica. Darkher.
5. How has Covid affected what you do?
It lead me to writing new doom material.
6. What’s your take on the current state of panio driven heavier music?
There's not a lot of it. Perhaps why I've taken the call.
7. What’s the current music scene like there in Australia?
It's very healthy here in Melbourne. Other cities, there are less venues and not as much of a culture. Melbourne you can see music any night of the week and it's usually pretty good. However, I'd like to see more unconventional music here. I think Europe has more of an open mind and is avant-garde in that regard.
8. What’s your take on the royalties that streaming services pay out to artists?
Spotify can go f it's self. I don't really participate on principal. I just cbf. Entitlement to free music is an illness plaguing humanity. Someone does pay. And that way it's usually the artist. So if you discover a new artist via any streaming platform, go to their bandcamp and buy their merch. They will at least see something for their work. People who pay for music are smarter and far more attractive.
9. What’s next for Scarlett Cook?
I'm heading to Europe this year for the foreseeable future! I am looking to play (and see) a lot of shows.! If you are a like minded artist, band or agent, Feel free to reach out.
10. Any shoutouts?
Bob Brown, 79 years old getting arrested this week for peacefully defending old growth native forests in Tasmania. Just another insane thing happening in the world right now that needs to stop. And to all the sincere artists who stay true to their craft no matter what, rocking out to just 4 people. You matter and are important. Music is supreme, numbers are irrelevant.
