In the summer of 1988, Scotty Hard, a native of Vancouver, Canada, heard the first rebellious wails of saxaphone on P.E.’s “Rebel Without A Pause,” permanently altering his destiny. After a 10 year engagement with the punk and alternative scene in Vancouver, Scotty packed his bags and moved to New York City determined to participate in its hip hop revolution.
His initiation into the New York beat underground began at the legendary Chung King House of Metal and famed Calliope Studios, two of Manhattan’s premier hip-hop sound factories. It was at Calliope in 1989 that Scotty settled for 3 to 4 years, working with such artists as Prince Paul, De La Soul, the Jungle Brothers, Ultramagnetic MC’s, Jazzy Jay, DJ Mark the 45 King, Stetsasonic, Brand Nubian, Black Sheep, Louie Vega, Fat Joe, Stereo MC’s, PM Dawn, Major Force Posse, and The Lifer’s Group.
In 1990, during a session he was doing with Q-Tip, Scotty met Jason Furlow and Sebastian Laws,who were just then launching the group New Kingdom. Scotty produced their first demo and their two critically-acclaimed albums for Gee Street Records and played electric guitar in their incendiary live shows.
Selected Discography – Scotty Hard
Scotty Hard Discography
Production
New Kingdom – Heavy Load & Paradise Don’t Come Cheap (Gee Street/Island)
Medeski, Martin and Wood – Combustication (Blue Note/Capitol)
Ultra Bide’ – Super Milk (Alternative Tentacles)
Sex Mob – Din of Inequity ( Columbia/Knitting Factory Records)
Positive Black Soul – New York, Paris, Dakar (Mango/Island)
Truck Stop – Unstoppable (Black Hoodz/Wordsound)
Various – Macro Dub Infection-Volume 1 (Virgin)
Ice – Bad Blood & “Dusted” remix (Reprise/Morpheus)
Red Aunts – “Who?” (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
Barney Bentall & the Legendary Hearts – Till Tomorrow (Columbia)
Tricky w/New Kingdom – “Moody Broody Buddist Camp” (Island)
Crooklyn Dub, Vol.2/ Subterranean Hitz, Vol. 1, 2&3/ Shake the Nations/ Dubadelic, Bass Invaders/ Slotek – various tracks (Wordsound)
Bailter Space – The Aim (Matador)
Various – Altered Beats – Assassin Knowledges of The Remanipulated (Island)
DJ Logic – Project Logic (Rope-a Dope)
Badar Ali Khan – “Ali the Holy Prophet – Scotty Hard Remix” (Baba/Triloika)
Sex Mob – Solid Sender (Knitting Factory)
Medeski, Martin and Wood -“Last Chance to Dance Trance (perhaps)” (Ryko)
Material – Intonarumori (Axiom/Palm Pictures)
Soul Crib – In A Mellotron (Mohair)
Michael Blake – Drift (Intuition)
Chris Brown/Kate Fenner – Geronimo (p-vine/Japan, b-music/North America)
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – Xtra-Acme USA (Capitol/Matador)
Metabolics – The M-Virus (Wordsound)
Scotty Hard – The Return of Kill Dog E. (Wordsound)
Organ-ized – “Swamp Road” (w/John Medeski) (High Street Records)
Great Jewish Music: Marc Bolan -“Groove a Little” (w/ MMW) (Tzadik)
Medeski, Martin and Wood – The Dropper (Blue Note/Capitol)
Leon Lamont – Breakbeat Mechanic (Wordsound)
Crash Test Dummies – I Don’t Care That You Don’t Mind (Cha-Ching/V2)
DJ Logic – The Anomaly (Rope-A-Dope/Atlantic)
Billy Martin – Illy B. Eats Vol.1 (Amulet)
Mr. Dead – Metabolics Vol. 2 – Dawn of the Dead (Wordsound)
The Word – “The Word” (Ropeadope/Atlantic)
Sex Mob – Sex Mob Does Bond (Ropeadope/Atlantic)
Medeski, Martin and Wood – Uninvisible (Blue Note)
The Pleasure Unit– “Get Through to You” (TRINO Records)
Crash Test Dummies – Jingle All the Way (Koch)
John Medeski/ Scott Harding – Stan Douglas’ Suspiria
Charlie Hunter – Right Now Move (ropeadope)
Crash Test Dummies – Songs of the Unforgiven (Deep Fried/Ryko)
Sex Mob – Dime Grind Palace (ropeadope)
Crooked – Film Soundtrack and album (Wordsound)
Billy Martin – Illy B. Eats Vol.2 (Amulet)
Mike Ladd/Vijay Iyer – In What Language (PI Recdordings)
Crooklyn Dub Vol.4 – Escape from Babylon (Wordsound)
Mike Ladd – Nostalgilator (K7)
Mauritsstadt Dub – “Toada de Cavalo Marinho” Scotty Hard Remix (Candeeiro)
Fieldwork – Simulated Progress (PI Recordings)
Tandy – Did You Think I Was Gone (Yellow Slipper)
Nação Zumbi – Futura (Trama)
Mamelo Sound System – Velha-Guarda 22 (YB/Brasil)
Steve Lehman – Demian as Posthuman (PI Recordings)
DJ Logic – The Zen of Logic (ropeadope)
Billy Martin – Illy B. Eats Vol.3 (Amulet)
Scotty Hard – Radical Reconstructive Surgery- John Medeski, Matthew Shipp (Thirsty Ear)
Mike Ladd/Vijay Iyer – Still Life with Commentator (Savoy)
Charlie Hunter – Mistico (Concord/Fantasy)
N.I.C. – N.I.C. (Malicious Damage)
Senser – How to Do Battle (Imprint Music)
Diva Gash – 2. Lov (Bogota)
Candice Anitra – Bark then Bite (Heart Sleeve Records)
Medeski, Martin and Wood – Radiolarians: The Evolutionary Set (Indirecto)
Lurdez da Luz – Lurdez da Luz (Tratore)
Ekundayo – Ekundayo (Ropeadope)
Janet Echelman/Aaron Koblin – “Unnumbered Sparks” (Google Creative Labs) 2014 CODA Video Award winner
Red Aunts – Come Up for a Closer Look (In the Red)
Illtet (Mike Ladd, HPrizm, Jeff Parker, Tyshawn Sorey) – Gain (RogueArt)
Mongrels – 7″ – “You Dig Raps”/”Combat Divers” – Scotty Hard Remix (Invisible Spies)
Mixing/Engineering
Wu-Tang Clan – Wu-Tang Forever (Loud/RCA) “Can it Be…? (Remix) FRESH soundtrack
Gravediggaz – 6 Feet Deep & The Pick, the Axe and the Shovel (Gee Street/Island)
Jungle Brothers – Raw Deluxe (Gee Street/V2)
Chris Rock – Roll With the New (Dreamworks)
Vernon Reid – Mistaken Identity (550/Epic)
Ultrmagnetic MC’s – Funk Your Head Up (Mercury)
Stereo MC’s – Supernatural (4th & Broadway/Island)
Salif Keita – Papa (Metro Blue/ Capitol)
Dirty Dozen Brass Band – Buck Jump (Mammoth Rec.)
Deadly Snakes – Deadly Snakes (Tommy Boy)
PM Dawn– various album and remix cuts, Of the Heart, Of the Soul and of the Cross: The Utopian Experience, “Plastic”
Zimbabwe Legit – Zimbabwe Legit (Hollywood Basic)
Einsturzende Nuebauten – “Ende Nue” (Jon Spencer Remix)” (Mute)
Michael Blake – The Kingdom of Champa (Intuition)
tomandandy – Killing Zoe – film score
Bjork – Untitled (RZA mix ,1997 )
Lifer’s Group – Real Deal” & “One Life to Live (Hollywood Basic)
Brand New Heavies – Heavy Rhyme Experience (Delicious Vinyl)
Biz Markie, Chubb Rock & Prince Paul – “America is Dying Slowly” (EastWest)
Queen – “Another One Bites the Dust (Phase 5 Remix)” (Hollywood)
Boogie Down Productions – Sex and Violence (Jive)
Black Sheep – A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (Mercury)
Tim Dog – Penicillin on Wax (Ruffhouse/Columbia)
Brian McKnight – “Goodbye My Love” N.O. JOE remix (Mercury)
Too Short – “In the Trunk” DJ Premier remix (Jive)
Cypress Hill – “Latin Lingo (Prince Paul mix) ” (Ruffhouse/Columbia)
De La Soul – De La Soul is Dead (Tommy Boy)
Lisa Stansfield – “All Around the World (45 King Remix)” (Arista)
Handsome Boy Modeling School – So… How’s Your Girl ? (Tommy Boy)
Latyrix – first album
Space Monkeys – new release (Factory, 1999)
Chris Rock – Bigger and Blacker (Dreamworks)
Steven Bernstein – Diaspora Soul (Tzadik)
J Live – “Waxpaper” (Payday/London),
The Last Emperor – Music, Magic, Myth (Red Planet Music/Raptivism)
Pimpadelic – Southern Devils (Tommy Boy)
Headdrillaz – “Like Nobody Else” Jon Spencer remix (Meanwhile/Virgin)
Club D’Elf – Now I Understand (Accurate Records)
Hal Crook – Um (Rope-A-Dope)
Stephen Chopek & Chris Lovejoy – Brain Trust (Perhaps Transparent)
Teo Macero – The Best of Teo Macero, Impressions of Miles Miles Davis, Impressions of Duke Ellington, Pop Jazz – Volume 1 (Teo Records)
Michael Blake – Elevated (Knitting Factory)
Nação Zumbi – Nação Zumbi (Trama), Brazil
The Dears – Summer of Protest EP (Universal)
Arto Lindsay – Salt (Righteous Babe)
Matthew Barney/Arto Lindsay – “Da Lama Lamina” 5.1 multimedia film/installation, DVD and CD
Campbell Brothers – Can You Feel It (ropeadope)
Vijay Iyer Quartet – Reimagining (Savoy Jazz)
Chris Rock – Never Scared (Universal)
Retada – “Beautiful Day” Surround Mix (Tadanoshin)
GroundTruther – (Charlie Hunter/Bobby Previtte) – Longitude (Thirsty Ear)
Brisa Roche’ – The Chase (Blue Note/Capitol)
Antibalas – “Sare Kon Kon”, Money Talks EP
Little Barrie – Stand Your Ground (PIAS/wall of sound)
Cordel do Fogo Encantado – Transfiguaçåo (Rec Beat)
The Dears – “Gang of Losers” (Maple/V2)
Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood -Out Louder (indirecto)
Black Sheep – “8wm / Novakane” (Bumrush)
Luz Mob – Luz Interpretations (Crystal Top Music)
Maquinado – Maquinado (Trama), Brazil
Baby Elephant (Prince Paul, Bernie Worrell) – Turn My Teeth Up (Godforsaken Music)
Bobby Previte – Big Guns – (Anuand Records)
Teo Macero and the Inner World Band – Study in Contrast (Teo Productions/NYU)
Vijay Iyer Trio – Historicity (ACT)
Phenomenal Handclap Band – Phenomenal Handclap Band (Friendly Fire/Tummy Touch)
Tirtha – Vijay Iyer, Prasanna & Nitin Mitta – Tirtha (ACT)
Heavy Trash – Midnight Soul Serenade (Bronzerat)
Bobby Previte – The Pan Atlantic Band (Anuand Records)
Vijay Iyer Trio – Accelerando (ACT)
Bing Ji Ling – Shadow To Shine (Tummy Touch)
Miri – Okkar (Kimi Records)
DJ Preservation – Old Numbers (MonDieu Music)
incarNations – With All Due Respect (Lovemonk)
Sunny Jain – Taboo (Sapana Music)
Good Luck Mountain – Good Luck Mountain (2:59 Records)
Bored to Death – Steve Ulrich score, 2nd Season (HBO)
Sombra – Fantástico Mundo Popular (Matilha Cutural)
Lurdez da Luz – Lurdez da Luz (Tratore)
Spectre – “The True and Living” (Wordsound)
Hurtmold – Mils Crianças (Submarine Records)
Emily Wells – Mama (Partisan Records)
Wicked Knee – Wicked Knee (Amulet)
DJ Preservation – SePtember 1200 (Mon Dieu Music)
The Master Musicians of Jajouka – The Road to Jajouka (Howe Records)
Stan Douglas – Luanda-Kinshasa (Multi-media film/installation featuring Jason Moran, Liberty Ellman, Kimberley Thompson, Jason Lindner, Antoine Rooney) David Zwirner Gallery, NY
Zulumbi – Zulumbi (Radar Records)
Medeski Scofield Martin Wood – Juice (Indirecto Records)
DJ Preservation/Ka – 1200 B.C. (Mon Dieu Music)
Big Lazy – Don’t Cross Myrtle (Tasankee)
Philadelphy and Osgood – Omphalos (Ilk Music)
Days with Dr. Yen Lo – Ka/DJ Preservation (Mon Dieu Music)
Michael Arenella – Just in Time (Dreamland Orch)
Alicia Hall Moran – Heavy Blue (Yes Records)
Ka – “Delaney Card” – Rubble Kings Soundtrack (Mass Appeal)
HAG – Fear of Man (dnawot Records)
Ka – Superfly (Iron Works Records)
Spectre – The Last Shall Be First (Wordsound/Small But Hard)
Scotty’s affiliation with WordSound came through Kevin Martin, a British journalist/producer, and mutual friend of Skiz Fernando. After contributing fat performances to Crooklyn Dub, Volumes 2 &3 both Subterranean Hitz compilations, and projects by Slotek and Dubadelic, Scotty made his debut solo appearance on The Return of Kill Dog E (WSCD034).
After producing Mike Ladd’s “Nostalgilator” (K7), Mike asked Scotty to lend a hand on some mixes for “Negrophilia” (Thirsty Ear), his contribution to the Thirsty Ear Blue Series, which paired avant-garde jazz musicians with forward thinking hip hop producer/beat makers. Upon hearing what Mike had done (along with contemporaries like El-P, Anti-Pop Consortium and goodandevil), he decided he might as well weigh in on this conversation. Building on his work producing downtown jazz rule breakers Sex Mob, Medeski, Martin and Wood, Melvin Gibbs and DJ Logic, Scotty released his second solo album, “Radical Reconstructive Surgery” (Thirsty Ear). A blend of free improvising and heavy beats, this record consolidated and advanced his take on the Blue Series collaboration with John Medeski, Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Nasheet Waits, DJ Olive and Mauricio Takara. Abstract and bangin’ at once, it’s a stark, keyboard driven sonic stew drivin by a nonmetronic, funky metric line .
Scotty is currently doing shows with his longtime collaborator Sebash (Sebstop/Sebastian Laws), a project involving vocals and visuals, and locally performing drummers. For their series of shows in Brazil, Scotty and Sebash collaborated with Mauricio Takara, drummer and trumpeter for Hurtmould, one of Brazil’s most critically acclaimed “post-rock” groups. Scotty has, in fact, produced some of Brazil’s finest cutting edge musicians — including Mamelo Sound System, Hurtmould and Naçao Zumbi.
Never one to rest on his laurels, or invest his energies in the latest musical trend or orthodoxy, Scotty has continued to mutate as a musician, producer, and collaborator extraordinaire.