A Conversation With Scam Likely’s Charlee Grider On Their Debut Album, Getting Worse
Photos and Interview by Tommy Moore
Scam Likely's Charlee Grider stomping the candy filled pinata crafted to match Getting Worse's cover art.
In two days, I've listened to Scam Likely's Getting Worse so much that every ounce of music Spotify recommends me has changed--it's that good.
The first words I ever heard Charlee Grider sing as Scam Likely's lead was, "What if I told you I forgot your mother's name? What if I told you I thought your brother's lame? What if I told you we fucked, I never came?" Talk about coming out of the gate swinging. For as young as they are, and how young the band is, Getting Worse comes across as a record sculpted by tenured musicians that have played moshing rooms from coast to coast. For months, maybe a year now, I've heard whispers of Scam Likely rising up from the "basements of sweaty college houses"--Charlee's words, not mine. Every time they'd play the Washroom, the chapel of Milwaukee's DIY scene, I'd be out of town or wrapped up in another gig. Well, I sure as hell wasn't about to miss their sold-out release show at Milwaukee's Colectivo Backroom.
This record fights above its weight class for a number of reasons. I was driving late one night when I heard Domestic Bliss for the first time. All I could do was smile and crack the window's in freezing temperature's while the speakers blared. This is Milwaukee music. S.P.I.T. was the track, three songs in, that sold me on how talented of a crew Scam Likely is. It's a layered ride that feels like a full movie.
After the dust settled from their release show, Charlee and I sat down to chat about Getting Worse, how things took shape, and what's next for this budding crew.
Scam Likely Upcoming Shows
Getting Worse is currently available everywhere.
Scam Likely is gearing up for a busy spring and summer, but before those runs are announced, you can plan on seeing them at the Pabst Theatre with Frank Turner on April 30th as well as at the Miramar on May 26th with Totally Cashed, Social Cig, and Tigera.