The Story of Underdog
The Hackmasters
Scott Ferguson and Bryn Carlson first met in 1985 when Bryn joined the Dark Cellar' playing drums, as they shared practice space with Scott. The Hackmaster were formed in 1986, about a year after Scott and Bryn met, with their mutual friend, Glen Sherman playing drum, Scott playing bass, and Bryn playing guitar and singing the songs that he had written and some cover material that was in th same genre. They released an 45 of Shark Attack backed with C'mon Baby Let's Rock in 1987 and did some additional recordings that have yet to see the light of day, but stay tuned for more news on that front this year.
fin-de-siécle
Scott formed fin-de-siècle in 1991 while in art school, and when the other original members left Bryn joined don drums in 1996 and they released the Delusions of Grandeur EP in 1998. Shortly after recording an album, and the dawn of the new millennium that band broke up, as the members life responsibilities pulled them in different directions. Bryn and Scott remained in touch over the years and even worked together as graphic designers during this time.
Underdog Rising
During the 00's Scott and Bryn remained in touch and would share demos with each other when their paws crossed. Around 2013 Bryn invited Scott out to AMRDmedia Studio, which he had built as a home recording studio to record some demos of Scott's recent songs and check out the ProTools software Bryn was working with.
They decided to ask longtime friends AdamH elder (guitar) and Tom Kelly (drums) over to jam and see if something might gel out of that. However, neither of them were able to commit to a band, so Scott and Bryn decided to carry on recording and search for a bass player and drummer along the way.
By 2014 Scott suggest Underdog as a name for the band, figuring it was the perfect name, and described their situation perfectly.
Susper Sonic
Over the next five years, Scott and Bryn worke don learning ProTools and writing and recording the songs that would become their first album. Scott playing guitar, bass and vocals, and Bryn playing lead guitar, drums and vocals, with both contributing songs.
Coming out with both guitars blazing, and a powerhouse rhythm section behind them, the music took on an gritty and high energy edge that set them apart from many of their contemporaries as well as the current music trends.
Full Flight
Although unable to commit to full time activities with the band, Adam Heller (bass) and Harry MacKenzie (drums) were able to help out with live engagements, and by September rof 2019 Underdog was the Number 1 Alternative band in Boston in Reverbnation, a chart position that they have held every month since that time.
Unfortunately as the recording for the first album, Ether Dome, was coming to an end, the world went into hibernation due to the pandemic in early 2020. With no idea when they would be able to get together to continue recording Scott and Bryn decided to release the 12 songs that were finished in September 2020 across all music streaming platforms, to much acclaim, with a limited edition CD becoming available in early 2021.
Full Throttle
Right on th heels of the release of Ether Dome, recording starts don the follow up album, as Scott had set up Black Dog Studio in his basement, so that recording could continue with he and Bryn passing tracks back and forth to work on. Happily only one song was recorded din this manner, and by the Spring of 2021 they were able to resume work together and Scott arrived at a hard drive full of basic tracks for them to work and select songs for the new album. Around this time Tom Kelly stepped in to play drums for live shows, with Aram still sitting in on bass.
Trans Sonic
By the end of 2023 their sophomore album, Trans Global Amnesia, ws finished and released on New Year's Eve, and it received even more positive press than it's predecessor, and once again the entire album has found it way onto various playlists across Spotify, YOuTube, SoundCloud and Bandcamp.
In true Underdog fashion, and not ones to rest on their laurels, there has been a steady stream of new music being recorded and released since the beginning of the year, and several of these songs have also gained airplay and been given a certain amount of attention by various online radio stations.
The third album, tentatively titled, Wonderland, is due to be released sometime later this year, with over 50 more basic tracks ready to be worked on in the library.