This interview is with Steve Scott, guitarist and founder of The Word66. These guys are Las Vegas-based and are delivering some slick modern rock that is starting to attract increasing attention Stateside. We are happy to introduce them to our readers here and over the pond too! (The main picture features Steve and Carlos).
The feature is a double header in the sense that it includes the interview and then a review of some of the tracks this band currently has out there!
Before turning to the interview, here is the official background on the band:
A hard rock band on a mission to spread hope, peace, and love with rocking melodies and positive lyrics—coming from a place deep within their hearts. In a recent review, they were called “Gospel-spreading Las Vegans set off on a journey to glory.”
Founded in 2018 by veteran guitarist Steve Scott, who eventually recruited Lance Crane and newest rocker Carlos Zemma, with special guest bassist Danny Miranda, the band is inspired by artists including Black Sabbath, Shinedown, Creed, Disciple, and Thousand Foot Krutch, to name a few.
The band’s latest record is a five-song CD called 37 Miracles. Once again, they’ve enlisted the talents of iconic rocker Danny Miranda of Queen and Blue Oyster Cult fame to lay down more epic bass lines—just as he did on the band’s last EP, Rock & Roll Preaching. Their debut single, “On the Way to the Promise Land,” along with all but one track, has reached #1 on various radio station playlists throughout the world.
The band continues to make chart inroads, with America’s Next Top Hitmaker placing the band at number 10 recently. With so much positive to talk about, here is the interview:
For any reader passing by, can you do a name check for us on who’s who in the band, who plays what, and a little background on the band?
Steve: Sure! I’m Steve Scott, the guitarist. Carlos Zemma is our new vocalist, Lance Crane plays the drums, and we have Danny Miranda of Queen and Blue Oyster Cult fame playing the bass on our last 2 records. The band was a calling for me. I believe that writing music to glorify God is my purpose. I started this in 2018, and we recorded our 1st record, “On The Way To The Promise Land,’ in 2020 around the Covid time.
We often find it interesting how gospel music lies under rock and blues. For example, I believe that at heart Elvis was always a gospel singer (“Crying in the Chapel,” etc.), and gospel was there in B.B. King—a pastor told him to pick up a guitar. So, although rock gets dragged into songs about Satan very often, we think gospel music was actually behind it all. Do you agree?
Steve: That is a great observation. There is so much music with underlying religion that many have not and do not see. There are many bands that you did not know were Christian, as they have a very subtle message. There is a lot of rock music, lyrically, that can portray a negative message, believing that mentioning the opposite of God is cool and fits the mold, especially in the metal world. In my younger days, I can say that I was guilty of the same. I also believe that some of the songwriters that may have extreme messages are doing it as a statement of creativity and meaning it as an expression of rock and roll. Being that we are considered to be a crossover band, we are able to spread a much-needed positive message to the Christian and non-Christian listeners. Spreading love, joy, peace, and salvation is our goal.
I have been having a listen to your back catalog. For a new listener to your music, what do you feel should be the first song they play and why? (I played “The Chosen One”—good choice?)
Steve: Yeah, definitely a good choice and one of our most popular tracks. I think we have a bit more of a heavier sound with the new vocalist, but our original singer had a bit of an original voice that helped define our sound. My favorite track is still the one that started it all, ‘On The Way To The Promise Land,’ based on the book of Exodus.
You do a mean cover of “Spirit in the Sky”—I ”bet that goes down well live?!” How did you approach that track to give it your own touch?
Steve: Thank you. It was fun to record. We were trying to figure out what rock song, with Christian overtones, would be cool to cover. Being that there is a quintessential female part in the song and we do not have a female vocalist, in our live show, we will pick a few girls from the audience to come up and sing with us. The rocking double kick part at the end was something that just happened while we were recording.
The new single, “37 Miracles,” has a heavy drum sound and a slow, heavy beat. I think you have a new vocalist? Was this song written to accommodate a slightly different vocal delivery, and how does the track fit into your previous releases (is it a close cousin to an earlier track?)
Steve: Yes, we do have a new vocalist for the new EP. The tracks were not written for him, per se, but we did want to have a bit of a heavier sound. He has more of a rock vibe to his vocals, which were perfect for what we were trying to accomplish. I write all of the music, and I guess you can say it’s just my writing style. All of the tracks have their own identity and a positive message to convey. This can also be said for the other 4 tracks on the CD. Some may say that we have evolved since the 1st EP, but I’m just writing what I feel.
When I listened through your tracks, I enjoyed “How Will I Know” very much. I’d enjoy your thoughts on that one. Who wrote it, and what are your feelings about it now?
Steve: Thank you. It’s a song that comes from the heart. A personal struggle that I was going through. I remember feeling blue after a serious breakup and asking many questions. I came home one evening and picked up my acoustic, and it all came out musically. I think it’s something that many can relate to. It’s one of my favorite tracks. We might be re-recording it with our new vocalist and a full string section to add to the new EP.
Who does your artwork? And how do you go about the set design for the live shows?
Steve: All the props go to our cover artist, Joao Durante, out of Brazil. We just give him a title for the track, and his creative juices do the rest. He is such an amazing talent. His creativity is out of this world. Always excited to see what he comes up with next.
What plans for 2025 can you share with us?
We have our new EP, ’37 Miracles,’ that will be out shortly. Management wants to release a couple more tracks prior. We will be shooting a couple more videos as well. We are also hoping to do a few short tours. I want to thank everyone for taking the time to get to know us a bit and would appreciate it if you could follow, like, subscribe, and comment on our socials. I also would like to thank Mark and Benny and Rock The Joint Magazine for giving me the opportunity to tell our story. God bless.
The review:
With Mark doing the interview, I (Lorraine) am reviewing four tracks from The Word66 that we feel introduce the band and their music to you. The new single “37 Miracles” is one of the tracks reviewed.
“37 Miracles” is a hard-hitting, heavy track. Vocally it reminded me a little of Dio; musically it plays with a heavy riff and breaks to a blasting guitar break. It fuses Christian imagery with this fist-pumping-style chorus.
“On the Way to Promised Land.” This one struts more, plays with a Poison feel, and is a bit more eighties than “37 Miracles.” This one has more of a nod toward commercial radio, and it’s a confident, smooth rocker with a band comfortably cruising in their lane.
“How Will I Know.” This one was the track Mark referenced in the interview. I can see why he liked it; it is a dreamy rock ballad that has a dreamy muse for the lyric. It’s well constructed, simple in delivery and it works! Instrumentally dreamy and slightly different from their other material, I liked it too!
“The Chosen One” is the most listened-to number the band currently has (172k listens currently on Spotify). I can see why; it has AOR appeal and has this great chorus and a connection to the listener. From the reviews here, this is the most commercial radio friendly and I’m sure it goes over a storm live too.
In summary, with these four tracks, The Word66 showcases a range that spans from thunderous rock anthems to soaring ballads, all wrapped in a bold message of faith and purpose. Whether you’re drawn in by the gritty riffs of “37 Miracles,” the swagger of “On the Way to Promised Land,” the heartfelt soul of “How Will I Know,” or the anthemic power of “The Chosen One,” this band doesn’t preach—they rock the gospel. If you’re looking for music that hits hard, uplifts the spirit, and leaves you humming the chorus long after, The Word66 might just be your next divine discovery. Crank it up!
And we hope you liked the feature, dear reader! If you did, please check out the other pages of the magazine; we have many great features, merchandise pages, shops, editorials and even a poetry page. Content is free here, but we work hard for you, and to support the magazine, please show your appreciation on the support button below and buy me a coffee!
You can stream music from The Word66 here
The band’s Instagram is here
Band website is here
By Mark C. Chambers
and
Lorraine Foley
