Scattered Hamlet prepares for world music domination

Sitting in a room in his Greene County home that he refers to as his “bunker,” Adam “Joad” Corwin is calmly preparing for the next chapter of his eventful, unpredictable and always active career in music.

The self-proclaimed “Appalachian Apostle” is the frontman and guitarist for a popular rock band known as Scattered Hamlet, which has been gaining popularity with rock aficionados across the nation and around the world.

The band is preparing to release a six-song EP titled “Wishing Well,” which features the single, “Black Flag (I Like It),” Nov. 20.

The EP is available for pre-order with bundles that include a t-shirt, bandanna, sticker and more.

“We are really pumped about this EP, and cannot wait for everyone to hear it,” said Corwin. “It was important for us to get something out there. We were set to release a full length record but COVID-19 forced us to shelve it due to our entire touring schedule getting canceled for the summer.”

More importantly for Corwin, the EP marks the band’s first official album release since the accident that left drummer Jake Delling Le Bas in a coma for nearly two years. The band released a cover of “Stay Hungry” in his honor.

Corwin said Scattered Hamlet’s first single is a much needed tonic for the ailments brought by 2020.

“With everything crazy going on in the world, I wanted to write a song about just getting in your car, cranking the tunes and forgetting about your troubles,” he said.

The band – which currently features the lineup of Corwin, bassist/vocalist Rich Erwin and drummer/vocalist Grant Jenkins – displays a unique sound that is difficult to classify, with a wide range of musical influences organically found in their sound.

“We describe ourselves as the ‘truck nutz of rock and roll,’” he said with a laugh. “This band is fueled by an equal love of Smokey and the Bandit, the Dukes of Hazzard, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Motorhead and Outlaw Country.”

Scattered Hamlet has performed live at major U.S. festivals such as Sturgis Buffalo Chip, Rockfest WI, Rocklahoma, Inkcarceration, Vans Warped Tour and the Gathering of Juggalos.

So, how did Corwin transform from growing up in a rural area and playing football in high school and college to fronting Scattered Hamlet?

Even Corwin doesn’t know.

“If you figure it out, let me know,” he said with a laugh. “I guess I’ve always been the type of person who is always wanting to take the next step. I’m not happy with being complacent. So fronting this band always gives me the opportunity to take it to the next level.”

Born and raised in a rural part of New York, Corwin was introduced to what he called “the redneck way of life” early on. Growing up, he rode motorcycles and was an avid hunter and fisherman. His family used to visit relatives in Greene County, which he recalls being a magical place for him.

He moved to the county when he was in sixth grade, eventually graduating from Waynesburg Central High School and later from what was then Waynesburg College. Following graduation, he said he was able to see different sides of Greene County life while employed in various jobs, including student teaching and working in the field of human services.

In the early 2000s, Corwin began thinking about another career path.

“My brother always played guitar, my sister sang and was also a musician, and my mother was actively involved in theater,” he recalled. “My brother, in fact, gave me his Kiss ‘Alive II’ record when I was a kid and taught me basic guitar fundamentals. I can say music was rooted in me very early on, because I learned that at the end of the day, through ups and downs, music will never let you down.”

He knew musicians in high school and college and began seeing them perform in venues. He said his love for music really clicked for him when he discovered punk rock.

“I love punk rock because it’s all about attitude, and I always felt I had the attitude to be a front man, so I joined a local band called ‘Despite Best Intentions’ with some friends,” he said. “We played over a hundred shows, it was a blast. One day the band said they need a guitar player, so I bought my first guitar and taught myself how to play.”

Los Angeles, Iowa, music and mixed martial arts

Not content to stay put, Corwin decided to move to Los Angeles in the early 2000s to see what could happen for him.

He traveled to L.A. to work for his father, who had suffered a heart attack. Within a year after his move, Corwin got busy planning his music career, playing and networking in the music scene, including paying his dues in venues along Hollywood’s Sunset Strip.

He fronted a band called “286,” which he said opened up for numerous popular bands. After a while, he felt it was time to move on, at which point he became immersed in the world of mixed martial arts, gradually advancing to receive a blue belt in Ju-Jitsu.

“It was crazy because at that time I had my feet in two very different worlds,” he said.

With the entertainment industry at arm’s length in L.A., Corwin began using his skills and showing his outgoing personality with different media outlets.

“This guy, Ari, thought my rural Southwestern Pennsylvania background was interesting, and suggested that I get into a form of music that combines rock, metal and outlaw country, and I was hooked,” he said.

Together, the duo recorded three songs for an EP and began putting together the band that would become the original incarnation of Scattered Hamlet. They found their bassist and guitarist, and after auditioning many drummers, found a match in Delling Le Bas.

Highs and lows … and highs again

It wouldn’t take long for the band to take off. Through the following months and with various lineup changes, the band released “Skeleton Dixie,” which received a lot of positive press.

As the band’s stock continued to rise, Corwin decided it was time to move back to Greene County, where he would continue to operate Scattered Hamlet.

“It was an economical decision, and it made sense financially to leave L.A. and come home,” he said. “And, this is home. Every corner, every street is a special memory for me. I knew I could continue to be really creative and dedicated to my music here.”

The band would then rehearse and Corwin would manage the daily operations from his home. In between touring dates, the band released “Swamp Rebel Machine” in 2016.

However, as things were rolling, the band began facing adversity with issues arising from touring, including canceled shows and issues with promotions.

“Jake’s accident and coma put everything on hold, because we all focused on him, his health and his family,” he said. “Eventually, we got the blessing from his family for us to continue.”

The band then started touring again.

“We were excited about 2020, with two tours and several festivals lined up, and an anticipated release of new material,” he said. “We were planning on making videos in Greene County for the new album. Everything was going great. And then, boom, COVID hit.”

Corwin knew he had to create something during the pandemic lockdown. And thus, the “Wishing Well” EP was born. The band secured a small business grant to help pay for production costs, and he traveled to Iowa to record the EP.

Also during the lockdown, Corwin stayed active on social media, releasing videos for his popular series “The Appalachian Apostle,” which afforded him the opportunity to share his opinion on a wide array of topics.

“I just had to keep working, keeping moving forward,” he said. “COVID be damned, this band is going to keep marching on, anyway we can.”

Pre-orders for the EP and optional bundles are selling briskly, with orders coming in from across the world. And, Corwin said band merchandise continues to sell strong.

“We’re still going strong, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for Scattered Hamlet,” he said. “We have everything in place to return to tour once we get past COVID. “It’s been a wild decade, and I’m happy to be doing something I love. I can’t see myself doing anything else … the passion is still there, thanks to the people who surround us and support us.”