Scott Michael Kelly (born July 16, 1967) is a retired American musician. He is one of three founding members of California

experimental metal Avant-garde metal (also known as avant-metal, experimental metal, and experimental) is a subgenre of heavy metal music loosely defined by use of experimentation and innovative, avant-garde elements, including non-standard and unconventional soun ...

band

Neurosis Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving chronic distress, but neither delusions nor hallucinations. The term is no longer used by the professional psychiatric community in the United States, having been eliminated from th ...

, in which he was the band's lead vocalist and guitarist from its formation until his firing in 2019. He wrote and published music with Neurosis, Tribes of Neurot, Blood and Time and his solo acoustic project. He was also involved in a project named

Shrinebuilder Shrinebuilder was an American stoner/doom metal supergroup consisting of various established musicians, particularly of the doom metal subgenre. Their first and only album, ''Shrinebuilder'', was released in October 2009. History Founding ...

involving

Al Cisneros Al Cisneros (born September 23, 1973) is an American musician. He is the lead singer and bassist for stoner rock/ doom metal bands Sleep and Om. He also was a member of Shrinebuilder and Asbestosdeath (the precursor to Sleep) and has put out ni ...

Scott Weinrich Robert Scott Weinrich (born 1961), better known as Wino, is an American singer and guitarist. He has been highly influential in helping develop and codify doom metal's trademark sound, and is also considered an influential figure in the stoner r ...

, and

Dale Crover Dale Crover (born October 23, 1967) is an American rock musician. Crover is best known as the drummer for Melvins and has also been the drummer for Men of Porn, Shrinebuilder, Crystal Fairy and, for a brief time, Nirvana. He is also guitarist an ...

, whose first and only album was released in October 2009. He has also guested on six studio albums by the band

Mastodon A mastodon ( 'breast' + 'tooth') is any proboscidean belonging to the extinct genus ''Mammut'' (family Mammutidae). Mastodons inhabited North and Central America during the late Miocene or late Pliocene up to their extinction at the end of th ...

. In addition to his musical projects, Scott, along with his bandmates in Neurosis, is co-owner of

Neurot Recordings Neurot Recordings is an American independent record label founded by members of avant-garde metal band Neurosis in 1999. Gradually expanding, it has showcased a variety of artists including a number of sludge metal, post-rock, and noise bands. ...

. Beginning in April 2011, he began hosting a monthly three hour streaming radio show on Scion A/V.com channel 5 called KMBT. He had previously owned and operated an Internet radio station of his own called combatmusicradio.com that featured weekly shows from him as well as others such as Eugene S. Robinson, Joe Preston, and others. Kelly also worked extensively as a solo artist, releasing three albums and doing over 400 solo performances worldwide since the year 2000, including involving Neurosis bandmates in his The Road Home project. His most recent collaboration was an experimental noise project with

Mike IX Williams Mike IX Williams (born Michael D. Williams) is an American vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer of New Orleans-based sludge metal band Eyehategod. He is the former associate editor of heavy metal magazine ''Metal Maniacs'' and ...

, Sanford Parker, and Bruce Lamont.

Musical influences

Kelly cites

Swans Swans are birds of the family Anatidae within the genus ''Cygnus''. The swans' closest relatives include the geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometim ...

, Black Flag,

Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...

Die Kreuzen Die Kreuzen (/ˈdiːˈkɹɔɪtsn̩/) is an American rock band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin formed in 1981. The name, which was taken from a German Bible, is grammatically incorrect German for "the crosses."Larkin, Colin (1995) "Die Kreuzen", in ''Th ...

Amebix Amebix were an English crust punk band. Formed as the Band with No Name, the band's original run was from 1978 to 1987, during which time they released two EPs and three albums. The group reunited in 2008, released another full-length album ...

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...

Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Furay ...

Melvins Melvins (sometimes The Melvins) are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Initially, they performed as a trio but later also sometimes appeare ...

Celtic Frost Celtic Frost () was a Swiss extreme metal band from Zürich. They are known for their strong influence on the development of extreme metalBukszpan, Daniel. ''The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal''. Barnes & Noble Publishing, 2003. p.43 and avant-ga ...

Negative Approach Negative Approach is an American hardcore punk band, formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1981. The band is considered among the pioneers of hardcore punk, particularly in the Midwest region. Like most hardcore bands, Negative Approach was little known ...

Townes Van Zandt John Townes Van Zandt (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997) was an American singer-songwriter.

, Voivod, and

Hank Williams Hank Williams (born Hiram Williams; September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century, he reco ...

as important influences.

Personal life

A native of the East Bay, Kelly used to reside with his wife Sarah and two youngest children in the woods of

Southern Oregon Southern Oregon is a region of the U.S. state of Oregon south of Lane County and generally west of the Cascade Range, excluding the southern Oregon Coast. Counties include Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, and Josephine. It includes the Southern Oreg ...

Domestic abuse and retirement from music

In August 2022, after admitting to abusing his wife and children, Kelly officially retired from music and public life, and his current living situation is unknown.

Discography

Neurosis *''

Pain of Mind ''Pain of Mind'' is the debut studio album by Californian band Neurosis, originally released on Alchemy Records in 1987. It was later reissued by Alternative Tentacles in 1994 and by Neurot Recordings in 2000; the 2000 reissue contains a special ...

'' (1987) *''

The Word as Law ''The Word as Law'' is the second studio album by Californian band Neurosis. It was released in 1990 through Lookout! Records, originally on LP only. In 1991, the album was released on CD with several re-recorded tracks from previous releases as b ...

'' (1990) *''

Souls at Zero ''Souls at Zero'' is the third studio album by the American avant-garde metal band Neurosis. It was released in 1992 by the Alternative Tentacles record label. It was reissued in 1999 with bonus tracks on the band's own Neurot Recordings label. ...

'' (1992) *''

Enemy of the Sun ''Enemy of the Sun'' is the fourth studio album by American avant-garde metal band Neurosis. It was originally released on Alternative Tentacles in 1993 and later reissued on Neurot Recordings in 1999. The album was reissued with new cover artwo ...

'' (1993) *''

Through Silver in Blood ''Through Silver in Blood'' is the fifth album from the American avant-garde metal band Neurosis. The album was released on April 2, 1996, and was their first record to be released through Relapse Records. The album was reissued in July 2009 on t ...

'' (1996) *''

Times of Grace Times of Grace is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Southampton, Massachusetts. The group consists of Adam Dutkiewicz (Killswitch Engage) and Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage, The Empire Shall Fall, and Seemless) while guit ...

'' (1999) *''

A Sun That Never Sets ''A Sun That Never Sets'' is the seventh studio album from the Californian band Neurosis. The album was awarded #18 on Decibel Magazine's top 100 metal albums of the decade. The band later released a DVD of a full-length film, which the album ...

'' (2001) *''

The Eye of Every Storm ''The Eye of Every Storm'' is the eighth studio album from the Californian band Neurosis. It retains the strong folk music influences prominent on the band's previous album ''A Sun That Never Sets'', while exploring their trudging and massive so ...

'' (2004) *''

Given to the Rising ''Given to the Rising'' is the ninth studio album by American band Neurosis (band), Neurosis, released on June 5, 2007. The album is available in a standard jewel case, a limited-edition digipak, and a limited-edition double LP album, LP, all wit ...

'' (2007) *''

Honor Found in Decay ''Honor Found in Decay'' is the tenth studio album by American band Neurosis, released on October 30, 2012. The album is notable for incorporating elements of folk music while furthering the heaviness that was emphasized on Neurosis' previous album ...

'' (2012) *''

Fires Within Fires ''Fires Within Fires'' is the eleventh studio album by American post-metal band Neurosis. The album was released on September 23, 2016, via the band's own record label, Neurot Recordings. Recording began on December 27, 2015, at Electrical Audio S ...

'' (2016) Neurosis & Jarboe *''

Neurosis & Jarboe ''Neurosis & Jarboe'' is a collaboration between American avant-garde metal band Neurosis and singer-songwriter Jarboe formerly of Swans. It was released on November 4, 2003 by Neurot Recordings. On August 2, 2019, the album was re-released on ...

'' (2003) Tribes of Neurot *''Rebegin'' (1995) *''Silver Blood Transmission'' (1995) *''Static Migration'' (1998) *''Grace'' (1999) *''60°'' (2000) *''Adaptation and Survival: The Insect Project'' (2002) *''Meridian'' (2005) Solo albums *'' Spirit Bound Flesh'' (2001) *'' The Wake'' (2008) *''The Forgiven Ghost in Me'' (2012) Blood and Time *''At the Foot of the Garden'' (2003) *''Latitudes'' (2007) Shrinebuilder *''

'' (2009) Corrections House *''Hoax the System / Grin with a Purpose'' ( 7") (2013) *''Last City Zero'' (2013) *''Know How to Carry a Whip'' (2015) Mastodon (guest vocals) *''

Leviathan Leviathan (; he, לִוְיָתָן, ) is a sea serpent noted in theology and mythology. It is referenced in several books of the Hebrew Bible, including Psalms, the Book of Job, the Book of Isaiah, the Book of Amos, and, according to some ...

'' (on the track "Aqua Dementia") (2004) *''

Blood Mountain Blood Mountain is the highest peak on the Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail and the sixth-tallest mountain in Georgia, with an elevation of .Brown (1996), p.93 It is located on the border of Lumpkin County with Union County and is withi ...

'' (on the track "Crystal Skull") (2006) *'' Crack the Skye'' (on the track "Crack the Skye") (2009) *'' The Hunter'' (on the track "Spectrelight") (2011) *''

Once More 'Round the Sun ''Once More 'Round the Sun'' is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Mastodon. It was released on June 24, 2014, via Reprise Records. On April 17, 2014, Mastodon released the album's first single, " High Road". On June 16, 2014, th ...

'' (on the track "Diamond in the Witch House") (2014) *''

Emperor of Sand ''Emperor of Sand'' is the seventh studio album by American heavy metal band Mastodon. It was released on March 31, 2017 through record label Reprise Records. The album's first single, " Show Yourself", peaked at number 4 on the US ''Billboard'' ...

'' (on the track "Scorpion Breath") (2017) *'' Medium Rarities'' (on the track "Fallen Torches") (2020) Mirrors for Psychic Warfare *''Mirrors for Psychic Warfare'' (2016) *''I See What I Became'' (2018) Absent in Body *''Plague God'' (2022)

References

External links

Official websiteScott Kelly's artist page on Neurot Recordings'Return to Zero' (hosted by Scott Kelly) on Combat Music Radio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kelly, Scott Living people American country singer-songwriters American male singer-songwriters American heavy metal musicians Musicians from Ashland, Oregon 1967 births Singer-songwriters from Oregon Shrinebuilder members Neurosis (band) members