Samuel S.C.
Samuel S.C. (fka Samuel) follows up a recent tour with Continuals and Pohgoh, and a split 10” EP (New Granada Records) with Pohgoh, with the second new single of 2026, “Push The Needle,” engineered and mixed by J. Robbins, and mastered by Dan Coutant.
According to vocalist Vanessa Downing,
“It’s basically a song about frustration…. about how we struggle to release ourselves from toxic comforts to fight for meaningful change. It’s about complacency and numbness with undercurrents of rage and frustration that go..where? It’s about a desire to be feral and primal, to release what’s buried, to let go completely. It’s about inner and outer conflict, and how things can be both conflicting and true at once. There’s some playfulness happening too, a sort of cheeky self-awareness, cause the song is muscular but it’s a bit sexy too.”
Samuel S.C. began in the early ’90s in State College, Pennsylvania, as a punk rock outfit that relentlessly toured the legendary DIY hardcore/punk circuit alongside notables of the time such as Avail, Promise Ring, Chamberlain, Grain, Kerosene 454, and dozens more. Born from the ashes of Downing’s previous outfit Junction, Samuel was the flagship band of drummer Eric Astor’s label Art Monk Construction, which produced some of the most revered 7” releases of the era.
An untimely breakup in 1995 ensured Samuel S.C.‘s footprint in a long line of early emo/post hardcore legends would remain small, albeit memorable, due to powerful live performances and hooky 7” releases capturing a sound that refused to fall neatly into any punk subgenre. Meanwhile, singer Downing’s presence as a young, openly queer woman was contemporaneous with the powerful riot grrl movement and inspired women, girls and LGBTQ youth within the DIY/hardcore/punk scene.
Reformed in 2021 as Samuel S.C. with friendships and chemistry intact, the added S.C. reflects a new beginning while paying homage to the band’s origins. A lineup adjustment included Michael Honch (Continuals, Alarms & Controls) picking up bass duties, bringing a fresh perspective to Samuel’s 90’s material while creating opportunity for new songwriting. Today, the band is squarely focused on the now, adeptly shedding any dangers of a ‘nostalgic act’ tag and carving out space as a relevant force in contemporary punk music.
The latest cycle in Samuel S.C.‘s remarkable lifespan includes the fiery two-song “Exit Scene 7” on Landland Colportage, released in 2024, and a split with Pohgoh on New Granada Records in 2025. More new music is in the works to be released in 2026.
New music on the way? Pitch Big Takeover Exclusives.
