Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the latest release by Dallas/Los Angeles based Justice86 is going to be taking some people back in time. Anyone that happened to be alive in the 80s, this will feel like home. Anyone NOT alive in the 80s, THIS.
This is how it was done back then!
And to take this point home, Justice (original name of the band) was born in 1982. Wow. I was a junior in high school when these guys started writing rock and roll. Maybe that explains why they’re so good at it as they were there when this sound was born. If in 1982, they got to help form it as well.
So, is that what the band was going for? The 80s sound? I pulled frontman Shawn Michael Scotton aside to ask him just that.
“I wouldn’t say that was what we were going for, more like that’s who we are” he explained. “All of us cut our teeth playing the clubs in Hollywood and all of SoCal for that matter in the 80’s and 90’s.”
That style and sound is prevalent through the entire release.
Now, how did we get from Justice to Justice86?
“The band has been Justice since 1982” he began. “During our hiatus another group from Europe started using the name. We started to fight it and then decided to just move forward, so we added the 86”
When asked if the “86” was in reference to the 80s roots and sound, the answer was a complete affirmative.
One of the reasons you’ll find such a strong legitimate 80s feeling to the sound and songs is probably because many of these were written by them back in the 80s.
Laughing, Scotton gave come details on this. “Some of these songs were written when we were headlining the Whiskey, Roxy and Gazzries back in the 80’s. They may have been tweeked some but for the most part are how they were back in the day”
There are a few new ones sprinkled in when they reformed Justice86 in 2022. That is when the history was pulled out and mixed in with the new. The very cool part of history “new” again is the band today is the original lineup.
“The band now is made up of all original Justice members from the 80’s and 90’s, Jayson, Cisco, Tommy and BobbyD all live in the Los Angeles area, I live here in Dallas. this presents some challenges, but nothing we can’t figure out.” Scotton explained.
When asked for his own favorites off of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Scotton pointed to Always on My Mind and We Didn’t Know. Being on my own list of favorites, I asked for the story behind We Didn’t Know.
“We Didn’t Know was written from the perspective of a man trying to make sense of love, relationships and apologizing who he is, almost begging for someone to not leave, only to realize he is his own strength, turning to here I am, take me or leave me”
We Didn’t Know certainly was one that pulled me in front the start. We all go through times of drastic change and in those times, we can question our own confidence and value. The song is about facing that time and coming back strong.
Without a lot of reasons as to why, my own favorite songs also include Always on My Mind, Why, and wow, Baby. Acoustic version also. You listen to this release and find our own favorites for your own reasons.
I don’t know where you were in 1988, give or take. But before you fire up Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, put yourself back in that mindset. Pull up some actual 4×6 pictures you got duplicates for free from WalMart. Watch a VHS tape of that college party and call up some friends from the day and talk about old times. As you get started on this, hit “play” and it will come together and put you back in time.
If you weren’t around yet just hit play and think we’re a lot of crazy old people. We kinda are. But you’re gonna dig our music.
Find Once Upon a Time in Hollywood on all your major streaming outlets including Spotify and iTunes.
The Band
Shawn Michael Scotton Lead Vocals
Tommy Berg, Lead Guitar
BobbyD, Lead Guitar
Fransico Russo, Bass
Jayson Won, Drums
