Fifteen years marks a major milestone in any endeavor, but it’s practically an eternity for a local band, especially one that’s never had the support of an established record label or even much media buzz. Yet somehow, Morristown’s Trophy Scars have managed to survive a decade and a half of shows, tours, member changes, and recordings and will celebrate their 15th anniversary at Jersey City’s White Eagle Hall on Saturday, Nov. 4.
Singer Jerry Jones, guitarist John Ferrara and drummer Brian Ferrara started playing together in Trophy Scars in June of 2002, when bands like the Early November, Thursday, and My Chemical Romance ruled New Jersey’s nascent post-hardcore and emo scene. The addition of Andy Farrell on bass solidified the lineup, and the band found a home in the Garden State’s teeming pre-Internet all-ages underground of the era.
“It’s been quite a ride,” Ferrara said, “longer than most marriages really. We were never really a band with an agenda or a goal, we just did whatever we wanted and never really cared about the future.”
