Despite final exams and papers demanding time and attention, the band Scoutmaster Jack released their first album “Pots, Pans, and Rubberbands” on April 20. Four friends from Yonkers, N.Y. started the band in 2010. Three years later, three of the members are here at Iona College, continuing to follow their music dreams.

With the release of their first album, the band is planning a tour this summer throughout the tri-state area and as far south as North Carolina. In the past they have performed at venues including The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn and Tammany Hall in New York City.

When looking at the band’s Facebook page, they describe themselves as “hoodie rock” and “iced coffee core.” Saying they refuse to limit themselves to a certain genre, the categorization shows their humor and love for what they do.

The Ionian got a chance to talk with the band about their name, their influences and why they are so partial to iced coffee and hoodies.

Where did the name ‘Scoutmaster Jack’ come from?

We came up with the name Scoutmaster Jack in honor of our guitarist, Joey’s, father. He was a Scoutmaster named Jack! We were still in the early developmental stages of our band when we came up with the name. It started as a joke that one of our friends made, but then it just kind of stuck. We thought it sounded like a good band name that would accurately represent our personality, so we decided to make it official.

Which of the members go to Iona College?

Frank De Santis, Brian DeGennaro (sophomores), and Joey Bilancia (Junior) go to Iona College, while Bobby Azzari is a freshman at Manhattan College. Frank plays drums, Brian plays bass/vocals, Joey plays guitar/vocals and Bobby plays guitar/vocals.

Why describe yourself as ‘hoodie rock/iced coffee core’? Do you guys just really like hoodies and iced coffee?

We always have trouble explaining what our genre is. Although many people would agree that we play ‘pop/punk’ rock, we decided that we wanted to describe our music with something more personal that would allow our unique character to shine through to our listeners. We’re more than just your average punk rock band, that’s for sure!

As for settling with the terms ‘hoodie rock’ and ‘iced coffee core,’ hoodies and iced coffee are a couple of the most important items in our lives. Hoodies provide a home for you when you’re out in the world alone.They provide warmth and shelter from the elements. Iced coffee is what gets us through every day. It motivates us and gives us the energy we need to deal with our daily struggles. Our generation can definitely relate to these sentiments, which is why we think they are great ways of expressing who we are and what we’re about to our fans.

Who are your musical influences?

Our influences include Blink-182, The Wonder Years, New Found Glory, Yellowcard and Alkaline Trio.

Their album is now available online at scoutmasterjack.bandcamp.com/. They can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.