Ingrown talk Idaho, trout fishing and believing in yourself

“I was on a reservation in central Nevada. It was the most beautiful place ever,” said Ingrown vocalist/guitarist Ross Hansen, returning from a fly-fishing adventure. “These ancient, 2,000-year-old tribal cutthroat trout [Paiute Cutthroat Trout] live there. Rare fish that only exist in one lake.”

Such a diagnosis could just as easily be assessed for Ingrown, a band that began in Boise a decade ago but now stands as one of the few Idaho musical acts to ink a record deal with a national record label. Following in the footsteps of fellow Gem Staters such as indie-rock titans Built to Spill and jazz singer Curtis Stigers, Ingrown signed with Closed Casket Activities two and a half years ago. Even more anomalously, they’re not a typical hardcore band: One of the tags on Ingrown’s Bandcamp page is “gross.”

Naturally, the record label deal gave the grody gang a steroid-size boost, leading to tours with Apex Predator, AWOL and even a couple of dates with metal titans Machine Head in early April. Those shows will transpire roughly a month after Ingrown—which also includes bassist Gavin McWilliams and drummer Charlie Ritch—issued their second LP, Idaho, earlier this month, recorded and mixed in Chicago with Andy Nelson at Bricktop Studios.

Full-lengths don’t get much speedier and gnarlier than Ingrown’s new one, clocking in at just 18 minutes. And that’s somewhat ironic, because when Treble caught up with Hansen last week upon his return to Boise, he spoke slowly and carefully. We spoke with Hansen about Idaho, how Ingrown put themselves on the map even though their home base is the most remote city of significant size in the U.S., playing shows in Asia and much more.

Treble: How are you feeling these days about the band and, for lack of a better term, the “buzz” that’s surrounding you right now?

Ross Hansen: Sometimes it feels like [playing in Ingrown is] the only thing I can do, you know? … I started plotting the fantasy in high school of how I could get on the road, travel [playing my] own music and see if it could go anywhere. It still feels that insane, like it’s a secret life where you can just have unlimited fun. 

Right now it feels like we can just do anything. We can play Boise anytime and have it always be better than the last show. And we played China, which was a dream come true. The crowd actually knew our lyrics! We feel unstoppable. It’s only getting more fun.

Treble: How does that feeling compare to when you incepted Ingrown?

RH: I played for years and years in other bands. In 2015, [Ingrown started as] a four-piece for one jam session with an incredible vocalist and lyricist friend. [Eventually we felt more comfortable as] just a three-piece, with me just doing the vocals and trying to play guitar. That’s when it seemed like, “Oh, shit, [we’re onto something].”

Treble: Why did you decide to incorporate banjo, of all instruments, into a hardcore record? Show Me the Body does that too, but still …

RH: I like Irish music and bluegrass. It’s my favorite thing to play.

Treble: You’re one of the only bands in Idaho history to secure a record contract with a company outside the state. What was your secret and how did the deal come about?

RH: Drive. And we didn’t listen to anyone else. We were told … there were rules, [like] you have to have this many records out before you tour. It’s silly. … All you need is a hundred dollars, a full tank of gas and songs that are worth a shit. … But you have to enjoy it and not pretend.

Early on, we got to tour with Trapped Under Ice, after they released Heatwave [in 2017].  [Vocalist] Justice [Tripp] saw us play and was asking around, like, “What the hell was that crazy shit? They gotta be on our next tour.”

And it was a disaster. Everything went wrong. [At one point,] our [van] engine blew up and the AAA guy [who came to tow us] locked his keys in his truck. We missed a show in Oakland. But what are you going to do? The key to life is believing in yourself. [That challenge] actually gave us momentum.

Treble: What other setbacks have you faced? After all, you’ve been a band for 10 years and only recently struck the deal with Closed Casket.

RH: Man, there’s [been] several. I’ve lost faith and confidence and had to find it again. Ingrown didn’t play for a year and a half during COVID. I couldn’t even get the strength back to do it.

Treble: Pardon the cheesy turn of phrase, but how has Ingrown managed to grow in popularity since its inception?

RH: We spread the word [by playing] Eugene, Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, Olympia. People appreciate that you make the journey. We have all different types of friends: Mormons, people who don’t listen to the same music we do, [etc.].

And you have to believe in yourself. That’s all. There’s so much solidarity in the [hardcore] community. Hardcore is so much more than just the music. It’s the ethos. And it can’t be faked.

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