Originally from another band called Fight Paris, Matt Tanner (vocals/guitar), Champ Champagne (bass), Neil Warren (guitar), and Jason Krutzky (drums) decided it was time for a new venture and created StoneRider.  The Atlanta-based group had been playing together for years and were happy to be able to put together what they consider a Super Group with a goal of creating timeless music, which is influenced by the bands they all look up to.  Bands like Aerosmith, AC/DC, The Who and the Rolling Stones all made music that has lasted decades.  Why can't bands do that today?  StoneRider is going to try.  I had a chance to meet up with the guys from StoneRider outside the Beat Kitchen on a gorgeous Chicago night.

 

Popular Underground Magazine (PUM): Welcome to Chicago! I know you guys have been busy touring lately, how’s that been going?

 

StoneRider:  Yeah, we just got finished on a tour with Airbourne & EndeverfteR.  We did six weeks in the states and two weeks in Canada.  That was amazing and now we’re here.

 

PUM: What’s been the specific focus of your recent tour?

 

StoneRider:  Our tour is in support of our album and spreading the good word of rock n’ roll to whomever else will listen! 

 

PUM:  How about the most memorable experience while playing a show?

 

StoneRider:   Well, there was this one show we were playing and Matt got really drunk and was playing naked!  It was a really good show but at the end he ended up getting kicked out!

 

PUM:  I don’t know if I want to know, but how did that happen?Were you naked off the bat or did you ease into it?

 

StoneRider:  Ha, well I started the show playing in my underwear and the next thing you know I ended up taking the rest off!

 

PUM:  Awesome, I bet the ladies really liked that show!!!

 

StoneRider:  It was a good time, I ended up playing with a third leg!

 

PUM:  I was just going to ask you the reason for the album’s name Three Legs of Trouble.  I’m guessing that’s where it came from…

 

StoneRider:  Haha, not exactly from that. Think about it….

 

PUM:  Well, well creative aren’t we?  You’ve played around a bunch of places recently, what would you say is your favorite venue to play at?

 

StoneRider:  Canada! The Imperial Theater.  This place was a ballroom looking, chandeliers in gold, to the nine’s place!  It was really sharp.  There were like one thousand people at the gig and it was a really, really rad show.  Canada definitely embraces rock way harder then the states though.

 

PUM:  Really?  That’s interesting, so how about in the states; any favorites here?

 

StoneRider:  Actually, the place we’re playing tomorrow.  It’s in Flint, MI called The Machine Shop.  It’s really cool.  There’s also a place in Baltimore that’s really cool too.  I think it’s called Autobar?  And of course Star Bar in Atlanta!  Got to give it up for our hometown!

 

PUM:  So, after playing numerous shows who would you say your demographic is?  Do you really have one yet?

 

StoneRider:  Anybody with a set of ears.  Everyone!  We don’t really have a set fan base yet so everyone comes out to the show

 

PUM:  Rock on!  Is there any particular way you relate to them?

 

StoneRider:  I think that people are tired of all the bullshit music that’s out.  They want to hear rock come back.  People really embrace is because you don’t hear real rock ever unless you’re listening to like Led Zeppelin or Jimi Hendrix.  You of course here rock on the classic rock stations but no new bands or bands our age are playing it nowadays.

 

PUM:  Ok, enough with the business let’s get personal!  Tell me the history of StoneRider…

 

StoneRider:   We were a different band and then we changed our singer.  But, we’ve all been playing together for years.  We kind of all just found each other.  We’re like a super group!

 

PUM:  Well, it sounds like you guys were meant to be playing together!  Why the name? 

 

StoneRider:  It was the first thing we all agreed on.  We all had lists of names for bands, names we thought sounded cool.  Eventually StoneRider was the first one we all liked.  It ended up coming from a mix of putting our names together.  It’s kind of silly how long it took us to figure one out!

 

PUM:  Really?  How long did it take you?

 

StoneRider:  Months!  It took us a long time to find one we all liked. 

 

PUM:  That’s because you wanted to make sure it was the perfect one, right?

So who writes the lyrics?  Primarily one of you or is it more of a group collaboration?

 

StoneRider:  Sometimes.  Sometimes one of us will bring in a chorus and we’ll all add lines to it.  Sometimes, someone will say one line, then someone will add one and so on.

 

PUM:  What’s your message to your listeners?

 

StoneRider:  Keep rock alive!  Live free and rock hard!  Basically, just have a good time.

 

PUM:  So what makes you strive to contain that passion?

 

StoneRider:  Well, we’ve been playing forever together.  The music chose us; we didn’t choose it.   It probably started early on from hearing it, hearing our parents playing it. 

 

PUM:  I had the opportunity to review your album, Three Legs of Trouble, a few months ago and I thought it absolutely kicked ass!!  What’s your personal take on it?

 

StoneRider:  We’re ready for the next one!  It was where we were that time when we recorded it.  We’re ready to move on to the next one.  There are a lot of things we wish we could have done different.  However we learned a lot from it.  We’re ready to move on to new plateau’s! 

 

PUM:  My favorite tracks were definitely “Juiceman,” “Wild Child,” and “Rush Hour.”  What were yours?

 

StoneRider:  We actually had a blues jam that got recorded but didn’t make it on the album; that was the favorite.  Wild Child is a good single too.

 

PUM:  So boys, what’s the plan from here?

 

StoneRider:  Just to continue growing. 

 

PUM:  Ok, what’s your ultimate goal realistic or not?

 

StoneRider:  Play the moon!

 

PUM:  WOW!  That’s a pretty serious goal!

 

StoneRider:  Yea, the first rock band on the moon!  That would be cool.

 

By: Kim Evans - Contributing Writer