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Biography
Paul McCoy – Vocals
Justin Rimer – Guitar
Eric Weaver – Guitar
Aaron Gainer – Drums
DJ Stange – Bass
THE BACKSTORY– After selling 500,000 copies of their first two
albums (their self-titled debut and Potter’s Field) and touring
relentlessly, 12 Stones decided it was time for a break from the
road. The band packed up their gear and headed back to Mississippi
and Louisiana. And what did these guys do on their time off? Well,
as singer Paul McCoy put it, they “grew up a lot.”
All of the guys are now fathers, and they spent a good deal of their
time away from music with their families. However after a few years
away from touring, McCoy says, “I really just couldn’t wait to get
back to making music.”
THE INSPIRATION - 12 Stones has always thought of themselves as the
“underdog” in the music business. Sure, they have hundreds of
thousands of fans but they fought for each and every one of them.
The band has yet to have a big, break-out radio hit at pop, but
active rock has embraced their sound since the release of the debut.
Their fans have stuck by their side and continue to reach out to on
a daily basis through their website and MySpace.com page. This
support is evidence that hard work truly pays off, and even after a
long absence from the scene the faithful are still by their side.
McCoy says the resolution to make the best of what you’ve got was
only intensified during the 2005 hurricane season. All natives of
the Gulf region, each member of the band felt the hardships of that
fall. Whether it was seeing family and friends pack up and move away
from their hometowns or witnessing the region’s morale drop in an
instant, the band felt the effects Hurricane Katrina. “We know what
it’s like to be on the losing end but be making the best of the
situation at the same time,” McCoy says.
THE SONGS - 12 Stones did not set out to write an album for those
affected by Hurricane Katrina. Still, the loss felt in their local
neighborhoods had its obvious effects on the band members, and they
were compelled to write about the recovery taking place around them.
“Anthem for the Underdog” spells out 12 Stones’ philosophy for those
working hard to get back on top. McCoy sings, “We're here now
feeling the beat of a thousand hearts coming back to life again, we
can make it.” The lyrics are a testament to the spirit of those
affected by this tragedy.
On the other hand, the weather is not the only thing that is
uncontrollable. People prove to be just as unreliable in songs such
as “Lie To Me,” “World So Cold” and “Arms of a Stranger.” McCoy
sings about betrayal and loss in “Lie To Me,” as he passionately
offers, “All the times I shared with you, were you even there at
all? Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide, you're scared of the truth;
I’m tired of the lies.” Yet, through all of the loss and pain in
these songs, there is still an underlying feeling of triumph in the
end.
“There is a real sense of urgency to get back on top throughout the
album,” McCoy explains. “We know what it’s like to be the underdog
but that doesn’t mean we always will be. It’s important to show our
fans that things can change, life does get better.”
THE RECORDING PROCESS - McCoy, guitar player and co-founding member
Eric Weaver and drummer Aaron Gainer spent months meeting with “big
time” writers and producers only to be let down over and over. McCoy
says, “The big name producers made us feel like the underdogs once
again, like we were lucky they agreed to meet with us.” All of that
changed however when the band traveled to Memphis, TN for a meeting
with Justin Rimer (former guitar player for Breaking Point) and
Skidd Mills (who has worked with Skillet, Saliva, and Sister Hazel).
There was an instant chemistry between 12 Stones, Rimer and Mills,
and the band spent the following eight months in Memphis recording
Anthem For The Underdog.
Rimer has anxiously waited to team up with 12 Stones for years. They
both share the same manager, so they have kept up with each other’s
work from the beginning. Rimer says, “The first song we did was ‘It
Was You,’ and as soon as we played it for everybody it just clicked.
I got the offer to work on the entire album right after that. I
didn’t want to take them too far from where they had been as a band
in the past, but this is a diverse album for them. Paul definitely
wanted to kill me by the end because I had him singing in higher
ranges than he had ever sung before.”
When the album was complete, the guys were not ready to say good-bye
to Rimer, and invited him to join the band on the road. “We had
never been so open to criticism or trying new things in the studio
as we were when working with Justin. It was great to have someone
working with us who really knows their way around a studio,” McCoy
says of their new guitar player.
Weaver also appreciated Rimer’s contribution as the second
guitarist. He says, “Justin comes from more of a metal background
than I do, so it is nice to mix the different flavors of music. He
is a great addition to the showmanship of the band.” Rimer calls
playing with 12 Stones “like home.” “I was in Breaking Point for
years, but I am just as comfortable playing with this band.”
THE FUTURE - 12 Stones has been through a great deal in the past few
years, but somehow the band has made the best of what they’ve got
and come out the better for it. They continue to strive for the top,
and McCoy says they “are ready to step up and take the lead. This
album is the best attempt we’ve got to grab new fans, and we’re
ready.”
“We are really proud of this collection of songs, and think the fans
are going to love it,” McCoy continues. “We’ve been gone for a while
but can’t wait to get back out there – we’ve never been in a better
place.”
Underdog? Not for long… [Source: artistdirect.com]
Album:
Potter's Field
12 Stones
Anthem for the Underdog
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