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25/10/2002 STEREOPATH LIVE REVIEW: Maroubra Sands Hotel, Saturday 19th October, 2002.Famous funk/metal group Stereopath made their way down South on the weekend for perhaps one of their greatest performances yet.
The evening set off on a promising note when the bar's manager, Sir Rat's Tail was oblivious to the fact that there was a band playing. (Nice touch by the venue's marketing team- no expectations will mean no dissapointment.)
After clever negotiating by Stereopath, the boys managed to talk down Rat's Tail initial (and perhaps ambitious) suggestion (1 x 4hour set) and convinced him that a standard 45 min set would be sufficient.
Although the local Maroubra punters were saddenned by the fact that the smooth sounds of The Eagles emiting from the PA had to make way for Stereopath, they were soon in comfort once the band's first snare hit filled the friendly room.
In one collective swift movement, mullets turned, pokies were swiched to "reserve" mode and smiles short of several teeth welcomed Stereopath.
Although the first song was an instrumental, the somewhat confused crowd made Stereopath feel right at home with a few encouraging shouts of "yeh good set, now get the fuck off", "play some Eagles!", and "play something we can relate to!"
After the second song, Stereopath were a little discouraged by the news that local residents had made noise complaints and warned that if things didn't quiet down they would have to get police involved.
So the band played on, perhaps a little softer, but still the same Christian rock sound that the Sands' crowd knew and loved.
Dreams however, like most things, don't last forever. Stereopath had received another final warning to "turn down the (unmiked) drum kit". Much to the dismay of the audience, Stereopath's set was cut short to a marathon duration of 5 minutes.
As the band packed down, several crowd members made their way towards the stage area for what initially seemed to have been for autograph requests, turned to many positive compliments consisiting of coloquiall phrases such as "fat arsed whore" which aparently translates to "hello, nice to meet you." and "Y'know with all this Bali shit that's goin on, tha last thing we wanna listen to is that nigger music shit that you'se play" which we are told in our language means, "Can I buy you a drink?"
The chimp-like behaviour of the Maroubra Sands regulars (which at first seemed odd to the Stereopath boys), began to make sense, after one Stereopath member pointed out the recent mysterious dissaperance of several chimps from Taronga Zoo. Instantly Stereopath threw a handful of peanuts much to the delight of those adorable furry creatures who jumped, swung their arms, and screeched in glee.
This unforgettable night will indeed stay in the hearts of the enchanted group Stereopath who I'm told, send out their warmest greetings to the chimp-populated Maroubra.
16/10/2002 Stereopath have completed their time in the studio and have come out with very pleasing results. Mastering is next and the whole EP should be finished within the next two weeks. Stay tuned......
15/09/2002 Hot off the press!!!! Stereopath will be playing at the Newtown festival later this year alongside the best of local talent. Newtown festival will be on Saturday November 10.
25/08/2002 Stereopath will be back in the studio during the best of October to record their long awaited EP. Tracks that will most likely be recorded will be: My Sweaty Boy, Akkademix, The Scheme, Wise Guys, Smoke Em Outta Their Holes, Jimmy Skinz, Chewzo's and Giftwrapped. Stay tuned for more updates......
1/06/2002 Stereopath have been picked up by the lads at the Cat and Fiddle in Balmain and have offered Stereopath a residency for every Friday in September. Funk every Friday in Balmain? Could you ask for more?
15/05/2002 Stereopath's 4 track demo was recently reviewed by the Continuumusic crew....Heavily rooted in funk and jazz, Stereopath's four track CD has a cool jazzy cum rap feel with muted trumpet (in "The Whiz) and other interseting ideas. I think my favourite song would have to be track number three, entitled "Giftwrapped" which has a kind of jazz-reggea feel. Most definately the type of band that would be worth checking out as a live act. These guys have a "late night in Kings Cross" sort of persona. Very tight, very funky. Great stuff.
1/05/2002 Stereopath's reputation as a live act has been grabbing the attention of many in the Sydney live band scene. Recently Hitstate, Sydney's Independant Music Hub, showed their keen interest in Stereopath and came along to one of their gigs to write up a live review. If you wan to to check out the review, click here. Otherwise, read on.......For tonight’s live performance of the incredibly friendly and funky groove outfit Stereopath, I had the pleasure of being in the company of Hitstate's administrative representative and PR miester, Stanly. We made the lengthy journey to Manly Fisho's from Belfield in record time and were fortunate to receive a sound check performance from tonight’s headliners, Erratic. Hitstate will pay close attention to this band as their sound was unique, polished and impressive. I have to laugh though, Erratic's drummer utilised an array of electronic percussive devises during their sound check and I'm pretty sure that he demonstrated all the 3654 different sounds his electronic drum pad had to offer. I suppose as a musician, you just have to be sure that all of them work, even if it's just to impress the audience. The lightly populated room began to fill a few minutes before Stereopath hit the stage and I have to say that this band has a very impressive contingent of loyal followers and friends. Stanly and I were swamped by them as we had a fairly prime position and they wanted it. It was obvious they were very unsettled with the seating arrangements as they virtually moved their tables on top of us and it took for the band to come on stage before the shifting of tables came to a head.
Stereopath looked rather impressive with a set of congas and bongos up front, bass, guitar, trumpet and drums. They took to their instruments and the show began. The groove in the opening track "Tactik Fanatik" reminded me of the Red Hot Chili Peppers song 'Hollywood' from their 'Freaky Styley' album. As for the sound, Dave on the percussion was completely out of the mix and also low in volume was Dean's vocals. Jose's guitar tone started to sting the middle ear into submission and I knew this was not the sound from Jose's amp but from front of house speakers. Toward the end of the song I started to realise that the sound engineer was struggling to contain the bands vast sound and through no fault of the band, the show was suffering. I kept thinking of Hughie Lewis in 'Back To The Future' saying, "Sorry, but it's just too damn loud". My ears were begining hurt and it was only one song in. The volume slowly climbed progressively for the rest of the evening. It's just unnecessary in a club of this size to push the volume to that level. Others may argue this point. Putting aside the very average sound and mix, the band were begining to warm up nicely by the second song, 'Exile 2 Diadoxx' which was hell funky and the house sound was begining to improve. One thing I notice was the stage presence of bassplayer Mike, drummer Jimi Skinz and rhymes-man Dean. Even though the shirtless James was behind the kit, he projected his presence energetically and laid down the meanest groove. James is a backbeat - syncopation king and one of the strongest foundations of the band. And his "just attacked with the clippers" mow-hawk looked..... sensational. Bassist Mike, also minus a shirt and without an ounce of fat, was forever smiling, having a party and dancing around on stage. He was the mover of the band and also didn't take himself too seriously although his basslines were deadly serious. His ability to move from fluid funky finger technique to ridiculously fast slap appeared effortless. Rap vocalist, Dean looked the part with cap, nose ring through the cartilage, stars and stripes 'Converse' hi-tops, urban t-shirt and dark green cargo pants. He moved well with the mic free arm emphasising phrases in his rapid poetry as virtually all of the worlds rappers do. Although Jose's guitar playing was without fault, slightly John Frusciante in feel and classic 'old skool' in funk, he did look disturbed by the lame sound that the engineer was pulling. Unfortunately as the set progressed, he was reduced in the mix and a lot of his playing was lost. In a past performance I caught of the band, his sound and style was fluid, free and full of feel. Bad soundman, bad!
Dave's performance on his congas and bongos meshed beautifully with James's drums, complimenting each other to create a fantastic combination of rhythmic interplay. His hands were quick and his rhythmic presence added so much to the show. It would have been nice to see him relax just a little bit but by the end of the show his hands did the talking and the improved mix brought his playing into the forefront. Corey L Hard brought in the brass for the evening with some very tasty trumpet playing. Looking more like he came straight from the library in slacks and jacket, his conservative look actually worked really well in contrast to the relaxed attire of the rest of the band. He, like Dave, looked a little self conscious on stage but his well placed accents and flowing melodies really gave a greater depth to the overall sound of the band and introduced a jazzy influence.
By the third song, "The Whiz" , I realise how exceptional James was on drums. He just has that feel that you can only be born with. 'Whiz' was a great old skool groove. Next track, "Funky Miracle" , would get even the most uncordinated corpse moving involuntary. A great display of percussion and fast hands from Dave, the sound although loud, was marginally better. More class playing from Corey. The fifth song Apple Sandwich, began with a series of smooth bass chords backed by a slow groove but then burst into an energetic boogaloo filled with lots of changes which the band masterfully pulled off. It was obvious that the band was finally primed. I particularly liked the instrumental break which reminded me of a cop chase soundtrack in a B-grade 70's flick.
"Giftwrapped" was the biggest vibe and sound change in the set as this mellow composition had the mic taken up by Mike. Opening with a smooth reggae vibe, Mike sung with melodic soul and demonstrated that he is an accomplished vocalists as well as bassist. It was a very welcome break as until then, all tracks were rapped vocally and there was an element of same-ishness in the songs because of this. The chorus brought up the song in tempo and dynamics as Dean put aside his rap to sing a more conventional vocal melody, which was refreshing. The song was topped off as the band pulled out a swing / latin instrumental break in which Corey soloed masterfully over.
"Window To Her Heart" introduced the fast, furious and faultless slap bassplaying of Mike. Bow down to the master of slap central! Unrelenting and very appropriate, Mike's playing brought him all over the fretboard of his 'Musicman' as the band worked hard but give him the space to let the bass own the song. Although the sound was better, unfortunately by this song, Jose's was nearly out of the mix.
"The Scheme" opened with an awesome display of guitar and bass doubling the main riff to be complimented and lifted by the percussion. I liked the vocal grunts Corey placed in the chorus. Nice touch.
"Jimi Skinz" was one of my favourite songs of the set and was also the crowds. The track title being a reference to Stereopath's superb skinsman James, the band opened this magnificent instrumental with funked up acid jazz bass backed with syncopated drum and percussion magic. Jose's guitar parts were original and well composed as the trumpet accented the off beat nicely. Jose brought in the beef for the first time with a rich yet dirty guitar solo that even the mix could not hide. His spirits seemed lifted by this as he moved more freely on stage. I really liked this song as it moved well and featured the whole of the band as each played short solos. The drum and percussion solo was a highlight of the night. 'Jimmy Skinz' received a very loud reception from the audience and was defiantly the crowds favourite Stereopath song for the night.
Track eleven in the set was appropriately named "Ping Pong" as the bass, guitar and drums tightly bounced in a sharp staccato, using simple octaves to create a teased rhythm. Skinz' was faultless with his rolls as he brought the band into the verses. I thoroughly enjoyed this song.
Last song: "Bust A Move" . As always, it takes a familiar cover to get a Sydney audience on the dance floor and that's what I think Stereopath had in mind. Everyone loves Young MC's funky and cheeky hit, 'Busta Move' as that 'Flea' bassline is in the hall of fame for makin' the booty move. To everyone’s amusement, Corey sang the sexy female parts to perfection. It's funny because it wasn't their best musical moment of the night but it goes to show what a familiar song can do to an audience. The dance floor filled with moving bodies and it was obviously a crowd favourite. It was a wise decision to finish their seriously funky set off with this popular cover in what was a fun and feel good evening.
Stereopath are one tight funk machine who need a young and energetic audience that don't succumb to inhibitions which prevent the older punters from getting up and dancing. Until the last song, no one made their way to the dance floor. This band was made to make you move and it seems criminal that they played their set of tailored groove to an empty and static dance floor. In the grand scheme of things the band could interact together more on stage to entice this by following Mike's active performance. The constant delivery of rap from Dean in nearly all the songs began to make most of them sound a little repetitive and similar even though the arrangements were quite different. "Giftwrapped" was the only song that contained a traditional vocal melody and I feel it stood out because of this. Although I love rap, back to back it can tend to make peoples attention wonder. Of course, this is subjective.
I can see the Stereopath sound developing from it's already strong foundation and as time passes, their live performance and song writing will continue to evolve with them. They are by far the friendlier breed of musician who are enthusiastic and completely humble. There are certainly no starving egos to feed in Stereopath which I compliment them for. Keep the funk alive!
21/02/2002 Stereopath have been picked up by Booking Agency "Metropolis", forming part of the up and coming bunch of unsigned bands kown as "Australia's Most Wanted". This means more gigs, the addition of several covers in their set list, and the arrival of new member "Eric" Banner.
15/12/2001 Stereopath welcome new member Dave who will be playing percussion for this funk super group. Be prepared for SP's rhythm to expand like Booty's Rubberband.
15/12/2001 Jimi Skinz of Stereopath was recently interviewed by local newspaper, Manly Daily. So, 'ave a look. . . . . .
21/11/2001 Stereopath members Dean and Mike were recently spotted "catching some rays" by the side of the Park Royal Hotel pool. They were soon kicked out of the premises for being in the Hotel without permission.
18/09/2001 The Stereopath boys have been offered a photo shoot for the latest Calvin Klein underwear selection. Mike describes this opportunity as a way for the public to see that "Stereopath isn't just about music. It's about the image- you know, what's in, what's out. I'm just sick of bands thinking they're the shit when they aint even wearin the right after-shave."
Alberto Du Winnet...
Hardcore STEREOPATH fan
who ventured to close to the speaker.2/07/2001 James has been cleared from allegations by Qantas On-Board staff of "indicent behaviour" during Stereopath's "Summer Of Love" tour last year. James comments, "People will do anything to try to get us on the wrong side of the press. I mean, what's wrong with asking a flight attendant for a 'wet and sticky'- I used to have them all the time when I was at school."20/04/2001 Interview with Stereopath !
Stereopath were recently interviewed on Australasia's biggest online music site. To see the original interview click
HERE Or just read below....Welcome to Whammo's DNA (Developing New Artists) feature page where we showcase unsigned and independent artists, fresh from the crop and ready to take on the world!
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Interview: STEREOPATH
Dean - Vocals
Mike - Bass
Jose - Guitar
James - Drums
James Jr. - TrumpetStereopath have been jamming it out in the streets of Sydney for around four years now. Influenced by early funk, soul and hip-hop, they combine these styles to create a unique, fresh sound using their strong sense of rhythm as a driving force. This combined with an energetic stage-presence and well-rehearsed sets - it's no wonder Stereopath always get a great response even from a tough audience. They've just released their brand new single Choose Your Own Adventure, and the band members recently took some time out to catch up with Whammo during their heavy gigging schedule...
How would you describe your musical style to a newcomer?
You could describe our music as hip-hop, with an early-funk sound as the backdrop. It's always hard to describe our music because it has many different elements from other genres. You'll just have to have a listen to us!How did you get to this point musically?
Mike (bassist) and Dean (vocalist) have been together for around four years. They formed a group with another two mates, by the name of Sodasm. They obtained a good following on the Northen Beaches for a while, having appeared on an independent compilation 'Northern Composure', and playing regularly at the Manly Youthfest, and venues like The Fisho's. A few years later, Jose and James replaced Sodasm's guitarist and drummer, reforming what is now known as Stereopath. Just a few months ago, James "Mabez" (trumpet) joined the group.What's the songwriting process for Steropath?
It's a great thing we have in Stereopath, everyone gets some input into the songwriting. Respect is the key word, and no idea is ever too silly. We all get along heaps well, and we all click socially as well as musically. Ahhh... the perfect family.Are any of you involved in side projects at the moment?
Nah... Stereopath is our number one priority.What inspires you to play music?
We all work full time, and none of our day to day job relate to music in any way (music and money don't mix), so music for us in a way plays an almost "escapist" role. Three times a week we get to vent out all that energy and frustration into playing good ol' funky music.Have your musical influences changed from when you first started out four years ago?
We all have different musical influences to a certain extent, but gradually we have all converted each other to whatever the other band member is into. The point of reference of our musical values has always been funk and hip-hop though. There's sooo much to music though, our influences will keep evolving no matter what.Do you think you'll adopt any more instruments or players as you go along?
There's no such thing as too many musicians! (within reason). At the moment we're interested in getting our sound to expand into a more electronic vibe. An auxiliary percussionist wouldn't go astray either...What do the next 12 months hold for Stereopath?
Keep playing solidly and consitently, record a few more songs and distribute it around, spread the good news. We're very content with the way things are going for us, so we're not going to put pressure on ourselves when we don't need to.back to main
