Stone Axe-Captured live! Roadburn festival 2011

Ripple music
2012

Stone Axe have not been around that long but they sure have quite a few releases. Even though they have done just two LPs, there were two disc deluxe editions of those plus they releases some seven inches. So what kind of release are they missing? Oh, I know a live album. They teased with some live tracks as bonuses on those deluxe editions. From those we knew they could bring it live and were very comfortable on stage too. Yet a whole album would surely be even more spectacular. Indeed it is. Not every bands translates well on a live album although some try to twist the knobs in the studio to tweak their live sound. I doubt there was a great deal of that going on when getting this album together. There didn't need to be because the old style early 70's throwback rock that this band creates so easily flows on a live album just as well as the studio versions. Maybe even better believe it or not. They tear into the instrumental opener "Stonin'" and then glide into "On with the show". From there they just keep knocking out killer rock songs one after the other with their mix of of AC/DC, Free, Bad Company and others. For me the highlights include the slow and raw "Black Widow", the bouncing "Shine on" and the heavy hitter "Old Soul". Seriously ever track is worth hearing and the band is seriously tight live.For those who are already fans of this band this is a welcome addition to their catalog. For those who have never heard this fantastic act then this would serve as a fine introduction.

Stone Axe-II : Deluxe Edition

Ripple

2012

It's only been about two years since this album came out, but as with Stone Axe's debut the people at Ripple music decided to release a Deluxe Edition. The Deluxe Edition contains the Stone Axe II album of the first disc and a second disc of songs released elsewhere over recent years. I'll tackled the first disc to begin with. As I said this originally came out in 2010 and I heard it, loved it and reviewed it in that order. However I honestly had not listened to it probably at eight months. So this Deluxe Edition gave me an excuse to hear the album again. Truthfully I realized that I liked this album even better than I thought. Tony Reed's band don't just copy or relay late 60's-early 70's hard rock/metal. No, they embrace the sound and they manage to embody not just the notes and beats of that style, but rather the soul that was present in the best bands of that time. Not an easy task and many bands today are influenced by acts from that era, but not everyone can really absorb that style and then create their own masterpieces. However Stone Axe certainly can and while their debut was amazing this album was even tighter and a little heavier. The second disc is full of songs that were originally on split albums, compilations and other assorted releases. I have a few of them before, but most were new to my ears so it was almost like getting a whole albums worth of new material from Stone Axe. The quality of the songs on disc two are just as stunning as on their other albums. I never quite know what to expect from Deluxe or special editions of albums, but this album was quite spectacular. Only thing is now my appetite has been wet for more Stone Axe material.

http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2010/04/stone-axe-2.html

http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2010/06/stone-axe-interview.html

Top 10 best re-issues/re-releases of 2011

Our top album lists we be out later this week. In addition to a list of new releases I started doing a list of the top re-issues and re-leases two or three years ago. This year was had so many good entries that I decided to expand the list from 5 to 10. So here they are in order from 1-10.


1-Twisted Sister-Under the blade CD/DVD set
It's one of the best Twister Sister albums with bonus tracks and the DVD is a live show from when they were still raw and angry.

2-Orange Goblin-5 disc box set
Five great helpings of pure thick stoner rock and bonus tracks on each one. WOW!

3-Jethro Tull-Aqualung 40th anniversary special edition 2 disc set
A great sounding remix on Aqualung and a whole disc of bonus tracks.

4-Mos Generator-s/t
Their debut debut re-issued with bonus tracks.

5-Sigh-Scorn Defeat
They had a rougher sound nearly twenty years ago, but just as impressive.

6-Stone Axe-S/T CD/DVD set
The original just came out a couple of years ago, but this version has bonus live tracks and a whole DVD full of live songs.

7-Uncannny-MCMXCI -collected works
Their one album plus demos equals a massive attack of classic early death metal.

8-Thin Lizzy-The boys are back in town, Live in Sydney, Australia 1978
Not their greatest live album, but it's a prime Thin Lizzy show with the band sounding very relaxed.

9-Warlock-Hellbound
My favorite Warlock albums got the re-issue treatment this year.

10-Atomic Rooster-s/t
A very underrated album.

Stone Axe-s/t (Collector's Edition)

Ripple Music
2011

Albums get re-issued left and right these days and frequently they have to receive some label to mark them as different from the original release. The words "special edition" or "collector's edition" get slapped on releases a lot. If you already have the original release then how special this new version is to you definitely depends on the bonus material. In the case of the re-issue of Stone Axe's debut we get the original 2009 album plus eight live tracks and a second disc which is a DVD with 18 videos and live clips plus an interview. So as someone who appreciates a good value that's 147 minutes of music between the two discs. I am getting ahead of myself and overwhelmed by the sheer amount of music here so let's get to the quality of the material. If you missed out on 2009's self titled release from Stone Axe then you missed out on of truly one of the best fantastic classic hard rock albums released in recent years. They are not just a retro band or a copy, but rather they truly capture the spirit of late 60's early 70's hard rock early metal. The tones, the pace and every element makes the album sound like a lost gem from yesteryear. Yet they still manage to sound fresh just because they believe so much in what they are doing and they are great at selling it. This is one of those albums that just gets better each time you play it. This time around in addition to the original studio album we get a pile of live tracks added onto the CD. If you like what you hear on the studio recordings then you are really in for a treat on the live songs because the band sounds even more at ease on stage. So hearing Stone Axe live is an experience then seeing them is even better and that's a good lead-in to disc 2 the DVD portion of the set. This DVD includes a pile clips with a few videos, and interview but the majority of the time is made up of live clips from several different shows. What really shines through on all of these clips is how natural these guys sound and easy they make it look. Their approach makes it that much more fun because this is the kind of music you can just kick back and let it soak in. Although most of the live clips are from clubs, but there is a store performance and a live at a radio station performance as well. The quality of the clips are solid, but the atmosphere and the way the band's personalities shine through are really captured on the DVD. So did this album deserve a collector's edition? After listening and watching both discs my answer is a definite yes. This a fantastic set and even if you have the original disc it's still worth getting because all the extras will make you appreciate this band even more.

Heavy Ripples vol.1

Ripple Music
2011

This brand spanking new album from Ripple music is a split 7" and includes five songs from four bands. As we approach the end of winter this is the perfect thing to melt those frosty edges off of you and warm you up a bit. Stone Axe take a track from Tony Reed's previous act Mos Generator's act in "Night Wolf" and add the Stone Axe sound to it. If AC/DC and ZZtop ran into each other head on around 1975 then it might sound something like this song. Lots of pure grit and grooves to spare on this one. Next is Sun Gods in Exile who offer up a huge helping of twangy fuzz with "Over my broken bones". This track has a massive, but smooth flow to it and get seven better as it goes along.The first of two offerings from Grifter is "Small man" which is punchy to the point kind of song that is helped by a great rhythm section. My only complaint is that this song ended in during a solo and it left the track with a cut off feeling which never sits well with me. Grifter's second track is "Hey Ron” is an ode to porn star Ron Jeremy. This song actually feels like two songs. The first half is basic and actually rather average, but around the two minute mark the pace and feel pick up. Then less than a minute later it's back to the chorus from the first half. Then the last minute and half is more impressive jams. The explosions in the second half helped, but it's overall an uneven song with a few high points. Ending the album on a huge plus comes the always reliable Mighty High with “Hempophobic”. This track starts off with a riff that is sure to cause neck pain from the head bobbing you will be doing to it. This one sounds like Buffalo mixed with Cactus and topped off by Mighty High's knack for managing the pace. A fine disc for sure that will have you wanting more and that little 1 after the volume tells us there will be more at some point. So bring it on Ripple Music because we are ready for it.

Stone Axe interview

Stone Axe play a style of heavy music that reached back to the 1960's and 70's. I recently had a chance to talk to Tony Reed to find out more about the band, their music and their future plans.

Tell us a little about the history of how Stone Axe came to be.

The Stone Axe name came from my first band when I was 11. I couldn't play yet but I had a band name and a logo.

The music came 27 years later. During the writing for 'the vault session' by Mos Generator I had a few riffs that didn't make it to the final stage of writing. one of those songs ended up being 'riders of the night'. I started writing tunes for a side band that were all in the style of the late 60's early 70's. when it came to the vocals I wasn't interested in singing on them. I had thought of Dru because I worked with him in a few bands and produced him in the studio. I knew he was a great vocalist and had the same love for classic rock as I did. I gave him a few songs to put lyrics and melodies to and when he came over and laid down 'riders' in one take I knew we had something cool.



Who are some of your influences?

Obviously stone axe is influenced by hard rock of the 1960's and 70's but the original idea of the band came from FREE. I wanted to do something that had a lot of space in it. Then once the songs started getting written other styles started creeping in. CREAM, The FACES, Peter Green FLEETWOOD MAC and early AC/DC play a big part in the influence on the first Stone Axe album.



Stone Axe 2 came out recently. Tell us about it?

On Stone Axe II we made an effort to push the music into a more seventies feel. we talked about having bigger choruses and more of a straight ahead rock feel. there is more of a production on this record. We are still riding on the wave of the first record and it appears that SAII is falling in line just fine.



What are some of your favorite tracks on the new album and why?

I like 'On with the Show' a lot. It has a big rock sound, a great singalong chorus and some notey bits in the bridge. It seem to be a well rounded rock tune. 'Chasing Dragons' is cool because it has a different take on the seventies sound. the acoustic intro with the song building a bit with every section works well. the lyrics are great and Dru's delivery is awesome. I had a great time putting together 'Turned To Stone'. The organs and the mellotron make the song super epic. To me it's a mix between Pocol Hrum & Bind Faith.



Did you use any special retro equipment to give your music the tones like it was recorded 35-40 years ago?

We try to use vintage gear as much as possible. I am a huge Laney amplifier fan so I use those as much as possible in the studio. Live I always use my 1970 Laney supergroup head. I have a ton of vintage amplifiers and drum sets. when I am recording I also use as much tube and vintage recording gear as i can. i want the recording to sound vintage as well.



How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you before?

Here is an excerpt from a review we got for the first album. To me it says a lot. "If you were to hear this album without the aid of any background information on its origins, your instincts would probably tell you it was 60's-era rock, carefully unearthed from the vaults of an overlooked rock band along the lines of Free or Cream. The fact that it's a new recording is a testament to the precision with which the group crafts not only their songs, but their sound. If you feel like you've exhausted your classic rock options, this is a great place to get a fresh start."



All of your albums are getting various vinyl releases. So I take it that you are huge vinyl fans. How many albums do you own? Do you any great rarities in your collection?

I own a couple of thousand albums. I had a lot more but went through and weeded out stuff that wasn't in good shape or that I didn't listen to much. as far as rarities go, my biggest rarity collections are stuff like Sabbath, Bowie, big star, soundtrack, and bootlegs. A while back I got $1,800 in trade towards my first mellotron for the first nirvana single.



You are getting to play some dates with Saint Vitus really soon. What are your expectations about these shows?

We are very excited and honored to be doing these shows. We are hoping to gain a bigger fan base and set up more connections for our own future tours.



Any other tour plans in the works for the end of Summer or Fall?

We are going to take the summer off and write/record as many songs as well can and then hopefully get to the UK in october. Right now we are having trouble finding anybody to help us out with that (nudge nudge, wink wink-readers).



Who would you love to share a stage with?

Bowie 1973



Tell us about some of your most memorable shows?

I think one of my favorite shows with stone axe was at the Charleston in Brooklyn with Mighty High. it was our first tour, we were headling this show and I was really worried about it, but when went on the room all of the sudden had this great vibe and we knew it was coming across the way we like it to. Nothing really crazy has happened to us yet.



You have a split seven inch with Mighty High coming out soon on Ripple Music. Can you tell us more about that?

I contacted Wood from Mighty High to see if he wanted to do a split 7". He talked to his mates at Ripple and they were into the idea. Since then I have started working for the Ripple music label as their mastering guy. They are also going to re-issue some Stone Axe and Mos Generator discs.

The song we put on the split is called 'Metal Damage'. It has a real 1978-'80 Judas Priest feel. The music was actually written for Mos Generator a few years ago. I like the way it turned out.


Your sound recalls bands from the late 60’s-70’s. What do you think made the music of that time period so special?

There was a lot of uncharted territory. The musical canvas seemed unlimited and bands were allowed to develop their craft over many albums. I think radio played a big part in how people viewed music back then. In an hour you might hear Cream, Anne Murray, the Monkees, and the Spinners all on the same station. I know that radio played a big part in my musical upbringing. Not necessarily me listening to it but my mom.

If you could only listen to three albums over the next month then what would you pick?

Black Sabbath-Master of reality

Necromandus-Orexis of death

Todd rundgren-something/anything



What do you think about the state of the music industry in general these days?

Confusion. I try not to think about it and just try to be successful at my own thing.



What are some of the best albums you have heard so far in 2010?

I haven't heard any albums from 2010. Only re-issues.



Is Mos Generator still going on?

Yes. A year and a half ago we took a break. We still haven't decided what to do. we played a show in February and it felt great but we haven't done anything since. When we started the break we had 6 songs written for a new record. I see us finishing 5 or 6 more songs and putting something new out. I don't know about shows though.




I love the first album cover, but have to ask about the blueberries. Any significance to them on the cover or did it just look good?

I was looking through a book of photography and saw that picture. It looked very striking to me so decided to use it. It's funny how much I get asked about that.



Pick the band from the following pairs that you prefer and tell why you picked them.

I've been pondering over this question for two days. A couple of these pairings are very difficult. We are talking about some of my favorite bands and I feel like I am betraying one by picking the other.

AC/DC or Thin Lizzy

I will have to go with AC/DC because of their amazing catalog. So many great albums. but Lizzy has so many more dimensions to their music. it's truly beautiful and has a feeling that no other hard rock music has.

Budgie or Deep Purple

Deep Purple hands down. You have to bow to the musicians alone, not to mention the mind blowing tunes.

Cream or Free

Very difficult. free is where stone axe comes from. That is our core sound but Cream are the masters of freeform jamming. If you listen to the live jams and just take them in it is amazing. Cream wins by a very small margin.

Black Sabbath or Pentagram

Black Sabbath is the greatest band of all time. Nothing moves me more. I am actually obsessed.

Stone Axe/Mighty High 7"

Ripple Music
2010

Sometime I get kind of cautious about split albums. Sometimes it's because I am only into one of the bands and don't want to hear material by a band I am not interested. Other times I am apprehensive because if it's good I know I will regret that I didn't get more than a a sampling from each band. Newcomers Ripple Music managed to get highly explosive bands onto a 7" with each act contributing a track. Stone Axe are lead by Mos Generator's Tony Reed. They have been extremely busy knocking out three albums in less than two years. For this release they have recorded "Metal Damage". This track has me thinking of pre-Stained class Judas Priest. The kind of mid-1970's metal where band's kind of took their time and built up the sound with a steady boil of activity. This is slightly heavier than I am used from these guys, but obviously it's a style that they enjoy and that shows through. It's good to see them expanding some and this is an approach that works for them as well. Now as good as the Stone Axe song is I think that the Mighty High's track "Don't panic it's organic" is even better. The main riff is huge and dripping with 1970's fuzzed out goodness. This is the perfect tune for playing about two minutes after 5:00 on a Friday as you race home for weekend with the windows blasting this out your windows for all to hear. They hit this one right out of the park as just sounds like it came so easy for them to crank out this monster. So without a doubt both bands deliver the goods on this album. Most importantly each song was so good that I did feel that I got plenty from each band. Okay, they both make me want to pull out their other material to hear more, but that's a good thing too.

Clash of the album covers

Here they are.


Priestess-Prior to the fire

vs.


Stone Axe-s/t

***Which cover do you prefer?

Stone Axe-2

Music Abuse
2010

It was just a year ago that I was grooving on the sounds of Stone Axe's self-titled album so I was surprised that this one came out so fast. Not that I am complaing in the least, far from it actually. This is a project for Mos Generator frontman Tony Reed and vocalist Dru Brinckerhoff. Many bands over the last decade or so attempt to go back and copy the sound of is those early days of hard rock/metal from the late 60's/early 70's. Many succeed to some extent, but have been able to crank it out with the natural flow of Stone Axe. While the self-titled album was impressive I think they have raised the bar even more with their latest. It's as if all the gaps have been filled and every track is an explosion of old style hard rock. Many of the songs mix influences including Black Sabbath, Cream, Free, Zeppelin, AC/DC and Thin Lizzy. Other tracks channel single bands like "We know it's still rock and roll" is completely 1975-76 era AC/DC. "Those were the golden years" is 100% Thin Lizzy down to every hook and and every ounce of the vocals. Despite or maybe because they bring about such strong interpretations of the bands they loved these songs just overtook my senses instantly. Everything about this album was so immediate that I bonded with it right away. That's probably due to familiarity with the bands they are referencing. Still it's more than that because a lot of credit has to be given to Stone Axe. It's more than just copying sounds because it's also about embodying the spirit of the time that this music originated. That's where this band goes beyond many other acts. There is sincerity to each and every note, beat and word of every track and that's something that can't be learned, but it's just comes from belief in what you are doing. Just a fantastic album that gets better and better with every play and I should since I have probably played it like twenty times in the last few weeks.

Stone Axe-s/t

Roadburn
2009



Mos Generator frontman Tony Reed has released a very focused and to the point album with his new project. Now when I first heard the moniker Stone Axe I immediately started imagining something simple and heavy. That image I received isn't far off from what this band is about. They may very well get lumped into the stoner rock category. That wouldn't do them justice though. These guys lug out the massive sounds and they begin spinning them around, manipulating and pulling us with them. The music is basic at it's core, but undeniably mesmerizing. Quite simply they know how create the kind of music that celebrates the essence of what once made rock music great and that is they know to craft the kind of guitar riffs that will pull in all who hear. That's an approach that worked forty years and it can still work today. Fortunately Stone Axe realized that and they are more than willing to share on this album. The influences include Cream, Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Free and early AC/DC. These guys are not just a copy band or a retro band though. Whatever their inspiration may be, it is readily apparent that how create some stellar grooves and they know to run with them as well. There are plenty of 60's-70's inspired hard rock bands these days, but not everyone can pull it off. However Stone Axe obviously know and appreciate the essence of classic heavy music so they can deliver the goods in fine fashion.


http://www.myspace.com/stoneaxe