S3: E:15 - Clint Woolsey & James Beau Edwards (Stone Senate) - Dusk, Dawn, & Down Home Hooks

Stone Senate Mixdown Master

Tue, Nov 01, 2022 8:28PM • 1:38:16

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

band, playing, song, clint, guitar, music, hear, james, people, stone, man, senate, called, bit, nashville, road, guess, listen, day, backstage pass, Stone Senate, Styx, ZZ Top, Black Crowes, James Beau Edwards, Clint Woolsey, Backstage Pass Radio, Backstage Pass Radio Podcast, Randy Hulsey, Randy Hulsey Music, Randy Hulsey Podcast, Top 10%, Best Music Podcast, Best Music Interview

SPEAKERS

Randy Hulsey, Stone Senate, Adam Gordon

Randy Hulsey  00:00

We have a good one today, people. Hey, it's Randy Hulsey here with backstage pass radio. And today I'll be chatting with two of the five members of a southern style rock band that calls Nashville headquarters. The band is supported some of the biggest names and rock and roll and have sold out shows and some of the largest biker rallies across the country. Sit tight. I will be joined by Clint Woolsey and James Edwards of the rock band stone Senate when we return.

Adam Gordon  00:27

This is backstage pass radio, the podcast that's designed for the music junkie with a thirst for musical knowledge. Hi, this is Adam Gordon. And I want to thank you all for joining us today. Make sure you like subscribe and turn the alerts on for this and all upcoming podcasts. And now here's your host of backstage pass radio. Randy Halsey.

Randy Hulsey  00:56

James, Clint, what's going down my fellas

Stone Senate  00:59

and glad to be here. How you doing? Randy? Thank you for having us, bro.

Randy Hulsey  01:03

I'm good, man. I'm good. I'm glad to finally get the schedules lined out where we could jump on the line. And here we are, man. So how's life in music city These days for you guys.

Stone Senate  01:15

It's pretty good man. It's pretty good. We call Nashville home base here. And and so man, we've we've had a hell of a year so far been really busy touring and stuff and excited to have some more new music coming out and stuff. And, man, I guess you could say that things are good. And our world. You know what I mean? That's great.

Randy Hulsey  01:37

And you're you're there in Nashville. And James, you mentioned you're down in Mississippi right now. Correct?

Stone Senate  01:44

Yeah. Holding it down in the in the 601601

Randy Hulsey  01:49

representing the night. Well, just by way of introductions, I'm sure you guys are worldwide. I get it, man. And everybody probably knows you. But there might be one or two out there that haven't heard of you yet. So I want to make sure that we introduce who's on the show with us this evening, Clint, talk a little bit about your you said your Nashville where did you grow up and kind of what's your role in the band so the listeners know?

Stone Senate  02:20

Well, basically, I grew up here in Nashville and went to high school and and played in several different bands, some cover bands and some different rock bands growing up and stuff. And then playing in stone Senate. I guess we kind of originally started this thing around 2008. And so and I sing and play rhythm guitar in the band.

Randy Hulsey  02:46

Right on how about you James?

Stone Senate  02:48

Born and raised here in Mississippi, I grew up playing bluegrass with my dad and everything and then got into the devil rock and roll but got me. Some kids ZZ Top, caught the fever, moved out to LA gave that a try and ended up in Nashville years ago and ended up joining this wonderful outfit in 2015. So I'm on my seventh year of burning up road, Wisconsin.

Randy Hulsey  03:16

That's great. And they hadn't kicked you out yet, man. That's great.

Stone Senate  03:20

Yeah. There's always tomorrow, right?

Randy Hulsey  03:25

Well, I was reading, I guess when the The band was founded. And I read two different things. I read 2012 At one time, and I read 2008. So Clint, thanks for kind of clearing that up when when stone Senate head kind of founded itself. And I believe that was started up by you and your bass player, correct?

Stone Senate  03:46

Yeah, you know, it was myself and Paul Zettler. Long story short, we met in 2008. And we were playing with three other guys. So we're still a five piece and at that time, we were called the shakes. And then in 2012 is when we changed the name to stone Senate and started shuffling some some members in and out and stuff. And so I guess 2008 was was when we kind of had the idea to put a band together and in 2012 we actually really got serious with it and and decided we wanted to take a run at it man and try and make a living at it really, you know,

Randy Hulsey  04:24

so for sure. And I want to ask both of you guys you talked a little bit about the shakes of course a little outfit before stone Senate. But has music always been your thing for a living or have you done other things for a living and then later in life you decided to to jump into the music thing talk you guys both talk a little bit about your your background before stone Senate.

Stone Senate  04:48

James, go ahead, buddy. I'm sorry. I started out really, really young. And I always kind of said it was kind of a blessing and a curse to know exactly what you want to do with the rest of your life when you're five years old. But actually what I did, as soon as I was able, I moved out to LA that day, the first time I ever lived, my mom and dad's house, I moved with a band to Los Angeles, and come back and play through a string of like, we all have cover bands over the years, all kinds of different genres of music and several genres in the same night, a lot of time just to survive in the bar scene Sure, ended up in a band called Southstar. That took me to Nashville, we ended up with a deal with a&m Records. And that introduced me to the to the real serious side of the songwriting, publishing and session work of news business, I hung out, kind of found my feet there in Nashville for several years. I actually met Clint a couple of times, you know, just in passing years before we actually ended up, you know, buds, and I ended up getting asked to join the band, right. And it's always been my thing, I've been very fortunate to be able to pull it off all these years, you know,

Randy Hulsey  06:00

I find it interesting that you say, five, or six, I've had many interviews, and there are quite a few artists that that is a magical number with people in this game, right? Like, they knew it at a very early age. And that number five comes up more times than not that they knew at five, six years old, it's the weirdest thing. Like, if you were to ask 50 people that I've taught, let's just say I've talked to 50 people, I bet you 20 of them that said five years old, like it's the weirdest thing.

Stone Senate  06:36

Brain is like a little sponge at that point. And somebody was fortunate enough, my dad put a guitar in my hand saw some promise there. And by the time I was nine, we weren't doing bluegrass festivals all summer, you know. And I was, and from that point on, I played in bands with adults, you know, this little kid, but I was playing in house bands in bars, that sometimes when I was well under eight, you know, and that's a blessing. And if anybody's listening and got a kid showing any interest in music, do your best to put a good instrument in there and encourage it. Because at that age, you can just absorb so much so fast. And and really get down the road a lot farther and innocent. And it's a blessing to you whether you pursue this career or not. It can be therapeutic. It's that guitar has been my best friend at times when you know, the world looked pretty cold. You know,

Randy Hulsey  07:28

I don't disagree with you there. And I think both of you guys would agree with me. When I say that, when you're young, there's so much elasticity in the brain. That the and it goes back to the old adage, and you've heard it a million times in your life. You can't teach an old dog new tricks, right? And there. I think there's truth to that. Because at an early age, the brain just absorbs much like you said, Look at YouTube, man, you got kids that are prodigies on the guitar. At nine years old, like I've been playing 37 years, and I'm not anywhere remotely close to play and like some of these kids are right, so they learned so much faster these days. So many more tools like the internet tablature you guys are guitarist, you know all about the tabs and stuff. Right? So we didn't have all that when when I was a kid you just play, rewind, play, rewind, play rewind, and you did that 9 million times till you learn the song. That's how we learned the music back in the day.

Stone Senate  08:30

They're gonna have that needle. Absolutely. sitting right over there. Yeah, yeah, learning the way we did back in the day, your mistakes, kind of maybe hearing things wrong a little bit. And then finding your way was how you developed your style that made you the player you became because you know, and it's too easy to become a bit of a robot these days, because there's a middle, our lessons on YouTube that show you exactly how it is, how it's done. And so that finding your way part of it is kind of getting lost in a lot of that finding your way is where you find your own voice.

Randy Hulsey  09:05

Yes. It's interesting also. And, Clint, I want to hear your story as well. But I was I mentioned to you earlier that I was fortunate enough to talk to Jimmy fortune from the Statler brothers on my show. And his story is very interesting that when he was a little boy in Stanton, Virginia growing up, they were dirt poor, and he wanted to play the guitar. And it just so happened that they live by the city dump. And he found an old guitar in the city dump that only had two strings on it. And that is the guitar that that man learned on and he is now a four time Hall of Fame musician. So it doesn't have to be the best guitar in the world. Like you said, James, you just gotta get the you got to get the instrument in the hands and let what happens happen.

Stone Senate  09:55

Yep, that's it, man.

Randy Hulsey  09:57

Cool. Yeah. And how about you Clint like What were your days before kind of, you know, stone Senate? What was going on with you? And what were you working on? Were you always a musician, talk to us a little bit about that, you know,

Stone Senate  10:11

I played in, in bands from elementary school, through high school and, and through college and stuff, or what little college I attended. But I did that man. And when I got out of high school, I always had a rock band, but I joined a cover band, because the money was so good. And the band was called hotel coral, Essex. And then we, through that band, we started doing some original stuff and has a little developmental deal with Warner Brothers here in Nashville, then that fell through. And really, I just, I kind of got, I guess, I kind of got tired of playing other people's songs and stuff, because I've done it for so long. And I kind of felt like I take him a ride on that train, you know, and I really wanted to, to put an original band together and give that a shot, finally, you know, like, a real deal. And then that led me to start in that the band the shakes back in 2008. And then and, and then here we are with stone Senate, you know, but I've always played man, I started playing drums when I was probably, I don't know, 10 or 11, I guess, and then moved on to bass guitar, and then finally picked up the the six string guitar, I guess, when I was about 16 or 17. Okay, you know, and so and then progressively just started learning how to write songs. And trying to get into that more and more now, still, to this day, you know, but But yeah, I always was, was really wanting to do something in music. And it really, it really just wants to make a living, playing music, you know, good, you know, so that was my whole thing.

Randy Hulsey  11:56

You know, I think that I yearned to do that as well, I didn't, I didn't wind up calling musical living. But I've enjoyed it. I, you know, before COVID, I was probably upwards to 120 130 shows a year and then started this show the podcast back in February of last year, having no idea how much of a time suck that it would really be. But I mostly D and I want the show to be good. So I probably spent more time into it than than most woods. So I cut those shows back in half. So those shows kind of feed the podcast habit now from a monetary perspective. But I would have loved to have done the music thing, too. I just think that I was more of a realist. It's kind of like the kid that grows up saying, I'm going to be a major league ball player one day. Wow. That's a great dream. But what are the chances of that really happening? You're like, you know, 473 billion people on the planet Earth make the major leagues, right. So there's this reality to it? And I'm like, Well, I probably need something a little more stable. music scene, right as you you guys probably know that all too well. It's it's feast or famine, sometimes in the music world, right?

Stone Senate  13:10

So until especially the younger people made that they always asked, you know, how can I get to do what you guys do? And I say, well, first, don't do it. Because you want to do it. Because you have to, there has to be this thing and says, I can't imagine at all doing anything else. Yeah. And it's, it's one of those things. I mean, you're gonna have experiences that nobody else that you know, is ever gonna have good and bad. Mostly, thanks to good lord, good, good experiences, you know, we've been fortunate that we as a band have been super fortunate in that respect. That's awesome. Just tell them you know, do it because you have to, because it's not an easy, it's not an easy run. And there's gonna be serious disappointments along the way, but you're gonna have some good times, and you're gonna have the good Lord willing, you're gonna make some great music. meet some great people, for sure. I mean, he ain't gonna you're not gonna forget for other reasons. But yeah,

Randy Hulsey  14:10

and some sometimes it's funny how it works out. Sometimes it's the little things that are the most gratifying. In what we do. I had a little girl I played a show Saturday down in Richmond, and I had a little girl that brought in a pink guitar, and wanted nothing more than to sit on stage and pretend like she was playing with myself and my lead guitarist, and it just, it's those kinds of things for me. That is, it's more powerful than the money. I mean, the money is a byproduct. We need the money to pay our mortgage, I get it, but it's those things that you can never replace. Right. And you have the adoring people that love hearing or doing what you do. That's what gets you up every morning to want to do more of that, I think.

Stone Senate  14:56

Yeah. Lately we've we've been lucky. Meeting all kinds of Oh man over the years and stuff and meeting some of the younger kids and stuff and, and all that. It's just really, it's, I mean, I gotta say that that's pretty damn cool man. Yeah, you know, there really

Randy Hulsey  15:12

is. And now we spoke a little bit when I was asking you about the band how it was founded, you know, you mentioned yourself and Paul founded the band. So Paul's the bass player, if one of you guys could walk me through the other members who are not on the call, who they are and what instruments they play, I'd appreciate

Stone Senate  15:33

that. Sure. Thanks. Paul Zettler. He just recently kind of retired from the road and stuff. So we've, we've just recently as of like, maybe a week ago, just added a new, a new bass player. We hadn't even really announced anything yet. But, but his name is Kieran Cromley. And he'll be taken over the bass guitar job force. We're lucky to have him man and really excited to have him. And then we've got Ted Harrington, who also plays lead guitar along with James Edwards. And then we've got David Sadler, on on drums.

Randy Hulsey  16:12

So you had the brothers in the rhythm section. That is how it's been for a while, right?

Stone Senate  16:19

Yeah, man, those those guys are really holding down the rhythm section and stuff. And I know Paul has done it for many, many, many years. I know he's been playing with James and his brother David for for many, many years. So we all understood when he felt the need to kind of retire himself from the road and stuff, man, it kind of wears you down after a while. I guess. I

Randy Hulsey  16:42

hear you. Well, and I'm sure you pick the right guy to fill the shoes and you get them broken. And you and you move on. Right? That's how it goes.

Stone Senate  16:51

Yeah, I have a lot of fun just saying Mr. Cranley. Sharon's, he's, he's a hotshot, he's a great player and a cool guy. And I think he's gonna and he writes as well, was already an ingredient for us. for it not to just try to replace Paul because you know, Paul was Paul, you know, we missed our brother and doing well out there, dude. Yeah, but having somebody come in, it's gonna bring some new fire to the situation. Sure. And we're tackled at MIT gerunds. The guy

Randy Hulsey  17:27

I mean, yeah, I'm sure Paul had his qualities that were loved for sure. And then you, you know, he's replaced with somebody else. And, you know, they're gonna bring their own personality and their own strengths to the band as well. So we're all unique. And that, I guess, in that manner that we all have something to bring to the table. And you guys just have to exploit that from him and find out what the strengths are and where he works best in the band. Right?

Stone Senate  17:56

Right gear and when you when you when you hear this, see this? Yeah, we're gonna bleed you dry. Ring everything you get

Randy Hulsey  18:04

they call, they call that hazing or something, right? You gotta haze him to get him into the band. Right?

Stone Senate  18:09

He got a little taste of that. We, for several years now we've done a noise for toys. thing. And for some friends of ours, some microphones, virus of benefit, where they raise money for toys for children for Christmas and everything. They help this hazy man a little bit this past week up there in Indiana, and then he got a little taste of it. But he can hang Yeah, he can.

Randy Hulsey  18:33

I want to ask what you did to well, we'll keep that we'll let that be the stone Senate secret there. But you know, one of the one of the reasons why I started the show, I guess, February of last year was I've always been a music junkie. I was the kid that when I got an album or CD or vinyl as a kid, the first thing I did was I busted it open and read the liner notes. That's what I wanted. I wanted to know who the players were. I wanted to know where they recorded. I wanted to know all that before I even put the record on the player. So I have to ask you guys, Where did the name stone Senate come from? What kind of where did? How did you come up with the name? And what's the meaning behind the band? If you don't mind sharing that with the listeners?

Stone Senate  19:19

Sure. You know, we always joked around saying, you know, coming up with a band name is is probably tougher than writing the songs because you got to get everybody in the band to really enthusiastically be excited about the band name, you know what I mean, to go stick with and so basically when we were trying to figure that out, back in 2012, everybody had a list of ideas and stuff. And we were sitting around talking and I had an idea just to call to call the band, the Senate. And then everyone kind of liked that. And so we went down, everybody Is list and we're trying to figure out what other word you know, or name would would go well with the Senate. And then someone had stone something on there. And then we said stone Senate, and everyone kind of smiled. And they said, You know, I think that may work, you know, and, and so everybody was happy. So we just kind of just rolled with it, you know? Yeah. And we get a lot of compliments, I guess on that name. And people are always curious to how we came up with it, you know, but it's, but yeah, it was, it was pretty. I wish there was a better story for it. You

Randy Hulsey  20:36

Well, I was gonna, I was gonna say, No, that's that's a great story, actually. But I think, you know, I even sat and said, I wonder what stone senate is all about, right? So you conjure up this thing in your brain? Like, it's got to be this rural, cool, elaborate, and there's a big meaning behind it and whatnot. But how did any how would anybody know? That was just, Okay, well, that sounds pretty good with that. Let's just throw it together. And that's what it's gonna be. You're

Stone Senate  21:02

better off getting five guys, we're barely spool up here. That's right. And I tell you what, man, we, we probably threw out 200 possible band names. That night when we're sitting around talking man, but I've always felt like we came up with a pretty good one there, you know what I mean, we ended up with a pretty, I can

Randy Hulsey  21:23

see where that could be stressful, because that's the identity of the band, right? I mean, it's a song as a song as a song at the end of the day. It has its own identity, there's no doubt. But stone Senate or the name of the band is the first thing that people see and hear they it has to be recognizable, and everybody has to be on that wavelength you have to want you have to love the name, you know, that that's your marking? That's your trademark, right? That's

Stone Senate  21:51

exactly right. You know, especially, you know, once you get a good band name, you put in time and effort and money, you know, to get a cool logo and to get your merchandise and, and all that stuff that goes along with the band name and stuff, you know, so you definitely, you know, obviously you want it something to sound that everyone likes and and and is happy about.

Randy Hulsey  22:17

Absolutely, absolutely. So it does sound like it was it was more of a collaborative effort for all of you guys to just throw throw some things at the wall and see what stuck and stone Senate as kind of the what what was birthed from all those ideas. That sounds like

Stone Senate  22:34

Yeah, that's exactly right, man. That's exactly right. You know, that we had that. The name that the shakes, but turns out there was like 50 other bands called the shakes around the country. And, and and over in the United Kingdom. I believe there was just okay. You know, but yeah.

Randy Hulsey  22:55

Well, I can see, you see, now I can see where that name might come from, you know, like James said, if you're all sitting around drinking beer all the time you have the shakes the next day, I mean, that that name is synonymous with what you do, right. So I know that I know that musicians generally do not like to be put in a box or, or in a genre. But in your own words, define your style of music.

Stone Senate  23:31

You get five different answers from five different guys.

Randy Hulsey  23:33

That's why I'm asking you guys, I want to hear it from the band. Right?

Stone Senate  23:38

For me, I just say is good, straight up American rock and roll. But it definitely has some southern flavors in it, because I don't think we could have escaped that if we had tried, okay, because we're all from that part of the country. I mean, growing up in Mississippi, it's like a musical gumbo, or I'm from blues, rock and roll country. Everything under the sun. That's right, and, and then you grow up and come through these cover bands where you're playing all these different genres. So everything kind of bleeds into what you do, but it's all going to be coming through that Southern filter at some point. Sure. And being that you know, let's face it, the South is where they're, you know, rock and roll the blues, the better part of country and, you know, a little further north bluegrass, everything, all that stuff that I grew up on. It all was born here.

Randy Hulsey  24:34

Well, one of them one of the greatest rock guys of all time grew up right around you there in Tupelo, Mississippi, right by the name of Elvis Presley, right?

Stone Senate  24:42

The father of country music Jimmy Rogers is from original hometown meridian. Yeah, the king of rock and roll. Elvis Presley became a blues and BB King and then more. They're more Grammy winners from the state of Mississippi than the next five states combined.

Randy Hulsey  24:57

That's interesting. I had no idea oh,

Stone Senate  25:00

I come from here in Tennessee. My goodness, you know from Nashville. Yeah. We're Klansmen all this time. And we've all worked in Nashville and lived in Nashville at some time. And you can't escape it, you know. So. So the southern sensibilities got to be there. But it's like, especially on this newer stuff that we're playing, I think the band is showing a lot more of what, what we can do. Right, a young compositionally and playing wise. I'm tickled about that, because we really got to stretch out a little bit more for sure. And how

Randy Hulsey  25:35

about your you share the same sentiments there, Clint on on James's take on the music? Or do you have your, your own ideas about it? Man?

Stone Senate  25:44

No, I definitely. I share that. That same sentiment that James was saying, you know, we kind of just from being from the south, and playing all around. People just started calling us Southern rock, I thought because we were from the south. And then and you know, and then the more we get to stretch out, doing some recording and stuff, you know, that really like James said that the more you really hear a lot of that kind of influence. You know what I mean? Yeah, it's definitely it's, it's multiple influences. I think, you know, that, that you hear, you know, from from this band, which is really cool, man. Yeah, please, nobody ever gets bored listening to this, man. It's always something a little, little new and exciting,

Randy Hulsey  26:34

right? Oh, no, no, I've had a couple of guests on Well, I've had one that's been recorded. And I have one that's coming up. And you guys, stone Senate seems to fit right in that same pocket with these guys. One of them was a band called junkyard out of Los Angeles, right? had David Roach on my show. They're just straight driving American rock and roll, you know, and so when when I think of those guys, I kind of think of you guys being along those same lines. And then the other one is I'll have reap downs from Rhino bucket, a band called Rhino bucket on the on the show as well. So I'm not saying that the music sounds alike. I'm just saying, you know, you think of just how do you how do you label that band? And that's just just like both you guys really said, it's just it's just rock and roll, man. It's just straight drive and rock and roll is what it is.

Stone Senate  27:30

Yeah, hash tag a lot of stuff southern soul rock and roll. And I think that's pretty, pretty good description because it's just it's just rock and roll. But you know, that Southern soul thing is gonna bubble up and if

Randy Hulsey  27:45

you can't you can't be from Mississippi and not have a little soul roll up and a little south rolled up and right.

Stone Senate  27:51

It's just inevitable, right?

Randy Hulsey  27:55

That's right. Well, what What were you guys what influenced you back in the teen years? You know, back in the formidable years when you know, you're you're you're becoming a teenager and you're getting into the girls and stuff. And you know, what music was was doing it for you back in the day?

Stone Senate  28:17

Well, for me, I was a, I was an early ZZ Top guy, I love those early ZZ Top Homes, then I ran into kiss and I freaked out and then a Van Halen and I freaked out. I was always a scanner guy. And being from Meridian there was that PV letters kindred connection. And PV electronics was located there and ready and so and they were all using the PvE stuff we kind of claimed scattered as always, our guys to you know it was that little that mixture and then of course, y'all got into this straight up, you know, name any hard rock heavy metal band from, from the 80s and through the 90s and whatever. I was listening to all that but I listened to all but my iTunes and stuff on my phone. It looks like it was put together about five schizophrenics. And so it's influences are just all over the map. You know, but as far as rock and roll, you know, the staples is that one. You know, scan? Yes, Van Halen. Yeah, you just name

Randy Hulsey  29:23

it. You're, you're much like me there. You know, I have a very eclectic taste. You know, I can listen to yacht rock one day and then the next day, I'm down with the Motown sound. You know, I love that Motown stuff. So I'm all over the map as well. How about you, Clint? What were what what were you groovin to back, you know, high school years.

Stone Senate  29:45

Man, you know, I kind of started with with the doors and Allman Brothers and like the Velvet Underground. I grew up with a lot of classic country music stuff. And you know, like go a lot of the older blues artists and stuff like that from my, from my father and my mom and stuff. And from I guess from the almonds in the doors and the Velvet Underground and stuff I really got into like Soundgarden and Allison chains. motorheads one of my favorites. You know, I listen to just about anything, man. We were rocking some some yacht rock going down the highway a couple of weeks ago, man right on. Right. I really, I love it. Oh, man, you know, but there's a lot of stuff I hold, you know, dear to my heart and stuff, man. But, you know, I don't really I don't listen to a whole lot of new I guess new music like what you call today's music. I guess I'm kind of stuck in my back back in my time from my high school. College years and you know, and all that good stuff, man. But, but I love a lot of different kinds of stuff. You know? Yeah, try up some stuff from from all of it. Really? You know? Influence. gotta bust you out, bro. You get a few vodka drinks. Anyone getting the same sailing by Christopher cross for

Randy Hulsey  31:09

you? I had to get oh San Antonio boy right there, man.

Stone Senate  31:15

Oh, criss cross. And that's the funny thing, man. It can seriously go on down the road in the middle of the night. Across America. It could be Motorhead or it could be the BGS Do you just finally be and everybody in the in that bus will be like, Google me? Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  31:33

So you you you rough looking road dogs don't fool me a damn bit because I know you're listening to Bee Gees on the road. Some of the best singer songwriters of our time, right. You can't it's unmistakable. You can't deny that. And it seems

Stone Senate  31:47

like the more you know, the the years have gone by the more you appreciate. Absolutely. Absolutely. That's wonderful stuff. What are you talking about? You're

Randy Hulsey  31:56

right. And it's stuff that never gets old. And and my kids listen to it, you know, it's like, and I probably said this at nauseam, and I almost don't want to repeat it on the show. But I have an ongoing joke that I turned off the radio in 1989 Probably like you Clint and I didn't listen to the radio for a long time. So I was stuck on the stuff that I grew up with. Right. And I didn't know any of the newer stuff until I decided I'm gonna go out and start covering. I'm going to be an acoustic duo. In I've got to learn some newer stuff man are they're gonna like, they're gonna laugh me out of some of these places. You guys know you've been in cover bands, you can't play America all night. Even though you'd love to play America all night. You got to play it, you got to mix it up. You know, you got to you got to be fresh with some of the newer stuff too. And I I struggle with that too, man, because, you know, the 70s and 80s or wherever it was that for me, and it's tough to break out of that, you know, but you got to force yourself out of that box sometimes.

Stone Senate  33:04

Yeah, I just found a that era that was so diverse compared to the to the radio nap. Oh, yeah. You put on the rock station. They have the FM rock stations, you know, 20 years ago, and hear a ton of different thing stylistically. Yeah, in their average radio station playlist where now it's kind of gotten homogenized a little bit. Coming out, you know, for me, I started so young, my musical tastes were were more like somebody 20 years older than me. How was tuned into this stuff, and it's such a such a young age. And the 70s singer songwriter stuff like you mentioned American man, I literally remember buying America's Greatest Hits record. When I was just a little kid. Yeah. birthday money or something. I remember, you know, fame and all that stuff. I was like, yeah, yeah. You know, Randy, Paul Davis. His was cousins with James and stuff, man.

Randy Hulsey  34:06

I go crazy, ya know,

Stone Senate  34:10

going into a thing and November, the meridian Symphony Orchestra is going to do a night of his music. And so that's gonna be really sweet.

Randy Hulsey  34:18

You know, what's crazy man is I was just having this conversation with somebody not too long ago. And I think it was with Ian Howard, one of the rock band Europe. I just had on my show, and I had a co host on there with me who's a drummer in a tribute band here. And we were talking about, you know, back in the day before MTV, a lot of these bands you didn't know what the hell they look like, man. You know, you remember the song hot child in the city by Nick Gilder right. You guys had to have remembered that song. I thought that was a girl singing that for years. I had no idea that Nick Gilder was a guy right. And it's funny that you mention it. Paul Davis and I'm not saying that he's saying like a girl but he had this voice that didn't match what he looked like, right? Because he, he he had long long hair had the Jesus look, yeah, you had the whole Jesus thing going on, you know? And it's like, wow, that's who sings the hat.

Stone Senate  35:18

And he was friends and fishing buddies with Ronnie Van Zandt Croce and always, you know, sure. Yeah, he definitely. You know, when he was on American Bandstand, people were like, were

Randy Hulsey  35:29

Yeah, smitten by it. Yeah, for sure. You would have never thunk it. Yeah. Yeah. What, you know, maybe maybe Clint doesn't have a good answer, because he's somewhat kind of already answered this. But are there any artists today that inspire you guys? And the reason I asked that, I was never into the whole Americana genre. And when I started saying, Okay, I need to listen to some newer stuff. I need to open up my mind a little bit. I fell in love with Jason is bill in the 400 unit. Right? Some of the the best songwriters out there, right. Jason is Bill is. And I love his stuff. I play a lot of his stuff in my show. So I asked you guys the question. Is there anybody that inspires you today? Like you're like, Man, I really liked this person that's popular right now.

Stone Senate  36:23

Man, you know, when I first got into the drive by truckers several years ago, Jason was still playing with him. And I just fell in love with that band. And still love him to this day, man, and there's another band Lucero who I really love. Black Crowes. Sure. Jerry Cantrell. So let's do a lot of Allison chain stuff, man. But hell we're getting ready to get Jason Isbell up here in Nashville I think he's doing like five or seven nights in a row at the Ryman you know drama for him up here this month I believe but there's some great stuff out there man you know like like brandy a lot of the Americana stuff is is really cool ya know

Randy Hulsey  37:11

for sure about how about you James?

Stone Senate  37:14

All clans major my first drive by truckers show with ramen one night and on Jason showed up. Yeah, this is after Jason has left and but he showed up and played several songs with him that night. And and it's sold me on them. You know, I started listening patient as well. Yeah. Yeah. And I like that. The Songwriter aspect. I do too. I'm a big fan of that. But I listened to a such a, such a weird pile of stuff man. Like Bruce Moresby when he's with the noisemakers,

Randy Hulsey  37:44

okay, I'm not familiar with it. Okay.

Stone Senate  37:48

Not the range, but the noisemakers and that man blew my mind when I saw this. I was just amazed but as far as the really new stuff, I listened to some I like to go on and look at stuff and then find out what it suggests for me and go down the rabbit hole. Yeah. Okay. On these and I find a lot of independent singer songwriter type things that way. To just name oh, my gosh, I'd be strain my brain but it's, it changes daily. Yeah, it is daily. Like I find some way out of the way stuff and fall in love with it. And then the next day is on to something else,

Randy Hulsey  38:29

you know, and that's what I've loved so far about this. This podcast is because I've had I've grown to love some really cool music that I would have never even thought twice about listening to before. I mean, artists like Morgan Wade, right. Like I probably would have never even heard of Morgan. And I'd like love her stuff. Right? So

Stone Senate  38:52

yeah. She's She actually opened up for Lucero a few months ago at the Ryman Auditorium when I went down and saw him and I had not heard of her man she was got she was crate man. That's really cool stuff.

Randy Hulsey  39:06

Yeah, cool stuff. And you know, it's just real you know, she doesn't come from she wasn't fed with a silver spoon growing up and she makes that very clear in our music, right she she's lived a pretty rough life I think and and she and so our music is very real. It's very raw. And that's what I think I'm really drawn to about it is this just, you know, it's just somebody opening up their heart and telling about their life story, which is really cool to me.

Stone Senate  39:34

Absolutely. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  39:36

Well, you guys are you guys are very prolific. When it comes to playing shows and touring. How many shows a year would you say you guys play on average? Have you ever counted them out on average, or like a ballpark?

Stone Senate  39:57

Man, you know, I guess prepay pandemic, we were 150 tried to hit up in the Our goal was, you know, 200 250 a year. And we always booked ourselves. And then actually, right in the middle of the pandemic, when everything slowed down, we signed on with a booking agency based out of Nashville here called the Conway Entertainment Group. And, you know, I feel like we're just getting cooking with those guys, man. So I feel like we could eventually get that to under 250 shows, you know, of course, we want them all to be, you know, solid, quality shows and stuff, you know, but for for years, man, we took like, everything that that was offered to us go out and look for more, you know what I mean? And so, but I guess this year, man probably definitely be over 100 shows. You know, but But definitely, you know, we're always looking to, to up that, you know, what I mean? And, and really, really get after it. Although, I mean, like I said, This year has been pretty, pretty dang busy for us, man. So, but always striving for for more and, and all that good stuff and try and get on some some different tours and stuff coming up to you know, we got some cool, cool things coming out for us, man. So hopefully we'll number up, you know,

Randy Hulsey  41:29

yeah, well, and I was gonna ask you to, when you turn over the booking to somebody else other than yourself, when you relinquish control of that, I'm kind of a control guy. Like, I like to know where I'm playing and what I'm booking? Is there ever. And you can plead the fifth on this? No doubt. But do you ever question any of the shows that you're put out to do like, Why the hell did this one get booked Right? Or? Or do you or all of them just good shows for you

Stone Senate  42:04

decided to have electricity

Randy Hulsey  42:10

and a few people and a few people there to listen right? You got to have a few people listen and and a plug to plug into other than that we're good to go? Right?

Stone Senate  42:19

Measured by and when the question before I measure it by the miles mainly because it's like we got we got the vehicle we're in now. I guess five years ago, and then when you got to think one of those years was pretty dark, you know? Yeah. And we rolled over 200,000 miles on that bad boy. On this last run in the middle of the night, somewhere around here. He Pennsylvania. I was just looking at I looked over classes that went by pretty doggone fast.

Randy Hulsey  42:47

Yeah, sure.

Stone Senate  42:49

It did. Yeah. You know, I guess, as far as turning over that booking and stuff, I still help out. And in fact, our agents probably like, dude, quit calling me or texting me or emailing me.

Randy Hulsey  43:06

Let me do my job.

Stone Senate  43:09

Yeah, you know, but but he does. He does bang up job tours and has been and, and so we're lucky to be with those guys and stuff. And, you know, it was kind of like I said, Man, I feel like we're, we're just kind of getting getting cooking with them and stuff, you know, like we give them give them a little more time, man. And we'll really see some, some cool stuff coming our way, you know, some more cool stuff coming our way and all that but it's it's a lot of work, man booking that stuff and trying to route it as you know, Randy, you know, you're trying to route it to where you're not killing yourself on these crazy drives across the country. And so, you know, it's just one of those things, but we learned a lot and then booking ourselves and stuff and, and really made some great friends that we still, we still work with today. You know what I mean? And some cool festivals and a lot of motorcycle rallies and all that cool stuff, man and a lot of great venues that we still go into today, you know, yeah. It's it's a learning experience. I guess

Randy Hulsey  44:22

everyday. It's work in progress every day, we'll make sure the next time you call and bug them to tell them you need to get a couple of nights down here in the Houston area somewhere you need to get down to the south you'd appreciate that. James being from the south get get back closer to home a little bit. Right. So we'd look forward to seeing you down here in the in the Houston area. And, you know, kind of speaking of Go ahead sorry,

Stone Senate  44:48

for a band like us. I mean, I was just gonna say, you know, we have some great people that help us, you know, work the social media aspect of things and you know, a lot of bands rely on that really heavy these days. But it's maybe it's an old fashioned sensibility. But we can claim up race with this too. We've always felt like beaten it out out there on the on the road is still the best way to get people. Oh, yeah, it's about you and to get your music out there.

Randy Hulsey  45:16

Well, that's the personal. That's the personal aspect of it. You know, that's the organic growth that even even David Roach from junkyard said that, just like, it's almost like you said it verbatim that he said, I get to I get to the show early and talk to the people and I stay late and talk to the people. And I said, That's awesome to hear that David, because, you know, 25 years ago, you guys remember this? Like, you couldn't even take a camera to a show like they they didn't want you to take photography. They didn't want video that was like, an us and them kind of thing back in the day. You guys remember this? I know you do. And now it seems like the artist has come it's kind of come full circle where if you're not hanging around and talking to the people that come and pay money to see you. There's something wrong with you guys. Right? Not you guys, but I'm just talking in general, right? Oh, sure. Yeah.

Stone Senate  46:16

And we've just made some friends that way. I mean, people that we look forward to seeing when we come back salutely great people that we've that we've run into, you know, and that's one of the I guess one of the, the gifts. So getting to do this, you know, is that experience of just meeting people from all over the country? Absolutely. Or, you know, and it's all good stuff. It really

Randy Hulsey  46:39

is. And you know, you talked about touring a lot, and you've opened for some notable acts. Who were some of the more memorable acts that you've supported over time? Are there any that kind of stick out in your mind like, Oh, those guys were the best ever or that was a memorable show, for whatever reason. Can you talk a little bit about that?

Stone Senate  47:03

For me? We played a show with a sticks and collective soul. Buffalo Chip is Sturgis. Yeah, the guys from sticks were super nice. They are guitar techs, Tommy and Jay was guitar techs came to us and said they told us anything you guys need just holler. Yeah, like you just don't run into that every day. And but we've had really good experience with just about everybody we've worked with, honestly. I'm not I'm not just pulling your leg, you know, because I don't want to piss anybody off. It's the truth. Yeah, we've been very fortunate in that way by August. I remember that one. Because it was such a big show. Yeah, sure. I didn't really have to do that. But they were just super nice. And they kicked absolute bass that night. Do so it was that was that was a lot of fun. Yeah. Yeah, man. That was it's hard to pick I guess my favorite man. Just you know, like James said, we have been really fortunate just to to be on the same bill is a lot of cool bands. And I mean, a lot of bands that, that we all listened to, you know what I mean? And we still got we've got a list of some bands and acts and stuff that we're we're itching to, to get on the same bill as man. So try and keep on crossing them off our list there right now. Yeah. Man. Yeah, it'd be hard to choose just one I guess. We'll say probably the coolest venue we've played in my my favorite was we did the Whisky a Go Go. And so that was really cool. You know, but yeah, having to pick a favorite artists man that we play with that man, that would be tough. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I can't say really a favorite. But I've as far as a memorable one discuss people just going out of their way to be super nice. Sure. But like I said, you know, they've all been that way. And the number one thing is we've met a lot of fans that are pretty much in our SCADA right now, you know, they're in the playoffs. And that's always a blast, especially when you get to run into them again somewhere. And you may just win great bunch of people that way. And that's always a lot of

Randy Hulsey  49:30

Oh, yeah, for sure. And it's, it's in what I found out since I've started the podcast, I've had local artists, I've had regional artists and I've had Hall of Famers on the show. And it is so cool how even the Hall of Famers that I've talked to talk to you. Much like you're you are saying about JY and Tommy from sticks. They treat you like humans. They talk to you like a human. It's not. Oh, well. I'm this much better than You kind of thing is just like, you know, just like you guys we talked like we've known each other for 100 years, you know. And that's, that's, that's the people in us that come out. Right. That's our humaneness. And I think that's really cool that you find that even the biggest of stars are people at the end of the day, just like you and I right. And that's, that's cool.

Stone Senate  50:20

Now you're talking about Houston, and we did a show with Billy Gibbons in his side band, and he has right now with Matt storm. And Matt was like that he's one of the nicest people you ever run into? Yeah. Just hanging out and just shootable. And just straight up just cool guy. Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  50:41

I'd like to say that that's just southern hospitality right there. That's just how we are in the South. Right. So Billy is a good guy. I've never met him. But you know, I've seen interviews with him. And he seems like a really cool guy to be around. And I'm sure he's got a few stories to tell as well. Right.

Stone Senate  50:58

And it was during the latter stages of him really being careful about COVID. And so they were kind of guard and Billy a little bit. He was not, you know, as accessible as maybe he normally would have been, but when they brought him out, Matt, kind of he knew, Phil and he just kind of winked at me. And I went over there and that's right when he knew Billy was coming out, and he just say, Billy, this is Jay. I got to shake off right?

Randy Hulsey  51:23

Yeah, right. You know, yep. Timing is everything. Right? So a lot about

Stone Senate  51:30

Matt Terry because it was like he knew how much that meant to me and this is the guy's been our guys and roses. You know, he's good Lord shows they played the things like that. And, and just as nice as he can be. Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  51:42

I think so. didn't saw him do a stint with the cult as well. Didn't he play with the cult? Yeah, I thought so.

Stone Senate  51:48

And yeah, he did. The cold Guns and Roses. He also did a he had a band with with some of the guys from Duran Duran trying to the neurotic outsiders, I think, okay, I didn't know that. Man, I actually just ordered his book man, that it's called double talk and job. So I mentioned the dive into that thing. Yes. Button stories. And I bet

Randy Hulsey  52:15

well speaking, you know, speaking of the bands and the music, I wanted to chat with you guys about the music real quick. I think the band and correct me if I'm wrong, you guys make the songwriting a very collaborative effort. Right. Do you kind of does everybody kind of tried to get involved with stone Senate in the writing? Or is it just a person or to talk to the listeners a little bit about the songwriting efforts?

Stone Senate  52:43

It's, it's a lot about who's in the room and who's in the mood, you know, and when we're all together like that, and have writing on on the brain? You know, we're open, we're totally open for everybody's input. Now, principally lately, it's been me and Clint a lot. Okay. That's just because I think I put some studio stuff in my house down here at home and started just writing like, crazy man after I got it, you know, and especially during the year of dark I just had nothing else to do. So I just piled up I just call it my rolodex of ideas. And then I get with clan and then off we go, you know, yep. But it's really Yeah, it's really a collaborative effort. Because once me and client get the germ of an idea or what we would call a finished song when everybody gets in the room to work on it. Everyone's input is just as important as everyone else's Okay, and we all were cool enough about it to say hey, you know, let me hear what you're thinking you know, ya know, but nobody's just like saying here's most Oh, that's the way it is. We're always open to good but leave some room for God to walk through the room as Quincy Jones said, you know, Oh, yeah. Inspiration in here you know, that's right. Yeah are on this album that that we've got coming out our producer Toby right even got in on the on the right stuff you know, which was which was really cool man cuz he you know, the stuff he has done and and folks he's worked with stuff over the years and he just had some some really cool ideas man he threw out there just during the recording process and during the pre production and stuff. And so it was I guess for for this album and stuff and it was six of us on and that we actually did pre production that way before when I first joined the band. Most of the songs on that on the EP Star City predated me ever joined the band, one which was River and the This time we did pre production with Toby, which was really cool, because it gave us the opportunity to really hone the songs that we hadn't had the opportunity to go play live because of COVID. Okay, and usually those songs were find their feet somewhere out there on the road. And this time, they'll differ and we had to, we had to work on and more of, I wouldn't say a sterile environment, but you know, just in a different fashion. This time, the pre production was really idle that gotcha Toby. track record on that guy when he when he chimes in and says something, man, you listen,

Randy Hulsey  55:36

he's like EF Hutton. When EF Hutton talks, everybody listens. Yes, right. Yeah. How many songs would you say? Like you write the songs? Do you guys ever give songs away to others to record or do you? Do you just kind of hoard those inside of the stone Senate camp and just keep them for a later time? Talk to me a little bit about that.

Stone Senate  56:00

For myself, I've been writing for a long time I was you know, really pursued that in Nashville. I've been fortunate to have some cats you know, James Dawson record is one of my songs and that I wrote with a buddy of mine way battle. And again this past year and and Jody Manford recorded like six of them, you know, and I'm like, I'm glad you're logging back on but so I still pitch songs and still write you know, outside the band knowing that is not stone scented stuff. Okay? Yeah. It's, yes, that creative. Yes. You just got to scratch it no matter what direction it's gonna go. Whether it's gonna be a stone Senate thing or something, you might want to pitch to somebody else.

Randy Hulsey  56:45

When you do that, you kind of think of it with the mindset of this is supplemental income to me, like I do the stone Senate thing, but yet I write for God, hopefully, you know, some big artists picks us up and makes a hit out of it. Is that kind of how you think when you're writing stuff that isn't stones that you know, isn't stone Senate related?

Stone Senate  57:07

Yeah, once it's done, you might think, well, you know, this sounds like something so um, so Mike could dig Yeah. And then you said about Oh, two. But definitely, I was doing that before. That's exactly what I was doing before joining the band. Okay. That and, and then play in love with this was a kind of a, like, a corporate type man that we did a lot a lot of stuff he was, you know, make a living. Yeah. Right on. You do what you have to stay in the game and not have to go do something. Yeah. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  57:40

Yep. That kind of the same way with you. Colin, do you echo that sentiment?

Stone Senate  57:44

Yeah, man, a lot of stuff. You know, I'll write with the mindset of for being for the band, you know, for stone Senate. And then I do a lot of CO writes and stuff, you know, for other people's projects, and like that Andy Brasco, and the UN just cut a couple songs I was on not too long ago. And, and so it's just kind of the I guess, you know, towards, I guess once you get the song finished, you think I wonder if we could do this as a band? Or if it's just better off you don't I mean, hopefully somebody else may pick it up you know, and, and you always kind of have maybe you make a little bit of money there in the back of your head back your mind. I guess you know what I mean, but but for the most part, man, I always try and write for first down Senate. Predominantly, yes. Same here these days. It's like, I'm always become pretty single minded about it. And it's like, I want to give that energy Yeah. To stone Senate. But that makes is just just feels like the review. Is this is all Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  58:57

yeah. Yeah. 90 90% 95% has to go into to the band. And then what? What little creative juices you have leftover, they're probably little to go around for everybody else. Right. But predominantly, you're looking to take care of the band right?

Stone Senate  59:12

There just happens because it just happens is that song was in there. You bumped into it. You'd better write it today. And then you know, it's not a stone standard thing, right? Sit down. It's more than I sit down and say I need to write something else. Exactly. I didn't write as often as possible anyway. So whatever comes through the old trans man, that's what's coming out.

Randy Hulsey  59:34

I get it. I get it. We'll speak speaking of speaking of songs, I wanted to share a clip of a song off of I believe and correct me if the dates wrong off of the 2021 EP called dusk. This is a song called Whiskey helps. We'll treat the listeners to a little clip of that song and then we'll come back and chat about it. Fair enough. Sure. Standby.

Adam Gordon  1:00:00

I just don't go looking for fights. Musharraf between the dog a lot for try whiskey Gohan is heard this Gormley wants ban word feel nothing at all something's up with a car to everybody

Randy Hulsey  1:01:14

that's a song whiskey helps off the 2021 release EP called dusk. Where did inspiration come from? For that song? Either one of you guys can answer that.

Stone Senate  1:01:28

Oh, that was one that was born down here in my little studio in Mississippi. And I brought that to the guys. And during pre production, it just kind of morphed into what it is. I remember I had a different intro for it when I first brought it to the band. And then I had to steal a different intro from myself. It just felt like Man, we need a little something more, or right there. And let me check the old Rolodex and right, got in the room and hashed it out like we do. You know? Everybody brought their personality to the, to the play and and. And whiskey does help sometimes. It does, I

Randy Hulsey  1:02:08

won't I won't deny that. Oh, come on. Yeah. Well, it's, it's interesting. I always whenever I have a guest on, I will literally go and listen to their whole catalogue, every song in the catalogue that I can get my hands on. And then, of course, I don't want to go so far back in the vault. You know, most of the artists don't want to talk about stuff they did 23 years ago, right? They want to talk about the new stuff, the new baby that they have, right? But there's always certain songs that pop for me, and I like to pull a new one and then one that pops from the past kind of thing. So you know, whiskey helps was one that popped for me. When you guys decide to release an EP, do you normally just have enough songs to fill that EP? Or is there a whole slew of songs and you have to throw them up against the wall and see which ones stick? Talk to me a little bit about that process there.

Stone Senate  1:03:10

This time, it was completely different situation than it might have been prior. And that we we went in to make a full record, which is basically 13 track LP. We broke the, the recording sessions into two different sessions. Basically, we went in for a couple of weeks one time, took a little break came in, then another couple weeks. And the songs that make up the two EPs were basically just those two different sessions with Toby there in Nashville, okay. And then we started thinking about how we would release it and say, you know, we'll put out one, we'll put out the other. And eventually, we'll put out the whole thing with all the tracks, you know, plus, you know, some that aren't on the EPS naturally. So it was just a just an idea we had as far as trying to, you know, to spread things out a little bit instead of just you know, here, blob, here's a pile of songs, you know, do what you will, and it will give us a little more time to focus on on the release, and release dates and things. Because with COVID, it had things so confused as to when you wanted to actually put a record out, not knowing if you could get out on the road to support it. And for us, like I said, you know, that road is is that's where we live man. And so, it was a different situation. There's, you know, had a pile of songs, you know, that that didn't make and maybe they'll get revisited later, maybe they won't. But we had we had a wealth of teams just about we basically just sat down with Toby during the pre production for assess and pick the ones that everyone felt the strongest about.

Randy Hulsey  1:05:03

Okay? There's another song. I believe it was released as a single. A song called always never fades, was that released as a single?

Stone Senate  1:05:16

That one just came out this past Friday. Okay,

Randy Hulsey  1:05:20

so it's real New, then it's really new. Okay? So when I look at it just so you guys know, when I look it up, look at it on your catalog on Spotify. It says latest release, it just, it doesn't give dates or anything. So I can't go by date. So I don't know if latest release means January of this year, if it means like two days ago, like I really don't know. So I wanted to share a clip of that song, which is brand new to you guys. And then we'll come back and chat about that one as well.

Stone Senate  1:05:51

Okay, sounds good.

Randy Hulsey  1:06:34

That was the single called always never fades great song guys and great arrangements. I really, I really dig that when I've probably listened to that song. Probably at least 15 or 20 times in the last few days. So good. Good job on that. And I liked that. Yeah, you'll have to deflate your head a little bit. Now, you know, like I shouldn't have, I should have just said I listened to it one time. That way, you know, you wouldn't got the big ego or whatever. But no great, great job there and talk to me a little bit about the inspiration for that song.

Stone Senate  1:07:10

You know what, man, that song we'd started it with. It was actually right before James came into the band with with some of the other band members, Mike Thompson and Marcus Brown. Were the other two guitar players at the time. And And Paul's eller, our original bass player that we had the idea. I had some cool lyrics or I thought, what I thought they were cool, you know, and then I had the the verse, And then together we kind of worked out the chorus. And once James came into the band, he put a really cool intro, and then the bridge. And it really, basically that song was kind of just hanging in midair for a few years, you know, never. And I always thought it was could be a really cool thing. So really, I guess once we finished it with James and stuff, when it came time to record for the album that was really wanting to push the song to you know, make make cut, you know, be one of the 13 and stuff and I'm glad it found a little home here on this album man because I thought it came out really really cool, man. I agree. Oh, it's just it just took a few years to get it completed and and recorded. You know.

Randy Hulsey  1:08:31

James, did you have some thoughts thoughts on the song as well.

Stone Senate  1:08:34

For those like Clint said, it was it was always on the radar. We thought about doing it on the Star City EP we kept it kept evolving a little bit more. And what I really liked about it is once we got it settled down and really started working on on an arrangement that spoke how we wanted it to speak that we weren't afraid to kind of push out into an area is all your Southern rock man. Wow, you know, rough rowdy on the road. Push out into an area that didn't really that's not what you expect for sure, you know, but it's a cool, cool feel. And I love that we stretched out a little bit and kind of got out of the out of the box. Yeah, so it was yeah,

Randy Hulsey  1:09:20

it has. Yeah, it has a nice vibe to it, man. I really Yeah, dig it. Thank you, man. How do you how do you guys decide what songs will be released as a single and what just stays on the album and it's just part of a, an album.

Stone Senate  1:09:39

We play a certain amount of a role in that but we have a great team at our at our label and our management that really we kind of year one is too easy to get too close to songs that you've written and really worked on and the band that feels super strong about a certain song. And then when you hand it all over to fresh yours They come at you from a completely different angles. So this right here has got to be the one well, we got rust that thankfully, we have such a great team that you're working in that respect. I'm cool with, you know, saying when they say one I'm like, if you cross your fingers for a team or two, but you know, hey, yeah, totally. Whatever, they usually come down from wisdom on the hill up there, these people have proven they're quite capable for knowing what a hit is when they hear it or whatever, you know, and

Randy Hulsey  1:10:34

well, they take they take an agnostic view of the all the songs, right. I mean, you guys, are you probably some, like you said, you you become a little partial to one or the other. Because maybe you wrote that one. That's your baby, maybe, you know, they

Stone Senate  1:10:52

Yeah. And so fresh ears and a fresh perspective is invaluable, especially when you have people that with the experience of knowing how to pick them. And knowing that they have your best interests in heart at the same time, which we're very fortunate in that respect to we're lucky bunch of guys blessed. But yeah, it's, we kind of hand it over to him and say, you know, what do you think? Yeah. Yeah. They always ask, you know, our thoughts on it and stuff, you know, but, but it's it's nice to kind of leave it in their capable hands, I guess. Do

Randy Hulsey  1:11:29

you guys find that you concur with them most of the time on what they come up with? Yeah.

Stone Senate  1:11:35

Yeah. Oh, yeah. I mean, to a tee. Yeah. We've released two singles off the two EP projects. So far. It's been bull's eyes all the way for me. As far as me to man. Absolutely. Absolutely.

Randy Hulsey  1:11:54

Well, it's that I mean, that's important. I mean, that's even that's icing on the cake. I mean, if you're in lockstep with those guys, then you can't ask for anything more than that. I mean, now, if you were like to pass and chips in the night, and you say A, and they're saying B, you're like scratching your head, what the hell's going on here? What do they see in that? We don't see. But if you guys are in lockstep, that's a good thing, I would think.

Stone Senate  1:12:16

Yeah, I know, that can be a rare thing to man bands and labels and the you know, normally your management's always on your side for more. Yeah, so we lucked out, man, you know, and, and we're, we're happy to be be where we are, man. Glad to hear that. Seeing what the what the future holds, man, you know? Yep, absolutely.

Randy Hulsey  1:12:40

Well, it's also my understanding that you guys have a new EP releasing at the end of October called dawn. Am I correct? There? Are Can you talk to the listeners a little bit about that, or what you can share about it?

Stone Senate  1:12:56

Yeah, the dusk and dawn, EPS were born out of when we recorded the entire album, we sat, when it when we do release, the entire album is going to be called between the dark and the light. So when we broke the album into two EPs, you know, for release purposes, thanks to the, you know, the damn double COVID We just said, Well, what would we call two EPs off between the dark and the light? And Ted, just cut it down to the simply cut straight down to the bone went for the simplest things at dusk. And don't. Yeah. And it was like, yeah, that's kind of like the stone Senate night. I was gonna go Yeah, it was, it was cool. We spent a lot of time and trying to figure out cool names, you know, to call each EP pulling it from the full album titled between the dark and a light and then we're about to, we're playing in Las Vegas, and we're taking a smoke break next to the slot machines. And Ted goes how about dusk and dawn? And it was like, perfect soul. You know, and so yeah, man.

Randy Hulsey  1:14:11

Well, what is what's the official release date of the record is there is their official release date.

Stone Senate  1:14:18

We don't have a date for it yet. And but we should have one pretty quick where we're itching to get the whole thing out, man, it's actually we're going to do some vinyl for it and stuff. And we just got the, the CDs, the physical CDs in and then actually going to pick up our test, test pressing copies from the vinyl place in the morning here. Okay, so what we'll have everything ready to roll man, so it shouldn't be too long. But it'll be it'll be a total of 13 songs and a friend of ours did a really cool design for the album cover, you know, and And the layout and all that stuff, man, this will be our first time we do vinyl. That's awesome. It's we're really excited, man, it's gonna be really, you know,

Randy Hulsey  1:15:11

yeah. Where will the listeners be able to purchase the record? Is it sold on the merch site on your website? Or is there other places where they'll be able to pick it up? Of course, they can stream it, I'm sure but physical copies of it, right?

Stone Senate  1:15:27

Yeah, you know, they can just go to stone senate.com. And, Randy, like you said, we've got a merch area or a merch shop there on our website. And so we'll have the vinyl along with some other merchandise and stuff on there. And then in besides that, you can stream it really, you know, on on all the streaming sites and stuff. And as we always say anywhere in music is was sold or streamed, right? Yeah, that's right.

Randy Hulsey  1:15:56

Yeah. That's right. I wanted to touch briefly with you guys. We're all guitar players here but I wanted to talk a little bit about guitars and guitar rigs and we don't have to go way down a rabbit hole with this but just wanted to hear kind of from from your perspective, like is in I'm sure my lead guitarist Chris he comes with 50 guitars to every show you know, because they all do different things I and I get it I joke with him like really? Dude, you don't have to bring all those but he thinks he does. And if Chris if you're listening you I give him the same shit every time but nevertheless, I mean, I know all the guitars sound different they could be tuned different whatnot. But is there a go to guitar for both of you guys that you predominantly play in the show?

Stone Senate  1:16:47

Yeah, for me, it's a it's a black Les Paul. And it's kind of a it's kind of decked out in the kind of a John Sykes fashion with America guard and all that I always thought that was such a great book, that black and chrome have it a gold top row backup and then I carry a Jonathan Rose, custom tele shaped guitar that is tuned literally up in like an open G tuning but to be for just one song. Really? Buckcherry three out as one that I if I have my druthers is she's gonna get played the whole show. Yeah, then my backup, and then that guitar for for that one and one song in particular. Which is good to go, which is on the new EP. Okay. And that's my three. Yeah. How about you? Man, you know, I'm, uh, I'm six foot seven. So I'm, I'm a taller guy. And I played a Les Paul for years. And I just kept seeing pictures. And I'm like, it looks like I'm playing a ukulele. You know what I mean? Because I'm so so I ended up going with a, it's called it's an Epiphone dot. And it's it's the bigger body, you know? Yeah, it's a 335 style body and stuff. And, man, those things just they play great. And they're not really expensive man, but that I've just fallen in love with a man. So I got two of those. And, and those are, those are what I play predominantly. Yeah. They break up playing through a Fender Twin and all silver face, you know, and it's, it's the sound that I had my head. You know what I mean? Yeah. stands out here. I gotta tell you he has a deal with a company called Devil cat amplifiers down in Statesboro, Georgia and, and Chris Mitchell also bills, some guitars down there for CMC mg guitars. And that's what Ted's been playing lately. And they sound great, beautiful guitars. Nice. Really nice stuff.

Randy Hulsey  1:18:59

A couple of things came to mind when you guys were talking about the guitars. And I first of all, I could tell you a really tall guy compared to your bandmates Clint and but I didn't know how tall you are. But when you said earlier, you were a drummer. And then you talked about the Black Crowes. I said okay, wait a minute. This is weird because you know, Mick Fleetwood Mick Fleetwood as a drummer and he's a really tall guy, right from Fleetwood Mac, and then you you you have an uncanny you look a lot like Chris Robinson from the Black Crowes, you know with the the beard, the long hair tall tall guy, right. So that was that but there was also, you know, we talked about bringing all these guitars to the show. I was a consultant for Taylor guitars for several years, and Taylor does what they call a roadshow, which is where they have the sales rep in the region. And they go out with a. I forget what they call them like an artist, a really good guitar player. here in Houston, they had a guy named Wayne Johnson. Wayne Johnson is a Grammy Award winning guitarist, I think he played with Celine Dion and did some work with Elton John. But he also played in a band called The Manhattan transfer, in case you guys have ever heard of that band? Well, he was saying that, you know, all the years of touring with Manhattan transfer, he'd carry 1520 guitars out and he said until I found the Taylor T five z, which is the hybrid acoustic electric. He said, I carry one guitar on the road with me and that Taylor T five z does everything. Anyway, I think a lot of it has to do with the pedals. But it's interesting to hear people that will carry 510 15 guitars to a show or on the road with them. But then there's other guys that have found that silver bullet that they say, this is the one and I can get every sound that I need out of it so

Stone Senate  1:21:05

well that last fall that I call my number one, I have coil taps in it. So we can go single call or you know, normal humbucker like a regular Les Paul. Rig wise, it's a little more complicated, because over the course of our show, I've got to pull up quite a few different different kinds of sounds. Okay. Not as complicated as it looks. But Ted and I both run stereo rigs. Okay, we still believe in old fashioned good old tube amps and speakers pushing air you know, you run into a lot of modelers out on the road and whatnot these days, but that's where the guys are. Predominantly, and your acts you know, as far as monitors and stuff. Yeah. But for us, man, it's still it's still in big old fashion cranked up out, you know, yeah.

Randy Hulsey  1:21:52

So you guys are using you guys are using wedges. You're not in error guys then Right?

Stone Senate  1:21:58

Oh, boy, I tried him. I just I mean, we're, it's an absolutely necessary the right pair, the right situation, that'd be fine. But so far, man, there's just I don't like being that disconnected from okay.

Randy Hulsey  1:22:10

Yeah. Okay, how about you clan, as a vocalist,

Stone Senate  1:22:15

man, you know, we always joke because, you know, growing up, you play in these bands, and, you know, you play some of these little dive bars, they don't have monitors, or they don't have working monitors, you know, or something like that. And, and so I just got so used to it, man that, you know, I'm a, I'm a wedge guy. Really, the only thing in my mix is just all three vocal mics. And I don't like myself very hot. I like to try and hear myself through the mains if I can, you know. So, I've just kind of always felt like, I'm just a little too particular, I guess, you know, and so, I'm a wedge guy, but I'm half deaf now. So I think because

Randy Hulsey  1:23:02

well, I like both. I predominantly am an in ear guy. And I think like you, my hearing is not probably the greatest that it's ever been. So those ears kind of isolate the noise in the room and helped me to focus in then I can turn Chris up or down as I need them in my ears. So I just and also the big part for me is that when you're still loading in and loading out your own gear, it's one less thing that you have to carry into. So I do it for selfish reasons as well. I'm a smart guy, right? So yeah, so I said What can I cut down on and if I have to, if I can carry one less big wedge or big speaker then that's kind of why I gravitated towards it but you know, my son is a is a accomplished musician as well and he bought the in errors and they got sold right away he didn't like him. So you know, I think you either you feel confined in him or you get used to him I think I think there's a I think you have to get used to him it's almost like Scotch you know, you just don't start down in Scotch you you acquire a taste for Scotch over time, right? So you have to acquire an ear for him.

Stone Senate  1:24:22

But Toby now he built a pair that he let me use in studio instead of normal cans. And I was thoroughly pleased with them and a studio set because it was just so perfectly crystal clear and you had great closure and I could be in the room which we live we live in a room you know all of us in a room and we really shoot for that, you know as much as possible. Just go in there and hammer it out. Yep, but but the pair that I borrowed from Toby were wonderful for those purpose. Yeah, just out live. I'm just still. I got I want it hit me Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  1:25:00

I get it. Yeah. We talked a little bit about the new release that's coming out soon, is there anything else that's coming up out of the stone Senate camp that you guys would like to share with the listeners to or music, anything of the sorts that maybe we haven't covered yet?

Stone Senate  1:25:20

You know, we, we try and stay on the road, at least 10 or 11 months out of the year, for the most part. So it's kind of a touring is kind of a constant thing for us. I guess at once this EP, dawn comes out October 28. The next thing, obviously, would be the full 13 Song album, between the dark and the light. And then we'll get back in the studio and lay it lay another album down and get ready to release that thing here in the near future, or at least recording it in the near future, you know, for a future release, I guess, you know, so that's, that's probably about it, though, you know, you can always hit stone senate.com for the latest news, and we do a newsletter and stuff once a month. You know, James and I are really active on our social media stuff. We've got a great team that helped us with that. But James, and I actually get in there and do a lot of the when people comment or question, messages and stuff like that, you know, and so we try and get back to everyone in a timely manner. So yeah,

Randy Hulsey  1:26:39

for sure. Is there is there a platform for both of you guys, that you you gravitate towards? Is it Instagram, or Facebook, from a from a person not so much a band perspective, but do you do something with your, like, I have a backstage pass radio Instagram site, but also have my own personal one. So I didn't know if you guys had personal sites like on Instagram that, that you're on a lot as well.

Stone Senate  1:27:05

Instagram and Facebook, try to keep in touch with people on their, you know, just old friend type things. And of course, people we meet on the road and whatnot now always share, you know, whatever Samsung is doing, or we're about to do. And I'll one of those things, we hope to get across the pond here sometime pretty soon. And once you know, we have the rest of the full record. Now we're here to get over there because we the online thing is made that such an you know, a different game these days. We have a lot of people over there that are always asking when we're come and work out and exactly wherever we're coming.

Randy Hulsey  1:27:51

But I can tell you guys, it's really interesting. I've had a couple of guests on my show that of course, you know, lived here stateside, one of them still does. One has, for the most part kind of moved to France, but they listen to music much differently in Europe than they do here. And what what these guys have told me on the show, one is a heavy metal act, and one is kind of a Texas blues guy. The crowds over there are fantastic. Like they're so much different than they are here. Like they really care about the lyrics. They're inside the songs when they're, you know, when you're playing. They're attentive. It's it's a pleasure they say is it's a pleasure to play over there for people, you know, in the UK and in Europe in those different areas over there. Right. So a lot of the artists are trying to get over there and try to get in front of those crowds for sure.

Stone Senate  1:28:50

We've heard very much. Same thing and I'll personally I can't wait. I mean, sounds like just a wonderful, wonderful thing to do. Yeah, well, we're in talks with our booking agency and stuff now, man. So we're, we've been wanting to go over there for a few years now. You know, so we're itching to get across the pond there man.

Randy Hulsey  1:29:15

That will be a good time if you guys get over there.

Stone Senate  1:29:19

Absolutely. Absolutely.

Randy Hulsey  1:29:22

Are you are you guys able to drop the Instagram handles for yourselves on the show here so maybe the listeners know where to find you guys specifically?

Stone Senate  1:29:32

Well, the band Instagram that's just stone Senate. Okay. Facebook is stone Senate band. Okay. Twitter is stone Senate. And then we just started up a tick tock page. Okay, just give that a shot and have some fun with it. It's just it's really just going to be for for live live videos and stuff that people capture. You know, while we're out on the road and stuff. Have a personal Facebook or anything like that. But James has got to like he said a personal Instagram and Facebook. James is that what what is that James? Bo Edward? Thanks Bo Edwards be a you, Edwards.

Randy Hulsey  1:30:16

Yeah. It's interesting. You say that whole tic tock thing like and, and you laughed when you said it. And you know what, I had the same sentiments that you did about it. I'm like, Okay. I'm 56 years old here. Do I really want to get, you know, it's like, but you know what? I think if it's used the right way, it doesn't have to be a kid thing. But I'm telling you man out there. Tick tock is it's a hot a hot thing right now. And you're either on the bandwagon or you're getting left at the station, that's one of the two options that you have. Right. And for you guys, I think it would be like great live clips and stuff on the tick tock site for sure.

Stone Senate  1:31:00

And social media all together is kind of a strange, strange world to wander off into. But, you know, it's just necessary. And it's and it's a wonderful tool for getting people you know, information on the band and people to actually just start with you there. You know, they find you on Facebook, and then your fans and friends of the band. So for those purposes, it's like anything else, it can be used for good or evil.

Randy Hulsey  1:31:27

Isn't it isn't it amazing though, when you think about it, think about think about 30 years ago, you know, you're playing in a band or whatever, and you're, you're trying to get even booked somewhere. You had to like go and take your your tape your tape to the to the bar or whatever and hand deliver it or mail it right. And God only knows if it got in the right hands. Now you can like mass do that through the internet. Like what? What a great tool the internet is if it's used as a great tool. Right?

Stone Senate  1:32:01

Right. It's that's the double edge of it is how you use it. Absolutely. And we've, we've been fortunate, you know, it's been a it's been a bonus for us and you say us the right way. It's always it can be a good thing.

Randy Hulsey  1:32:18

Yep. A couple of quick questions for you guys in and I'd like both you guys to answer. define success in your eyes? What does success mean to you guys?

Stone Senate  1:32:33

You know, I always kind of thought success would be making a living, playing, playing music, you know, whether it's actually, I think it's kind of special if you can make a living playing your own music that, you know, that you've come up with and written and all that, you know what I mean? I guess to me that that would be that will be success. Okay, you know, but I don't want to come across in any strange way or anything, but I've just I've always kind of had that in my head like that, you know what I mean? That was I set out when I was when I was much younger. And that's like, Man, if I can make a living, playing music, you know? That's, that's, that's good for me.

Randy Hulsey  1:33:25

Absolutely. How about you, James?

Stone Senate  1:33:28

Feel? Pretty much the same way. I feel like in one respect. Success is already here. Yeah, getting to get in the travel all over all over the country and saying all over the world and have experiences that otherwise, you're simply not going to have you get with there have been moments, you know, on stage and on the road that we'll look back on the rest of my life and think, you know, that was some great times. Right there. Yeah. As far as the overarching idea of success, yeah. I mean, making a living man. And just getting to do what you love, and what happens after that, you know, I mean, anything. Anything more grandiose than that, you know, it's kind of you know, you don't spend a whole lot of time thinking that way. Yeah, yeah, I'd love to get the band's music out to as many people as possible. Yep. When that means I'm doing what I love and and that's success in itself.

Randy Hulsey  1:34:31

I think the the common denominator when I asked that question of a lot of the artist is rarely does money ever come up in that answer. It's more of success to them is touching people with their music and getting like you said, like you both guys said like, just getting the music out there and letting people experience the music and enjoy the music and the people you meet along the way. Yes, money is a byproduct of what we do and we need it to pay our bills. But it's not everything in what we do. It doesn't it doesn't make us happy. And but I bet you it's the other thing that touching people and that type of thing that mean more to you than money but we all need money. Like I said, right? So that's a big part of it is just, you know, touching people with the music and that's that, you know, if you do that, then that's successful to a lot of people.

Stone Senate  1:35:36

I mean, getting out and having your music touch people and the experiences that you have out there giving them that music you know, it's that's that's

Randy Hulsey  1:35:46

pretty rich. Yeah, no, I don't disagree. And then the other Yeah, the other the other question that I have is for both of you guys, is there something interesting about you guys that maybe your fan base doesn't know about you?

Stone Senate  1:36:05

Nothing that they need to know pretty much level headed bunch of dudes. Nothing too weird. I mean, no one these days if they still do those behind the music things we might

Randy Hulsey  1:36:23

I'll make sure to watch that one when it comes out. Well, fellas, I appreciate the chat. They you know, I ran along but it was great conversation. It's great getting to know you guys and and you know what all is coming up for stone Senate type. I've become a fan of the music. And I like to say that when I when I adore music, I certainly want to talk to the people that are making it. So that's why you guys are here on my show specifically because you've gained a fan. Keep up the good work there. So I appreciate you taking the time. As always, I asked the listeners to like, share and subscribe to the podcast. Also make sure to follow the boys from the ban on all their social media outlets, including stone senate.com. You can find the show on Facebook at backstage pass radio podcast on Instagram at backstage pass radio, on Twitter at backstage pass PC and on the website at backstage pass. radio.com. Guys, thanks again for joining me. And to all the listeners of backstage pass radio. Take care of yourselves and each other and we'll see you back here on backstage pass radio.

Adam Gordon  1:37:40

Thanks so much for joining us. We hope you enjoyed today's episode of backstage pass radio. Make sure to follow Randy on Facebook and Instagram at Randy Halsey music and on Twitter at our Halsey music. Also make sure to like, subscribe and turn on alerts for upcoming podcasts. If you enjoyed the podcast, make sure to share the link with a friend and tell them backstage pass radio is the best show on the web for everything music. We'll see you next time right here on backstage pass radio