MusicMondays208 is ready to rock out with the amazing sounds of an awesome local rock band called Stone Prophet!
Christopher Jansen (Guitar/Keys/Backup Vocals) and Jeremy Sutherland (Lead Vocals) started in a previous band called Kilmer that ended back in 2013. From there they went to play for another band called The Fallen Idols, who had a great guitarist named CP. Fast forward to 2016, when Chris and Jeremy were looking for a new music venture yet again. CP and Chris got together and chatted about starting a new band with Jeremy and that was the beginning of Stone Prophet. July of 2016 the newly formed band added JD (former drummer) to their ranks. Soon after Jonny Routt was added to “kill it on the bass.” CP ended up leaving the band due to a job venture that took him away from Boise that he simply could not refuse. Sean Edgington (Guitar) would soon replace the vacant spot left by CP in Oct of 2018. In August of 2019 JD had life changes that required him to move out of state which made room for Steven Dooley (current drummer) to kick some serious ass on the drums.
When Jeremy was around 15 years old, he fell in love with his mom’s old acoustic guitar. Soon he picked up an electric guitar and started learning Metallica and Megadeth songs! “He would lock himself away for 8 hours a day, only pausing to grab a snack.” The band added. Jeremy would not find his confidence in singing until some years later after some good friends helped build up his confidence and vocal abilities to take him where he is today. Chris started playing piano at the age of 3! As a young adult he suffered from frostbite - an event that would define the course of his career path. With healing and dedication, he has been playing, composing and performing. Chris has a strong affinity for local art (of all forms), played in praise bands, and co-founded two rock bands with Jeremey Sutherland. Steve began his career when he was 10 years old. He got an acoustic guitar for Christmas, but he had his eye on his friends’ drum set. In middle school he formed a band that did cover songs of all the great rock bands and played in his high school jazz band. He has helped define several bands over the years including Exphantoms but he has now found himself playing with Stone Prophet. Sean started piano lessons at the age of 10 and discovered that every new song he learned “held an intriguing puzzle he was driven to solve.” His passion for music led him to purchase a guitar a few years later and he has never turned back! Jonny holds a B.S in Music Production and is a songwriter, producer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist, who began his musical endeavors at a young age. He was born into a religious and musical home. Jonny is also a self-taught guitarist, bassist and drummer.
The band’s name, Stone Prophet, is derived from ancient prophets voiced the idea that if civilization cleaned up its collective act, the world could be a place to thrive. Sadly their message usually fell on stone-deaf ears. “Civilizations fell. From the ashes we are new but not ones to learn from our past mistakes. As in ancient times, we too have a message. One of hope, of kindness and of liberation. Hence, the name - Stone Prophet.” The band added. Much like their extremely unique name the band works very hard to keep their music deeply personal. “Many of our song lyrics are not typically written at face value and usually hold many different interpretations that change with the listeners viewpoint and personal experiences.” The band said. A good example of this difference of interpretation is the band’s song called Spiral. This song has interpreted to be about anything from a warning of our demise or seen as a song of hope and the salvation of God. The band added, “No answer is right or wrong, but it leads to a conversation about the music which is why we do it.”
When asked about what hardships or triumphs the band has faced, they gave an amazing answer that simply cannot be paraphrased. “In the end, you'll never achieve perfection. And therein lies the beauty of what we do. We are a collection of far-less-than-perfect guys, trying to do the best we can with what talent we have. Anyone can learn the basics of what we do. But, great chemistry - that's a rare thing and much harder to come by. We trust each other. Hardships are part of life. Each one of us has a different way of dealing with the ups and downs. We provide for each other. Success is defined one individual at a time. If we can make someone laugh or move someone with the music we create, that's a triumph.”
If you are looking for a band that at its core loves the local music scene, loves their fans and loves each other Stone Prophet is that band. This is an amazingly complex band that allows themselves to be themselves. They do not work to emulate other types of music they simply work hard to put music out that speaks to themselves and they work hard to create music that speaks to the audience. The band takes what is happening in the world, their community and from within to make songs that are truly from the heart. “We desire to share what we create so that we may connect with the listener, and in turn, become better listeners. Bringing hope and sharing a bond with others is foremost in our hearts and minds. That's how we connect with the music scene.” The band added. You have a chance to check out Stone Prophet live at the upcoming Breakdown Ball Vol.2 Saturday 11/30.19 at the Knitting Factory [Boise]. Do not miss a chance to see this fantastic band live as your soul and ears will thank you.
Blog Written by Aaron
Blog Edited by Amanda
Photos by Lisa