Interview with Stereo Crowd guitarist and vocalist Paul Anthony

Check out the song: “Who Do You Love (ft. Niki Darling)”

I recently had a chance to speak with Stereo Crowd guitarist and vocalist, Paul Anthony. Hailing from Harlem, NY the band combines urban music with solid rock sensibilities creating a sound that is fresh and exciting. The group has been working hard and they’ve opened for many national acts including M.C. Hammer. Here’s what Anthony had to say.

Different groups have unique ways of writing their songs. How do you guys go about writing your music? Is it a collective effort or is it more the efforts of one particular member of the band?
Paul: Everyone touches each song in its creation. Someone might come in with an idea pretty much done or started, yet in the end, the band as a whole makes the song what it is, so everyone’ s involved in the songwriting process one way or another.

When can we expect a full-length release?
Paul: Late September we’ re-releasing our debut EP. Full length album can be expected same time next year.

Every band has its musical influences. What are some of the other bands and artists that have greatly influenced you guys and your music?
Paul: This is some of the fun stuff for us. We all come from different musical backgrounds, and different backgrounds in general, yet we all share the same love for music that makes you move. We describe our music as urban alternative, which for us, means it has the physical movement of hip hop, the emotion of rock, and the refined sound of soul.

If you could jam with any famous musician, dead or alive, from any century, who would it be and why?
Paul: Goodness… if you counted all of our desires, we’d be here all day! Today… everyone on the Blakroc project from Mos Def to The Black Keys, to friends like Dee-1 and extended fam-folks like Janelle Monae, to Cee-lo, to James Brown, to Jigga, Franz Ferdinand, Muse… we want to jam with everyone!

The songs on this CD are not exactly what you would find on your typical hard music album. You offer a welcome range of musical sounds and abilities. Do you think this is due in part to your varied influences and/or a desire to explore new realms of music?
Paul: Well Jamie has a hard rock and metal background, so on the drums; he’s an animal that has perfected the boogie nature of hip hop. Robert Keith comes from a noise rock background, so he’s into a lot of sounds. P-A’s primarily a songwriter and VFerg’s a hip hop producer; so in all reality, we’re all over the place. Yet also, we can’t forget our producer, Andy Baldwin. He’s in NYC hailing from Melbourne, Australia, and we have to give him credit for helping us refine our sound.

What kind of touring plans do you have in support of the record?
Paul: Colleges and opening for larger acts. We’ve opened for anyone from Girl Talk to MC Hammer, so we’ are a band that nationally recognized acts can count on to shake their fans into a musically-euphoric-state before they get on stage. We set ’em up with something new, then the national act comes out and give them what they’ve been waiting for.

Check out the song: “I Got It (ft. Ava, SciryL and Patty Cakes)”

What artists would fans be surprised to find on your iPod?
Paul: Hmmm… Regina Spektor probably. P-A wrote a screenplay based on her album Far, and he’s still waiting to hear if she’ all bless it into production. That some Eli Paperboy Reed… that’s one soulful white boy!

Tell me about a book or two that you’ve read that you think other people should read?
Paul: “Be The Media, Linchpin”, and “Crush It” – these books will communicate to up and coming artists, just how successful you can be and the way you need to have you mind “right” in this day and age. If you grab these and absorb them, you’ll be ahead of your peers.

If you had not become a musician what other career path would you have liked to attempt?
Paul: Forget everything else… We’re here!

What three words best describe your band?
Paul: Shake Your Bootie!

If you were a superhero, who would it be and why?
Paul: Whoever gets to sleep with Wonder Women.