The Stone Foxes
The Stone Foxes is an American rock and roll band based out of San Francisc… Read Full Bio ↴The Stone Foxes is an American rock and roll band based out of San Francisco, California.
It’s not just great song writing, warm guitars, a nut-tight rhythm section, and the occasional blues harp riffs that make The Stone Foxes’ so good; the Bay Area band consisting of brothers Shannon and Spence Koehler, and Aaron Mort have captured something else on their recordings and live shows that makes them huge, and very, very cool.
Listeners sense it right away. There’s a genuineness here that’s rare and refreshing, and it’s something that can’t be achieved simply by grabbing a couple of vintage axes and plugging into a stack of tube amps. Because while The Stone Foxes may be influenced by the greats of the late 60s and early 70s like The Band, Bob Dylan, and Led Zeppelin, they never sound like they’re trying to be anything but exactly who they are. But then they don’t need to: their style of blues-rock stands on its own.
Still though, there’s something about their sophomore album “Bears & Bulls” that sets it well apart from other records. And to understand what it is, what makes this record so unique, so good; you need to know how The Stone Foxes approach their music.
“We’ll never be a traditional studio band,” says Aaron.
“The songs are worked out on stage and are meant to be played live,” adds Shannon.
That makes perfect sense to anyone that’s been to one of their shows: it’s clear the Foxes care far more about performing their music for living, breathing human beings than an empty room filled with microphones.
So rather than holing up in a studio, writing songs in a void, then cutting an album and touring it, The Stone Foxes work their new material out on stage over a period of months, playing it for their fans. And that’s part of what makes their shows, and this new record, so special. Each song in their arsenal has evolved organically over time, taking on a unique personality while retaining the core DNA that makes it a Stone Foxes original. Every song, every lick, every fill on Bears & Bulls has had its own unique path to maturity, taking the energy and feedback from the live experience and making it a critical part of the music.
When it was time to cut the record, the band knew that in order to capture the real soul of the music it would be critical to maintain that energy, those unique aspects of each song. So Bears & Bulls was recorded with virtually no overdubs, at a studio they built themselves.
“We found mattresses, put them against our garage walls and used planks of wood as dividers. Then we played the songs live and let the sound bleed in the mics,” says Shannon.
As a result, Bears & Bulls is an audio snapshot of exactly who and where The Stone Foxes were musically when they recorded it. They were all living together, listening to the same records, and singer songwriter Avi Vinocur was a member of the band at that time. It’s a reflection of their live show and a tribute to the interplay between musicians and fans. It’s a moment in time captured digitally, then mixed by Alex Newport and mastered by John Cuniberti in beautiful, warm, old-school analog. Just like it should be.
Spence Koehler, who along with brother Shannon grew up in the Sierra Foothills before moving to the Bay Area a few years ago, points out another thing about the new record that makes it unique. “You know,” he says, “all the instrumentation on the recording is the same as it is live.”
Right, the instrumentation thing: The Stone Foxes don’t have a set lineup on instruments. Since each song is unique, who plays what changes depending on the song’s personality. Shannon may come out from behind the drums to sing and play harmonica. Aaron and Spence regularly swap rhythm, lead, and bass duties, and every member sings lead on at least a few songs. But it’s no gimmick: like everything The Stone Foxes do, the instrument and vocal changes are a function of the natural evolution of their music and what works best on each song.
“It doesn’t matter who writes the lyrics,” says Shannon, “if someone else has a better voice for the song, they sing it.”
And the way they play it live is the way it’s laid to tape.
So you’ve got this band of players that can actually play, writers that can actually write, none of whom seem to have much ego: it’s about the music and the band over all – not the individual. You turn them loose to create songs that evolve and mature over time, then you drop them in a studio to track a record on their own terms. As it turns out, what you end up getting is something way deeper and more heartfelt than most bands ever deliver.
You also get a hint of what they’ll become. Because this collection of songs, from the raucous fun of “Stomp” to the slow grind of “Through the Fire” from the bad ass lick that opens “Patience” to the down and dirty blues of “Mr. Hangman” could only have been created by a band that’s fearless about following their music where it leads, and has the skills to share what they learn on the trip. And it’s a trip they’re still taking: The Stone Foxes and their music continue to evolve, and continue to deliver live shows that blow the doors off of venues along the way.
When asked if there’s one thing that they want their fans to know, there’s no hesitation: they say they have a huge amount of fun playing live, loved capturing their work on the record, and that they wouldn’t be doing any of this if they didn’t.
Really though, that’s completely unnecessary to mention: one listen to the record, one visit to a gig, and all that is clear from note one.
Bio written by Bradford Schmidt
It’s not just great song writing, warm guitars, a nut-tight rhythm section, and the occasional blues harp riffs that make The Stone Foxes’ so good; the Bay Area band consisting of brothers Shannon and Spence Koehler, and Aaron Mort have captured something else on their recordings and live shows that makes them huge, and very, very cool.
Listeners sense it right away. There’s a genuineness here that’s rare and refreshing, and it’s something that can’t be achieved simply by grabbing a couple of vintage axes and plugging into a stack of tube amps. Because while The Stone Foxes may be influenced by the greats of the late 60s and early 70s like The Band, Bob Dylan, and Led Zeppelin, they never sound like they’re trying to be anything but exactly who they are. But then they don’t need to: their style of blues-rock stands on its own.
Still though, there’s something about their sophomore album “Bears & Bulls” that sets it well apart from other records. And to understand what it is, what makes this record so unique, so good; you need to know how The Stone Foxes approach their music.
“We’ll never be a traditional studio band,” says Aaron.
“The songs are worked out on stage and are meant to be played live,” adds Shannon.
That makes perfect sense to anyone that’s been to one of their shows: it’s clear the Foxes care far more about performing their music for living, breathing human beings than an empty room filled with microphones.
So rather than holing up in a studio, writing songs in a void, then cutting an album and touring it, The Stone Foxes work their new material out on stage over a period of months, playing it for their fans. And that’s part of what makes their shows, and this new record, so special. Each song in their arsenal has evolved organically over time, taking on a unique personality while retaining the core DNA that makes it a Stone Foxes original. Every song, every lick, every fill on Bears & Bulls has had its own unique path to maturity, taking the energy and feedback from the live experience and making it a critical part of the music.
When it was time to cut the record, the band knew that in order to capture the real soul of the music it would be critical to maintain that energy, those unique aspects of each song. So Bears & Bulls was recorded with virtually no overdubs, at a studio they built themselves.
“We found mattresses, put them against our garage walls and used planks of wood as dividers. Then we played the songs live and let the sound bleed in the mics,” says Shannon.
As a result, Bears & Bulls is an audio snapshot of exactly who and where The Stone Foxes were musically when they recorded it. They were all living together, listening to the same records, and singer songwriter Avi Vinocur was a member of the band at that time. It’s a reflection of their live show and a tribute to the interplay between musicians and fans. It’s a moment in time captured digitally, then mixed by Alex Newport and mastered by John Cuniberti in beautiful, warm, old-school analog. Just like it should be.
Spence Koehler, who along with brother Shannon grew up in the Sierra Foothills before moving to the Bay Area a few years ago, points out another thing about the new record that makes it unique. “You know,” he says, “all the instrumentation on the recording is the same as it is live.”
Right, the instrumentation thing: The Stone Foxes don’t have a set lineup on instruments. Since each song is unique, who plays what changes depending on the song’s personality. Shannon may come out from behind the drums to sing and play harmonica. Aaron and Spence regularly swap rhythm, lead, and bass duties, and every member sings lead on at least a few songs. But it’s no gimmick: like everything The Stone Foxes do, the instrument and vocal changes are a function of the natural evolution of their music and what works best on each song.
“It doesn’t matter who writes the lyrics,” says Shannon, “if someone else has a better voice for the song, they sing it.”
And the way they play it live is the way it’s laid to tape.
So you’ve got this band of players that can actually play, writers that can actually write, none of whom seem to have much ego: it’s about the music and the band over all – not the individual. You turn them loose to create songs that evolve and mature over time, then you drop them in a studio to track a record on their own terms. As it turns out, what you end up getting is something way deeper and more heartfelt than most bands ever deliver.
You also get a hint of what they’ll become. Because this collection of songs, from the raucous fun of “Stomp” to the slow grind of “Through the Fire” from the bad ass lick that opens “Patience” to the down and dirty blues of “Mr. Hangman” could only have been created by a band that’s fearless about following their music where it leads, and has the skills to share what they learn on the trip. And it’s a trip they’re still taking: The Stone Foxes and their music continue to evolve, and continue to deliver live shows that blow the doors off of venues along the way.
When asked if there’s one thing that they want their fans to know, there’s no hesitation: they say they have a huge amount of fun playing live, loved capturing their work on the record, and that they wouldn’t be doing any of this if they didn’t.
Really though, that’s completely unnecessary to mention: one listen to the record, one visit to a gig, and all that is clear from note one.
Bio written by Bradford Schmidt
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The Stone Foxes Lyrics
Animal He's a criminal A mastermind Just a murderer By his design …
Battles, Blades & Bones Well you made the land With your own 2 hands Remember the…
Beneath Mt. Sinai Lord said I'll stand fast I will not be shook But no…
Can't Go Back I got this feeling that I can’t go on, But I…
Cotto Ring sounds the free swing and father No sign of cotto…
Death of Me I aint got the time baby, To make a woman out…
Easy Are you going to the brick house? Are we headed for…
Electric Stomp Smoke keeps rising from the coal Feed the fire and burn…
Everybody Knows I've took and I take more than one man need A…
Eye For Love You spend so much time waiting, But you can't say what…
Faded Faded, Wasted, You're only twenty two, what can you do? To c…
Help Me Now My love is on left and my mama's on the…
Here Come The Cops To shoot ya at home When you're just minding your own To…
Hole In The Ground There's a whole in the ground, ‘Bout 25 feet around, You got…
Hyde & Pine Standing out on Hyde & Pine (Whoo-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh)…
Hypno One, two, three, four, five I can't wake up But I'm still…
I Killed Robert Johnson On a Clarksdale night, humid and hot When your bottle and…
I Know Who You Are High tides are rising, Running for the trees, There’s a wire…
I Want Gold I WANT GOLD She wants red on her fingers, She wants blue…
I'm A King Bee I'm a king bee Buzzing round your hive I'm a king bee Buzzin…
It Ain't Nothin' Quit sucking yourself off It′s just wasting your time Quit s…
Jericho Hide your face like a cover girl, So the mess don't…
Jump in the Water Stole, they′re hiting the ground And raise though you're pie…
Little Red Rooster when i am the little red rooster too lazy crow for…
Man's Red Fire Walk walk walk Hold the line Walk walk walk Hold the line O…
Mr. Hangman Hey Mr. Hangman give it to me! Hey cut me down…
Norah Jones I dreamed of getting hitched to the Queen of jazz, Her…
On The Other Side One day at a time, We'll reach, the other side... On the…
On The Vine Fire and brimstone in the City, Thunder and lighting on the…
Patience Why now girl, oh, did you fall? For that snake, that…
Perfect For Me Through the river bed, through the trees, Over the islands o…
Reno Reno's casinos are starting to get to me The green felted…
Running out of Space I'm running out of space out here, It's a bold a…
Say My Name I'm sweating but I'm alright, I'm been afraid for all my…
Small Fires A small people, a small fires a small shoes, a small…
So Much Better Admit it, oh you stole my touch it took me not…
Spoonful Well it might be a little spoonful of coffee Yes it…
Stomp Smoke keeps rising from the coal, Feed the fire and burn…
Time Is A Killer Bone chiller c fright night thriller Time is a killer c wor…
Ulysses Jones Im ulysses jones, I got blood lock bones And a heart…
Young Man Too fast, too soon, Slow down let me get some room, I…