Crying Stones
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Crying Stones

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"Artist of the Week - Crying Stones"

Just because Christianity is a focus of Crying Stones' songs doesn't mean the area band lacks a sense of humor.

T-shirts for sale on the band's Web site, www.CryingStones.com, advertise their ability to "rock your face off," while their latest recording bears the somewhat-cheeky title of the "Not Self-Titled EP."

The four-member group, featuring singer/guitarist Ben Montgomery, guitarist Jordan Goldsmith, bassist Bradley Wilson and drummer Sam Montgomery, will celebrate the release of their new CD with performances at The Summit at Caring First church at 7 p.m. Friday, May 20, and at Englewood Assembly of God in Independence, Mo., at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 21.

Q. How and when did Crying Stones form?

A. (Ben Montgomery) We formed about five and a half years, almost six years ago. I formed the band with a couple of friends in high school. Those guys, one by one, over time, kind of left the band because they either moved or had other things they were doing, until us four got together. Sam's pretty much been in the band all along. It's been the four of us for about two years now.

Q. How would you describe your sound?

A. It's Christian alternative. It's not punk, but it's got that punk edge to it - it's like rocky punk. That's the style. We love Relient K. They have a fresh style, and that's what attracted me to them at first. I was writing songs similar to them, and what attracted me to them is that their songs are different, they're not all the same. And as a band, we really like their lyrics. Whenever we write a song, we try to be fresh with our lyrics, and they are, too. They're really relevant to the culture - they take them and make them into funny subjects, and sometimes Christian subjects.

Q. You've recently finished a new recording?

A. It's an EP. We're still recording our full-length, but we're putting our EP out on the market so we can raise money to finish the full-length. It's called the "Not Self-Titled EP." One day we were looking at CDs, and we saw one by Relient K that was self-titled, and we thought it'd be really funny to have a CD that wasn't self- titled, that that was the title.

Q. What's the story behind your band name?

A. It comes from a verse in the Bible, Luke 19:40. The Pharisees told Jesus to keep his disciples quiet - it was during the triumphal entry - and he said if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out. It's basically saying if no one will worship God, we will.

Q. Do all your songs have Christian themes?

A. Some more than others. I'm a worship pastor, so on the full- length, we have some slower, worship-type songs. I like taking a subject that teenagers are dealing with - parties, the new girl at school - and making a song out of it. For the most part, I'd say every song has a Christian message of some sort in it. I always try to do that.

Q. What are a few of your more popular songs?

A. We have a song called "The Touch, The Feel of Cotton." It talks about how your words can either help or hurt people. The chorus goes, "why do our words always feel like wool up against my skin, if only our words could be like the touch, the feel of cotton." It's, again, kind of a funny song with a message. It says use your words cautiously, because they can either help or hurt people. It would either be a tie between that and a song called "Party Pooper," about the teenage party scene. As Christians, we talk about how we shouldn't drink or use drugs and all that, and this song is something you can say when people invite you to parties: "I don't want to be a party pooper - if I come, I'm going to ruin your party."

Q. How far do you hope to take the band?

A. Ever since the fourth grade, it's been my dream to go on tour and be one of those bands who plays 150, 200 shows a year. And that's sort of our goal as a band. They say if you have a vision or a dream for five years, it'll come to pass, so we're hoping that's a dream we can see come to pass one day.

By Jonathan Houghton

St. Joseph News-Press - St. Joseph News-Press


Discography

Crying Stones - Ode to Your Mother (2003, full-length); Crying Stones - Not Self Titled EP (2005, EP); Crying Stones - Punky Soup (2009, full-length); All Crying Stones music can be purchased on iTunes; Some songs may be heard at http://www.myspace.com/cryingstones or http://www.purevolume.com/cryingstones

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Bio

"When I was in the 7th grade I wrote my first song," says Ben Montgomery, lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for Crying Stones. "It was horrible, but it had potential." And potential seemed to be the word that followed Ben for the next few years.

Shortly following his first song he joined with High School buddies to form a band. After many ideas, the name Crying Stones prevailed, and the members began to write songs together taking such influences as Relient K, MXPX, and Gametime. After a couple months, CS had their first opportunity to perform: The Mound City Talent Show. "I'd say that show was a learning experience for the band," says Sam (drummer). "We definitely weren't all that great that night, but it opened doors and eyes of the Northern Missouri area that a new band was on the move."

And on the move they were. The next few years would determine the shape of the group. Playing all over Northern Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska, the band began to expand. A fan base began to grow.

Ben adds, "It was a really interesting time for the band. Our music was getting better and the shows were getting more and more numerous, and it just felt as if we were on the edge of a huge explosion."

And explode they did. Just six months following the addition of Bradley on bass, Crying Stones released their first full-length album "Ode to Your Mother." Sales boomed for the first two months of release and the boys knew that they had "potential" all over again. That same summer following Brad's addition the band played an average of 2-3 shows a week and even traveled as far as Washington State to embark on a two week tour. They even took the act coast to coast when they traveled to Washington D.C. just 9 days after returning from Washington State.

In the fall of 2004, Ben and Sam's cousin, Jordan Goldsmith, wholeheartedly took on the role of rhythm guitar and background vocals for Crying Stones. Since then Dan and Tim Montgomery have joined the band on guitar/vocals and keys.

Now the thing Crying Stones look forward to is the release of their next full-length album "Crying Stones--Punky Soup" set to be released in June of 2009, and the road to rock stardom that God is leading them down which Ben originally dreamed of nearly 10 years ago. And this dream seems to be a reality which rather noticeably is fast approaching.

As they strive to take you (the audience) to that place where God is, they promise that all of their talent is given by God for the Glory of His Son and their goal and focus is to see Him lifted up.

Crying Stones Management

For more on Crying Stones

www.cryingstones.com
www.myspace.com/cryingstones
www.purevolume.com/cryingstones