Music
Press
What a beautiful night to hear a couple of great live bands in Columbia. And what a bargain! TWO bands for only three bucks cover! We jumped at the chance, and to the Blue Note we went. After hearing my friends from Sweet Jayne play their hearts out, we were surprised to see the following act, Soulstace, had only three people in the band. "What the heck will this be like?" I thought, skeptically. I think I sat there with my mouth hanging open for at least the first three or four songs. The guitarist, Tom Williams, blazed his way up and down the neck of that little Yamaha guitar that would have made Malmsteen run away with his tail tucked between his legs. That boy has the look, the moves, the talent and the voice to be a major contender. Bass player Casey was no slouch, either, and kept the sound full and fat when Tom played lead, which is crucial in a 3-piece band, and stayed locked in with the drummer, Josh Pollard. The covers the band did were mesmerizing, to say the least. I recognized the lead guitar parts to those songs, but they were yet improved over the original artists' versions. They shifted easily from the boogie of ZZ Top to the rockabilly of Chris Isaak. Tom's voice was clean and clear throughout the band's set, and being the only singer, one wondered how long he could keep going. He never let up both with his voice and his searing guitar work. The originals were also catchy tunes, and I look for these boys to be a major act in Columbia...and beyond. Catch their show if you get a chance.
- ComoMusic
What a beautiful night to hear a couple of great live bands in Columbia. And what a bargain! TWO bands for only three bucks cover! We jumped at the chance, and to the Blue Note we went. After hearing my friends from Sweet Jayne play their hearts out, we were surprised to see the following act, Soulstace, had only three people in the band. "What the heck will this be like?" I thought, skeptically. I think I sat there with my mouth hanging open for at least the first three or four songs. The guitarist, Tom Williams, blazed his way up and down the neck of that little Yamaha guitar that would have made Malmsteen run away with his tail tucked between his legs. That boy has the look, the moves, the talent and the voice to be a major contender. Bass player Casey was no slouch, either, and kept the sound full and fat when Tom played lead, which is crucial in a 3-piece band, and stayed locked in with the drummer, Josh Pollard. The covers the band did were mesmerizing, to say the least. I recognized the lead guitar parts to those songs, but they were yet improved over the original artists' versions. They shifted easily from the boogie of ZZ Top to the rockabilly of Chris Isaak. Tom's voice was clean and clear throughout the band's set, and being the only singer, one wondered how long he could keep going. He never let up both with his voice and his searing guitar work. The originals were also catchy tunes, and I look for these boys to be a major act in Columbia...and beyond. Catch their show if you get a chance.
- ComoMusic
Discography
We released our 1st self titled album in the spring of 2006on Hometone Records. These tracks are available for download thru our website, www.soulstace.com, our myspace site www.myspace.com/soulstacemusic and on itunes. Our second album is due out in the spring of 2008. We are also featured on the Million Dollar Bash, a Tribute to Bob Dillon, available thru Hometone Records.
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Bio
In late 2002, Tom Williams came to a crossroads. Tom had been playing and touring across the country since the early 90's with a variety of bands, including Del Alma, The Psychodaddies and Accidental Sugar. A number of pending record deals had come and gone, so it was time to look in a new direction. Over the previous summer Tom had sat in at couple of shows with a local band that was breaking up, leading him to approach their drummer, Jake Ford, about putting together a new project. Jake, who had recently moved in with Casey Conway, was hesitant at first given Tom’s amazing skills on the guitar. In order to secure a little comfort, Jake asked Casey to come sit in on the sessions, who had been taking guitar lessons from Tom off and on over the past three years. Casey immediately refused, knowing that he would have nothing to offer. All of the uncertainty would quickly go away the following week. While browsing at a local music store, Casey came across a 5-string Fender Jazz Bass that was a match to his current electric guitar. Casey decided that he must immediately purchase the instrument and learn how to play bass in order to complete the band. The following week the band had their first real rehearsal and became very apparent that the chemistry was undeniable.
The band quickly began putting together material so the could begin playing shows. Most all of the early tunes were chosen by Tom and focused on displaying his guitar skills in a three piece band. The name would be the next big hurtle for the group. At the time, all three were big into Phish, so the idea was thrown out to name our band in the same manner that they did, after a band members last name. This would not work however, the Ford’s just didn’t sound all that cool. Right around the same time Pontiac came out with a new car called the Solstice. That, they though had a good ring to it, but needed something more. After much debate, they came up with Soulstace. The name envokes a sort of soulful, yet enlightened feeling the band plays with as well as the fact that it was the only spelling the could come up with that wasn’t already taken.
From this point on Soulstace would stick, though the drummers would not. Jake would play the part until June of 2003. He was followed briefly by Dave Steinbach until September of 2003. Next was Jim Nilges who lasted until June 2004. Finally, a permanent lineup was solidified in Late June of 2004 with the addition of Josh Pollard. The current lineup of Soulstace has now been playing together for more that a year and a half.
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