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With only a home studio, a handful of songs, and a lot of passion, Stephen Speaks has been shattering barriers in independent music since 1999. For example, Speaks was the first garage band in the history of the world to break international borders and become the number one band in another country. In 2003 Stephen Speaks' song, Passenger Seat, took the number 1 spot on the radio in Asia, which was held by Christina Aguilerra at the time. Passenger Seat held it's throne for twelve weeks, and was finally knocked down to number 2 by their second single, Out Of My League, giving them the number 1 and number 2 song in the country. At the year end countdown, both songs were atop the charts.
"I've no idea how it happened," says Rockwell Ryan, front man and producer of Stephen Speaks. "Some college exchange students stuck it on the radio all and it just took off. Thats our whole career; we just make music and our fans take care of everything for us. Who needs a record label with fans like that? (laughs)"
With a dominant college-based grassroots following back in the US, Stephen Speaks continues to plow ground as one of the pioneers of the indie movement. The band has managed to sell over 40,000 albums, played for tens of thousands of people, topped radio charts, had the number 1 video on MTV Asia and MYX for weeks, and had literally millions of MP3s downloaded from their Web-site. Thats not unheard of, but doing it in a home studio with no manager, no lawyer, no record label and no booking agent, is very impressive indeed.
"I've had labels show interest - many," states Rockwell, who shunned a record deal with Sony in 2004, "But I've never heard a sales pitch that beats what we have; the American dream. What makes this country great is the freedom to live the way you want, when you want. There are no executives with dollar-sign-eyes pushing us around. No doubt, I plan on being a millionaire (chuckles), but there's no price you can put on freedom. I want to promote living for what your heart tells you, not other people. Thats what our music is all about."
While the band hasn't ruled out signing a record deal, doing things on their own, or anything in between, one thing is for sure - the bands passion for living each day to the fullest will always run their lives.... and inspire ours. - John Lawton, Viridian Times
Discography
"Doubting Thomas" LP 2000
"No More Doubt" LP 2003
"Symptoms of Love" LP 2008
Photos
Bio
Stephen Speaks is a band started in 1999, composed of step-brothers Rockwell Ryan and Dain Samuelson, joined by guitarist Matt Cox and drummer Pat Ryan in 2008. When touring, the band uses an A-list lineup of studio musicians Rockwell has worked with over the years. Rockwell Ryan began his recording studio in 1995, before the boy could even drive. With a dream and a plan of owning an independent record label, and being a producer, he never thought it would result in his own band. However, when he and some friends recorded some of their own music in a high school recording project titled Doubting Thomas, the album took on a life of it's own and spread across the state like wildfire. After high school, Rockwell's brother Dain joined in, and teaming up with some musician friends, created the first effort by Stephen Speaks, No More Doubt. The album followed in it's predecessors footsteps, but this time didn't just spread across the state, it spread across the nation - even the world. In 2003, Speaks' went platinum in the Philippines with the success of two number-one radio singles which topped the charts across for over three consecutive months. Speaks' followed it with four sold out shows for over 20,000 people, a number-one MTV video, and a press frenzy.
In 2003 Rockwell met up with successful friends, The Hero Factor, and kept busy for a couple years balancing Stephen Speaks' performances with recording/mixing all three of The Hero Factor's records, as well as producing/mixing the debut album for Jackson Waters, who quickly signed a record deal after release of that album.
While Rockwell's producing career was doing well, Stephen Speaks continued to grow in popularity, and in 2006, Rockwell made the plunge to deem Speaks' his number one priority. Over the next year, their third album, Symptoms Of Love was recorded. In August of 2006, Speaks' released previews of their new music, their first in three years. They immediately entered the top artist charts on iSound and MySpace, and have remained there ever since, accumulating over six million internet streams between the two sites.
With a new album, a full-band behind them, and an ever growing fan-base, Stephen Speaks has recently started playing weekly gigs in their region on top of the seasonal touring they traditionally do. The way things are going for these young boys, it seems they have only begun speaking to us.
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