Stone Soul Foundation

Stone Soul Foundation are from Central New York and they have been delivering their brand of blues injected heavy rock and metal since they formed back in 2002. The Syracuse rockers have gone on to perform hundreds of shows at clubs, festivals, and special events throughout the U.S. including playing at the famed Whisky A GO GO in Los Angeles, and the SXSW Festival in Texas.



As they continue to tour in support of their latest release, ‘Electric Valley,’ and prepare for their upcoming 2014 album, they have just released their new single, ‘Taking Back The U.S.,’ so it seemed like the perfect time to catch up with the band….





PopCulturez.Com: Welcome to PopCulturez, can you start by introducing yourselves?



Jeff Wiggins (Guitarist): Thanks for having us! My name is Jeff Wiggins, I play guitar in the rock band, Stone Soul Foundation. We’re based in the Syracuse/Auburn area (CNY). The sound of our music is in the vein of 70’s Metal, Classic Rock, Heavy Blues with a modern twist.



We’re just some fun lovin’ hard working musicians with a passion to play modern rock and metal music with our own take.



Our influences span from 60’s and 70’s hard rock, early Metallica, Blues, and modern rock with a twist of R&B vocal styling. Black Sabbath, Clutch, Wolfmother, Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk Railroad, Queens of the Stone Age, Metallica, and Kyuss, to name a few, have all been major influences, past and present.


PopCulturez.Com: Who or what inspired you to do what you do?



Jeff: I always had a love for music, before I had any instruments I would bang on books and sing/scream with my older brother and sister for a crowd. I fell in love with my older brother’s heavy metal tape collection, and Metallica was my favorite.



My bro ended up joining the Army, so I got to raid his tape collection every day while he was away! As I was listening, I remember thinking, ‘how did they get this huge sound on this little tape?’ It was really magical and mystifying for me. I was on a quest to do what I heard Metallica doing! I begged my parents for drums a few times, but they never got me a set. Then, one day I was on the way to see a friend of mine up the street when I heard some wicked cool sounds coming from his garage. He got a guitar! He couldn’t even play, but it sounded bad ass! I then decided to start bugging my parents for a guitar. They caved in, and got me one for Christmas. I was twelve at the time, and I haven’t put it down since!


STONE SOUL FOUNDATION Press Photo 2

PopCulturez.Com: What are you working on right now, can you tell us about that?



Jeff: Sure. We just released a new single, and concept video of our latest single ‘Taking Back The U.S.’ The song speaks to the American peoples’ growing distaste of corporate influence in our government. Although the song is very serious, the video offers a bit of comic relief.



We continue to write new songs for a forthcoming full-length release in 2014. We’re also in the process of recording two more videos to support songs from our current full-length album, ‘Electric Valley.’ One song in particular, ‘Sidewalker,’ was used in the Chicago Indie heavy metal heist film ‘Sweet Leaf.’ We’ll be heading to Chicago to film a video for ‘Sidewalker’ with the movie’s director, Julian Grant, in October. It’s a GREAT movie full of twists, and mind bending turns, not to mention music! LOL!



We continue touring NY, but we’re also very excited about our upcoming 10-day Midwest Tour starting September 26th in Buffalo, NY, and ending in Chicago October 5th. We’ll be planning a more extensive tour in spring 2014.



Our current tour dates are:



FRIDAY 9-20-2013 STONEGROOVE LOCAL MUSIC FEST VOLNEY, NY



THURSDAY 9-26-2013 THE FORUM AMHERST, NY



FRIDAY 9-27-2013 TINKS ROCK HOUSE MARION, OH



SATURDAY 9-28-2013 THE RUSTY NAIL PORTAGE, IN (RockFest for Vets)



SUNDAY 9-29-2013 THE UP & UNDER MILWAUKEE, WI (acoustic)



THURSDAY 10-03-2013 PRIVATE VIDEO SHOOT CHICAGO, IL



FRIDAY 10-04-2013 PENNY ROAD PUB BARRINGTON, IL



SATURDAY 10-05-2013 NITE CAP CHICAGO, IL



WEDNESDAY 10-16-2013 LOST HORIZON SYRACUSE, NY (w/Texas Hippie Co)



SATURDAY 10-19-2013 V PUB CANDIAGUA, NY (w/Caged)



SATURDAY 10-26-2013 CLUB WEST AUBURN, NY (10th An. Hal - Pop Culturez

Interview done by Sean Muldoon (vocals) and Jeff Wiggins (guitar).


Stone Soul Foundation are from CNY (central New York). Their foundation creates a blues injected heavy rock and metal. Since their 2002 inception in the Syracuse, NY area, Stone Soul Foundation (SSF) have performed hundreds of shows at clubs, festivals, and special events throughout the U.S. including the famed Whisky a GO GO in Los Angeles, and the SXSW Festival in Texas.


In addition, Shane and Sean appeared on Animal Planet’s “Hillbilly Hand Fishin” for some ‘noodling’ and you can see a clip here http://animal.discovery.com/tv-shows/hillbilly-handfishin/videos/a-very-rockin-catfish.htm. Most recently, SSF song “Sidewalker” was selected for the soundtrack of Indie Film “SWEET LEAF”; a blood-drenched heavy metal heist.


They’ve also successfully completed a fanfunding project to create a full-blown music video based on new song “Taking Back the U.S.”, and in April won a music video from a suicide prevention fundraiser Battle of the Bands. Both of those videos will be released during the second half of 2013. SSF continues their voyage by touring in support of their latest release “Electric Valley”, recorded and produced with the legendary Alex Perialas (Anthrax, Testament, Bad Religion). They just debuted a new song Taking Back the U.S., check out the video here … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_baigU-Ecw.


ITN Magazine: Tell us about the history of the band. More specifically, when was the band formed, how did you meet, and have there been any particular highlights or low points in your career, any crucial events that have taken you where you are today?


Jeff Wiggins (Guitarist) SSF: Singer Sean Muldoon and I have been friends and writing music together since our early teens. We were introduced through mutual friends from school who thought we should get together because of our love of playing, and writing heavy rock/metal music. That’s exactly what we did! We have performed together in various original rock and metal bands for the last 20 years and in Stone Soul Foundation since 2002, which is when “Drummer” Shane met us at the local watering hole in Auburn. Shane loved our vision of a rock/metal band with soul and we dug his energy and passion to perform. “Bassist” Doug later joined the band around 2006 replacing the previous bass player who had lost interest in pursuing a career in music. After playing with various cover bands Doug jumped on the opportunity to join Stone Soul Foundation thus fulfilling his passion of playing with an original hard rock band.


One of our highlights would include recording our latest release “Electric Valley” with Alex Perialas. Alex has recorded many of our childhood heroes such as Anthrax, S.O.D, Overkill, Testament, Bad Religion, and so many others. As far as low points go, many years ago we played a show that absolutely no one showed up to see us for. We still played the “show” and it was nice not to have to stand in line for a drink! We dedicated songs to the 9 nine ball and salt shakers. It could have been our best set of music but no one will ever know…


I’m not certain that any one event that has led us to where we are now. I believe that it has been a culmination of many events that have brought us to this point. We never give up and our fans, family, and friends support the band because they can tell that we’re passionate about what we do. They know that we’ll always give them everything we got and it’s their support that has helped fuel much of our success. We have given up much of our personal lives to be in this band because we believe in our music and our message.


ITN Magazine: Do you remember how the idea of forming the band first came up?


Jeff Wiggins: Our inspiration to create SSF came from our belief that there was a need to bring passion back into rock and metal music. Sean and I love metal and that has been our roots, but we also appreciate other styles of music like classic rock, blues, stoner rock, funk, and R&B.


ITN Magazine: Tell us about the band's name?


Sean Muldoon (Singer): The name to us represents our sound; Solid, Heavy, and Soulful.


ITN Magazine: What is your latest album and why should people buy it?


Jeff: Currently our latest release is a single. We have never released a single on its own before the album was complete, but we wanted to get this one out as quickly as possible because we felt the message is a reflection of the times we’re in. The title is “Taking Back The U.S.” and it speaks of the majority of the American people sick and tired of corporate America controlling our government. We we’re inspired to write the song during the Occupy Movement, and the big banker bailouts. Our latest full length release is entitled “Electric Valley”. The album is full of energy and has many dynamics that take the listener on a musical journey that both rock and metal fans, young and old, will appreciate. Our core - In The Now Magazine

AUBURN | Controversial political issues have long inspired many forms of American pop culture. Books, movies, art and music have all served as outlets for expression of opinions on government policy.

For one local band, the music that they created to share their political opinions with others became so successful that they have decided to take it in another direction — a music video to be filmed in Auburn.

The Auburn natives who make up the hard-rock band Stone Soul Foundation started playing together more than 10 years ago, but it was a recent song that inspired the idea for a music video. Jeff Wiggins, who plays guitar and contributes to vocals, said that the band wrote the song "Taking Back the U.S." a few years ago as a way to express their feelings on growing government power.

"With everything that was going on, it became clear that special interest groups were pulling the strings in Washington," Wiggins said. "Banks and big corporations being bailed out instead of citizens brought up questions about who comes first."

The government's perceived reaction to movements such as Occupy Wall Street also opened up the musicians' eyes about the changes that were happening in America.

"It seems like you aren't even allowed to protest anymore," Wiggins said.

"Taking Back the U.S." was played a few times at venues across the country, and as its popularity began to grow, Stone Soul Foundation decided to use it as a single — and to make it the focus of their first concept music video.

"This was our way of contributing to the movement," Wiggins said.

Knowing they would need a way to fund the music video, the band's manager, Sherry Dobson, reached out to a company called Kickstarter, which provides resources to artists of all kinds to raise money and awareness for their projects. She submitted an application that was eventually approved, and Kickstarter picked up the band's project, giving it a platform on which to run its donation campaign.

"I did a lot of research, so I had knowledge about the company before we launched the project, and it seemed like (Kickstarter) would be the best way to go," Dobson said.

Stone Soul Foundation, whose name is an interpretation of "rock music with feeling," has recorded live music videos in the past. But this marks the first time the band will film a video that tells the story of a song. The band decided to return to Auburn to shoot the video, as a way to include its hometown in the cause.

Wiggins explained that he and his fellow band members already have a solid idea for the video. They are hoping to be able to shoot parts of it at some of the government-associated buildings in the city, such as Memorial City Hall and the Cayuga County Courthouse on Genesee Street.

"We want it to be serious, but we want to add some comic relief, as well, as long as we can still get our point across," he said.

The band is looking for donations on Kickstarter from community members who want to help support the project, and they are even allowing those who contribute the opportunity to be in the "Taking Back the U.S." video, if they want to participate.

Stone Soul Foundation launched the campaign on March 2 and chose a time frame of 45 days to raise $3,500 to make the music video. Through Kickstarter's rules, if that goal is not reached, no donations are drawn from those who pledged, and the band does not get any money. Wiggins said that they hope to exceed that goal, since Kickstarter gets a percentage of it, and so that they have some wiggle room for unexpected costs that could arise along the way.

Donations will be accepted now through April 15 — Tax Day — which the band chose to end their campaign on as another way to tie the concept of government into their video.

"A lot of successful musicians, like Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, all felt very strongly about the political climate and wanted to express their opinion," Dobson said. "That's what these guys are trying to do." - The Citizen

AUBURN | Controversial political issues have long inspired many forms of American pop culture. Books, movies, art and music have all served as outlets for expression of opinions on government policy.

For one local band, the music that they created to share their political opinions with others became so successful that they have decided to take it in another direction — a music video to be filmed in Auburn.

The Auburn natives who make up the hard-rock band Stone Soul Foundation started playing together more than 10 years ago, but it was a recent song that inspired the idea for a music video. Jeff Wiggins, who plays guitar and contributes to vocals, said that the band wrote the song "Taking Back the U.S." a few years ago as a way to express their feelings on growing government power.

"With everything that was going on, it became clear that special interest groups were pulling the strings in Washington," Wiggins said. "Banks and big corporations being bailed out instead of citizens brought up questions about who comes first."

The government's perceived reaction to movements such as Occupy Wall Street also opened up the musicians' eyes about the changes that were happening in America.

"It seems like you aren't even allowed to protest anymore," Wiggins said.

"Taking Back the U.S." was played a few times at venues across the country, and as its popularity began to grow, Stone Soul Foundation decided to use it as a single — and to make it the focus of their first concept music video.

"This was our way of contributing to the movement," Wiggins said.

Knowing they would need a way to fund the music video, the band's manager, Sherry Dobson, reached out to a company called Kickstarter, which provides resources to artists of all kinds to raise money and awareness for their projects. She submitted an application that was eventually approved, and Kickstarter picked up the band's project, giving it a platform on which to run its donation campaign.

"I did a lot of research, so I had knowledge about the company before we launched the project, and it seemed like (Kickstarter) would be the best way to go," Dobson said.

Stone Soul Foundation, whose name is an interpretation of "rock music with feeling," has recorded live music videos in the past. But this marks the first time the band will film a video that tells the story of a song. The band decided to return to Auburn to shoot the video, as a way to include its hometown in the cause.

Wiggins explained that he and his fellow band members already have a solid idea for the video. They are hoping to be able to shoot parts of it at some of the government-associated buildings in the city, such as Memorial City Hall and the Cayuga County Courthouse on Genesee Street.

"We want it to be serious, but we want to add some comic relief, as well, as long as we can still get our point across," he said.

The band is looking for donations on Kickstarter from community members who want to help support the project, and they are even allowing those who contribute the opportunity to be in the "Taking Back the U.S." video, if they want to participate.

Stone Soul Foundation launched the campaign on March 2 and chose a time frame of 45 days to raise $3,500 to make the music video. Through Kickstarter's rules, if that goal is not reached, no donations are drawn from those who pledged, and the band does not get any money. Wiggins said that they hope to exceed that goal, since Kickstarter gets a percentage of it, and so that they have some wiggle room for unexpected costs that could arise along the way.

Donations will be accepted now through April 15 — Tax Day — which the band chose to end their campaign on as another way to tie the concept of government into their video.

"A lot of successful musicians, like Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, all felt very strongly about the political climate and wanted to express their opinion," Dobson said. "That's what these guys are trying to do." - The Citizen

This month's Online Interview features a band out of the mid New York State region that is making quite a name for itself. According to sources from the area this is a band to watch for. They have recently completed a fan funded Kickstarter project, the profit of which will be used for their new concept video based on their newly recorded song, “Taking Back the U.S.” In addition, they participated in a suicide prevention fundraiser Battle of the Bands, and won a music video! Sherry Dobson is the manager for Stone Soul Foundation and assisted Fourth Coast Entertainment Magazine with the interview. Thank you Sherry. Now, on with the interview:

FCEM: What's the name of your band? What's the origin of that name? Have you changed the band's name before?
SSF: Stone Soul Foundation. The name to us represents our sound; Solid, Heavy, and Soulful. The name is original to our band since it’s formation in 2002.

FCEM: Please list the name, age, school, and respective instrument of each band member.

Sean Muldoon – Vocals – Auburn
Jeff Wiggins - Guitar – Auburn
Shane Stillman – Drums - Cuba
Doug Paradise – Bass – Seneca Falls
Jeff Wiggins is certified in guitar through Berklee College of Music. We have all been involved in playing music since our early teens, and are now in our 30’s.

FCEM: What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?
SSF: 70’s Metal, Classic Rock, Heavy Blues with a modern twist. Our influences span from 60’s and 70’s hard rock, early Metallica, blues, and modern rock with a twist of R&B vocal styling. Black Sabbath, Clutch, Wolfmother, Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk Railroad, Queens of the Stone Age, and Kyuss, to name a few, have all been major influences, past and present.
Syracuse DJ, Scott Dixon of 95x, has dubbed us the bastard child of Clutch and Stevie Wonder!

FCEM: How long have you all known each other? How did you meet?
SSF: Singer Sean Muldoon and I, guitarist Jeff Wiggins, have been friends and writing music together since our early teens. We were introduced through mutual friends from school who thought we should get together because of our love of playing and writing heavy metal music. That’s exactly what we did! We have performed together in various original rock and metal bands for the last 20 years and in Stone Soul Foundation since 2002, which is when “Drummer” Shane met us at the local watering hole in Auburn. Shane loved our vision of a rock/metal band with soul and we dug his energy and passion to perform. “Bassist” Doug later joined the band around 2006 replacing the previous bass player who had lost interest in pursuing a career in music. After playing with various cover bands Doug jumped on the opportunity to join Stone Soul Foundation thus fulfilling his passion of playing with an original hard rock band.

FCEM: When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music together?
SSF: 2002. Our inspiration to create SSF came from our belief that there was a need to bring passion back into rock and metal music.

FCEM: Do you have a record label? Are you a member of any music organizations?
SSF: We are currently unsigned. We are members of BMI, which collects royalties on behalf of SSF for public use of our music. We own all the rights to our songs and recordings.

FCEM: What can you tell me about your instruments? (i.e., Are you subject to brand loyalty or will you play with whatever is available? What made you choose the instruments you have now? Was it cost or was it a style/model/brand/color preference?
SSF: Currently the only member of the band that is an “artist endorse” is guitarist Jeff Wiggins. He uses “Voodoo Amps” speaker enclosures and “Voodoo Amps Modified” Marshall Amplifiers as well as “Dunlop” picks. Although he has no endorsement through Gibson, Jeff uses and prefers Gibson Custom Shop guitars. Shane Stillman uses DW Drums exclusively and Doug Paradise uses Mesa Boogie amps and Music Man basses exclusively. We use these products because of their excellent sound and superiority. We have learned over the years to not choose your instruments based on price but on sound, construction, and the ability to reflect your individual personality as a player.

FCEM: Where have you performed? Do you have any upcoming shows?
SSF: Stone Soul Foundation has performed several hundred shows at clubs, festivals, and special events throughout the U.S. including the famed Whisky a GO GO in Los Angeles, and the SXSW Festival in Texas. We have recently been direct support for Bobaflex, Otherwise, Sponge, LA Guns, Pop Evil, Eve to Adam, HURT, Smile Empty Soul, and soon, Saliva, and Devour the Day! They have previously been called upon to open for other notable musicians including Spacehog, Warrant, Black Stone Cherry, Rusted Roots' Michael Glabicki, Mountains' Leslie West and Grand Funk Railroads' Mark Farner as well as headlining the Harley Davidson 105th Anniversary Celebration. In add - Fourth Coast Entertainment Magazine

"Auburn stoner metal band, Stone Soul Foundation, took the stage and as far as I was concerned, this could have been the start of the touring bands. The quality of performances from this point forward made the cost of admission worth it at twice the price. This dread-lead hard rockin’ gang of misfits had great vocals, guitar licks, and the drummer set an energetic pace." - Upstate Metal

"Auburn stoner metal band, Stone Soul Foundation, took the stage and as far as I was concerned, this could have been the start of the touring bands. The quality of performances from this point forward made the cost of admission worth it at twice the price. This dread-lead hard rockin’ gang of misfits had great vocals, guitar licks, and the drummer set an energetic pace." - Upstate Metal

"Hometown sensations SSF have been rockin sweaty clubs in upstate New York exactly like they were rockin packed to the rafters arenas, give it a year or so and that’s probably where they’ll be going next"

Stone Soul Foundation’s track “Aint No Mystery” from their 2011 release “Electric Valley” is featured as track #1 on Classic Rock Magazines 16 track compilation cd entitled “Super Rock Power Hour”. The CD is included with issue #160 which is on shelves now. The July 2011 USA addition has Slash and Axl Rose featured on the cover. You can get a copy of Classic Rock Magazine at any major book store or news stand in the USA and the UK. Classic Rock had this to say about SSF…

- Classic Rock Magazine

With face-melting guitar riffs, powerful vocals and effortless rooves, the men of Stone Soul Foundation are poised to join the legends of arena rock. At the end of their tour they sat down to talk about their music and winding up on Hillbilly Handfishin’.

Last year you were here for SXSW and had a pretty bad accident, how was it this year?
Sean Muldoon - Lead singer: This year we were able to escape adversity and it was a good time but still hectic. Being there with thousands of musicians was great; we wish we could spend more time there.

On the albums there are layers of funk, rock and metal, how would you describe your music?
Sean: The core of our music is hard rock with metal influences. We grew up listening to metal, but then our musical tastes evolved. We listen to blues, classic soul, R&B, and classic rock. Those genres influence our music on a subtle level.
Doug Paradise - Bass: We’re sometimes put in the same categories as Queens of the Stone Age and maybe the Foo Fighters. But I grew up with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath.

On the track “Song About You” who is the person that makes you insane and whose voice makes you want to die?
Sean: I supposed I could dedicate that song to a certain one or two people, then I looked at it and I could have been singing that song about myself. Not that I self-loath, but everybody has those days. It started out more tongue-in-cheek, but as the song grew it
became a little heavier and darker.

“I Master” is a great song all about conquering the world around you. How did you come up with it?
Sean: The idea about that song is that you can be in control of what goes on around you. If you have a positive attitude and take unfortunate incidents in your life and look at them as an opportunity for learning. It’s about having control in your world through positivity.

If you could jam with other artists who would they be?
Sean: Oh if Miles Davis was still alive that’d be great. I’d like us to have a horn section or something like that. Maybe Phish or the remaining members of the Grateful Dead.
Shane Stillman - Drums: We all listen to lot of different types of music. We have such a respect for how hard it is to work as musicians, so we’d work with anyone.

After completing this tour for Electric Valley are you all heading back into the studio?
Jeff Wiggins - Guitar: We’ll be going home to lick our wounds. Eventually we’ll be back in the studio, and we’ll be touring up and down the East Coast and maybe in the Midwest.

Recently you starred on Animal Planets’ Hillbilly Handfishin’, how was that experience?
Shane: Skipper, Trent and everyone at Big Fish Adventures were awesome. We were lucky; we came out of this making some really great friends. - Blitz Weekly

Shane Stillman can usually be found behind the drum set while Sean Muldoon croons away as part of the local rock band Stone Soul Foundation. But on Sunday, Feb. 26, 8 p.m., the boys will trade their respective drumsticks and microphone stand for something slimier. The Auburn residents will be featured on Hillbilly Handfishin’, a 60-minute weekly series on cable TV’s Animal Planet that features “city slickers” who travel to Oklahoma to try out “noodling” a.k.a. handfishing.

From song hooks to no hooks, the rockers traveled down to Oklahoma last summer to film the episode, where they used their hands and feet to catch monster catfish in murky waters. With the help of Oklahoman noodlers Skipper Bivins and Trent Jackson the two rockers tackled the southern tradition for the world to see.

—Jessica “Finding - The New Times

Auburn band Stone Soul Foundation plays an original song in our studio at The Post-Standard. - Music Notes by The Post Standard

"Rockers" Shane and Sean are stoked when they catch the largest catfish of the day so far: a 40-pounder! - Animal Planet

Auburn, NY metal rockers Stone Soul Foundation will be appearing on the Animal Planet show "Hillbilly Handfishin" on February 26th. The plot and details of the program have not been revealed at this time. Stone Soul Foundation recently released it's album "Electric Valley," many of whose tracks can be streamed over on MySpace. The band also likes to interact with its fans on a weekly basis on it's web show, which is every Thursday at 9:00 p.m. over at this location. Stone Soul Foundation has announced a couple of tour dates in the central New York area, and other areas, besides heading over to this year's SXSW on March 2nd. Check out the preview video of the album after the jump.


February 11th ---------- Mac's Bad Art Bar - Mattydale, NY
February 18th --------- Bulls Run - Seneca Falls, NY - (acoustic show)
February 24th --------------- Suzy's - Auburn, NY
Fri March 2nd – Doors @ 7pm, The Cove, Geneva On The Lake, OH
March 3rd –----------------Penny Road Pub, Barrington, IL
March 4th –---------------Bombay Bicycle Club, Des Moines area, IA
March 7th –---------------El Corazone, Seattle, WA
March 9th –---------------Club 23, Brisbane (South San Francisco), CA
March 10th –--------------- The Whiskey A Go Go, Los Angeles, CA
March 11th –---------------- Winston’s, San Diego CA
March 14th –----------------- The Bone, Dallas, TX
March 15th –------------------ SXSW Austin, TX
March 16th –------------------ Dukes Road House (Live Show and Hillbilly Handfishin Meet &
Greet, Dallas TX)

- Metal Underground

Auburn based Stone Soul Foundation has a nice run of national shows coming up over the next month. The bluesy hard rock band has been devastating it’s Finger Lakes fans with sick grooves for about ten years now.

With the release of last year’s “Electric Valley,” album, the stock of the band has gone through the roof. Their latest release was pushed along in the studio by local legend Alex Perialas who is well known for his work with Bad Religion, Anthrax, and S.O.D. Also helping in capturing the sound this time was Jocko Randall of More Sound Studio. Mr. Randall is an up and comer in the local recording game, and also produced one of my favorite albums of last year, Thunder Body’s “Wind Blows Harder.”

When looking at the Stone Soul Foundation’s upcoming tour dates, you can tell the band is “going for it.” After the recent acoustic show that was played this last Friday at Bull’s Run in Seneca Falls, the band will be giving a pre-tour performance at Suzy’s in Auburn on February 24th. After that, the band will be hitting the road in all directions. Highlights of their tour include scheduled performances at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, and The Whisky-A-Go Go in Los Angeles.

Hopefully, this massive industry exposure will lead to bigger things for the band. These guys have been busting their asses for years, and have paid their dues excessively. I wish them great success in this ambitious journey across the country.

Stone Soul Foundation Tour Dates:

Feb. 24th- Suzy’s - Auburn, NY
March 2nd- TBA- Cleveland, OH
March 3rd - Penny Road Pub - Barrington, IL
March 4th - Bombay Bicycle Club - Clive, IA
March 7th - El Corazone - Seattle, WA.
March 9th - Club 23 - Brisbane, CA.
March 10th - Whisky A Go Go, Hollywood, CA.
March 11th - Winston’s Beach Club - San Diego, CA.
March 15th - Headhunters - Austin, TX. (SXSW Festival)
March 16th - Dukes Road House - Dallas, TX. - Finger Lakes One

This Week: Stone Soul Foundation
If you like your rock hard and heavy, Stone Soul Foundation just might be what you are looking for. The Auburn New Yorkers have a sound that is like a combination of Wolfmother and Black Sabbath. They are also veterans and their craft as the core of the band is approaching ten years as a unit.



Last year Stone Soul Foundation took their recordings to the next level working with fellow upstate New Yorker and legendary Producer Alex Perialas, who has produced many great metal bands including Anthrax, Testament, and Overkill. The outcome was the accessible and outstanding “Electric Valley” album.



Mighty Lead Singer Sean Muldoon and Guitarist virtuoso Jeff Wiggins, who along with the solid rhythm section of Bassist Doug Paradise and Drummer Shane Stillman, are the machine that make up this superb band. Here is a recent interview in which Muldoon and Wiggins spoke to The Rock N Roll Buzz:



SR: When did Stone Soul Foundation form and was it easy to build a fan base in your hometown?
SSF: The band formed in 2002. If a fan base is a dozen people then yeah, it was easy! Now our fan base is steadily growing and we’re gaining fans worldwide.



SR: What was it like being on tour earlier this year?
SSF: We submitted for a showcase and were not selected. But we decided that we would play SXSW no matter what it would take. We packed the trailer with a rented sound system, a stage, and all of our gear ready to play on the street corner if need be. Our van has a power converter that was installed by our drummer so that we can play electrified anywhere on the spot. We booked as many shows as we could before we hit the road. Most of the tour dates were booked last minute, literally making phone calls on the road. We hijacked the stage from a house band in Nashville. Our buddy AJ from Thunderosa (Texas metalbilly band) magically booked us two gigs at the SXSW Festival as we were rolling into Austin. The rock gods were looking over us!



SR: What was it like working with a producer who has produced some very big records over the years?
SSF: Alex is a complete professional. He is efficient in his work and knows how to induce and capture creative moments. He has a great sense of humor and makes you feel at ease while paying full attention to the task at hand. And let’s not forget he’s recorded some of the greatest metal and hard rock albums. It’s an honor to have his name associated with our work. Some of the tracks were also recorded with Jason Randall, aka Jocko. Jocko is a young talent who has knowledge and experience beyond his years. His attention to detail and production skills is spot on. Look out for him!





SR: What have been some of the highlights for the band up to this point?
SSF: We’ve experienced many awesome things up to this point. We have grown from a local act to a national touring act, soon to be international. Recently we were featured on a compilation CD entitled “Super Rock Power Hour” which was included in the July 2011 issue of Classic Rock Magazine, both in the US and the UK. We’ve played for a handful of huge international acts including one of our favorite bands, Mountain.



SR: That must have been cool playing with Mountain, what was that like?
SSF: It was really hot in the club and Leslie (West, singer and guitarist) had to cut it short. I believe he got married the next day. They played a hell of a set. Corky Laing (Drummer) complimented the band and Sean’s voice. There’s a feeling of accomplishment when you hear that from a universal rock legend!



- The Patriot Newspaper

This Week: Stone Soul Foundation
If you like your rock hard and heavy, Stone Soul Foundation just might be what you are looking for. The Auburn New Yorkers have a sound that is like a combination of Wolfmother and Black Sabbath. They are also veterans and their craft as the core of the band is approaching ten years as a unit.



Last year Stone Soul Foundation took their recordings to the next level working with fellow upstate New Yorker and legendary Producer Alex Perialas, who has produced many great metal bands including Anthrax, Testament, and Overkill. The outcome was the accessible and outstanding “Electric Valley” album.



Mighty Lead Singer Sean Muldoon and Guitarist virtuoso Jeff Wiggins, who along with the solid rhythm section of Bassist Doug Paradise and Drummer Shane Stillman, are the machine that make up this superb band. Here is a recent interview in which Muldoon and Wiggins spoke to The Rock N Roll Buzz:



SR: When did Stone Soul Foundation form and was it easy to build a fan base in your hometown?
SSF: The band formed in 2002. If a fan base is a dozen people then yeah, it was easy! Now our fan base is steadily growing and we’re gaining fans worldwide.



SR: What was it like being on tour earlier this year?
SSF: We submitted for a showcase and were not selected. But we decided that we would play SXSW no matter what it would take. We packed the trailer with a rented sound system, a stage, and all of our gear ready to play on the street corner if need be. Our van has a power converter that was installed by our drummer so that we can play electrified anywhere on the spot. We booked as many shows as we could before we hit the road. Most of the tour dates were booked last minute, literally making phone calls on the road. We hijacked the stage from a house band in Nashville. Our buddy AJ from Thunderosa (Texas metalbilly band) magically booked us two gigs at the SXSW Festival as we were rolling into Austin. The rock gods were looking over us!



SR: What was it like working with a producer who has produced some very big records over the years?
SSF: Alex is a complete professional. He is efficient in his work and knows how to induce and capture creative moments. He has a great sense of humor and makes you feel at ease while paying full attention to the task at hand. And let’s not forget he’s recorded some of the greatest metal and hard rock albums. It’s an honor to have his name associated with our work. Some of the tracks were also recorded with Jason Randall, aka Jocko. Jocko is a young talent who has knowledge and experience beyond his years. His attention to detail and production skills is spot on. Look out for him!





SR: What have been some of the highlights for the band up to this point?
SSF: We’ve experienced many awesome things up to this point. We have grown from a local act to a national touring act, soon to be international. Recently we were featured on a compilation CD entitled “Super Rock Power Hour” which was included in the July 2011 issue of Classic Rock Magazine, both in the US and the UK. We’ve played for a handful of huge international acts including one of our favorite bands, Mountain.



SR: That must have been cool playing with Mountain, what was that like?
SSF: It was really hot in the club and Leslie (West, singer and guitarist) had to cut it short. I believe he got married the next day. They played a hell of a set. Corky Laing (Drummer) complimented the band and Sean’s voice. There’s a feeling of accomplishment when you hear that from a universal rock legend!



- The Patriot Newspaper

"Black Sabbath, Zeppelin, and Grand Funk Railroad meets Metallica, Wolfmother, and Queens Of The Stone Age" is how Stone Soul Foundation have been described, all I can say is that Electric Valley, the third release from Stone Soul Foundation, delivers first class hard driving blues groove riff-heavy rock with the vocals to match.
Theres plenty of variation on offer here, but there is also an underlying quality that keep all the songs moving along, its no wonder that these guys were picked out by Classic Rock magazine to be amongst the ones to watch for 2011.
A great band with solid songs performed to perfection, A very solid release that captures all the right elements from the late seventies hard rock giants, mixes them up a little and releases them with a contemporary edge.

A great album, well worth checking out!
- Sinister Angels Realm

The members of Auburn rock band Stone Soul Foundation had a Dickens of a time down in Texas last week.

It was the best of times the Thursday of the annual South by Southwest music conference, as SSF played two successful showcases.

"Awesome shows," says drummer Shane Stillman. "Thanks to A.J. (Mancabelli of former Syracuse band Thunderosa) for setting them up for us.

It was the worst of times late that night as they were driving to a friend's house. With the band van hauling a trailer stuffed with equipment -- they took everything accept for acoustic gear because the band played shows in Annapolis, Md.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Nashville on the way south -- the four musicians and one technician were traveling about 40 in the slow lane of Route 135, Stillman recalls during a phone conversation just now.

A BMW traveling about 80 mph smashed into the trailer, Stillman says.

"The band was making some heads turn down there," Stillman says. "Then we got rear-ended."

The trailer spun, tearing lose from the ball hitch but not the chains. It pulled the van with it. across four lanes of busy traffic, all with Stillman, guitarist Jeff Wiggins, singer Sean Muldoon, bassist Doug Paradise and tech Rich Kaye watching the road in horror. Nobody else crashed into them.

They stopped some 600 feet from the spot of the collision, Stillman says.

Everything in the trailer was so shaken, Stillman says, they need it all replaced. He's in talks with insurance representatives for the driver of the BMW, Stillman says.

The trailer was totaled on the spot. The van was drivable. They rented a trailer and drove 26 hours straight to Auburn, Stillman says, arriving about 4 p.m. Sunday.

Stillman says the four-piece band remains solidly behind the music from the latest CD, Electric Valley, which they released six weeks ago.

On the drive back from Texas, he says, they got a phone call with the news that the song "Ain't No Mystery" was selected to be included on a compilation disc by European magazine Classic Rock, which will print 70,000 copies to go along with the mag.

The band's been together almost nine years, and is ready for more.

They have a May gig in Brooklyn. The next Central New York show on the SSF schedule right now is a 9 p.m. June 3 set at Trishstock in Oswego.

Stillman says he'd love for rock fans to put a new twist on the old story, where musicians become famous after they die.

"We survived," he says. "The ending should be, you can love them while they're alive. They should be dead.

"We say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger," Stillman says.

- Mark Bialczak/The Post-Standard

Stone Soul Foundation – Electric Valley CD (2011)
Hot Damn, we’ve hit a speed bump in the tunnels of time and got stuck inside a bong! SSF has to be the most authentic stoner metal band since Trouble or St. Vitus, right down to the bellbottoms and pilgrims hat. Easily digestible for older burners who already took the trip as well as those ready to blast off, this doob-burning magnum opus puts 13 choice cuts into your bowl. This had better be on vinyl. Its like The Sword are humping Nazareth’s leg while on DMT. Solos, righteous vocals, whah-abuse and probably some other flavors too. I would recommend this album to all of you who wish to make your girlfriends clothes fall off. Very high grade. Check out “Christian”, “Window” and “I, Master “

- Cross Roads Music Magazine

HEY JEFF THANKS FOR TALKING WITH ME. I APPRECIATE IT.

No problem at all.


I SEE YOU HAVE MADE FRIENDS WITH JEFF OVER AT FULLMETALHIPPIE.COM. HE IS A VERY NICE GUY.

Jeff is actually a wicked cool dude. I wish him the best of luck. He connected with our band through one of our songs called “Christian.” He took a real interest in that song.

IT’S ALWAYS COOL WHEN ONE OF YOUR SONGS REALLY CONNECTS WITH SOMEONE.

Yeah, all of us as humans are trying to connect and relate. It’s kind of weird because when you are a teenager you kind of feel like you’re alone and like you can’t relate to anybody. Sometimes you can find some music at least that you can relate to. The older you get the more you realize that you are just like everybody else. That is what the song “They are Me,” which is also on our album portrays. We are all one in the same for the most part.


YOU RELEASED AN ALBUM TITLED ELECTRIC VALLEY THIS YEAR. WHEN DID IT COME OUT OR IS IT OUT YET?

We finished it up in December of 2010 and so it is basically a 2011 release. We are just starting now to promote it. We will be promoting it all year. We will be doing a lot of Northeast touring because we are from the central New York area. We are hoping to hit the west coast before the year is through and everywhere in between. We are really hoping to do something overseas and a few things up in Canada. We’ve been noticing that we have been getting a lot of notice in the UK, so we are hoping that the fans start to take over. It is up to the fans to put up the demand for the band, which is really what it comes down to. That is another cool thing about being in a band, it’s not just about the players in the band, it’s also about the fans. In the end, they are the ones that will kind of push it and put it out into people’s faces that have some say, like the people that book the bigger shows.

HAVE YOU TOURED NATIONALLY OR JUST REGIONALLY?

Mostly regionally, but now we have started doing bigger ones. We are in the process of putting together some more national touring.

DIDN’T YOU PLAY SXSW THIS YEAR?

Yes, we did two shows down there. After the show we were heading back out of town to go chill out for the night. It was a little after midnight, we were on I35, which is a main highway and we were struck by a drunk driver in a BMW doing about 70-80 mph. They ran into our trailer full of gear. We were on the off ramp and it sent us back onto the four lane highway. The impact flipped the trailer over and almost flipped the van over. We ended up when all was said and done about 600 feet down the road in the passing lane facing traffic with traffic coming at us. Luckily, we were not hit straight on.


WERE ANY OF YOU HURT?

We had minor injuries, whiplash and my arm is quite sore because I was driving. It’s probably from the adrenaline of trying to yank the wheel and hold it under control. I pulled some muscles in my arm. I’m dealing with that right now, but it was kind of like a near death experience. It sucks because we had a totally successful tour on the way down there because we did New York, Maryland, Nashville, Alabama, SXSW and then we got creamed.

HOW WAS THE OTHER DRIVER?

Surprisingly, he was alright. Luckily, because he ran into a brick wall, that trailer was packed top to bottom. We had all of our gear in there because we wanted to be ready for any situation. We had a full PA and full stage gear, we actually had a stage in the trailer. He hit us really hard, so hard that it bent the hitch up at a 90 degree angle. The trailer came off the hitch, hit the van and then rolled over on its side.


DID YOUR GEAR GET ALL MESSED UP?

Yeah, it’s dinged, we still have to send it out to some technicians to have the electronics looked through. A lot of the drum stuff is smashed up. It got hit at a high speed and hit the ground, so it is all damaged in one way or another. It was a long ride to where we were sleeping afterwards and then it was an even longer ride home when we came back to New York. It’s an awakening of what goes on in the lives of touring musicians in bands. It was a really scary situation. It was wild, but it’s part of the story. We have ups and downs. I think it makes us want to do even more. That is how we are; we are always working on getting back up and taking two more steps. It keeps us going, so bring it on I guess.

YEAH, THERE WILL BE PLENTY MORE SURPRISES AROUND THE CORNER. I HEAR ABOUT A LOT OF BAND ROBBERIES.

It is ridiculous. We try and keep an eye on our stuff. We try to back the trailer up to a wall or a fence.

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE ALBUM ELECTRIC VALLEY. YOU ARE A VERY TALENTED GUITAR PLAYER. WHAT IS THE VIBE OF THIS ALBUM?

Musically it is like a really tight live performance. It’s really warm. It seems like a lot of music now is a little bit over produced with a super digital sound. A lot of tracks on this album are warm and robust. They are more tape sounding as opposed to digital, so tha - MUEN Magazine

HEY JEFF THANKS FOR TALKING WITH ME. I APPRECIATE IT.

No problem at all.


I SEE YOU HAVE MADE FRIENDS WITH JEFF OVER AT FULLMETALHIPPIE.COM. HE IS A VERY NICE GUY.

Jeff is actually a wicked cool dude. I wish him the best of luck. He connected with our band through one of our songs called “Christian.” He took a real interest in that song.

IT’S ALWAYS COOL WHEN ONE OF YOUR SONGS REALLY CONNECTS WITH SOMEONE.

Yeah, all of us as humans are trying to connect and relate. It’s kind of weird because when you are a teenager you kind of feel like you’re alone and like you can’t relate to anybody. Sometimes you can find some music at least that you can relate to. The older you get the more you realize that you are just like everybody else. That is what the song “They are Me,” which is also on our album portrays. We are all one in the same for the most part.


YOU RELEASED AN ALBUM TITLED ELECTRIC VALLEY THIS YEAR. WHEN DID IT COME OUT OR IS IT OUT YET?

We finished it up in December of 2010 and so it is basically a 2011 release. We are just starting now to promote it. We will be promoting it all year. We will be doing a lot of Northeast touring because we are from the central New York area. We are hoping to hit the west coast before the year is through and everywhere in between. We are really hoping to do something overseas and a few things up in Canada. We’ve been noticing that we have been getting a lot of notice in the UK, so we are hoping that the fans start to take over. It is up to the fans to put up the demand for the band, which is really what it comes down to. That is another cool thing about being in a band, it’s not just about the players in the band, it’s also about the fans. In the end, they are the ones that will kind of push it and put it out into people’s faces that have some say, like the people that book the bigger shows.

HAVE YOU TOURED NATIONALLY OR JUST REGIONALLY?

Mostly regionally, but now we have started doing bigger ones. We are in the process of putting together some more national touring.

DIDN’T YOU PLAY SXSW THIS YEAR?

Yes, we did two shows down there. After the show we were heading back out of town to go chill out for the night. It was a little after midnight, we were on I35, which is a main highway and we were struck by a drunk driver in a BMW doing about 70-80 mph. They ran into our trailer full of gear. We were on the off ramp and it sent us back onto the four lane highway. The impact flipped the trailer over and almost flipped the van over. We ended up when all was said and done about 600 feet down the road in the passing lane facing traffic with traffic coming at us. Luckily, we were not hit straight on.


WERE ANY OF YOU HURT?

We had minor injuries, whiplash and my arm is quite sore because I was driving. It’s probably from the adrenaline of trying to yank the wheel and hold it under control. I pulled some muscles in my arm. I’m dealing with that right now, but it was kind of like a near death experience. It sucks because we had a totally successful tour on the way down there because we did New York, Maryland, Nashville, Alabama, SXSW and then we got creamed.

HOW WAS THE OTHER DRIVER?

Surprisingly, he was alright. Luckily, because he ran into a brick wall, that trailer was packed top to bottom. We had all of our gear in there because we wanted to be ready for any situation. We had a full PA and full stage gear, we actually had a stage in the trailer. He hit us really hard, so hard that it bent the hitch up at a 90 degree angle. The trailer came off the hitch, hit the van and then rolled over on its side.


DID YOUR GEAR GET ALL MESSED UP?

Yeah, it’s dinged, we still have to send it out to some technicians to have the electronics looked through. A lot of the drum stuff is smashed up. It got hit at a high speed and hit the ground, so it is all damaged in one way or another. It was a long ride to where we were sleeping afterwards and then it was an even longer ride home when we came back to New York. It’s an awakening of what goes on in the lives of touring musicians in bands. It was a really scary situation. It was wild, but it’s part of the story. We have ups and downs. I think it makes us want to do even more. That is how we are; we are always working on getting back up and taking two more steps. It keeps us going, so bring it on I guess.

YEAH, THERE WILL BE PLENTY MORE SURPRISES AROUND THE CORNER. I HEAR ABOUT A LOT OF BAND ROBBERIES.

It is ridiculous. We try and keep an eye on our stuff. We try to back the trailer up to a wall or a fence.

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE ALBUM ELECTRIC VALLEY. YOU ARE A VERY TALENTED GUITAR PLAYER. WHAT IS THE VIBE OF THIS ALBUM?

Musically it is like a really tight live performance. It’s really warm. It seems like a lot of music now is a little bit over produced with a super digital sound. A lot of tracks on this album are warm and robust. They are more tape sounding as opposed to digital, so tha - MUEN Magazine

Berklee takes the chance to highlight some of its favorite music created by students past and present.

- Berklee College Of Music

Berklee takes the chance to highlight some of its favorite music created by students past and present.

- Berklee College Of Music

Electric Valley, the third release from Stone Soul Foundation, delivers first class hard driving blues groove riff-heavy rock with the vocals to match.

These are the kind of songs you want to hear on your city's rock station. If you like bands such as Godsmack, Black Sabbath, Alice In Chains, or Guns N Roses you will like Stone Soul Foundation. SSF has their own sound and style that will fit very well next to the aforementioned bands in your CD/MP3 collection.

The opening track Sidewalker is a fast bluesy rocker and the second track Christian, a scathing social critique, is a hooky mid-tempo grind akin to Pantera or Sabbath. The title track Electric Valley is a funky rocker that may remind the listener of Thin Lizzy's Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed with some southern rock flavor as well.

Track 4, Ain't No Mystery is another great up tempo rock anthem and track 5, A Song About You, slows it down and grinds it out. Track 6, Window, changes gears to a slow rock ballad that shows off the exceptional vocals of Sean Muldoon as well as the writing of guitarist Jeff Wiggins.

Electric Valley maintains it's energy for tracks Mountain Of Time, Next Flight, and Gonna Try, slows down for They Are Me, then jumps back to full power for the final track I Master, another great rock hippie anthem.

If you like the genres of hard rock, southern rock, stoner/hippie rock, and/or heavy groove rock, you will want to own Stone Soul Foundation's latest CD Electric Valley.

- Full Metal Hippie

The Stone Soul Foundation have been around for almost a decade, probably at home in the States, will also have a good following, but it is my first run into "Electric Valley" had never heard of sin, I was missing a very good band.
This second disc of the formation of Syracuse arrives at a distance of five years from the publication of the debut "Into The Flames", the biography speaks of five musicians who have a wide range of influences that in fact this is seen in the eleven tracks (most two "radio edit" of the fifth and eleventh song) that draw from acts such as Black Sabbath, BLS, Alice In Chains (among many), in addition to feel comfortable exploring the area hard rock / funk classic and do not necessarily conditioned and packaged in dark shade.
The sound is engaging, have created a pretty explosive mixture, there are overwhelming the pieces for a lively look that characterizes them ("Side Walker", "Electric Valley," "Is not No Mystery," "Mountain Of Time"), songs that gap in the radio circuit for the chorus that gets in the head ("Christian" that carry the words, then a picture is not so far from a reality that applies to many "followers" of this style of thinking: "You Call Yourself a Christian, yet 'you're quick to judge. You call yourself a Christian, you still hold a grudge. Yo call yourself a Christian, you boast of your faith. Hypocrisy in the name of the holy ghost "), usability Mixed aggressive charge ("Song About You" and "Gonna Try") and the ability to touch the strings of the listener most emotionally sweet ("Window" and "They Are", the second is pleasant to hear the organ lines offered by Josh Sularski).
It 's a strong proof how sweet, compositionally elegant but not "prissy" in the way, the tracks more often enriched by the work of the two six-string solo by Jeff Wiggins and Dan Dennis, also in good shape the frames and showing a riffing rich in many aspects and facets of the creature Stone Soul Foundation, the listener knows pander.
The performance behind the microphone Sean Muldoon, in some predicaments as Ozzy oriented (if it perceives as an example in saying "leave it all behind" at the end of the chorus of "Next Flight" you would need to turn to a trusted ENT), in other rimembrante albeit distantly Layne Staley (and I must say with all sincerity that one or two names despite having listened to repeat the disc still escape me), is one that you remember because the guy is not a clone or a living of reflected light, avoid forcing the use of derivatives as a fulcrum, the lines have expressed a feeling of personal and you will follow him on more than one occasion.
Helped by a rhythmic base provided efficiently and present by Shane Stillman Paradise on drums and Doug on bass, fitting and follow the evolution of the songs impeccably handing their dynamics in support of the guitars, and a job done with the mixer the trappings owed by Mr. Alex Perialas (Overkill "Feel The Fire" with Anthrax "Spreading The Disease" and SOD for "Speak Inglese Or Die" and a "New Order" Testament among many of you say anything?), the framework put in an album by the values ??above the vulgar media as "Electric Valley" is complete.
Do you want to escape and you are missing the key to do this? Inserted into the reader's Stone Soul Foundation and leave behind the various paranoid, a little 'good music always has a positive effect on mood.
- Aristocrazia (Italian Webzine)

Central New York band Stone Soul Foundation worked two years to get its second CD, “Electric Valley,” just the way the musicians wanted it.

Shane Stillman, Dan Dennis, Jeff Wiggins and Sean Muldoon will let fly with the new stuff and work from debut CD “Into the Flames” with two Central New York shows this weekend: at 9 p.m. Friday at The Fireside Inn, 2345 W. Genesee St., Baldwinsville, and 6 p.m. Saturday at Suzy’s Tavern, 6 Lexington Ave., Auburn.

Wiggins reports they worked with master sound guys Alexis Periales, at Pyramid Sound in Ithaca, and Jocko at Syracuse’s More Sound Studio before sending the 13 cuts down to Music Row in Nashville for final mixing at Georgetown Masters.

“It’s spectacular,” Wiggins says. “We’re all super excited.”

A listen to an advance copy reveals hard rock crackling with energy and stuffed with memorable lines.

They can snarl. In opening song “Sidewinder,” Muldoon sings, “You sidewalking snake! You back-stabbing fake! I ain’t the one. I wasn’t born yesterday. You ain’t got no reason for me to believe a word you say. Out of my way!”

There’s optimism, too, in “Mountain of Time,” as he sings “Keep your head down in the hurricane when you’re blinded by the freezing rain. Envision love waiting down below. Dig in, now don’t let go. ... If you survive, you’ll truly be alive. See the world through brand new eyes with every sunrise.”

- Mark Bialczak The Post Standard

Central New York band Stone Soul Foundation worked two years to get its second CD, “Electric Valley,” just the way the musicians wanted it.

Shane Stillman, Dan Dennis, Jeff Wiggins and Sean Muldoon will let fly with the new stuff and work from debut CD “Into the Flames” with two Central New York shows this weekend: at 9 p.m. Friday at The Fireside Inn, 2345 W. Genesee St., Baldwinsville, and 6 p.m. Saturday at Suzy’s Tavern, 6 Lexington Ave., Auburn.

Wiggins reports they worked with master sound guys Alexis Periales, at Pyramid Sound in Ithaca, and Jocko at Syracuse’s More Sound Studio before sending the 13 cuts down to Music Row in Nashville for final mixing at Georgetown Masters.

“It’s spectacular,” Wiggins says. “We’re all super excited.”

A listen to an advance copy reveals hard rock crackling with energy and stuffed with memorable lines.

They can snarl. In opening song “Sidewinder,” Muldoon sings, “You sidewalking snake! You back-stabbing fake! I ain’t the one. I wasn’t born yesterday. You ain’t got no reason for me to believe a word you say. Out of my way!”

There’s optimism, too, in “Mountain of Time,” as he sings “Keep your head down in the hurricane when you’re blinded by the freezing rain. Envision love waiting down below. Dig in, now don’t let go. ... If you survive, you’ll truly be alive. See the world through brand new eyes with every sunrise.”

- Mark Bialczak The Post Standard

AUBURN — Stone Soul Foundation, an Auburn-based, hard rock band, promises to take listeners on a wild ride of groovy sounds, exclusive time with the band and a chance to acquire the band’s new release before the general public gets a hold of it.

The band will hold a CD listening and release party, complete with a live performance, at Suzy’s Tavern in Auburn this Saturday.

“Electric Valley,” the band’s second full-length album, contains 11 songs that tell of real life issues and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Jeff Wiggins, guitar and vocals for Stone Soul Foundation, said the album, in part, represents the trials a band goes through as it fights to climb the mountain of success.

“A lot of people on the ‘outside’ think bands are an overnight success,” Wiggins said. “It can be really tough to be a band that’s on the road and trying to hold down relationships, a family...”

Some of the songs on the album, such as “Gonna Try” and “I Master,” are about believing in yourself and “how much of a struggle it can be to achieve your goals and reach your destiny,” Wiggins said.

Fans and new listeners alike will have a chance to ask the band members (Wiggins; Sean Muldoon, lead vocals and percussion; Dan Dennis, guitar and vocals; Shane Stillman, drums and vocals; and Doug Paradise, bass) about the inspiration behind these and other songs during an intimate meet-and-greet listening party. Fans can also ask the band about the process of recording and producing an album.

“For the first couple hours (of the CD release event), we’re going to be hanging out mingling and talking with people face-to-face,” Wiggins said. “A lot of bands don’t do that so I think it’s really cool that they (fans) can ask us any questions about anything, really.”

Wiggins said the opportunity is unique because the evening begins at 6 p.m. and time will be set aside specifically for fan interaction.

“A lot of times, by the time we’re done playing, it’s late and people have to get going,” he said. “The band won’t be consumed with getting everything ready to go. We’re going to make sure we have stuff set up ahead of time.”

Fans can also score autographs on their new copies of “Electric Valley,” Wiggins said.

After the meet and greet, the band will take to the stage and perform live all 11 songs, as well as some old favorites off its first album, “Into the Flames,” and some cover songs.

Although the band has played regional venues so far, in March, Stone Soul Foundation will travel to Texas to play the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival in Austin. “Electric Valley” will be released to iTunes, stores and other venues in January, but attendees of the CD release party will get their copies first.

“It is exclusive right now,” Wiggins said. “Basically, the people coming to (this show) or who know the band are the only ones getting it.”

- The Citizen

AUBURN — Stone Soul Foundation, an Auburn-based, hard rock band, promises to take listeners on a wild ride of groovy sounds, exclusive time with the band and a chance to acquire the band’s new release before the general public gets a hold of it.

The band will hold a CD listening and release party, complete with a live performance, at Suzy’s Tavern in Auburn this Saturday.

“Electric Valley,” the band’s second full-length album, contains 11 songs that tell of real life issues and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Jeff Wiggins, guitar and vocals for Stone Soul Foundation, said the album, in part, represents the trials a band goes through as it fights to climb the mountain of success.

“A lot of people on the ‘outside’ think bands are an overnight success,” Wiggins said. “It can be really tough to be a band that’s on the road and trying to hold down relationships, a family...”

Some of the songs on the album, such as “Gonna Try” and “I Master,” are about believing in yourself and “how much of a struggle it can be to achieve your goals and reach your destiny,” Wiggins said.

Fans and new listeners alike will have a chance to ask the band members (Wiggins; Sean Muldoon, lead vocals and percussion; Dan Dennis, guitar and vocals; Shane Stillman, drums and vocals; and Doug Paradise, bass) about the inspiration behind these and other songs during an intimate meet-and-greet listening party. Fans can also ask the band about the process of recording and producing an album.

“For the first couple hours (of the CD release event), we’re going to be hanging out mingling and talking with people face-to-face,” Wiggins said. “A lot of bands don’t do that so I think it’s really cool that they (fans) can ask us any questions about anything, really.”

Wiggins said the opportunity is unique because the evening begins at 6 p.m. and time will be set aside specifically for fan interaction.

“A lot of times, by the time we’re done playing, it’s late and people have to get going,” he said. “The band won’t be consumed with getting everything ready to go. We’re going to make sure we have stuff set up ahead of time.”

Fans can also score autographs on their new copies of “Electric Valley,” Wiggins said.

After the meet and greet, the band will take to the stage and perform live all 11 songs, as well as some old favorites off its first album, “Into the Flames,” and some cover songs.

Although the band has played regional venues so far, in March, Stone Soul Foundation will travel to Texas to play the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival in Austin. “Electric Valley” will be released to iTunes, stores and other venues in January, but attendees of the CD release party will get their copies first.

“It is exclusive right now,” Wiggins said. “Basically, the people coming to (this show) or who know the band are the only ones getting it.”

- The Citizen

STONE SOUL FOUNDATION ‘INTO THE FLAMES’ (SSF MUSIC)


This is bluesy soul R&B/rock and roll in a sort of 1970s approach like GLENN
HUGHES meets MOTHER’S FINEST while in a battle managed by GRAND FUNK
RAILROAD. It’s very funky at times and quite original, nothing like the
standard Rock&Roll from nowadays. This is something JEFF SCOTT SOTO would
love to make I guess, really funky rock and roll with bluesy guitarwork (a
la PAT TRAVERS/NEAL SCHON) and a lot of passionate soulful vocals. I even
smell some very early late 70s WHITESNAKE references, while PAUL RODGERS’
BAD COMPANY also comes around a few times. Concluded, a quality CD release
with in total 13 songs.

(Points: 8.2 out of 10)
- Strutter Magazine

STONE SOUL FOUNDATION ‘INTO THE FLAMES’ (SSF MUSIC)


This is bluesy soul R&B/rock and roll in a sort of 1970s approach like GLENN
HUGHES meets MOTHER’S FINEST while in a battle managed by GRAND FUNK
RAILROAD. It’s very funky at times and quite original, nothing like the
standard Rock&Roll from nowadays. This is something JEFF SCOTT SOTO would
love to make I guess, really funky rock and roll with bluesy guitarwork (a
la PAT TRAVERS/NEAL SCHON) and a lot of passionate soulful vocals. I even
smell some very early late 70s WHITESNAKE references, while PAUL RODGERS’
BAD COMPANY also comes around a few times. Concluded, a quality CD release
with in total 13 songs.

(Points: 8.2 out of 10)
- Strutter Magazine

Auburn rockers Stone Soul Foundation know how to lay it on thick.

Their 13-song disc, "Into the Flames," churns with heavy metal power. Yet the five guys in Stone Soul Foundation know that there's more to rock. Sean Muldoon on lead vocals, Dan Dennis and Jeff Wiggins on guitar, Doug Paradise on bass and Shane Stillman on drums roll their rock around in funk and sprinkle some tasty soul on top.

The moody, suspenseful title cut brings to mind the psychedelic days of Jim Morrison and the Doors. Muldoon and mates know how to go deep into the psyche, too, as the scary images of "Blood Runs Cold" prove: "Blood and fire reigns like a plague across the land. All the tears in the world can't extinguish the flames. Must we play these silly games? Man's pride, his hatred and his greed strangles like a weed. In the garden of no turning back, blood runs cold and hearts turn black."

Metal rap fans should love "No Stopping" as Muldoon rat-a-tat-tats: "Police behind me. Road block ahead. I might end up rich and I might end up dead."

On the other end of the spectrum, "Now" features a soaring acoustic guitar with a spirited sax by guest Brian Dobbie joining behind the prettier lyrics:

"Close your eyes and take a journey through space. Look upon the universe without a face. We are one with the dust of the earth and the wind within the sky."
- The Post Standard/Stars

Auburn rockers Stone Soul Foundation know how to lay it on thick.

Their 13-song disc, "Into the Flames," churns with heavy metal power. Yet the five guys in Stone Soul Foundation know that there's more to rock. Sean Muldoon on lead vocals, Dan Dennis and Jeff Wiggins on guitar, Doug Paradise on bass and Shane Stillman on drums roll their rock around in funk and sprinkle some tasty soul on top.

The moody, suspenseful title cut brings to mind the psychedelic days of Jim Morrison and the Doors. Muldoon and mates know how to go deep into the psyche, too, as the scary images of "Blood Runs Cold" prove: "Blood and fire reigns like a plague across the land. All the tears in the world can't extinguish the flames. Must we play these silly games? Man's pride, his hatred and his greed strangles like a weed. In the garden of no turning back, blood runs cold and hearts turn black."

Metal rap fans should love "No Stopping" as Muldoon rat-a-tat-tats: "Police behind me. Road block ahead. I might end up rich and I might end up dead."

On the other end of the spectrum, "Now" features a soaring acoustic guitar with a spirited sax by guest Brian Dobbie joining behind the prettier lyrics:

"Close your eyes and take a journey through space. Look upon the universe without a face. We are one with the dust of the earth and the wind within the sky."
- The Post Standard/Stars

“With Muldoon's voice, endless musical influences and a positive vibe, Stone Soul Foundation is building a rep as an ultimate party band.” - Syracuse New Times

“It’s drive that helps launch today’s aspring musicians into the spotlight. Stone Soul Foundation has that drive.”
- The Citizen

“Stone Soul Foundation is quickly becoming one of the hottest up and coming rock-n-roll sensations to hit the central New York music circuit.”
- For Go Music

A knock-down, drag-out party in a box, NYC's Stone Soul Foundation mix up bar-room boogie with a skronking brass section and flash metal guitars, and as you might imagine, the result is popped tops and DUI's all around. I haven't heard this particular combination of instruments since The Boyzz back in '78, and although there's no revving motorcycles in the mix here, the biker-rally vibe is in full effect on Saturday night howlers like "Walk Tall", "Heavy Hand" and "We Are Reborn". There's also a smattering of funk ("Get Up"), rattlebone blooze ("One Night"), and vintage glam-metal power balladry ("Into the Flames"), and various mutations along the way. Remarkably pretense-free stuff that exists only to get you on your feet. Or on your knees. Whichever comes first. - Sleazegrinder

Local rock band up for Sammy award

By Erica Geller / Special to The Citizen
Sunday, May 27, 2007 10:41 PM EDT

It's no wonder that the best rock category nominees up for a Sammy Award (Syracuse Area Music Award) include Auburn-based band Stone Soul Foundation. The group rips open the first track on its “Into the Flames” album with lyrics “Feeling like I know what to do/ I ain't doubting myself no more.”

The five-man Auburn sensation is a mix of blues, funk, metal and rock, and they're not about to back down from the challenge of living the undefined musical life.

That first track, called “Walk Tall,” opens with some finger snaps and “Ah ah ahs” that mimic some of that funky old wah-wah '70s soul. Although the lyrics are expected as a culmination of the band's five-year journey as musicians, nobody expects the driving lead and rhythm guitars to pulse through that sassy beginning. That kind of much-welcomed surprise is a sign that the band known as Stone Soul Foundation is not the same five men that made the first album, “Scenic Route,” in 2003, but a whole new band with cohesion and a lot to prove.

One part of Stone Soul's foundation is lead vocalist and percussion expert Sean Muldoon, who looks as though he is raging into battle on stage with his dreadlocks and full beard. Muldoon is known for “flailing around on stage like a crazed witch doctor,” according to his bandmates and his vocal influences are heavily spiked by Wilson Pickett of “Mustang Sally” fame and James Hetfield of Metallica.

Jeff Wiggins is part of the band's two-guitar assault along with Dan Dennis. Whether it's one playing the solo or the two trying to melt the audience's faces off, the players are inseparable in sound on the new album.

Holding up the band's insistent rhythm is the irreplaceable Doug Paradise on bass. With Stillman serving as the organizing beat of the band, Paradise is known as the machine that drives it along. The band's complicated rhythms on “Into the Flames” would not be possible without Paradise's insistent, full bass sound.

From “Scenic Route,” the track “Midnight Lady” opens with higher-than-metal male vocals in a style close to that of Foreigner's Lou Gramm and with the same intensity. Listeners can already hear at this point that there is something worth listening for as well with the showy front guitar solo.

“Scenic Route's” third track, “Heaven,” opens with Pink Floyd-esque stylings on vocals and guitar. A softer mood infuses the song, but it lacks the heat and personality of the later tracks on “Into the Flames” such as the primal “Get Up.” With a primal drum beat rivaling most modern rock bands, drummer Shane Stillman opens “Get Up” with a technique he learned from a producer who told him, “drum like a caveman.” The riff pierces the soul with its insistent rhythm and relents shortly to two guitars who feed on the bridge-like section that follows. It is clear, before the listener even gets to the funk-infused, saxxed up tracks “Now” (featuring Brian Dobbie of Ruby Shooz fame) and “Funk #50” that this is a band who have taken five elements and made them into one stone soul sound.

The SAMMY executive board has selected 13 bands to perform during the show, which will be held at Galaxy Communication's Taste of Syracuse event in Armory Square. The bands are chosen to represent the most contemporary talent in the Syracuse area and will perform on Friday, June 1, between noon and 11 p.m., with seven bands performing before the awards ceremony and six performing during. All performances will take place on the main stage.

The schedule will include Dan Elliott and the Monterays at noon, gospel group The Bells of Harmony at 1 p.m., hip-hop group DooWiTTle at 2 p.m., country band Conan and the Showdogs at 3 p.m., alternative-rock group Merit at 4 p.m., pop performers Letizia and the Z-Band at 5 p.m., alternative new-rock group Candid at 6 p.m. and the awards ceremony at 7 p.m. Playing the ceremony will be Joanne Shenandoah, Bob Halligan, Stroke, the Paul Case Band, Joe Whiting and Mark Doyle. After the awards ceremony, local ska band Razbari Sumthing will headline for the post-awards ceremony party. - By Erica Geller / Special to The Citizen

“Stone Soul Foundation is quickly becoming one of the hottest up and coming rock-n-roll sensations to hit the central New York music circuit.”
- For Go Music

Sammys News
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Syracuse New Times Sammys 2007 Award Winners
Added or Changed: 2007-06-08 11:13:24
Thanks to all those who came out and supported the Syracuse music scene this weekend at the annual Syracuse New Times Sammys award show. We're proud to announce the winners for this year's round of awards. Awards were selected by an independent panel of judges from the Le Moyne College music department lead by Andrew Russo, head of the department.

Best Country: Lisa Gentile
Best Folk or Bluegrass: Repercussion
Best Jazz: Kevin Dorsey Collective

Best Rock: Stone Soul Foundation

Best Pop: Kim Monroe
Best Blues: Jimmy Cavallo with Ron Spencer and Jumpstart
Best Rhythm and Blues: Jimmy Cavallo and the Houserockers
Best Alternative, New Rock or Metal: Josh Christian
Best Recording Other Styles: Grupo Pagan
Best Hip-hop or Rap: DooWiTTle
Hall of Fame: Mike Davis, Dick Ford, Isreal Hagan, Bob Halligan Jr., Ed Hamell, Joanne Shenandoah
Lifetime Achievement: Sen. John DeFrancisco
People's Choice for Best Band: The Bystanders
People's Choice for Best Venue: Dinosaur Bar-b-que
Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist: The Sister Lovers
- Syracuse New Times

Auburn's Stone Soul Foundation sent us their debut CD, Into the Flames, and it was certainly burning with energy! A blistering mix of funk, soul and rock, the five-piece is led by the impassioned vocals of Sean Muldoon, in a sort of stoner-meets-headbanger fashion. Adding psychedelic elements to the blend makes it that much cooler and Stone Soul Foundation do it all with grand aplomb, creating a Grand Funk meets Chili Peppers meets Cream concoction. Feel the soul as the band plays Stooges on Friday, June 10th - Rochester Free Times