Tim Stop

http://thesightsandsounds.com/2011/09/album-review-tim-stop-songs-of-seperation/ - The Sights and Sounds

By RALPH HEIBUTZKI - H-P Correspondent
Published: Thursday, December 10, 2009 1:09 PM EST
BENTON HARBOR - Like any touring musician, pianist-guitarist Tim Stopulos has weathered his share of small indignities - such as his group's billing.

But putting "Trim Stop Trio" on a marquee beats wondering if promoters will spell his surname correctly.

"We'd be playing shows, and see the paper - our name was spelled completely different one week than the next week, and it got a little complicated," Stopulos says. "So we just decided to cut it (the band's name) short."

This weekend, Stopulos and his bandmates - drummer Justin Hooks, bassist Seville Lilly and lead guitarist Michael Tahlier - will celebrate a year of playing together.


Given that dynamic, it's not hard to see why Stopulos's last release, "The Long Drive Home" (2007), is beginning to feel like ancient history.

"We're planning on doing a lot of new songs, to complement our last CD," Stopulous says. "Actually, we haven't started recording a new CD, but we want to test out the new material and see how people respond to it."

The addition of Tahlier - who was the last to join - is a nod to one of Stopulos' main musical heroes, Ben Folds, "who has the Ben Folds Five, and it's only three" members, he adds.

"He's (Folds) an incredible piano player," Stopulos says.

"I take a lot of influence from what he's done over the last 10 to 15 years. He's such a madman on the piano, I couldn't really expect to duplicate that, but I do hope to incorporate some aspects of his playing."

Although the guitar only came after 15 years of formal piano training, the 25-year-old Stopulos has plenty of favorites from both instrumental worlds, including Jeff Buckley, Coldplay, Billy Joel, John Mayer and Radiohead.

"We try a lot of different styles in our band," Stopulos says.

"There's definitely a hip-hop, Maroon 5 kind of vibe, but it's still rock. We love guys like Stevie Wonder and combine that with the other side of things, where you hear the Coldplay and Ben Folds."

The result, Stopulos says, is a subtler blending of guitar and piano that gives the music space to breathe.

"Piano rock is the best way to put it. It's all based around the piano," Stopulos says. "There's a lot of driving electric guitar to go with the piano - it's kind of different from what you're used to hearing. I want to keep the best of both worlds - keep the good parts of the electric guitar and combine it with the best parts of the piano we saw so many years ago."

Stopulos' musical journey gained momentum during high school, when - inspired by Dave Matthews - he added guitar to his arsenal. He bounced between band and solo activities while still in college at Wake Forest, a pattern that persisted on returning to his hometown of Davenport, Iowa.

But before long, Stopulos decided that only by joining a larger scene would he make his music a serious proposition.

"I played solo and with different bands for about a year until I realized it wasn't the thriving music scene I was looking for," Stopulos says.

"I love the town, I still call it home, but I made the move to Chicago."

But now that Stopulos calls the Windy City home, he's not rushing to beat an imaginary deadline, although he's certain to finish the new CD by early next year.

Stopulos says decisions are a little easier to make when there's no major label calling the shots - only the musicians, who have to decide what's best for themselves.

"In this day and age, I don't think there's anything wrong with it (being independent) - I think that's actually where music's heading," Stopulos says. "There's so many different avenues available to artists nowadays, that it's almost a completely do-it-yourself world, if you're savvy enough. So we're hoping that's going to be us." - Herald Palladium

"Full of earnest, exact pop
rock with careful layers of bombast... It's a lovingly constructed recording that's
satisfying and full of regular surprises... The Long Drive Home is
awash in potential, much of it already realized."

http://www.rcreader.com/arch97/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12141&Itemid=48 - River Cities Reader, Iowa, 08.01.07

"Tim Stopulos & The Trio is making its official debut with a gig Friday at the Redstone... [Stopulos] describes the new group’s sound as an extension of his previous solo work: rock with some classical, jazz and hip-hop influences."

http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/12/16/entertainment/music/doc494823d484833843421801.txt - Quad City Times, 12.19.08

"[Stopulos] filled [Nan's Piano Bar] with his warm voice, impressive range and dynamic guitar and piano styling.

Stopulos played mostly covers, but his acoustic renditions of John Mayer’s “Why Georgia,� Justin Timberlake’s “Until the End of Time,� and The Killer’s “Mr. Brightside� were far more organic and enjoyable than the originals.

Just as impressive as Stopulos’ performance was the standing room only crowd that filled the piano bar on a cold weeknight with snow in the forecast."

http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/12/23/entertainment/stephanie_depasquale/doc4951c212da50e553387275.txt - Quad City Times, 12.24.08