ALIVE IN STONE – A CONVERSATION WITH BRYAN PHILLIPS

Bryan Phillips is the lead singer of the driving Orlando band, Alive In Stone. This five piece just released their newest propulsive single entitled “Down & Out”. The song is massively immersive. It is full of angst and intense ferocity. The vocals are aggressive while the band’s musicianship is outstanding.  Every track Alive In Stone have released showcases their musical prowess. They are all organically raw with sublime arrangements. Every tune hits hard.

Besides Phillips, Alive In Stone is comprised of Ben Longstaff (Guitar), Matt Willey (Guitar), Doug Kirschner (Bass) and Herman Ogletree (Drums). Their sound encompases influences from the entire gamet of rock, grunge and metal. They also incorporate slices of alternative to create something singular and fresh. This new ensemble is worth watching. They are solid, determined and talented.

Bryan Phillips graced AMP with this brazen interview.

AMP: Please introduce us to the band. How did you meet and when and where did the band start?

BRYAN: Alive In Stone formed as a side project while I was playing in another band. I knew that the other band wasn’t where I wanted to be. It wasn’t going to let me reach my artistic goals and it started to get unhealthy. Since I play guitar, which was my first instrument, bass and sing, I started to create for this new venture. I was lucky enough to work with one of my mentors and I wrote all these new songs. Basically, I had everything ready to go. Once I was totally done with my old band, I took a year off to put things in order.

I then started looking to put the band together. I named it Alive In Stone because I was at this juxtaposition where I felt alive with this new material but cemented in stone waiting for things to come to fruition. The first guy I found was Matt Willey. We had talked in the past but never put anything together. He loved the vision of the new project. We then found Ben Longstaff, our other guitarist. I was friends with his family. Matt knew Herman Ogletree who eventually signed on as our drummer. He loved it immediately. The final piece was our bassist, Doug Kirschner. Alive In Stone was born.

AMP: The band has released a series of hard hitting singles. How would you categorize your music?

BRYAN: I would say our sound is genreless. One band that inspired me to do music is Red Sun Rising. The thing that most impressed me was the fact that their music has no description. They always sound different. Our sound is similar. Our songs are created by our feelings and emotions at a particular moment. We try to bring our feelings to life in the most honest way possible. They run through the complete rock spectrum. One song can be grungy while another more on the metal side. Our music is full of heart. We combine nostalgic hard rock, grunge and even elements of hair metal in order to create something modern. It’s all a little dangerous and unapologetic.

AMP: Your videos are extremely cinematic. Who comes up with the creative content? 

BRYAN: I did a lot of the creating in the beginning. Our director, Toddi Babu, helped with making things really come to life. The next batch of videos will be forged by the entire band. My belief is that real art makes one truly look. It makes you explore. We try to capture real messages in our videos. Art is a sacrifice and that is what we try to convey.

AMP: Alive In Stone’s sound is hi-energy. How does that translate to your live shows?

BRYAN: So, we are a brand spanking new band. We are in the process of booking our first shows. I do believe that since we are on the raw side of rock translating our energy to our live shows will be an effortless transition. It actually will be better than the releases only in the fact that the live renditions will have those beautiful imperfections that makes music so extraordinary.. Also, in the live gigs we will have as many band members sing as possible. The harmonies will give the songs an added dimension.

AMP: Continuing in the same vein, is there one artist Alive In Stone would love to support?

BRYAN: I can’t speak for everyone but the band I would love to support would be Kingdom Collapse. I love their positive energy and they are always pushing forward. Jonathan Norris is a great guy. We have spoken several times in the past. His story is a lot like mine. He was in a band that he wasn’t happy with and he took the bull by the horns. I would love to open for those guys.

AMP: On a personal note, what got you into music? Is there a moment when you truly realized that you wanted to be a musician?

BRYAN: Absolutely! I grew up in a musical household. My parents were always playing Billy Joel, Zeppelin, etc. Dad played guitar for years. My brother was into a lot of post-grunge stuff so we were always discussing music. My dad got me a guitar when I was eleven and the rest is history. The one band that really changed things for me was Linkin Park. Their sound was so revolutionary.  As far as singing goes, I never had the confidence to put myself out front. I always had to work at it. When I heard Chester Bennington I knew I wanted to sing.

As to the other part of your question, ah man! While I’m answering these question I feel like I’m telling you my life’s story. As soon as I attended concerts I knew music was in my blood. In my family, musician wasn’t supposed to be your first calling. Doctor, lawyer or any professional career was the prefered path. But the first time I saw Red Sun Rising I knew I needed a change. Mike Protich’s singing was an inspiration for me. I marvelled how crisp his vocals were and how flawless they played. At that moment I knew I had to do this. Red Sun Rising gave me the confidence to push on.

AMP: As a fairly new band, what are some of the difficulties you have acquiring recognition?

BRYAN: Obscurity is our enemy. Not being high on the musical algorithm right now is a problem. A lot of people don’t know who we are. Part of my job as manager is to increase our visibility. It’s imperative that we grow within the community. By reaching people like yourself we gain exposure. Our goal is to share common interests with our fans, other bands and the musical society on a whole. I take pride that our relationships are getting better. Our scope is expanding. Time and hard work will cancel out that obscurity. Our fanbase is growing and we are moving in the right direction.

AMP: What is the one message you want your fans to take away from your music?

BRYAN: I want our fans to believe in themselves. They should be who they want to be with no apologizes. Hopefully our music can give them a lift. We are all in this together. Always chase after your dreams. The most important takeaway is that music unifies us. It makes us a society no matter your personal views. It allows us to leave the outside world for awhile and be united in music. That is what rock is all about.

AMP: Are there any plans for a full length album?

BRYAN: Possibly! We will definitely put out another song soon. Eventually we will combine them all and put out an EP. We will see how the next creative cycle goes and then determine whether another EP is warranted or we have enough material for an album. One thing I would like to stress is the fact that there is a lot of cool stuff coming out for everyone.

AMP: What’s next for Alive In Stone?

BRYAN: A live show. Most probably in Orlando. A lot more music and content. Most of the songs you are hearing now were recorded over a year ago. The new material is going to take you on an amazing ride! Just get ready to be pumped up. It will be a beautiful journey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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To learn more about Alive In Stone, check out their website

Follow on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / YouTube

Stream music:  Spotify / Apple Music 

Purchase:  Amazon

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