The Record Music Magazine

Band members:
Paul McCoy-songwriter,vocalist
Eric Weaver-guitar
Kevin Dorr-bass
Aaron Gainer-drums

All About: Three of the four band members of 12 Stones are under 21 years old. Hailing from a small suburb North of New Orleans, it wasn’t easy to play their original music. After roughly a dozen gigs in public, the band's demo began making the rounds. 12 Stones took to New York and performed for an audience of industry representatives.
Bassist Kevin Dorr looks back upon the experience with humor, "I was very nervous to play in front of all those record executives just sitting there staring at us. A few hours earlier, it being my first time in New York City, I decided to try Sushi. I ended up turning green and throwing up in the bathroom. I felt sort of sick when we first started playing. I haven't eaten anything raw since then." Frontman and singer-songwriter McCoy adds, "We'd been in New York for about three hours and while walking through Times Square I get pick-pocketed. So here we are, our first few hours in New York City, and Kevin is puking in the bathroom and I'm chasing some guy who stole my wallet just a few hours before we play the showcase. It was crazy."
Within just 15 months of forming, the band signed to Wind-up and was on their way to recording their debut in Los Angeles. The album is undeniably well-rounded and filled with hard rocking melodic tunes that could very well become future classics. Weaver and McCoy display an ease in collaboration where the vocals and guitar work seem to live and breathe together as one. While some of the tracks have an air of anger, when looking deeper into the lyrical content it becomes clear that the band is trying to share emotion many young kids feel in this day and age.
McCoy says, "We really want to be positive. Our songs are about some of the really tough times I went through as I was growing up. I really wanted to target subjects in our songs that kids going through crises can relate to. But we didn't want to be negative. It doesn't mean you can't be angry and the songs powerful. We just want to stream negative energy in a positive way. Sometimes you have to accept that you are not in control of a good part of your life. The weird thing is that once you acknowledge that you have no control, it somehow helps to make it through. It gives you strength."

Did you know:
• Singer Paul McCoy was a guest vocalist on one of the biggest songs of last year – Evanescence’s ‘Bring Me To Life’.

• 12 Stones are now label mates of the band Creed.