Putting Music First:

Stroke 9 achieves stardom by letting good looks take a back seat to talent.

"It’s very exciting," says Stroke 9 bassist Greg Gueldner, "There’s all this teenage sexual tension going on out there."   He should know - he has a bird's eye view of the happenings on a nightly basis.   That sexual tension, however, has not been the result of some carefully managed media blitz by the band's label, management or media relations company. 

On the contrary, they have made a concerted effort to keep their faces off the covers of the teen 'zines and instead garner a fan following based on their music.  "We kinda want it to be where people hear the song first," guitarist John McDermott explains, "Then they get to know the band."  So far, they have been wildly successful, selling out show after show and watching their major-label debut, Nasty Little Thoughts, produce some major hits.  If you haven't heard "Little Black Backpack," we don't know where you've been.

Stroke 9, which besides Gueldner and McDermott includes singer/guitarist Luke Esterkyn and drummer Eric Stock have followed up with further radio success in the forms of "Letters" and "Washin' + Wonderin'."  While they couldn't hope, or want, to keep their faces off the presses for too long, they have shown that music is what makes you a success in the long run.

VOX had the chance to cut in to their busy tour schedule and got Greg and John to talk to us about women, sex and more.