Revolution Calling
S.T.U.N. Continue to Lead Their Charge

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>> Singer Christiane J. is feeling it. >>

>> Hollywood, CA, September 23, 2003 >> It’s time for a revolution, baby.  The movement that was stalled with the breakup of Rage Against the Machine has found a new patron to take up the flag and lead the charge: S.T.U.N.

Coming from an angle that is as much about thinking for yourself and questioning authority as it is rocking your ass off, S.T.U.N. laid it all out on the table at the Palladium, as they opened for The Used.  With all the abandon, presence and raw power they could muster, the quartet, led by the crowd-surfing Christiane J., led the fans on a short-but-intense thrill ride. 

Wasting little time before making his way out to the waiting throng of fans, Christiane seemed more at home in amongst the paying customers than he did on the stage.  Thriving off of the physical contact, he and his mates - guitarist Neil Spies, bassist Nick S. and drummer Bobby Alt - with a sparsely decorated stage setting, brought the focus to the music and their own personal intensity. 

>> Neil Spies eyes the crowd. >>

Playing a variety of tracks from their debut, Evolution of Energy (Geffen), the LA-based band definitely connected with their hometown fans, though they may have had little choice.  Though it was obvious that the sold-out event was focused on The Used, it took little time for the mass, especially those in the front, to get caught up in the energy and instrument-smashing frenzy that ensued.   Most probably didn’t get swept up in the political undertow of some of the lyrics, but they couldn’t resist the energy.

That may very well lead to some actually reading the lyrics and getting in to the cause, which is what it’s really all about anyway: spreading the message.

We had the chance to talk to guitarist and writer Neil Spies, who told us what the revolution and the Evolution were all about:

VOX: Seems like everything really moving ahead for you guys…
Neil Spies: It could not be better right now.  We’re working our asses off, so it’s good to see something come from it.

VOX: You’ve said that you don’t write about yourself – why is that?
Neil: I can write about myself, and I have…what I’ve said is…well, it’s like this: I’ve been writing since I was 10 years old or so.  I’ve written about myself, my feelings, relationships, anger and so forth, and I’ve recorded and played with various people, but I never felt satisfied with what I was doing or who I was playing with.  At some point I came to the belief that it wasn’t good for me to just write about myself, that everyone wasn’t feeling what I was feeling, and I decided that I couldn’t write another song unless it was about everyone, that people could relate to and take something from.  There are all these things – people, governments, ideals and what have you – things that oppress everyone and I wanted to get into that, and try to inspire people to take their minds back and think for themselves.

>> Christiane works the capacity crowd. >>

So I decided that I needed to get a serious band together.   Not just a bunch of guys to jam with, but a group that felt the same way and could put everything they had into the songs and what they’re about.  I held out for the right group of guys.  Christiane had an ad that I answered, and when we met I could feel that we had complete respect for each other and felt some of the same things.   When we jammed, I instantly knew he was the voice for this music.  I could feel it.

Then Nick came in…well, Chris and I knew we needed a guy who played a Fender bass, plays with a pick, and he must be influenced by the Pixies & Jane’s Addiction and a few other bands like that.  He walked in and had it all.   After a while, Christiane and Nick called Bobby, and he came in.  From the first chord, we knew.

>> Neil does it all. >>

VOX: Do you feel as though you’ve picked up the torch from Rage Against The Machine?
Neil: Man, my opinion on that is that, you know, I’ve seen the media comments and I know Bobby made a comment in an article, and you know, we respect Rage a lot, but I hear no real influence from Rage in our music.  I just don’t hear it…
VOX: I meant more from a standpoint of being political; more from and ideological standpoint…
Neil: Oh, then absolutely, totally!  In that way, yeah, I hope we’re picking up the torch.  The music industry is putting all this crap out there, and I think it’s hard for people to stick to what they believe in and not be lulled to sleep by the shit that comes out.  I hope that we can keep people thinking and talking about things, and encourage them to question what’s going on and not let big business think for them.
VOX: It’s an interesting dichotomy isn’t it?  You’re music is about thinking for yourself and questioning authority, but the music industry is sort of the opposite.  How do you reconcile the two?
Neil: I really don’t try to.  You know, you live in a system, and you have to be a part of that system to be able to change it.  I would rather have a dialogue and say let’s take the first step, which is awareness, and then let’s go from there.   I think we can do that through our music.  I know we didn’t have to sacrifice any of our integrity to make the record we wanted to make, so I think it’s possible.

VOX: We’re hearing about the industry all over the news lately, with lawsuits, CD sales in the tank, etc.  Where do you think things are heading?
Neil: I think it’s heading for a revolution, man.  Through power and trying to have complete control, the industry has shat on itself, and now people don’t trust it, and they sure don’t care what happens to it.  There’s got to be a better way than going after the same kids who are most into the music.  They’re going to be forced to change the system.  There is no other way to make it work.   I’m not sure how they’re going to do, but I can tell you, they’re in for a revolution.