Few bands are as outspoken and thought-provoking as State Radio, the musically inventive, socially and politically charged trio fronted by Chad Stokes. With its sophomore album, "Year Of The Crow," the group rounded out by bassist Chuck Fay and drummer Mad Dog, matches its conscience-raising messages with an inspiring amalgam of rock, punk and reggae that is as distinctive as it is sublime.
For U.S. concert-goers, Stokes was first known as the voice behind agit-prop outfit Dispatch, a band that sold a whopping 600,000 albums by word of mouth. Although the outfits six-year tenure ended in 2002, its members have reunited for noble causes, including 2007s epic three-night sold-out stand at Madison Square Garden to benefit the plight of Zimbabwe. In lieu of college, Stokes lived in Zimbabwe during his eighteenth year, and the experience not only galvanized his songs, but it also shaped his life with a commitment that is as strong as ever.
Simply stated, it is impossible not to be moved by the sounds emanating from State Radio, whether its the genocide in Darfur, which is told through the eyes of a young boy on the alluring, rhythmic "Sudan," the explosive, edgy, reggae-laden "C.I.A." or the steamrolling rallying cry for justice known as "Unfortunates."
"The ultimate goal of State Radio is to have people consider what Im saying as they enjoy the music we create," Stokes says of the trios objective on "Year Of The Crow." "Im not looking to alienate anyone."
The frenetic, piercing, punkish, proclamation "Guantanamo" does just that, as Stokes seethes, taking aim at the current administration while looking back on the Bush clans sordid history.
"Reading about it over the years, my frustration just built up," Chad says. "I think thats what I do with a lot of my songs. The subjects just build up in me for a while and then they need to find a way out. And its really just a method of keeping me sane. Its basically about the tragedy that the Bush family has inflicted upon us over the years. That song is also loosely tied into Indian rights and how [President Bushs grandfather] Prescott Bush dug up Geronimos skull in 1918 so that his secret society at Yale could rub it as part of their initiation."
The next step in the Bob Dylan-Bob Marley-Clash-Rage Against the Machine lineage, State Radio is an unusual but effective conduit to information. Its inspired, aggressive and progressive musical brew is most often accompanied by lyrics that prompt listeners to dig deeper. And fans have indeed combed Wikipedia about song topics ("The Story of Benjamin Darling Part I") and educate themselves about cases like the West Memphis Three ("Unfortunates") where justice has clearly faltered.
Unconcerned with major label deals and radio exposure, State Radio thrives by living and giving as charitable men who play outstanding live shows. Developing a following from the ground up, Stokes is a unique fixture who defies music industry traditions. Hes also proof through his efforts with Dispatch, his forthcoming TV series Hows Your News? and State Radio, that a loyal and engaged cult following is arguably the best of all business models.
"Year Of The Crow" was recorded at Peter Gabriels Real World studios in Wiltshire, England and was overseen by acclaimed producer Tchad Blake (Gabriel, Pearl Jam, Soul Coughing, the Bad Plus). "Tchad was integral in making a record that was more indicative of our live show," Stokes says. "I dont know too many producers by name but hes one of them."
"We didnt want to be too picky about things," Chad continues. "We just focused on energy. We only had a couple of weeks to do it, and we were sandwiched in between two tours, so it was just a true recording representation of who we are."
Gabriels studio is, as Chad explains, "An unbelievable facility. Its this old mill with water running right through it on either side of the control room. The live room is this tall stone-type place and the control room looks directly out onto the mill. Plus, its run by this tall Rastaman named Solomon, who makes sure that everyones needs are taken care of."
That atmosphere allowed for tracks like the furious blues-thumping anti-Halliburton missive "Gang of Thieves" and the uplifting, trombone-bolstered ska-touched "Barnstorming" to take shape. Of the latter, Stokes--whose first instrument was the aforementioned horn, says laughing, "Tchad was cool, because I'm not that good at the trombone. And he loved the idea that if I played the part twice and we tracked it, I sounded like a junior high marching band trombone section practicing."
With the infectious, cerebral "Fight No More" and the desperation-injected "Rash of Robberies," the bands musical depth and commitment to lyrical salvos are flawlessly fused. The intensity of "Rash" results in an unusual approach, as the band thrashes along, until it seemingly runs out of gas; then it takes a deep breath and starts up again.
"I played the song and as it developed, I realized I needed a bit of oxygen, a gasp of breath," Chad chuckles. "It just pauses for a second and jumps back into it. It became an animal of its own and sometimes you just play along with the song and see where it takes you."
"And the one cool thing about this album is that the quiet parts are quieter than they've ever been, but the loud parts are louder than they've ever been," the State Radio brainchild marvels. "And when we play live, there are some really intimate moments where its barely guitar and its just Chuck and I singing and the crowd is with us."
With the previously mentioned "Hows Your News?" as proof, legions of fans have also joined Stokes and the shows co-creator Arthur Bradford to make it a success. Working together at a Marthas Vineyard camp for the handicapped nearly a decade ago, Chad says, "We started making short videos with the campers-little vignettes and man-on-street reporting. And the tapes started circulating and it ended up in the hands of Matt Stone and Trey Parker of "South Park" fame."
"They just thought it was so great," Chad continues, of his additional medium to invite social change. "So they contacted us and gave us some money to continue with it. And then, when it was finished the first "Hows Your News?" feature film--which was about 30 minutes long--was picked up by a bunch of the major film festivals. Ultimately it ran on HBO and Cinemax, which we couldn't believe. Then we shot the pilot and now its going to be an actual series for TV."
Stokes' uncompromising creative and artistic spirit developed as he grew up connected to the earth as part of a free-thinking hockey family on a small Massachusetts farm. Chad's sense of adventure began at an early age as he would explore the towns underground aqueducts and find himself drawn to its legendary Peace Abbey as he perfected the trombone and guitar.
Along the way, he participated in a caisson Stone Walk, pulling a huge gravestone that represented numerous unknown civilians killed at war. Alongside 15 peers in peace, the 28-day adventure along back roads to Washington D.C. only heightened his outlook, with such experiences adding to the social and political perspectives that inform the music made leading up to "Year Of The Crow."
With the willingness to give back and raise issues, it's little wonder that State Radio's following--which gravitated to its first album "Us Against The Crown" (2006) and a series of well-received EPs--continues to expand. Positive karma seems to surround everything that Stokes does, of which he says, "I'm thankful that we've been able to grow as a band. And being in Dispatch enabled me to fund our growth without being fucked by some major label. We feel very lucky that we don't need to necessarily sign any of our rights away."
"As long as people keep believing in us," State Radio's leader says, "and we feel like were making a worthy contribution to the movement, well keep playing."
Buy State Radio music right here!
July 4
Driving to Rothbury today on the 4th to play a show tomorrow afternoon with some awesome bands. This summer has been amazing so far - we've been able to share the stage with an abundance of talent and mingle with some of the craziest festival-goers in the country. Tuesday started the week off with a bang at Summerfest in Milwaukee. The guys were glad to be back on stage together after a short break and rocked out for the bleacher crowd. We all headed out that night after a quick ride on the skytram (that moving bench that takes you above the crowd and across the festival) and after Mad Dog had finished devouring a gigantic turkey leg.
With a day and a half to kill before heading to Rothbury, we had to come up with something interesting to do. CHICAGO. Wednesday morning, Chuck was so excited to get going, he almost fell out of his child size bunk bed and onto a pile of toys. Unfortunately, we had to put him in the children's portion of our hotel suite - value and humor took precedence over comfort. Anyway, we finally made it to the windy city after a few hours of trafficage on the highway, and before we knew it, Chad was whisking his love away for a romantic rendezvous. Alone and abandoned, Chuck and Mad Dog looked at each other and decided that they weren't going to stand getting left in the dust. They would make their own fun. On the search for some deep dish pizza, Mad Dog got distracted by the towering masculine skyscrapers, and Chuck and Christine ran into an Italian eatery, letting desire for food and wine get the better of them. Lucky, MD made it just in time to order for us in an Italian Jersey accent, which swept the waitress off her feet. Chuck swooned as well and stated, "I like my drummers like my pizza, cheesy and greasy." A good night's sleep and numerous antics later, we all ended up watching the fireworks by the lake and appreciating the lovely architecture of the city. SR has made so many memories together this year already, I'm thinking of getting a special shirt made for them: "Boys of Summer '08".
In the interest of passing time mid-travel, and to keep my promise to some RLTer's of writing a blog this week, I'm gonna keep going. Flashback to last month...Wakarusa and Bonnaroo. Each of these festivals was stellar in their own way. Wakarusa was very muddy. And rainy. And unfortunately, we did lose our last late night set to the crazy weather. However, the rain seemed fitting here to some degree. Everyone was so messy by the end that the cool shower and thunder was revitalizing. The set SR did get to play was under the sun and very colorful. We had a special guest, our friend Fern Gully, dance around the stage for a few songs, donning patchwork pants, a silver metallic hat, and various colored scarves.
After Wakarusa, we had a sweet day off in Tennessee, where we decided to rent a double-decker boat and go out on a lake. We sat there serenely and soaked in the sun. Actually, that's not what happened. There was some very well scouted out cliff-jumping going on, with Mad Dog to be the last to attempt. Luckily, the local police arrived just in time to save him from the great heights of the rocks and never-ending depths of the lake. "We didn't see any signs sir," Chuck Fay stated, and then we drove our boat away past various warnings to pick up Mike at a safer location. Still thirsty for adventure, Chad organized a wild boat game called, "the Human Chain". It involved attaching the anchor to the boat's stern, and a long piece of rope with a life vest on the end to the anchor. With Capt. Fay at the helm, an SR band/crew member would run from the lower deck to the upper, one at a time, jump off, and attempt to grab hold of the life vest and/or person in front of them...going full speed and attempting to lengthen the chain. I won't deny I didn't last long, having to quit with the full weight of the boat pulling my one arm, and three grown men, including our friendly driver Russell, holding onto my ankle. It was well worth it, however, for I've never seen Chad with a goofier smile on his face, leading his men into the wildness of childhood games.
Our pit stop at the Exit/In in Nashville was a great warm up to Bonnaroo. It was sweet to see friends show up, having made the trek from all over to hang with us there and at the upcoming festival. Thanks to all RLTer's and fans who came, especially Shannon, Neil, Sgt. Campsalot, and Red. I know the SR guys appreciated all the thought put into the set list you made for them that night. They appreciated it so much; in fact, they were barely able to get out of bed the next day. Luckily, the workout from that show, busting out about 18 hardcore songs in an hour and a half, was so intense; Chad, Chuck and Mike ripped through their t-shirts and were forced to play at Bonnaroo topless. Bonnaroo's show was one we will never forget, thanks to the awesome crowd who hiked all the way to the Other Tent to see us, and Chuck Fay's amazing demonstration of how to rip a guitar cable in half mid-air. Thanks to all who've followed SR via internet or vehicle, we hope to catch up with you soon! So long.
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July 4
Driving to Rothbury today on the 4th to play a show tomorrow afternoon with some awesome bands. This summer has been amazing so far - we've been able to share the stage with an abundance of talent and mingle with some of the craziest festival-goers in the country. Tuesday started the week off with a bang at Summerfest in Milwaukee. The guys were glad to be back on stage together after a short break and rocked out for the bleacher crowd. We all headed out that night after a quick ride on the skytram (that moving bench that takes you above the crowd and across the festival) and after Mad Dog had finished devouring a gigantic turkey leg.
With a day and a half to kill before heading to Rothbury, we had to come up with something interesting to do. CHICAGO. Wednesday morning, Chuck was so excited to get going, he almost fell out of his child size bunk bed and onto a pile of toys. Unfortunately, we had to put him in the children's portion of our hotel suite - value and humor took precedence over comfort. Anyway, we finally made it to the windy city after a few hours of trafficage on the highway, and before we knew it, Chad was whisking his love away for a romantic rendezvous. Alone and abandoned, Chuck and Mad Dog looked at each other and decided that they weren't going to stand getting left in the dust. They would make their own fun. On the search for some deep dish pizza, Mad Dog got distracted by the towering masculine skyscrapers, and Chuck and Christine ran into an Italian eatery, letting desire for food and wine get the better of them. Lucky, MD made it just in time to order for us in an Italian Jersey accent, which swept the waitress off her feet. Chuck swooned as well and stated, "I like my drummers like my pizza, cheesy and greasy." A good night's sleep and numerous antics later, we all ended up watching the fireworks by the lake and appreciating the lovely architecture of the city. SR has made so many memories together this year already, I'm thinking of getting a special shirt made for them: "Boys of Summer '08".
In the interest of passing time mid-travel, and to keep my promise to some RLTer's of writing a blog this week, I'm gonna keep going. Flashback to last month...Wakarusa and Bonnaroo. Each of these festivals was stellar in their own way. Wakarusa was very muddy. And rainy. And unfortunately, we did lose our last late night set to the crazy weather. However, the rain seemed fitting here to some degree. Everyone was so messy by the end that the cool shower and thunder was revitalizing. The set SR did get to play was under the sun and very colorful. We had a special guest, our friend Fern Gully, dance around the stage for a few songs, donning patchwork pants, a silver metallic hat, and various colored scarves.
After Wakarusa, we had a sweet day off in Tennessee, where we decided to rent a double-decker boat and go out on a lake. We sat there serenely and soaked in the sun. Actually, that's not what happened. There was some very well scouted out cliff-jumping going on, with Mad Dog to be the last to attempt. Luckily, the local police arrived just in time to save him from the great heights of the rocks and never-ending depths of the lake. "We didn't see any signs sir," Chuck Fay stated, and then we drove our boat away past various warnings to pick up Mike at a safer location. Still thirsty for adventure, Chad organized a wild boat game called, "the Human Chain". It involved attaching the anchor to the boat's stern, and a long piece of rope with a life vest on the end to the anchor. With Capt. Fay at the helm, an SR band/crew member would run from the lower deck to the upper, one at a time, jump off, and attempt to grab hold of the life vest and/or person in front of them...going full speed and attempting to lengthen the chain. I won't deny I didn't last long, having to quit with the full weight of the boat pulling my one arm, and three grown men, including our friendly driver Russell, holding onto my ankle. It was well worth it, however, for I've never seen Chad with a goofier smile on his face, leading his men into the wildness of childhood games.
Our pit stop at the Exit/In in Nashville was a great warm up to Bonnaroo. It was sweet to see friends show up, having made the trek from all over to hang with us there and at the upcoming festival. Thanks to all RLTer's and fans who came, especially Shannon, Neil, Sgt. Campsalot, and Red. I know the SR guys appreciated all the thought put into the set list you made for them that night. They appreciated it so much; in fact, they were barely able to get out of bed the next day. Luckily, the workout from that show, busting out about 18 hardcore songs in an hour and a half, was so intense; Chad, Chuck and Mike ripped through their t-shirts and were forced to play at Bonnaroo topless. Bonnaroo's show was one we will never forget, thanks to the awesome crowd who hiked all the way to the Other Tent to see us, and Chuck Fay's amazing demonstration of how to rip a guitar cable in half mid-air. Thanks to all who've followed SR via internet or vehicle, we hope to catch up with you soon! So long.
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June 9
So as we drive across America, further and further away from the places we joined the Dave Matthews Band in a musical phenomenon this past week, we have hours upon hours to reflect on the experience. And as we ponder these four days that have changed our lives, it is hard to think of what to share with you first. I decided to ask some of the crew that have been riding with us what their thoughts are. Patricio Fay, our string instrument connoisseur, reminded us that Dave spoke of how his musical fantasy back in the day was to be part of a three-piece band. This all made the State Radio guys blush with excitement, and just before Dave was about to walk on stage to introduce them, MadDog shouted out, "Go get'em!"
State Radio was extremely grateful and excited to share the stage with the talented and accomplished DMB. It was a rush to play in such large venues and to see some of the fans wearing State Radio gear and chanting the lyrics to our songs. Chetro gave multiple shout outs to the lawn crowds, who had more energy than 10,000 rabbits in heat (thank you for that one Dom). On a more appropriate note, we were happy to have the support of a large number of friends and family. The RV crew from Boston followed us all the way to the Post - Gazette Pavillion outside Pittsburg and showed no sign of tiredness as they cheered on their guys for two nights straight. Shells Diramio appeared in PA as well, dressed in black and chains, ready to tune the skins off the drum kit and blow us all away with his cheerful sense of humor. Martimus Maximus O'Mallius came for all four shows!!!!!!!!!!!, attributing more musical talent than anyone else could muster at 4 a.m., and providing us with a wide array of DMB trivia. In Camden, NJ, the Fays, Urmstons, and Gallaghers had an outstanding showing and were certain to help keep the good vibes of the night going. This weekend was a great time to make a few new friends as well, and being that all were good in spirits, it was an easy task. We met folks of all ages, and a new friend Preston made his way into the hearts of our band crew, especially MadDog. Preston's father Henry (Carter's drum tech) also hooked MadDog up with a new drum bag and some signature sticks, which MadDog has kept safe and sound under his pillow to avoid Chuck Fay's evil habit of eating his drumsticks when there is no food left on the bus.
We are close to our next destination now & heading to Lawrence, Kansas for Wakarusa and will keep you posted on new happenings in the world of State Radio. Sadly, we had to leave our van Stacey back east, but we are loving our temporary new home in Stacey's mom (Russ's bus). Gotta run - being distracted by the excitement of Chuck Fay's new mullet-hawk haircut, and MD's personal training of himself and Dom to get as ripped as Ben Stiller in Along Came Polly. Easy Task.
Peace,
Team SR
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May 21
HELLO!!!!!!
To you all, from the UK – What’s up!?????! It’s been a while and I thought we’d give you an update on what’s been going on with State Radio on the road. The mood is pretty sweet right now. We’re in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and just finished a set on our last tour date with Anti-Flag. The crowds have been crazy at these shows – respectful and psyched up to hear music and jump around. It all began at the Give It a Name Festival, where the guys played two days in England. I don’t think there was a dull moment in 48 hours with the lineup at this event. SR performed in between two awesome bands: Envy on the Coast before with Strike Against to follow. A particularly unique experience was playing a festival with Jared Leto (all known to us growing up as the infamous hottie on My So-Called Life). He’s now with 30 Seconds to Mars rocking out and I’m not quite sure who from the SR crew had the most fun admiring his striking appearance. However, I think MadDog was keeping a keen eye on him, trying to pick up on any smooth moves he may have been throwing around.
Playing in this genre definitely brings out a different side of SR. They’ve been rocking their rock songs harder with a punk edge - lots of fun to see them change it up from night to night. We’ve had a few solo gigs as well, and are making some new friends in Ireland and the UK. So things are looking up. It’ll be a sad night tonight to say bye to the guys and crew from Anti-Flag - definitely an awesome and unique group who have only good things to say about their fans and the people around them.
One more show left on Tuesday at King’s College in London, so if you’re in the area, definitely come by and say hey. On a personal note, we would like to thank our good friend Dom for coming out with us this tour and making everything sound so wildly awesome. Because of him, everyone was properly rocking out. Dom, you will be missed. This goes for our driver Pat as well – where would we be without him? The airport probably. Last but not least, we want to thank everyone from this tour who’s come out to see State Radio or watched our sets with Anti-Flag and at the festivals. We love getting our music out there and meeting new people. It’s been great spending time in all these amazing countries – we’ve all been inspired to live on a farm and tend to sheep. Off to enjoy a pint or two, maybe dance a little, then sleep. Cheers – State Radio
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May 9
Due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts, we regret to inform SR nation that the Leicester, Southampton, Birmingham, Bristol, and Leeds UK shows have all been canceled. Refunds are fully available, please contact the respective venues for further information. We hope to make up for these shows sometime in the near future!
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view all 29 posts
rewind0010
Love you guys!! Unique music, and the accent is cool
:)
posted Feb 20
MoshforJoshplz
You guys are great! My bro introduced me to you guys.
posted Jan 09
nochonwood444
i lovee you guys! your amazing!!! one question...why
dont you have write me up on here? thats defiinitely
the besttt song
posted Sep 25
frozenrope
hey can u guys add \"Riddle In Londontown\" plz i
fucken luv that song sooo much!!!
posted Apr 30
GoldenGod215
Hey i saw you guys sunday night and you were awesome!
Keep rockin hard!
posted Feb 27
Calsnowrider
you guys are awesome! state radio is just chill,
down-to-earth music. Amazing job keep it up!
posted Feb 25
afm_bob
your music is beautiful... riteousness - cheers
posted Jan 18
afm_bob
your music is beautiful... riteousness - cheers
posted Jan 18