5/10/2017 – Hello, my name is Mike Lopez and below is an interview I conducted with the lead singer of 12Stones – Paul McCoy .
Mike Lopez – First of I would like to start of this interview with a simple question….. Do you have any misconceptions of your band that you would like to address before we begin?
Paul McCoy – We don’t have any real misconceptions about the band that should be addressed. We are all normal guys that share a love for all things music.
I heard that you worked with Evanescence on their song “Bring Me To Life”, how was it like working with them on the song? How is it like working on a compilation piece?
It was an amazing experience working with Evanescence on BMTL. It was something that I will always be proud of and something that I will never forget. I LOVE working with other artists on their music. It’s always nice to get a different approach when writing music.
We are NOT a Christian band. We are a band that believes in sharing our own stories and experiences in life. I grew up in a southern Baptist home with my amazing family. I always write about my own questions, fears etc and try to put a positive spin on things. Music is subjective. The meaning to a song can be totally different from one listener to another. One person might hear a song and think of a relationship while someone else might not get that at all. I don’t like taking the meaning away from a listener.
I really like how positive your music is. What would you say is your main inspiration for writing music?
Our main inspiration when writing our songs is life. We are all here on Earth together and tend to share similar experiences. I believe that life is what you make it. Bad things happen to good people. Our songs are about dealing with these things when they happen. If we can change one person’s outlook on a bad situation, then we have accomplished something that we are proud of.
What inspires you, when writing an album ? Is it something positive, or does something negative inspire you? And Is it difficult to keep a positive attitude when it is something bad?
Again, life is the ultimate inspiration. I have been inspired by positive things such as the birth of my daughter. I have also been inspired by things that are horrible such as the suicide of friends. You can’t force lyrics in songs. They have to come organically for us. If they are forced, they sound insincere.”
Is it hard to stay humble, in a genre of music that thrives on, hate, and negativity?
When we first got our start, we got to meet several musicians that we looked up to. Some were humble and gracious and some were the opposite. It made us realize that we are very fortunate to be in the position that we are in and to approach every show, every fan, every critic with a good outlook. That’s one of the things that has helped us stay together for 17 years.
What type of venues do you like to perform in?
We like to perform in just about any venue, There’s a certain sound that comes from packed out bigger venues. It’s addictive. There’s is an energy that comes from more intimate venues that fuels us. As long as there is someone willing to listen, we will play!! 10 or 10,000. That’s the rule.
What was most memorable about your first show?
The most memorable thing about our first show for me was that we didn’t intend on getting signed or being around for 17+ years. We just were a few guys that wrote songs and got to play for friends and family.
Do you plan on doing small shows on your tour? Or are you going to play in festivals?
We will be playing shows anywhere we can. It doesn’t matter if they are small shows or big festivals. We just LOVE to play.
I also heard your about to release a new album in July….what is is name of the album? Also what was your favorite part about making it?
Our 6th studio record will come out on JULY 14th. It is called Picture Perfect. My favorite part about making this record is that we got to get back to our roots and recorded a record full of songs that WE chose. We recorded in a studio in our hometown with 2 amazing producers (Dave Fortman, David Troia). It’s as real as it gets for a modern band.
Do you enjoy going on tour just with your current material? Or do you like touring on just the new album?
When we tour, we mix in songs from all albums. At this point, we have enough songs to play 5 full shows so we like to mix it up.
What’s next for 12 STONES!
The next thing for 12 Stones is to release Picture Perfect and to play some shows.
Thank you for you time Paul! if you want to learn more about Paul McCoy and 12stones, please visit them at the following links below:
Anyway guys thanks for checking out this interview with Paul McCoy From 12 Stones….anyway as alway PEACE!!!!
