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Stereotyperider is an Arizona rock band that is making waves with their new album, "Same Chords, Same Songs, Same Six Strings"! Read on to find out how they create their own brand of melodic rock.

"I Never Want To Rest" Riff from the album Same Chords, Same Songs, Same Six Strings - LISTEN!

Set Your Marshalls on Stun!
This is one energetic, rocking riff!

Stereotyperider formed in August of 1999, due to the break-up of two veteran Arizona based bands, Mandingo and Adams' Alcoholics. Two dedicated members of each band decided that it was time to create something new. Having gathered all of their previous experiences in touring and hardworking bands, they made the decision to take this band to the next level. They started writing songs that didn't sound like anyone else, songs that were melodic but had the power and heaviness to distinguish them from other melodic bands.

Access Rock: Your album is a veritable feast of thick screaming guitar sounds and riffs! How did you manage it?

Mike: It's just a mixture of me and the other guitarist, Shane Addington. We've been playing together a long time. I think a lot of the influences that I grew up on like "The King of Rock".. Eddie Van Halen. When I first picked up guitar, I got tablature books and started learning the hardest sh**t. I think we strive to do weird chord progressions and make the guitars work instead of having them do the same thing.

Access Rock: that's what is so cool about the album. It's so diverse, what the guitars are doing, it really keeps the listener interested.

Mike: We just have a good time. It's not like we crank out ten songs a week or anything, we do spend a lot of time on each song to make sure that everybody is happy with it.

Access Rock: Tell me what the rock scene is like in Arizona?

Mike: Awesome. There are some incredible bands down here in Phoenix. Five Speed is a great band.. we play with them quite often. They just hooked up a deal with Virgin. It's one of those things where you get inspired from other local bands. I think all of the bands kind-of feed off of each other.

Access Rock: Are there a fair amount of clubs in Phoenix?

Mike: Oh yah..there are actually quite a few clubs. We have the college in Tempe so we play out there quite often. We seem to have a pretty good draw locally as well. Anytime an out-of-town band comes here to play, we hook them up with some shows. Then, when we play in their town, we get hooked up!

Access Rock: I listened to the song "Gone" from your first EP.

Mike: That was one of the first songs that we wrote together as the four members. Shane, the other guitar player, and myself were in another band for quite some time. Our old band fell apart and we met up with Anthony [Germinaro] and Dave [Aiona] (drummer and bassist). We really connected.

Access Rock: What struck me about "Gone" was that it sounded so much different then what is on the new album.

Mike: What do you think the difference is?

Access Rock: I think "Gone" sounds much more hardcore.

Mike: We're you able to listen to the rest of the EP?

Access Rock: Yah..I heard it on MP3.com.

Mike: There are about five songs on our new album, Same Chords.., that I would put in the same category as "Gone"..not-so-poppy stuff.

Access Rock:What are your plans for promoting the new album?

Mike: Our record label, Suburban Home Records which is run by Virgil Dickerson, does a great job. We have really good distribution..our album is everywhere which is awesome. Most of all, we're touring. That's one of the most important things for a band to do get their music out there to people. Especially if you can get a tour with a band that is more established.

Access Rock: I read that you're doing another tour with Big Wig?

Mike: We're probably going on tour with them in June '03. We're getting out on the road again in April and we're going out East. We're hooking up some shows with some pretty cool bands.

Access Rock: I like the fact that your solos sound like little melodies within the song. I think they really fit the songs.

Mike: I think that's one of the main things about us. We never really consider anything like a guitar solo. It's more like, "let's write this section of the song that doesn't have lyrics, and we can do what we want with the guitars. I love solos, but I don't really feel that we do any "solos". There more a section of a song that makes the song flow better.

Access Rock: You also vary the guitar sounds from song to song. Is that something that you consciously do or do you just find a guitar sound to fit each song?

Mike: Maybe in the future, it will vary more as far as what we have. But, with me, I have a clean sound, a distortion sound, a phaser, a delay, and that's what I use. I just switch back and forth from clean to dirty.

Access Rock: When you recorded, did you use all of your own gear?

Mike: Yah..we just brought in our own stuff.

Access Rock: There are a few songs that have some serious tempo changes like "Concrete Ocean". Has the band always written that way?

Mike: I think that a lot of it has to do with music influences. I grew up in South Dakota, and my Dad was a marching band and jazz band teacher. I always loved hearing 7/8 time, 4/4 switching to 3/4 time, and doing weird things like that. In fact, I remember one of the songs that I totally loved was "Cult of Personality" by Living Colour. That whole little break down. I was really into that kind of stuff. We try to incorporate odd time changes in the newer stuff.

Access Rock: Another thing..you get some cool guitar melodies going on on top of the vocal. The guitar melodies jump around a lot and weave around the lead vocal.

Mike: That's one thing that I've always strived to do. When I'm writing a guitar part, I finish it, then I write a melody to it. It's a challenge to do both when they're both completely separate. Trying to sing something that goes totally against what you are playing. It takes a lot of practice until you get them totally down and then it's smooth sailing.