Static in Stereo is a Canadian band consisting of vocalist/guitarist

Todd Kerns Todd "Dammit" Kerns is a Canadian rock musician who has worked with several bands, most notably The Age of Electric. He is currently the bass guitarist and backing vocalist for Slash in the band Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspira ...

, his brothers John Kerns and Ryan Kerns, and drummer Scott McCargar. Their debut album Static in Stereo released 9 July 2001 and spawned a Canadian TV and radio hit "Before My Time". In 2002, the band was nominated for a Canadian Radio Music Award for "Best New Group".

History

After ten years of accumulating success in the 1990s as Canadian alternative rock-band

The Age of Electric The Age of Electric was a Canadian rock band founded in 1989 with members from Lanigan and Regina, Saskatchewan. The members were Todd Kerns (vocals/guitar), Ryan Dahle (guitar/backing vocals), John Kerns (bass), and Kurt Dahle (drums/backing ...

, the band eventually dissolved to form other musical projects, one of which was Static in Stereo. Two of the band members, also brothers, Todd and John Kerns teamed up to form Static in Stereo with the goal of creating an album reminiscent of their musical influences growing up in

Lanigan, Saskatchewan Lanigan (pop. 1,300) is a town in south-central Saskatchewan, Canada, at the intersection of Yellowhead Highway, Trans-Canada Yellowhead Saskatchewan Highway 16, Highway 16 and Highway 20, approximately east of Saskatoon and north of Regina ...

. In 2001, Static in Stereo released their self-titled album that documented their struggles and new-found energy after the break-up of The Age of Electric.

From The Age of Electric to Static in Stereo

Before Static in Stereo was The Age of Electric, which was hailed as one of Canada's leading alternative rock bands of the 1990s. The group consisted of Todd and John Kerns and brothers Ryan and Kurt Dahle. The group met while growing up in Saskatchewan and formed The Age of Electric in 1989. The group received some success with the release of their EP ''Ugly'' in 1993; however, their commercial triumph followed the major label releases of their two last albums ''The Age of Electric'' (1995) and ''Make a Pest a Pet'' (1997). The band's last album went gold in Canada (sold more than 50,000 albums). Their hard-rock edge attracted audiences as they toured with bands such as

Our Lady Peace Our Lady Peace (sometimes shortened to OLP) is a Canadian alternative rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario in 1992. Led by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band currently also features Duncan Coutts on bass, Steve Mazur on guit ...

. By the late 1990s, the Dahle brothers had begun releasing albums with their side project

Limblifter Limblifter is a Canadian alternative rock group from Vancouver, formed in 1995. History The group was originally formed by brothers Ryan Dahle and Kurt Dahle, as a side project from their main band, The Age of Electric, along with a third memb ...

and the Kerns brothers had begun writing music that was going in a different direction. In 1999, the band broke up and soon Static in Stereo was formed.

''Static in Stereo''

The entire album is written in quasi-diary form, as each song chronicles the obstacles the band faced after The Age of Electric. The track "Wrapped in Cellophane" describes the musical and personal metamorphosis that the band members experienced in the months before recording the album. Musically, the album pays homage to the bands that inspired Static in Stereo, such as

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

The Clash The Clash were an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they are considered one of the most influential acts in the original wave of British punk rock, with their music fusing elements ...

, and

Kiss A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sex ...

. The different musical style of each band member is present throughout the album. Elements of

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

glam rock Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was primarily defined by the flamboyant clothing, makeup, and hairstyles of its musicians, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists d ...

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...

and

rock 'n' roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

can be heard in the musical arrangements of the instruments and vocals. Hard driving guitar and heavy bass are present in most of the tracks. Although the music has a gritty, loud, hard rock sound similar to late metal or grunge, it plays a backseat role to the vocals in both primacy and depth. The sentimentality and honesty of the lyrics allow for the listener to connect with the music, at the same time satisfying the Rock 'N' Roll criteria.McCoy, Heath (2001). “Growing up is hard to do: Former Age of Electric front man forms new rock band Static in Stereo”. ''Calgary Herald''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Static In Stereo Canadian alternative rock groups