Liverpool four-piece STONE share their new single ‘Money’ Hope Ain’t Gone’ today, which premiered on BBC Radio 1 as Clara Amfo’s ‘Hottest Record In The World’. Freshly signed to Polydor Records, the band also announces their debut EP Punkadonk, which will include previous single ‘Waste’ and is set for release this November. Across a breakout 12 months, STONE’s formidable live presence has seen them sell-out multiple headline shows, foster a burgeoning fanbase, and pique the interest of some of music’s biggest names. The band have toured with YungBlud, performed at Sam Fender’s Finsbury Park show, and headed to Malaga for Louis Tomlinson’s ‘Away from Home’ festival between blistering sets at Reading and Leeds Festivals. Currently on tour with Inhaler, the band will join The Wombats for a run of shows later this month, and have shared details of their own UK headline tour for April 2023, full dates below.
Equal parts optimistic and uneasy, the lyrics to ‘Money (Hope Ain’t Gone)’ were co-written between lead guitarist Elliot Gill and frontperson Fin Power, who delivers them in his instantly discernible style. The track’s intention is to evoke a dialogue between the pair, capturing the duality of their differing perspectives and lived experiences, yet unified by the collective uncertainty of coming of age in a politically fraught time. On the track, they comment;“Money is a very special song for the band, as it’s the first track where the lyrics were co-written between Fin and Elliot. The song shares both of their emotions and perspectives on the world today and the anxieties we face. The song is a statement of emotion about the state of this planet and how it feels growing up into adulthood in the current climate. Fin and Elliot come from very different lives and the mix of their lyrics makes the song the force it is. We want the song to showcase love, hate and hope for the future”
With their debut offering Punkadonk, STONE hope to solidify their ethos – one which encapsulates the scope of their influences, joyfully and urgently refusing to be boxed in. This intention is made immediately clear with the EP’s opening track ‘Disruptor’, a surprising electronic-flecked track which nods endearingly towards the late 90s and early noughties soundscapes present in their early childhood years. Tracks like ‘Moto’ continue this lightheartedness, in this case chronicling Fin’s unwavering loyalty for his cheap replacement Motorola phone. On the other side of the coin is STONE’s fundamental desire to create catharsis. This manifests itself in their blend of thrilling, frenetic rock’n’roll with more intimate exploration of the Gen-Z experience, most pertinent on the EP in tracks like ‘Money (Hope Ain’t Gone)’ and ‘Waste.’ The latter is a candid exploration of the debilitating effect that feeling misjudged has had on Fin’s mental health, a clear example of their ability to craft songs which are as rewarding to mosh to as they are to emotionally absorb. Elliot reflects “Our music is just a conduit to all the emotion that we all feel. We’re living in this scary sensational world of social media, where everything is overexposed and overwhelming. But we’re all in it as a generation. Me and Fin have our own struggles with mental health, and I think that’s why we do what we do with such an intensity; we put up that part of ourselves onstage just to give kids an opportunity to connect with something.”
Alongside Fin Power (vocals/guitar) and Elliot Gill (lead guitar), STONE are completed by Sarah Surrage (bass), and Alex Smith (drums). The band were named as part of the NME 100 for 2022, and have been championed by the likes Jack Saunders and Clara Amfo on BBC Radio1 and Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music. Originally forming in lockdown, the band quickly became frontrunners in the new-era Liverpool scene, releasing a string of dynamic early singles including ‘Stupid’ and ‘Let’s Dance To The Real Thing’ – which recently soundtracked the new Liverpool FC home kit reveal, see here. Now joining forces with Polydor, it’s clear that the stage is set for STONE to continue to rise as one of the UK’s most exhilarating young acts.
