What happens when the unstoppable hits the unmovable; when the inorganic hits the organic? Stone Theory asks large questions in their debut album, The Final Stand, which will be launched at Drostdy Theatre in Stellenbosch on Saturday November 4, at 8.15pm.
Stone Theory, a progressive rock band from the Boland, includes Tertius van der Merwe on lead guitar and vocals, Lyndon Dunbar on bass and Adrian Mellema on drums. This philosophical trio are no strangers to hard work. All three members are sound engineers, who decided to produce their first offering in their home studio.
The concept behind The Final Stand is “innate nature overcoming mental attitudes, which separates us from each other and from our planet. The invading alien cube of horrors on the album cover, which threatens the organic Zen floating island, is transformed into a honeycomb of flowers, which symbolises a functional ecology and mutual respect,” says Van der Merwe about the inspiration behind the songs and album artwork.
Stone Theory’s sound is organic, rhythmically complex and at times haunting, but always very melodic. Their lyrics range from everyday human experiences such as love and war, to the archetypical and the absurd.
Stone Theory’s musical roots reach deep. Van der Merwe started piano and vocal training as an extra school subject, and launched his music career in the Youngsfield Army Brass Band, where he played bass tuba.
But his main love has always been guitar, and throughout his career he has been part of all kinds of different types of bands. Rock, jazz and blues music are the major styles he has worked in.
He used to play bass for Soft Landing Jazz Band and lead guitar for Slow Boat. Dunbar’s bass style is home-grown, intricate and filled with counterpoint themes.
He started in school as a guitarist and switched to bass soon after learning to play cello. He is a sound engineer with a vast amount of experience, and has played bass for Shrooms and Cannon, later called The Beautiful Losers.
Mellema’s drumming style is innovative, and his style ranges from jazz, reggae, old-school rock from the 60s, Afrikaans, Country to current music.
Tickets cost R100, and can be booked at info@drostdyteater.co.za or 087 942 2459.