Formed in 2009 by Mark Kitchens and William āDubā Irvin, and joined by bassist Erick Paxecko in 2023, the band has spent over a decade crafting sonic landscapes rooted in stoner rock, doom, space and experimental vibes, building a loyal cult following in the US underground. Their previous releases, including the sprawling The Inexplicable Vibrations of Frequencies Within the Cosmic Netherworld and the live album Vivere, have been praised by outlets like The Obelisk, Doomed & Stoned and Fort Worth Weekly.
The Origin & Identity:
How did you all come together as a band, and when did it feel real?
– DUB: Mark and I started SME in the summer of 2009. We had known each other/been friends for around 20 years give or take at that point. And we had jammed and done a few gigs together over those years, but nothing really serious. So it was kind of ādo you want to start a band playing this type of stuff?ā āSure, but I have an audition first.ā Luckily he didnāt get that gig and we started jamming/writing. Because of our history together and having a shared intention it felt real right away. Maybe even before we had our first rehearsal. Erick didnāt come along until 2023. But, man, he fit in right away. He fits in so well that it feels like Iāve known him just as long. He is part of the family.
Where did your band name come from, and why does it feel like you?
– DUB: Canāt really say that it came from anywhere. Just brainstorming. I think it was me that came up with Stone Machine, until I realized that name was taken. (Completely different kind of band) Then I suggested just adding āElectricā to it since we were an electric band. Itās been a while, so I could be mistaken and it may have been Markās idea. Either way it feels like us because thatās our name. Really no other reason. Of course over the years itās been abbreviated as SME for convenience, just like various other bands. VH, STP, RATM, etc.
Mark: Yeah, I think you had mentioned Electric Stone Machine, kind of Electric Wizard sounding, but I suggested adding it to the end instead. It gave the name a different tone.
Did you have a clear vision for your sound from the start, or did it develop naturally?
– DUB: Kind of a combination. There was a vision for the band from the beginning, but we let it happen naturally as best we could as a two piece. Erick’s joining has changed us a bit, for the better, but the vision is still there. Iām not going to say what that vision is, but the moniker ādoom-jazzā fits the vision fairly well. By the way, that was actually given to us by a friend/fan after seeing us live a few times years ago. It sounded cool so we ran with it. And it does kind of fit.
Mark: We were aiming for that heavy sound, but other than that it came down to just filling in the rest with whatever felt right at the time.
What should listeners know about your newest album?
– DUB: That it will be released in September on Argonauta Records and they should go preorder it! Itās also the first time we will be on vinyl. Super excited about that. But as far as the music goes, itās different from our previous releases. There are aspects that are similar to earlier stuff, which ties them together, but also stuff completely different. Maybe even unexpected.
Mark: Faces is a more song-based approach compared to out last couple of albums, and we didn’t have a song over 10 minutes long this time, haha!
Influences & Creative Process:
Who or what has shaped your sound in ways people might not expect?
– DUB: I hope people never expect a certain sound from us, except us being us, whatever that may be at any point. I guess Iām the oddball of the band in the sense that I rarely listen to music from whatever genre we are placed in. I do occasionally, but rarely. I donāt want that as too much of an influence. If I listen too much then it will become too much of an influence and Iād write stuff that sounded like it. I havenāt listened to either in a while, but probably my biggest influences are The Allman Brothers, Govāt Mule, and Led Zeppelin. That and ā80s metal of all types. Hair to thrash.
Mark: I am always on the hunt for new music and new bands. Not to say that shapes how I approach music for Stone Machine Electric. Every band do things a bit differently and adds their uniqueness to the music. I like to consume music and pull from its bits and pieces that I feel can enhance or inform what I do. I find new and old music all the time. From the album Matt Berry put out earlier this year, or even going back and listening to stuff I have never heard of until now, like NEU!, that started back in the 70s.
When creating a song, do you follow a routine or mix it up each time?
– DUB: I just let it come out and flow. Let the universe take the wheel.
Mark: As far as a routine, it is just practicing and playing any opportunity I can. I’m always jotting down lyrics, words or phrases as they come to me, or as they may pop up in conversations or as I’m doom-scrolling. I always try to have a little notebook or sketchbook on me.
Are there moods, riffs, or ideas you find yourself returning to?
– DUB: Iāll keep this one short and just say yes.
Mark: The world always pushes me into certain frames of mind to make those ideas continually pop back in. I try to write lyrics as abstract as I can when it comes to politics or religion as a way to make it apply to more than what it appears to be about.
How do you make writing decisions ā together or does someone usually lead?
– DUB: The short answer is together. Most of the time Mark and I write separately but then make little changes, arrangement decisions, etc after jamming it a bit. Maybe even add or subtract a section. We let the songs decide. We are only the messengers. There are no leaders for songwriting in this band. Unless you consider the songs themselves the leaders. Iām looking forward to Erick being in the process. I feel he will approach it the same way.
Musical Technique / Composition:
When layering sounds, do you focus more on tone or on mood?
– DUB: Tone/mood, mood/tone. Is there a difference? One affects the other.
Do you use alternate tunings, odd meters, or unusual chords to shape your sound?
– DUB: Weāve used all over the years. The new album has four different tunings I think. Weāve used odd meters pretty much since the beginning, too. But it was more a feel/flow thing than a conscious decision. If it felt right then it was right. Some things have been in 5 and others 7. We just feel it and donāt worry about the count. Iām probably wrong about this but an old song I had a section that in my mind was 12/8, but when Mark did his thing it sounded to me like he was alternating 13/8 and 11/8. Iām probably wrong, though. And what is an unusual chord? Iāve definitely used/use extensions from time to time.
How much of your arrangements come from improvisation versus planning?
– DUB: I canāt answer āhow muchā but both happen.
Mark: It is mixed bag, for sure. Sometimes the planned arrangements end up providing paths for improvisation, and sometimes the improvisations assist in finding ways to inform some of the half-written songs that are brought to the table.
Stories & Experiences:
Whatās one moment that truly captures what this band is about?
– DUB: Only one? Itās every moment that we are together, be it rehearsal, studio, or live. Maybe one of the other guys can answer better, or give a more expected answer. But I canāt think of one moment when it is every moment.
Mark: Yeah, you cannot nail something like that down, especially when the sound is ever evolving.
Does playing live bring out a different side of your music?
– DUB: Definitely. It allows us to improvise and live in that one moment that will never happen again. Sure, we can improvise in the studio, but that moment gets recorded and lives forever. Live it only happens once. If you missed it too bad. It will never be heard again.
Mark: It might get heard again unless I forget to bring a recorder to capture the performance. But, that does not translate the atmosphere as well as being there buried in the sound.
Whatās the quirkiest experiment youāve done in the studio?
– DUB: Probably the maniacal laughing on No/W/Here from our first album. Completely spur of the moment. At least thatās the first thing that comes to mind. But there is some stuff that Mark did on the new album, too. Itās a tossup.
Mark: On the new album, Faces, I used the HC-TT made by the company Landscape FM. It is like a DJ’s turntable, but for cassettes. For the bridge in Just Another Wizard, I recorded the vocals onto a cassette and played it through the HC-TT and recorded it that way. It gives it this weird/warbly sound that adds to the energy of that section.
Has a fan ever done or said something that made you see your music differently?
– DUB: Well, the person who first referred to us as doom jazz. I canāt say that it made me see the music differently per se, but it let us know that we were different and to go with it.
Mark: I’ve not heard anything that makes me see our music differently. Fans of our music have inspired me to keep doing it and forging ahead. I can’t think of a specific example, but there have been some mentions of other bands I haven’t heard of, and it will make me go seek it out to hear how they are interpreting our sound.
Current Inspirations & Recommendations:
Any up-and-coming musicians you think deserve more attention?
– DUB: There are many, but I canāt name names at the moment. Donāt look to YouTube or any social media for them. Many of those types can play in their bedrooms but canāt actually play with others, which is where it counts. The complete unknowns have way more heart and soul than those who are only after ālikesā and such. Go see a local show and you will find them.
Mark: Some of the recent bands we have played I think deserve more attention. That would include Momovudu, who is also a label mate on Argonauta Records, and Mind Funeral. We’ve been fortunate enough to play a couple of shows with them. The band Good Spirits from Shreveport, LA recently reached out to us to book shows together. Their new album that came out in August is great!
Vision & Reflection:
Where do you see your sound heading next? Any experiments youāre itching to try?
– DUB: I donāt try to see where things are heading next. I just let it happen naturally. Let the universe take control. But Iāve wanted to find a way to incorporate country into it somehow for quite a while. Not the modern garbage but real country music. Especially outlaw country. But since Iām the only one in the band raised on and familiar with it that will be difficult.
Mark: Yeah, outlaw country would be a hard mix for me. Can’t say I’d be 100% in on that, but who knows? My experimenting would be more on the noise or drone side. The drone thing works well with the heavy stuff, but I know some people aren’t fans of that. But you have to play for yourself first. If others like it, then cool!
Which track do you feel captures your band best, and whatās the story behind it?
– DUB: Is this a trick question? None of them and all of them. Each is a small snapshot of a moment. Live, when we can expand, is really where itās at.
Mark: If we’re talking about the track in relation to Faces, I would have to say Manic. It is the one track that incorporates a bit of each of us the best. I produced the intro, verse, and chorus riffs. Dub came up with bridge/solo section of the song. The ending of the song was something that came from us improvising on that end section, which I actually got on video from rehearsals. In the bridge/solo section, Erick added this impressive bass line that alternates. Since we recorded it, that part has morphed more, and we are locked into that groove.
What do you hope people feel when they sink into your music?
– DUB: I donāt hope that they feel any particular emotion. Only that they feel. If they feel pain great. If they feel pleasure great. Etc. As long as they feel and the emotion is genuine. Lyrically speaking though I hope it gets them to using their heads.
Turbo Regime:
Fuzz or distortion?
– DUB: If you are asking about effects I would say neither. All of my gain comes from the amp, so in that regard I guess distortion. Occasionally Iāll hit an overdrive pedal for certain sections, but even that is rare. Iāve never played a fuzz pedal I liked, and I hate distortion pedals. If I use a drive pedal itās either an overdrive or boost.
Analog or digital effects?
– DUB: Iām an analog guy, but digital does have its place at times. Mainly in time-based effects. My always on delays are digital but mostly model tape or analog with exceptions. That and pitch shifters. But everything else is analog, including some delay.
Sabbath or Zeppelin?
– DUB: I really dig Sabbath, but Zeppelin is the best band that ever existed hands down.
Mark: I’m for Black Sabbath. The moods of the songs and tonality they invoke resonate more with me. I like Led Zeppelin, but Sabbath nudges ahead for me.
Heavy riff or mind-bending solo?
– DUB: With those choices I would say heavy riff because the riff fuels the song. But I would prefer a combination of heavy riff and chord progression. And mind-bending solos are extremely rare. Not part of the question but possibly my favorite guitar solos are the ones Duane and Dickey did on āBlue Skyā on Eat A Peach. Classic. Non-guitar solos would probably be from everyone on the Miles Davis Kind of Blue album. Man, they really knew how to play back then. Miles and Trane and every member on that session. Fire.
Mark: Yeah, I agree with the riffing. I could play along with riffs forever it seems like. I’m always down for repetitive sounds and noise. It is easier to get into the zone and meld with.
Vintage gear or modern kit?
– DUB: Vintage gear sounds and feels so much better, but it has its issues. I would say modern gear built with the classic (great sounding) circuits but with the reliability of more modern components. Well, at least the really good modern components, and those built with love. Some, like everything else now, are built to fail. Thatās speaking of guitar amps of course. As for drums Mark has the best sounding kit Iāve ever heard. Blows the modern kits out of existence. I think itās a Slingerland from the ā70s. He can confirm or modify that. But his is the best kit Iāve ever heard. No matter how loud I play I can always hear it. Great projection and TONE.
Mark: Yes, my kit is a 70s/80s Slingerland. They are made of a composite poplar/mahogany shell. The poplar gives it that projection, while the mahogany gives it warmth. I saw recently that Slingerland is back in production and making kits with this composition again. Maybe these will still have that sound. Modern drum hardware is better than that old 70s/80s single braced hardware. The hydraulic seats are also more comfortable than the regular old drum throne.
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