The Stingers will show off their ska sound Wednesday night at Dave’s Darkhorse Tavern. Although this is their first appearance in Starkville, they are no strangers to Mississippi. “We love coming here. Mississippians like to dance and party and so do we,” guitarist Jon Meyers said.
The Stingers’ first gig in the Magnolia State was in Jackson at MusiQuarium. One happy fan liked the band so much he referred them to Dave Hood, owner of Dave’s Darkhorse Tavern. That fan was none other than Mike Freed, drummer for the Puerto Rican Rum Drunks.
“I totally trust Mike’s opinion. A year and a half ago he suggested a pretty much unknown performer who called himself Afroman. When Mike told me about The Stingers, I went ahead and booked them,” Hood said.
Freed gave Hood The Stingers’ EP, which consists of only three songs. Less than halfway through the first song, “Rich Boy Now,” Hood knew he found something special. Starkville has never had a ska band or anything else like The Stingers. The band already has a strong fan base in Hattiesburg, Jackson and Oxford.
“When we play in Hattiesburg there are always people waiting outside the door for us,” Meyers said. “We are hoping to have a good reception in Starkville as well.”
The Stingers were formed in 1998 in Austin, Texas. Walter Dunn went to Meyers with a few ska songs he had written. Together they started to form the band. Shortly after they began playing at the Black Cat in Austin, Dunn left to join the Army. Meyers put together a good rhythm section and took it from there.
Meyers, aka Face, sings while playing the guitar. The five other members include: “The Doctor” Wayne Myers blowing the trombone, The Notorious M.I.G. does vocals and percussion, Patrick Pestorius also sings and tickles the ivories on the piano and organ, Willy “Hot Rod” Camero works the bass and Andrew “Boom Boom” Ferfers bangs the drums.
The band has a classy look-they dress head-to-toe in suits and completely absorb old school ska. Their style of wardrobe resembles the dress of the gentlemen in “Swingers.”
As for their music, do not expect the sound of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. The Stingers follow the traditional ska sound of the 1960s. Their music can be summarized as a mixture of true American rock, rhythm and blues, reggae and soul.
“When we perform, everyone dances,” Meyers said. “A lot of people come in expecting to just have a drink and not get on the dance floor. By the end of the night everyone feels like they had the best workout of their life and are smiling.”
Ska music proposes an easy atmosphere. Uprooted in rock and put in soul, The Stingers move to a smooth Jamaican style. Their show is all about dancing to upbeat rhythms and having a good time.
“If we solely advertised ourselves as a ska band people would put us in a punk-ska genre. We incorporate a lot of reggae and doo-wop as well as the soul and rock,” Meyers said.
Meyers also added that people who do not listen to ska could relate to their music because of the elements in their songs.
“Traditional ska music focuses on typically one of two things- dancing and break-ups. Sometimes even both,” Meyers said.
Their coming about has not been an easy one. They were signed to a small label that tried to change their music. The Stingers broke away from the label and bought back all of the master tracks. This endeavor broke their bank, but has made them an all-together stronger unity. They have started their own label to copyright their music and are looking at a few European labels. Last summer they were lucky and traveled with the Bob Marley Natural Mystic Tour.
The Stingers said they are highly anticipating the release of their sophomore album, Six Ways, due out later in 2002. Right now they are promoting their EP, Big (in Mississippi), a three-track preview. The Stingers chose the title as a tribute to their fans in Mississippi.
“Everyone here is really kind and receptive to us. We travel to so many different places, but nothing compares to the feeling we get in this state,” Meyers said.
Their show at Dave’s begins at 9 p.m. and admission is $5. Hood encourages everyone to check out a the hot, new sound coming to Starkville. For more information on The Stingers, check out their Web site at www.thestingers.net. For more information about their performance at Dave’s Darkhorse Tavern call 324-3316.