Self-described as a “fusion band” with roots in blues, jazz, funk and rock, Stone Rabbits brings a modern flavor to Baton Rouge.
“Modern in the sense of how Pink Floyd was modern in the ’70s,” described Kenny Rider, Stone Rabbits pianist and organist and University accounting junior.
Formed in high school, Stone Rabbits — composed of Rider, Ben Burbrink, economics sophomore; Sam Bachrack, political science freshman; Logan Sellers, electrical engineering freshman; Blake Sellers, art junior; and non-university student Tim Schiro — have known each other for years.
Stone Rabbits has come a long way since then.
“It’s sort of like Pixar,” Burbrink said. “The first movie was really good, but the one after that was even better, and they just keep getting better.”
Stone Rabbits counts songwriting among its improved skills.
“The way we write is different from a lot of other bands,” Rider said. “We build from the ground up.”
Each member of Stone Rabbits brings song elements to the table, and once the group has all ingredients for the song at hand, it creates music.
For example, one member may come into rehearsal humming a tune while another may have lyrics in mind. They gather all of these elements and make them one. They are, according to Stone Rabbits, “mainly expanding upon ideas.”
“The hardest part is trying to find the theme and which parts are actually meant to be together,” Bachrack said.
But with its combination of influences, ranging from Robert Plant to Yes, Stone Rabbits doesn’t belong to any particular scene. It’s played everywhere from Voodoo Music Experience to fraternity shows and are well-received at all types of events.
“It’s a big learning experience,” Burbrink said.
This may be due to a wide variety of instrumentation — Stone Rabbits incorporate congas and keyboards, untraditional elements that make the band unique.
“We try to write things that sound new to us,” Bachrack said.
As for the name “Stone Rabbits,” the band wanted to mix hard and soft elements, much like their songs do.
“It’s sort of like Guns N’Roses,” Bachrack said.
Listeners can find the Stone Rabbits’ music on ReverbNation, or catch them live Feb. 23 at the Varsity Theatre.
“The way we write is different from a lot of other bands, we build from the ground up.”
