Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Stoned Mary. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Stoned, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

As a band who formed during the height of the pandemic the biggest unexpected challenge was creating music and content while quarantining separately. We collaborated online and filmed music videos in separate locations when we first started out. This would be our Gentlemen music video! Originally, we were a 4 piece band with Tani playing bass as well as singing lead. The challenge this presented was that Tani felt like she wasn’t able to give both instruments her all and ultimately we decided it would be best to bring in a 5th member. That’s when we met Alex, who has not only brought the necessary low end but also his style to our song writing that has completely transformed our sound into what we are today. Because of the pandemic, we didn’t officially play together on a stage as a band until 2 years after we had formed so now we are playing catch up to our online presence.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

All of us have been in multiple different bands throughout the Tampa Bay area. David, Tani, and Hernando had been writing music together, just for fun. As the songs started to sound better, they reached out to Billy to jump on rhythm guitar with Alex joining later.

Together, we combine our diverse musical inspirations to create our unique sound. As a rock band, we want to play sick shows, have fun, and connect with as many people along the way. Being an independent band currently, what sets us apart is that we do everything in-house: graphic design, video and editing, social media, producing and mixing, etc; and we are proud of everything we’ve achieved so far.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

We believe that the best thing society can do to support artists, is pay them! Artists are often undervalued and underpaid regardless of their skill or quality of work.

We want people to come to live shows, and support the local artists if you like the music. A creative ecosystem will grow when bands have relevant exposure in their local scene.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For us, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing people at our shows singing along to our songs! We love interacting with so many different and unique people at shows, and knowing we made an impact in their lives is sweet! We also love playing with other bands from the local scene, touring acts, and meeting new other skilled musicians while learning about their experiences.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://orcd.co/edgeoflettinggo
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stonedmaryband/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StonedMaryBand
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/stonedmaryband
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9qJs-nfFb9rjqTAVnhaH9Q
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@stonedmaryband

Image Credits
Photos by Zakari Monska, and Kyle Bertrand. EP art by David Kislik.