Description
Label Review.
2017 album with bonus DVD containing documentary and three in studio performances.
Our Overview.
The musical bond between Neil Sheasby and Neil Jones is as concrete as their band name: Stone Foundation. It needed to be to survive over a decade of trial, error and frequent returns to the drawing board before finding the right direction, one that’s finally led them to Street Rituals.
The two Neils came to soul music from very different directions. Sheasby hit adolescence as the early 80s mod revival reached critical mass, heeding the call of Dexys and The Jam to follow their muse back to Stax, Motown and the infinite riches of northern soul. Jones took a more scenic route, a fan of old skool hip hop whose detective work to decipher the many samples and breakbeats eventually led him to a similar record collection.
As Stone Foundation say “It's been a strange old journey really from playing half empty bars to sold out arenas supporting the Specials and it's still unfolding. It's hard to look back as we are always too busy looking forward and it sometimes seems of no real significance anyway. What I can tell you is that we have always believed it, lived it, breathed it, dreamed it. Right from the off.
For those who are intrigued by the history lesson it started in earnest around 10 summers ago when the two Neil's worlds collided, an instant mash. Ideas, songs and a vision formed but a band didn't. Members joined and then left or were shown the door, a stable, solid line up took time. Any gang worth it's salt (and pepper) does. This had to be right, more than music, a family affair. Once the team was in place they would still take the duration required to firmly knit the solid bond their hearts desired. The understanding between the seven was crucial. Yes, seven that's right. We knew it had to be. Hammond, Horns over a solid soulful (stone) foundation, we didn't want anyone just dipping their toes in the water. We were off to swim the channel.
And so what of the future ? We constantly look forward, never back. Onwards to what's approaching, fresh footsteps, into tomorrow. Out with the old bring in the new, forever changes. It's like the man once said " It's too late to stop now...."
“Myself and Neil had a conversation at the very beginning of the album that we wanted to hold a mirror up to the world today,” says Sheasby. “There’s so much going on, so much division, that we wanted to make something hopeful and optimistic, which I think you can hear in all the songs.”
Their new album Street Rituals was produced by Paul Weller and features 10 brand new Stone Foundation tracks. Recorded at Black Barn Studios, Paul joined the band for the sessions adding piano, guitar & vocals as well as co-writing 2 of the songs. Street Rituals also features stunning contributions from legendary soul vocalists William Bell and Bettye LaVette.