Formed across the Atlantic in late 2023 by like-minded musicians. The prime movers are Russell Stewart (UK) and Joe Garmon (US). Hard rock at its core, Circle of Stone encompasses a multitude of influences. Both classic and contemporary style can be heard in their music.
The musicians:
Russell Stewart – vocals, rhythm guitar, bass
Joe Garmon – lead and rhythm guitars, bass
J.R. Mysterion – drums
With Covered in Stone out now, we took some time to hear from Circle of Stone. Read below to learn more about Circle of Stone, the story behind Covered in Stone, and what’s to come.
Hi! Let’s start with how did the group’s name come about?
We pitched a bunch of names back and forth. We wanted something that represented something Earthy, natural, analog- but drove our philosophy to have freedom to write music in unique styles. So, STONE and CIRCLE were in many of our name ideas. We just put them together. That was Russ!
What city are you both from, and where are you both based now?
Russ is from the north of England. Me and JR are from the deep south in the US. Russ is in Barnsley and me and JR are in Atlanta.
When and how did this duo form?
We formed officially in late 2023, but we had been working on tracks together throughout 2023. Then JR joined us. Like minded musicians, but with lots of differing influences. Makes things exciting!
How would you both describe your band’s sound?
Rock, hard rock, stoner, acoustic. ‘70s and ‘80s rock was a cornerstone to the sound design for sure. We love all that analog tone stuff. We grew up with all that stuff. All of our parents were into it, so it was subconsciously burned into our brains!
Who are some of your group’s main musical influences?
Wow, yeah that’s a really the million dollar question! Well, a pretty good indicator is on our latest album, Covered in Stone! We tend to wear our influences on our sleeve!
What’s one of the proudest moments of your group’s music career so far?
Certainly building our band and releasing our first album.
What would you both say are the greatest lessons that you both have learned so far?
Each new recording, we learn something new! Always a work in progress. Our philosophy is very DIY. As with the musicians that influenced us.
Now onto Covered in Stone. What inspired this EP?
We had already recorded and released a couple albums and some EPs of original stuff. Really developing our sound. I had been working up some guitar tones and ended up recording a rough draft of “Cornucopia.” Sent it to Russ. He liked it and we ended up recording a proper version. After that, we were like, “hmm, how about a cover album?”
What is the overall theme of Covered in Stone?
A tribute to some of our favorite artists. Only with Circle of Stone flair!
How were the cover songs chosen, and how do they differ from the originals?
We just picked artists and worked up the songs after “Cornucopia.” Some didn’t make the cut. Like a version of a Skynyrd song. A labor of love, if you will. We put our flair on them for sure. There’s lots of little “Easter eggs” in there too!
Why “Devil’s Dance?”
Haha, that was Russ. He’s a big Hetfield fan. Inevitably we were gonna do a Metallica track. They have a 30th anniversary of Reload (contains “Devil’s Dance”) coming out. Russ pitched it, so we said, “Let’s go for it!” It’s one of my favorites!
How about that intro on “Black Night?”
Oh yeah. I’m a Sabbath head. I thought, what would it sound like if Geezer Butler was in Deep Purple. All those deep bends on the bass! So, I recorded the bass parts as though he were there. Then, listening back, I thought “its missing something.” We recorded a bit of Bill Ward’s swing with Geezer’s “Bassically.” It just fit! To me, “Black Night” is kind of a loose cousin to “NIB.”
What was the inspiration behind the cover artwork for Covered in Stone?
That’s Russ. He renders all the art for our albums. He’s brilliant, really! We come up with the title, then he does his magic.
What was the creative process like when making Covered in Stone?
Once we came up with the songs, me and JR record the music here in Atlanta. The send the tracks to Russ to record vocals in the UK. Then everything comes back and we mix at JEC studio back in Atlanta.
How long did it take to complete Covered in Stone?
We recorded and mixed everything in about 6 weeks. This also included learning the songs too!
What do you both hope fans take away from Covered in Stone and your duo’s music in general?
Well, we hope to expose fans to some great tunes! A little insight to the stuff we love, ya know?
What’s next? Are you all working on any upcoming projects, or do you all have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?
We’ll be writing the next album, I’m sure! We’re artists, always writing stuff. I build my own guitars, so there will probably be a new one of those during the next album cycle too! Also, lots of surprises coming up too!
Where can we follow you all on social media?
We’re on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/circleofstonemusic
Website coming soon!
Thank you all for the great interview; wish you all much continued success!
