The Deadbolt Exclusive - Letting Go with Chad Stokes of State Radio

Letting Go with Chad Stokes of State Radio
by Troy Rogers

There aren't many bands out there like State Radio, three talented musical activists who truly aren't afraid to stand up for what's right and call things the way they see them through their music. Although many artists convey what they see and feel through song, State Radio lead singer Chad Stokes walks the walk when it comes to social justice and responsibility while lending his voice to help those who don't have a voice. In fact, while currently on tour in various cities Chad Stokes can be found dropping by homeless shelters, halfway houses, or simply lending a hand to those in need.

An activist for social change, Chad Stokes is fearless in his efforts to raise awareness on dire issues within the United States but also in other impoverished nations as Zimbabwe and Darfur. If you know Chad Stokes from his days in Dispatch, one of the most popular indie bands of the past 15 years, State Radio is a natural call-to-action extension of Stokes' fight for what's right in trying to make the world a better place.

After three previous studio albums from 2006 to 2007, Chad Stokes and State Radio have released their fourth full-length effort, Let It Go, recorded at the legendary Long View Farm in Massachusetts, which went wide to fans on September 25. With Let It Go finding its way to fans, we caught up with Chad Stokes for an exclusive one-on-one to learn more about the social significance within the new songs on Let It Go, the decision to release Let It Go on vinyl, the current state of inhumanity around the world, how the songs have been live, and why so many people have a hard time letting go.

THE DEADBOLT: How did recording at Long View Farm help in what you wanted to say on the album?

CHAD STOKES: I think it just continued this kind of organic [live feel]. Long View Farm, even the gear is like in the heyday of the '70s and it's like nothing has changed. So some of it was like dusting away the cobwebs and seeing if gear worked. You know, you sleep in the barn and there are goats and horses there and sleeping in Keith's room. The Rolling Stones were there quite a bit, so they each had their own room. I think I was in Mick's room. It was just amazing views and a huge wood stove that you're constantly stoking. We were going to two inch tape, so it just felt like we were in some kind of time warp.

THE DEADBOLT: What made you guys decide to offer it up on vinyl?

STOKES: I think we always wanted to do that but never had our shit together enough to make it happen [laughs]. We were excited, we love records. And we got so excited because we brought the prototype home to our apartment and put it on in Boston, but the speed is off on my cheap record player. So everything was really fast. It was like we were singing the Chipmunks and not exactly the experience we were looking for.

THE DEADBOLT: How have the Crows been responding to the songs out on the road?

STOKES: Great. We just started the tour and the past two nights we are almost playing the whole album. The first night we played the whole album and last night we played everything except for a couple of songs. It feels good when you can do that and not feel like you're losing the crowd. The crowd already knows the songs on the new album, so it's cool.

THE DEADBOLT: Given the significance within "Held Up By Wires," how do you feel now that it's finally on an album?

STOKES: [laughs] So good, like I'm glad we waited. We recorded it every album and it didn't make it because every now and then there's a song that's just hard and you don't know what it is. It's so contingent on the energy between the players and the live setting and it's hard to record. It's hard to put down on a non-live setting so we always had trouble capturing that energy. But I think we finally did and that feels really good and people have been great. From the different versions, it's the long version. So we're just throwing it all in there and it's really fun. For the past couple of years it's been a real mainstay live, and non-agro listeners might actually know it now, too.

THE DEADBOLT: So what is it about roots and ska, even country, that lends well to what you guys want to say?

STOKES: Well, I think there's an element of folk in those genres as well and I think that's what we play on tour. It's kind of like singing from the people, about the people, for the people kind of thing. And you have that in ska, which basically comes from Jamaica where you have the ska scene back in the late '50s or '60s and the people are all grounded in masses as opposed to coming from the top down.

THE DEADBOLT: In "Mansin Humanity" about all not being well and so little time, do you think there's still time?

STOKES: I think there's still. I mean, there's no more time in certain situations because that time has passed. But there's still, because that one's about the Armenian genocide. But it holds true for what's going on in Sudan today, in some ways what's going on in Zimbabwe, and it's like we know what's going on. As far as our politicians, does it make sense for them to stick their necks out and, in a case like Zimbabwe, put pressure on a country where there aren't necessarily tankers of oil coming our way because of our involvement? It's like a true altruism. So I think there's still time for us to talk about things like that and hopefully sway our politicians in that way.

THE DEADBOLT: How do reconcile man's inhumanity towards man when it's been going on for centuries? What gives you hope?

STOKES: I guess it's kind of the optimism in the song "Evolution" in that as we evolve as a species we learn how detrimental and ridiculous war is. And even though it seems ingrained, especially in men, the violence - I have a nephew that's two years old and all he wants to do is shoot guns. Not real guns, but like every kid, especially boys who turn one and a half and are just looking for something he can shoot at. So it is pretty ingrained. But I like to think the human race is getting smarter and we understand how we can communicate with each across borderlines, across language barriers. So it's a hope. It's got to start there I think.

THE DEADBOLT: Is it frustrating sometimes working in such a mainstream industry that doesn't back some of the issues you guys talk about?

STOKES: You mean how our message doesn't necessarily jive with what's going on in the mainstream?

THE DEADBOLT: Specifically the music industry as a whole. I'm guessing the industry isn't really behind everything you guys believe in.

STOKES: No, no. I guess we just operate kind of on our own anyway just because we're not signed with anyone. So we're just kind of on our own out here and we do what we like. I guess sometimes the industry, even with the Dispatch stuff when we would do the huge show, even then the industry would barely, barely pay any attention. [laughs] So we just do our thing and hopefully we continue to have the privilege of doing this for a living.

THE DEADBOLT: Since there are a lot of layers of revolution in "Calling All Crows" and "Knights of Bostonia," can you talk about how you see social action and responsibility as a good thing for the better?

STOKES: Yeah, it's a big deal. It's obviously one of mine because it's what we sing about and, in some ways, why we play music. Because music to me has always had the most impact when there's been a message that goes deeper than some of the stuff you hear on the Top 40. I've grown up listening to Dylan and Hendrix and The Who and Bob Marley and the Wailers and I just gravitate to that kind of music that was part of something bigger, that was the fight for your right mentality and the rights that we have to ask as humans to live. So if it's in our music in State Radio, I feel like it's important that we kind of pony it up and actually walk the walk as well. That's why "Calling All Crows" is so instrumental in our touring life and doing different things in different cities with fans and local personalities.

THE DEADBOLT: What were you doing in Charlotte?

STOKES: Going to a halfway house to do some maintenance inside or some lawn work around the perimeters.

THE DEADBOLT: Did you guys actually make it to Pittsburgh for the G-20? I know the Welcome Concert was cancelled, but did you go down anyway?

STOKES: No, we didn't. That whole thing got cancelled. We were practicing in Boston and we were just going to fly out for the concert and do some marching but they called us off just because of the permits. But now there's talk of those bands getting together in the spring and doing a little mini-tour, hopefully. We love playing with Anti-Flag. So we're psyched to hook up with those guys again.

THE DEADBOLT: Since you guys are from Boston, what your thoughts on the recent passing of Ted Kennedy. How did that affect you?

STOKES: We basically went to Kennedy Center and stood in line and walked by his casket, paid our respects, and the Kennedy kids were out there greeting people in the line. We had our dog with us because the Kennedy's were always big dog fans. But you know, he comes with a bit of a checkered past. It's so true when you say - Like the title of one of the memoirs or biographies is "The Fall and Rise of Ted Kennedy" as opposed to those two verbs switched around. You know, it's usually the rise and fall. It's so true. He was such a leader for the people.

His work with human rights and with health care, and his pure legislative power in terms of he really knew how to get a bill passed, he was just so influential and got so many things done in Congress that we in Massachusetts were so proud of. And him meeting the health care is a huge one. So we were sad to see him go. He was really a soldier for the people and Massachusetts and for the nation. So we're really supporting this guy, Alan Khazei, who started City Year and another organization called Be the Change. We're trying to get a bunch of petitions now when we're in Massachusetts so that he can be on the ballot, because we really think he's a super follow-up to where Ted Kennedy would've gone.

THE DEADBOLT: Why do you think so many people have a hard time letting go?

STOKES: Do you mean Ted Kennedy or the title of the album?

THE DEADBOLT: [laughs] The title of the album.

STOKES: [laughs] Well, for us that song, as someone said, for State Radio it's kind of an ironic title because we don't let things go. We try to call things the way we see them and fight for the voiceless and that kind of thing, in the song at least, which predated the album title. It's about a crazy dictator in Zimbabwe and how he and his coterie of thugs that run that country are just kind of holding onto this power that's seeping away from them and they're doing anything they can to maintain that. So in that way, it's like let go of that power and greed that has such a grip on you. And you could probably say that about a few politicians [laughs], like let go of that dark side of you and embrace the people.

What's funny is the album was named Let it Go and then my partner Sybil would say to me as I was really - You know, with any album you get in the minutia of things, jams and tiny mixes, the alternative mixes and "is the shaker too loud on five seconds of Evolution?" or "the tint of the yellow on the inside panel of the album isn't quite right." So stuff like that is just kind of funny in a sense of just letting it go. And she was kind of saying that to me towards the end of the album process, let it go.

It also gives a bit of a holler back to The Beatles' "Let it Be" and The Stones' "Let it Bleed," even the way we recorded it with the two inch tape with all of the amps in the room in an old barn. It just felt like there was a bit of a shout out to influential bands in our life and that kind of era when music to us felt so - You know, rock n' roll felt pure and real.

-- Troy Rogers