Canadian country duo Kansas Stone have released a new single called “Up” and a colourful music video to go alongside it. We had the chance to connect with Brian and Matt to talk about this new release.
“Up” is a great new song! It’s an anthemic song with a really important message. This song aims to shine a light on mental health, and honestly, it couldn’t have come at a better time. It’s a message we all need to hear with everything that’s going on in the world.
It’s an important reminder that there’s nowhere to go but up!
We had the chance to catch up with the guys from Kansas Stone to talk about this song. It was a great conversation and we talked about life in quarantine, and what it’s like to create music together vs solo. Catch the interview below. But before you get to the interview, take some time to watch the colourful music video for “Up”.
It looks like it must have been a messy and fun video shoot!
Watch The Music Video For “Up” By Kansas Stone
Interview With Country Duo Kansas Stone
Front Porch Music: Thanks so much for joining us on the Front Porch! We’re so happy to have you. Why don’t you introduce yourselves to our audience. Brian, we’ve connected a few times on your solo projects, but why don’t you both tell us a bit about yourselves, where you’re from, how your musical journeys started as individuals.
Brian: I appreciate all of the support that you’ve given me on my solo project and I am so grateful and excited to be able to talk about the work we’re doing with Kansas Stone. As you know, I am a relentless creator. I live and breathe music and Kansas Stone acts as a secondary outlet which allows me to showcase a different side of myself as a writer and performer in addition to my solo project.
Matt: Well growing up in Barrie, Ontario as a young teenager all I wanted to do was be a professional skateboarder until my love music and the guitar came along. Music quickly became something that consumed all of my time and became my life’s passion. Playing live at local bars and rock venues helped to teach me how to lay to a crowd and entertain and eventually how to write my own original songs. Since then I’ve played in several original projects one of them being “Beyond Haven” which was the band Brian had asked me to join way back when. That’s what started our relationship as Musicians and friends and the rest as they say is history.
Front Porch Music: What about Kansas Stone … how did the two of you meet and get started with music together?
Matt: Brian and I met through the local music scene in Barrie. I would go and see his band play and he would see mine and we would always talk about collaborating together. It wasn’t until Brian finally convinced me (Matty) to join his rock band that we would realize our potential and what we could accomplish together. Since then we’ve gone on to write & record many songs. And through that create Kansas Stone which blossomed out of both of our lives for all types of music. including Country and many other genres of music.
Brian: Ya like Matty said, we met through our own individual projects and I convinced Matty to start playing with me In a southern rock band I had until I wanted to make the move back to my roots and that’s when Kansas Stone was formed. We combined our influences and love for country and rock to create our signature sound. We still retain a primary focus on our individual projects, but when we come together we pour our hearts and souls into this band with every record and live show. We have some of the best fans in the country.
Front Porch Music: Your newest single “Up” is a really great song! It’s a fun song that has a really catchy tune, and a great message. Tell us about this single. What’s the inspiration and the message you want people to take from this song?
Brian: This single of ours shines a light on mental health and is a reminder that when you feel like you’ve hit rock bottom, there’s no way to go but up! We hope this song gives anybody going through some tough times the spark they need to keep moving forward.
Matt: I’d say our main inspiration for this song is to realize a lot of life is all about perspective. And maintaining a positive frame of mind and trying to look on the ”UP” side is very important when life put us through many of its trials and tribulations. Easier said then done but we’ve always believed in trying our best to maintain the PMA (positive mental attitude) at all times and it’s been crucial to us as a band when we’ve been faced with dark days.
Front Porch Music: What’s the writing and song creation process like for the two of you? How does writing music for Kansas Stone differ from writing music for other artists, or yourselves as solo artists? Or is there a difference?
Matt: a lot the times a Kansas Stone song will start with someone bringing a melody or a riff to the table that’s catchy enough and has potential enough for us to want to pursue it further. Sometimes we are able to capture an entire song with words & music when writing and other times we will write a melody or a riff that will be a seed for another song to grow out of later on down the line. The best songs tend to be the ones that come together naturally to us. But sometimes a song needs time to be realized. In both cases it’s all about what our hearts are telling us and we let that guide us to something that the band and our fans can get behind.
Front Porch Music: Earlier this year you released a huge collaboration with 16 other Canadian country artists in a song called “Together We’re Strong”. This song was released at a time when the world seemed to need this message. How did this song come about, and how did you get SO many artists to sign on to this project?
Brian: Well when quarantine first hit in March I had the idea to write a song and release it with proceeds going to the Unison Benevolent Fund. I had the intention of getting a few my friends In the industry on it .. I then called my friend Dustin Bird and told him the idea and song name and then called a bunch of my musician friends. I never thought it would snowball into 17 amazing artists across Canada jumping on the track. We are so grateful that we were able to lead that release.
Front Porch Music: What’s next for you? Do you have more music coming out soon, what can we expect to see from you?
Brian: For Kansas Stone, we will continue to create music that we believe in and that we know our fans will love. With my solo project leading the charge at radio and streaming, we have the flexibility to create some of the best music KS has ever created.
We can’t wait to get into the studio in the new year and lay down some brand new material that we think you’re going to love!
Stream “Up” By Kansas Stone
In country music, the Front Porch has long been a place of reflection. A place where you can look at the life you have inside that front door. A place where time almost seems to stand still, where you can get away. It’s also a place where you can go to observe the world as it passes by you. To think about your place out there beyond the driveway.
