The Stereo crafts infectious rock tunes that echo Weezer’s playful wit while blending pop-punk energy with the sweeping, sincere arena sound of acts such as Journey and a touch of Billy Joel’s emotive keyboard-driven exuberance.
The band originated in 1999 after label suggestion prompted Jamie Woolford, previously of Animal Chin, and Rory Phillips, formerly of the Impossibles, to merge their individual endeavors. Following exchanges of tapes and extended discussions, Woolford drove from his location to Austin, TX, where the pair laid down every track of their debut full-length, Three Hundred. The recordings subsequently reached producer J. Robbins for his signature refinement before Fueled by Ramen issued the album later that year.
Following promotional tours for the debut, Phillips departed, yet Woolford continued by recruiting additional collaborators and issuing the New Tokyo Is Calling EP in the interim. Guitarist Erik Hanson entered the fold, departed shortly afterward, yielded his spot to Ross Felrath, and ultimately returned. The Stereo’s sophomore release, No Traffic, unsurprisingly addressed themes of betrayal, loss, and abandonment while also earning the group an invitation to headline an extensive Japanese trek.
By then Jamie Woolford stood as the sole constant member, prompting him to assemble a road-ready unit drawn from contacts in Animal Chin and Pollen, thereby stabilizing the Stereo’s configuration.
Joined in the studio by Ben Woolford, Dan Hargest, Thomas Laufenberg, Kevin Scanlon, Christopher Serafini, Bruce Joshua Wuollet, and Katie Riemann, Woolford tracked the group’s third album. Rewind + Record appeared on Fueled by Ramen in June of 2002, fulfilling his aim to deliver a grand record whose tracks would prompt audiences to raise lighters during ballads and fully embrace the live performance.
