Stick to Your Guns is one of the bands that gets into your head, settles in, and plans to stay for a long, long time. With a positive vibe and a punk/hardcore sound it’s hard not to absolutely fall in love with everything these guys put forth. STYG has played with a diverse group of bands like Motley Crue, Hatebreed, Killswitch Engage, Parkway Drive, Terror and H20. The momentum has continued for the band who has joined Motionless in White on tour; which is where we caught up with them in Pittsburgh. Though the bands differ in style, they compliment each other immensely. The straight forward OC-punk-hardcore band even had its guitarist join Motionless on stage in full make up to play a song on previous shows.
STYG’s set was fast, intense, and completely had the crowd going insane. Only into the first song, the crowd surfers accidently hit the bank of overhead stage lights and the place went dark. The band kept at it with full ferocity as the guys at the Ironworks stage-dove themselves up to the lighting rig to fix it. The sold out capacity crowd was packed to every corner, spilling out onto the stage, and screaming their lungs out, and having the time of their lives. Jesse made sure that all the fans were feeling alright and understood that even in the wake of the days tragic new of the Sandy Hook shooting that they all had the power to change things, that we were all together for a reason, and part of that reason was the love of the music we had before us. PMM has to tell you that we spent a lot of time with Josh (guitar) and he is such an awesome guy- friendly, humble, funny, and just absolutely cool on all levels. We were really impressed by his guitar work and stage presence throughout the entire evening. PMM can’t thank him enough for being such an amazing host. That’s not to say Jesse was not incredibly gracious, welcoming, and funny as well. These guys are just so uplifting and making all the right moves. Their charity work is an example to be set to all and our heart goes out to Jesse’s loss, for he grew up with Mitch Lucker (see below for The Keeping Warm in a Cold World Event). The sheer vocal power that protrudes from Jesse is not only impressive but awe inspiring a times. The rest of the crew, George, Chris, and Andrew are incredibly cool dudes as well and are so great with all of their fans as well as their performance. PMM can’t wait to have them back in Pittsburgh in July on The Vans Warped Tour.
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Right now the band is putting out a 3-part mini series about “fitness on tour” for Alternative Press (check it out here). They have a lot of big projects in the works. In January, they will put on the 3rd Annual Keeping Warm in a Cold World- a two day event created by STYG to give back. All proceeds go to charity. This year the funds will go to a trust for the daughter of the late Mitch Lucker of Suicide Silence.
Check out their video for the single We Still Believe. It features band members from The Ghost Inside, Sleeping Giant and Motionless in White.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxHXdMmLxiA&w=560&h=315]
The video for Against Them All features friends of the late Sam Perkins, a STYG fan who died of brain cancer. (link to the article on the whole story)
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AUVQHYkmnE&w=560&h=315]
A bit more on Stick to Your Guns:
Jesse Barnett (vocals) was inspired to form a band that provided him with a medium to project his views and reflect his musical influences. Through the years he has brought a stable of accomplished musicians on board that bring with them the punk-hardcore passion Jesse has always possessed. STYG’s line up reads as a who’s who of punk/hardcore. Chris Rawson (Walls of Jericho) joined the band in 2009. Last year, the band added Josh James.
Stick To Your Guns has long been known in the punk-hardcore community. After four albums, many worldwide tours and legions of followers, the band delivered the most important effort of its career in 2012 with the much anticipated album, Diamond. Their songwriting has distinctively developed and matured. Diamond delivers a message of inspiration that anyone can relate to.
The genre-bending album debuted on the Billboard charts making it to #1 on the Heetseekers chart, placing 11 for Hard Rock Albums, 30 for Rock Albums and 116 on the coveted BILLBOARD 200.
The sudden upturn in popularity could spoil a band, but they are nothing less than gracious. Now more than ever, they seek to inject more than entertainment into their fans’ minds. They see their success as an opportunity to inspire more people with their positive message. The band often speaks to those that feel lost or discarded. “Every person on this earth is searching for who they are, where they belong and ways that they can express themselves,” said frontman Jesse Barnett.
“Diamond, is an insight to the way we view the world-the good and the bad. This is an amazing place we live in. There’s so much mystery about our existence. It fascinates the hell out of us-the pain people go through, the good people do,” Barnett said. “It’s important for all of us to understand that we all are all of those things. What’s inside of you is what’s happening outside in the world. We can’t look at everything that’s going on around us and think that we are disconnected.”
“We try to live the words we speak,” Barnett added. “We give back any moment we can. We’re not perfect-far from it, but what helps more than anything is when a kid says to us, ‘Hey man, my life was a wreck. I was in a downward spiral, and this bands music has picked me up’….This has become more than just a band for us.”
Within a mere few months of the album’s release, they have received dozens of photos of freshly inked Diamond tattoos. STICK TO YOUR GUNS has truly become more than a band, they have evolved into a movement.
Keeping Warm in a Cold World- STYG will host the 3rd Annual Keeping Warm in a Cold World- a two day event created by STYG to give back to those trying to make the world a better place. All proceeds go to charity. This year the funds will go to a trust for the daughter of the late Mitch Lucker of Suicide Silence.
1 /4 Rancho Cucamonga, CA Nitty Gritty
1/5 Anaheim, CA Chain Reaction
Persistence Tour –STYG will join Hatebreed, Agnostic Front, H2O, The Accacia Strain and more for the widely popular European Tour.
Stick to Your Guns will join the 2013 Vans Warped Tour. The announcement was made Friday, during Fuse TV’s new show, Warped Roadies.
“We’re stoked to be a part of something that has been such a big part of all of our lives growing up,” said frontman Jesse Barnett. “This band continues to take us places that we never thought we’d go, and we are proud, overwhelmed and very honored.”
