Stop Light Observations. Photo from the band’s Facebook page.

South Carolina natives, Stop Light Observations, are gaining a lot of momentum as they cruise through the music scene. The band, consisting of members Will, John-Keith, Louis, Luke, Coleman, Wyatt, and Spencer incorporate a variety of influences producing a widespread grouping of sounds. From rock to indie, folk, electronic, and many other genres, the band utilizes a range of instruments and individual member contributions to create music that is far from generalized.  With their album Radiation released last year, the band heads out this summer for several tour stops, including a few major name festivals. Stop Light Observations is one group you will want to follow.

John-Keith and Louis got together musically at a very young age, and as time progressed Luke, Will, and later Coleman and Wyatt came into the picture, creating what is now Stop Light Observations. How did you finally know the band was complete?

SLO will never be complete. Yes, the band gets all the credit for the music and the performing, but SLO is made of much more than six members. SLO is a movement of believers which is made up by everyone that realizes that our purpose in life is much greater than ourselves, and that it is our duty as individuals to walk in the shadows of doubt and negativity and share our love and light with every person and everything. Life is infinitely short and we need to love and take care of one another. Me, Louis, Will, Luke, Wyatt, Coleman, and Spencer are simply just the messengers. SLO is the whole thing, and even when we are dead and gone and the music is over, we know that the inspiration provided by our purpose and message will continue for forever.

How have you managed progressing as a band with obstacles such a members going off to college?

College is hard. Business is hard. Together they at sometimes seemed unreasonable and impossible, but the brotherhood that the team of SLO is made up of, and the rest of the SLO movement has made it easy. With love and faith in yourself and all that surrounds you, you can achieve literally anything, and we know the trials have just begun. Life is not meant to be easy, it is meant to be good. 

How do you feel your native state of South Carolina has influenced your musical sound?

Being from SC has influenced us infinitely. The beauty of song writing is that no matter what your musical influences, or inspirations were, it really dose not matter. Songwriting is the coming together of every second you have ever lived and putting it all together into a story made in that moment. If Paul McCartney had not have sat on the piano the very second he did to write “Hey Jude,” there would be no Na Na’s in the world. Point being, South Carolina has filled us with endless examples of inspiration and influence, from the 10,000 year old oak tress, to the surf, the Gulla culture, the post slave culture, the hyper religious atmosphere, pre-revolutionary architecture, battle forts, land marks, the marshlands…it goes on and on.

The band has been garnering rapid growth and attention through performances such as exposure to music festivals. What has been one of your personal favorite experiences thus far?

Our favorite music festival has definitely been Bonnaroo. The band and a bunch of high school friends went to BRoo after graduating high school, and it was the first time our families all let us do something with no limits and freedom. It literally blew our minds, and I’ll never forget looking at Will and the crew at Kings of Leon and DMB and saying, “Boys…it will only be a little while and we will be here.” I felt a little hesitant to say such bold words, but to this day those words remind me everyday that if you desire something with your full soul, put the time and heart into it, and have faith…you will achieve it.

What music do you like listen to when you’re on the road or when you’re back in South Carolina?

My favorite thing about SLO’s members is that our taste in music is so very broad. Ray Charles, to Velvet Underground, Frank Sinatra, The Stones, Alt-J, Irish Fiddle Music, Doctor John, Dr. Dre, Bach, Beethoven, Muddy Waters, Pretty Lights. If its good then we will listen and learn.

It was very interesting to see that there was both a “Circadian Rhythms (Dawn)” and “Circadian Rhythms (Dusk)” on your album Radiation. Where do interesting ideas like this come from? 

 I think by this far in the questions you have an idea about that, but for that specifically we wanted to tell a 24 hour story of the destructions of fear and the overcoming of it. Everyone has fears, yet everyone can overcome them. Fear cripples 99% of lives.

What would you say your favorite things to do are when you’re not playing music?

Dance, Surf, Fish, Basketball, Golf, Friends, and of course…..play music : )

To support the band and check out Radiation, click here!