"The Volunteer," is quite simply one of my favorite demos that we have ever made. The original band, Cydona Rise, was always meant to be a foursome. Drums, Bass, Rhythm guitar and Lead guitar... we just couldn't ever find the missing piece since splitting from Rob in Six Hour Ride. Recreating that magic came with a price and big shoes to fill. 

Once Kyle and I settled into Columbus, OH, we found bassist, Tony Kangas, and after that we endured a short tenure with guitarist Rick Barnett. One of the things I did genuinely love about Rick was that he was a real fan of the band. He liked our ideas and where it was going, we shared the same appreciation for Rock N' Roll... at the end, we maybe shared a little too much enthusiasm for the extra-curricular activities of it all. "When in Rome..." 

During his first audition, we made him learn a few songs, and that experience went terribly awful, but that was something that could always be worked out. The most important question looming was, "can we even write songs together?" You can practice all day long in a rock band, however, if you cannot write songs together and find that chemistry in the marriage, it is game over. 

That's when he brought out and polished off two of his greatest and oldest ideas, "The Volunteer," not yet titled, and, "Honey, Look at the Moon," not yet titled either. I commend him for that... bringing to our band his two best songs and ideas that he really could have kept for himself. Instead of keeping them on shelves, he felt that we were worthy and to this day, as I said, "The Volunteer," was one of my favorite songs to sing, play live and so happy that I got to write on. 

Kyle and Tony took to them within minutes and it was really nice for me to be back behind a microphone with my lyrics book and just singing out ideas, no guitar and no obligation to play guitar... The arrangement fell into place and it was just one of those tunes, magic in thin air. 

I titled the songs within the hour and the lyrics for, "The Volunteer," fleshed themselves out within moments along with the singing style and melody lines. The song absolutely rips when playing it live and to this day those are my only real, viable memories with Rick. Some others are the photo shoot I've been releasing and some acoustic gigs we did together as a duo. The rest are not meant for these sections of words.

"The Volunteer" has a great concept in its storytelling as it is a song about growing up in small towns with a deep sense of adventure and wanderlust... a need to break out. Instead of sitting around and doing nothing about it but dreaming, our character gets up, throws caution to the wind and chases after their dreams. So many people do not. 

I was always happy to see people with potential get up and go. It made me feel like they were utilizing their voice and their freedom of choice by doing so. They were, in a sense, volunteering for the hero's journey and taking charge and those are my kind of people. 

Not thrilled that the band fell apart before this could make it onto a second record. It is one of the last demos with my brother-in-arms, Kyle Nail, and for that, I will forever cherish it. The is the last known recording of this and it will have to remain a, "home demo." I am grateful to have been a part of this moment and to share it with you, no matter how you hear it. 

Thank you and cheers, 

Andreas Stavropoulos

The Volunteer [Home Demo]

In a world in which we are so connected to each other through our devices but disconnected in all natural ways comes the track, "Across the Wire." 

We attempted to get incredibly electronic with the approach of this song but starting off organically. What I mean by that is there is an element to how we recorded it with real drums and acoustic guitars, vocals, etc... even Djembe for percussion... very real, organic things but then let our Producer Josh run wild and free with his love of industrial style editing. A lot of Radiohead type of influences. 

The message is not in favor of this technological advancement. People with less attention spans, less of a connection to each other... waiting for their turn to speak instead of listening... losing complete touch and essentially letting A.I. create a facade of what their lives really are... 

Here is, "Across the Wire," for your listening. Thank you!

Across The Wire [Single]

Across County Lines. 

RE-ISSUE.

Newly mastered home demo. Every verse of the song is a part of its own story and they are all true. These events happened to me while touring. The lyrics are so "boiler-plate" that I have gone on to write short stories about every section of the song and plan on sharing some bits and pieces along with photos from our memorable travels all across this country of the United States of America.

To be in a rock n' roll band you must truly be a road dog, a warrior. An outlaw on the road... and you play every night that you can, trying to draw a crowd, before moving on, town to town, club to club. You leave behind stories and a legend, until you can return again.

You meet people of all trades, shapes and sizes. Some with the biggest hearts and brightest of souls, some lying deep in the underbelly of this dark world yearning to wreak havoc.

Something resilient about me and a fond memory...

Every time we were asked to play for something crazy, like 3-hours (the Springsteen set, we used to joke), the band would construct set-lists that were about an hour and fifteen minutes each so the boys could take breaks. I never did.

When my band would jump off stage to gather a breath, or to take a piss... or, more often than not, reload on their drinks, I would stay alone on stage and bust out the acoustic guitar and keep on playing.

I'd strip it down to unplugged versions of songs or things I was working on and just motor through until they came back onstage to join me. People would always comment on that, "why the hell don't you take a break? Aren't you tired?!" I had many layers of reasons as to why I was doing this.

I would get tired but I just wanted to leave all the blood and sweat out on the stage, every night. I wanted you to go home thinking, "what the fuck?" and that maybe rock n' roll wasn't dead yet. I was a hopeless romantic. 

"Across County Lines," may just be your basic travel, touring-song... however, to me, it is a song steeped in those warrior travel diaries and one of those songs that ended up being played live, in between band "breaks." It tells little stories within a bigger story and is, for sure, one of my favorite songs.

You can also hear the Springsteen in there somewhere, channeling, "Nebraska." Certainly, most musicians were born to run and I certainly, am not the exception.

-Andreas Stavropoulos

P.S. 8 of 52. 

"Across County Lines," is now 10 years old!

Across County Lines (Mastered Demo)

"PAPER BOATS," is a song by Andreas Stavropoulos and Kyle Nail written for their band's debut album, "Interpretation of Ego," released by Cydona Rise and available on iTunes. The epic track closes out the record with an incredible tribute to the group's love for the ocean / sea. Written and recorded in So Cal there is nothing you won't find on this track. Chris McCarthy's cello and the eerie background vocals by singer's Michelle Caravia and Megan O'Toole take the tune to a whole new level. Considered a fan favorite and amazing song to see being performed live... 

HERE IS THE INSTRUMENTAL VERSION!

Paper Boats [Instrumental]

Musician - Writer

Andreas is a Greek-born musician raised in the musical trenches of Americana Rock N' Roll. For this fellow, music is truly a life changing, universal language and Andreas works hard every year to become fluent in it and share the gift.

Andreas travelled around the United States solo and with his rock bands writing and playing his songs while creating a coast-to-coast reputation and fanbase with his authentic, genuine voice. 

Over the last twenty years he has claimed a spot in the open-minded, wonderful music scene with his groups SIX HOUR RIDE and CYDONA RISE. Now, forging a new road with his solo act, Andreas and the Revolving Riot.

Accomplishing many national and local feats, including self-releasing acclaimed albums, "Paint" with SIX HOUR RIDE and, “Interpretation of Ego” with CYDONA RISE (both available on iTunes). Radio play (Including CD101 & KROQ, various college station rotations, streaming platforms) and touring, consistently all across the country. 

His latest and permanent endeavor, Andreas & The Revolving Riot, is solo work focused on entertaining people, playing some of his popular, original songs, fan favorite cover renditions and introducing NEW MUSIC always! 

The Revolving Riot are the hooligans who play with Andreas at any given time. There are many solo shows, however, band performances as well, pianos, strings, guitars, drums, bass, essentially, whatever the evening and the message calls for. The Revolving Riot is the revolving door of talented musicians who join Andreas on stage and celebrate the songs of this young, experienced, authentic Singer-Songwriter. 

Andreas has amazing storytelling abilities and they come out demanding to be heard! With his acoustic, Americana approach, he still finds a way to fuse his Alternative Rock n' Roll days into the latest tunes... making for one hell of an experience. With age comes wisdom and the creativity endlessly flows on. 

This is raw and uncut, from the heart art and you should check it out...

Thank you for listening.

The Volunteer [Home Demo]

Andreas and the Revolving Riot

Related tracks