Ambar Ramirez
Words by Ambar Ramirez
Interview by Ambar Ramirez & Carmen Macri
“We were playing at Front Yard and someone yelled, ‘What’s the song called?’ and Wyatt was just like ‘Chicken Fight’!” The Stews lead singer and guitarist Preston Hall shared.
“I just pulled that out of thin air because the feeling was like, this song is kind of all over the place, but in a cool, creative way. We felt like the whole album was kind of like that. There were moments of chaos, but also some psychedelia and chill moments and I think it just kind of encapsulated the whole album,” drummer Wyatt Griffith added.
Two things can be true at once, and for The Stews (not to be confused with The Strokes) that means crafting a sound that’s both familiar and unpredictable. Hall and Griffith, joined by bass player Bennett Baugus and guitarist Blake Dobbs refuse to be confined by a single genre. This pandemic baby band blends rock, indie and jam, taking influences from some of the greats like The Allman Brothers, Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan and Bob Marley.
Since dropping their 2022 debut album, “What Was” this Alabama-based group has been on a relentless rise—selling out shows, constantly writing and releasing new music. And now, with their 2024 album, “Chicken Fight,” The Stews are back on the road again, bringing their ever-evolving sound to packed shows across the country.
Though still relatively new to the music scene, The Stews have learned a lot since breaking through. And they’ve come a long way from their first album, honing a sound that’s grown richer, tighter and more dynamic.
“We went into record that first EP with, like, knowing nothing about recording music, absolutely nothing. We went in and recorded that EP in three days, and we were even shocked that we could book time at the studio that we did, which is a pretty renowned studio in Muscle Shoals, Fame Studios. We definitely developed a lot of knowledge of in-studio things that work and don’t and also our songs are shorter now… that’s a big thing,” Griffith said. “We had a producer and an engineer in there, but it wasn’t from the record company, and we had a producer telling us how our songs were supposed to go. So we learned a lot by trial and error. And I feel like we learned so much each day in the studio, of being able to make some quote-unquote mistakes. But yeah, it’s grown a lot sonically,” Hall added.
And while their diverse sound reflects their personal tastes, they credit much of their evolution to finding the right recording studio and producer.
“The first album and the original EP were in the same studio and then ‘Chicken Fight’ was at a studio in Charleston. The big difference was that in Fame Studios we were working with a guy that produced pop songs. He was a great guy, but he didn’t even, like Preston was saying earlier, he didn’t know anything about us and it was kind of a shot in the dark,” Griffith said. “But then the guy in Charleston we’d heard a lot about, he’d seen us live, and we had liked the bands he’d worked with and everything, so it made more sense. But I think there’s still a lot of room for growth in the studio. We still haven’t figured it out per se, but that’s what makes it exciting.”
The Stews have outgrown their “college-band” label, trading hometown parties for major venues like Washington D.C.’s 9:30 Club, Charleston’s Windjammer and New York City’s Bowery Ballroom. Their rapid rise continues this year, with a show alongside Fernandina’s own Flipturn this April and a stop at Jacksonville’s Underbelly on March 7. The Stews have a little bit of flavor for everyone, regardless of your music taste.
Get To Know The Band
Carmen: If your music was considered a love child who would the parents be? So like musical artists, bands, etc.?
Baugus: That’s a good question.
Dobbs: We got to do two ends of the spectrum here.
Griffith: Can I put Kings of Leon on one end?
Hall: That’s fair.
Dobbs: And then Black Sabbath on the other and then Pink Floyd in the middle.
Carmen: So, it was NOT a monogamous relationship then.
Ambar: If you were stranded on a deserted island, which instrument would you guys bring to keep you entertained?
Baugus: I feel like everyone’s answer would have to be an acoustic.
Hall: Yeah, acoustic guitar.
Dobbs: Probably this here doohickey.
Baugus: Oh, come on.
Griffith: Blake, you don’t mean that bro.
Dobbs: If I get a pack of batteries, I’ll be chillin.
Carmen: If each band member had to describe their role in the band as an animal, what would you be and why?
Dobbs: A beluga whale.
Carmen: Love it.
Ambar: A beluga whale? Why?
Dobbs: I’m cool, I’m hanging out, and I feel like I’m underwater a lot.
Carmen: Great answer.
Dobbs: Can I say Wyatt’s?
Hall: Yeah, say what you think he is.
Dobbs: I think Wyatt’s the lion, Bennett’s the giraffe, and Preston is the antelope.
Baugus: They’re all like safari animals.
Ambar: There’s no beluga whale in the safari.
Carmen: OK, you’ve thought about this before. This isn’t the first time you’ve been asked this.
Griffith: I feel like Blake had a really weird dream about this.
Dobbs: You know, I don’t dream Wyatt.
Carmen: That’s so sad.
Hall: I don’t know how I came across as a gazelle.
Dobbs: ANTELOPE. Or zebra for Preston. And then if I have to be anything in the safari I guess…
Griffith: You’d be like a meerkat.
Dobbs: No. A flamingo.
Ambar: A lot having to do with water, I see.
Hall: He’s underwater regardless.
Ambar: If you had a time machine and could visit any musical era, which area would you visit and why?
Hall: Like late ’60s, the soul circuit, like Marvin Gaye and Etta James, Aretha Franklin , James Brown and stuff. I think that’s like some of the coolest era of music that I would love to witness personally.
Baugus: Yeah. Just to see, like Elvis in his prime and, you know, early mid ’60s would be so cool. And just all the golden oldies stuff going on, like Patsy Cline and all the classics.
Griffith: I’m drawn to say late ’70s, maybe early 80s, but I actually think I have to agree with them and say the ’60s when rock was kind of starting to take off.
Dobbs: I don’t want to be boring and say the same thing because I totally agree with you guys. So I’m going to say…
Griffith: 2004.
Dobbs: Yeah haha transport me to the pit at a Rob Thomas concert. I was going to say like post-World War two right before Bennett’s era, where it’s big band jazz and big swing and there’s those really fast coupe cop cars and trench coats and hats and like, you know, classy shit.
Carmen: Those are all really good answers.
Ambar: You guys could also have gone to the future.
Baugus: Oh, I didn’t even think about that.
Hall: I don’t want to.
Dobbs: Why would we wanna do that.
Griffith: Yeah that’s kind of frightening.
Hall: The future’s all AI.
Ambar: There’s no future.
Griffith: Yeah did you hear about that asteroid?
Ambar: Oh yeah.
Hall: We’re taking bets on the asteroid.
Ambar: Where are you guys placing bets on that?
Dobbs: Nevada.
Ambar: Alright final question that we forgot to write down, what are you most looking forward to with your tour with Flipturn?
Dobbs: ooo DC.
Griffith: Just getting to watch those guys every night is a treat in itself. Their fanbase and their crowd are some of the coolest people we’ve ever had the chance to play for. They have a really devoted fan base and very respectful people. Very supportive and yeah, super stoked to to get to hang out with those guys.
Baugus: And their new album is amazing and we’re excited to see those songs live.
Ambar: It’s going to be an awesome show, having you guys together open the show and have them perform.
Griffith: we’re in Atlanta right now working on our next our next piece of work. So hopefully we’ll have a song or two to perform.
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