Midstokke

In 2004, an eclectic hard rock/blues/funk five-piece band out of Seattle consisting of vocalist Steven Douglas, guitarists Ted Norris and Kenny Van Dyke, drummer Cory Olsen and bassist Fraser, fused their musical stylings and called themselves MIDSTOKKE (mid-stock). Fraser, Ted and Kenny have a history since junior high school, started playing together in high school, and finally formed a band called Sated Solstice.

As with many young bands, it was not to be; their drummer and vocalist quit after a few short years together. A mutual college friend of Kenny and Cory suggested that Cory fill in on drums, and in the winter of 2003/04, he auditioned and was an immediate fit.
Steven Douglas was attending college in Bellingham WA when he caught the music bug and decided to give singing and performing a try. He moved to Seattle, placed an ad in The Stranger, jamming with several bands before auditioning for Midstokke. States Douglas, ?I was blown away at the musicianship and talent of the four guys when I met them and had our first jam session/tryout. I knew in my gut that this was the group for me and we've been together ever since.?
Midstokke released their first album: ?Private Stokke? in 2005. While building their fan-base throughout the Seattle area, Midstokke received an invitation in 2007 to play in a Battle of the Bands sponsored by Harley-Davidson. They took first place and won a highly coveted ticket to play the largest biker rally and music festival in the world: The Sturgis Rally. Douglas smiles with fond memories, ?It's like Burning Man and Woodstock, if you added 800,000 motorcycles?If you sleep, you miss it all.? They had the honor of performing annually at the ever-popular Legendary Buffalo Chip in South Dakota for 3 years in a row. They've been fortunate enough to play the same venue as Kid Rock, Velvet Revolver, Poison, 3 Doors Down, and opened for Aerosmith at the coveted event.
On June 28th, 2009, Midstokke released their 2nd album: ?It's Your Problem Now!? Bringing with them an even wider range of sound and party-like energy that quickly gets everyone on their feet. Douglas explains, ?Our opening tracks ?Trainwreck?, ?Throttle? and ?Big Tangle? are an unapologetic, in your face intro into what we're all about; having a good time and gettin' down!? Meanwhile, soul-searching tracks like ?God Come Down? let you experience a touch of the blues with Midstokke's bold, big guitars and rich, soulful melody. Douglas says, ?We'll hit you hard in the face with a ?Bullet? and then lay you down slowly with ?Fool?.?
A fan base who is comprised of all walks of life, Midstokke mostly attracts the ?working man'. Men or women who want to cut loose and forget about life for a while. ?These people are real too. Real stories, real blood on their overworked hands,? explains Douglas. ?Our live performance is a celebration of being alive. It's party time and we're at the helm of this ship,? he adds. They play each show with the heart and passion like it could be their last. They leave it all on stage and expect the crowd to join them. ?We live and love big in this band and want people along for the ride.?
The guys are currently hard at work on their 3rd release due out in early 2011. ?It's our best work to date, for sure. The songs are more cohesive and retain a live, raw energy. It's big and intense, which is what we are shooting for. There's a party vibe for sure on this recording that's in your face but we throw in a touch of the blues and some soul for good measure?? exclaims Douglas. They recorded the album with Grammy award winner Justin Armstrong of Robert Lang Studios in Seattle. Armstrong has won awards for his work with Peter Frampton and Damien Marley and has worked with Dave Matthews and Seattle's own Death Cab for Cutie. ?Justin really understood what we were trying to accomplish sonically and I feel he really captured the energy and tone we were shooting for.? Bassist Fraser adds, ? It's more raw than the last album ?It's Your Problem Now. It's a closer representation of our live sound than the previous two, and our best work yet.?
The future looks bright, with many opportunities ahead, and a drive to continue making great music. Look for them to grow beyond the Seattle music scene in 2011. After 7 years together, Midstokke is only beginning their highway to success, so put on your helmets, because you won't want to miss the ride.