Some bands are carefully assembled. Others spark into existence almost accidentally, the result of shared history, creative curiosity, and the right rehearsal at the right time.

For Stereophonic, it started in 2021.

But before the shows, before the album, before the growing local buzz, there were two students in the Greenbrier East High School Marching Band experimenting with records.

“Stereophonic first came together in 2021 when Reece and Cooper, who first met in the Greenbrier East High School Marching Band, decided that they wanted to sample some records and rap together,” the band explains.

At the same time, Reece was playing saxophone in one of Ben’s bands. Cooper and Ben were already friends. After rehearsal, the two shared what they’d been building.

“Ben took an interest and laid down some bass, eventually a verse, and the rest is history.”

From Band Room to Big Vision

Programs like Greenbrier East High School’s Marching Band and 2nd Block Rock, a student performance program, are staples in the local arts community, and Stereophonic doesn’t hesitate to credit them.

“The biggest influences on our music are definitely local to West Virginia and Lewisburg. Our art-loving community in Greenbrier County and in West Virginia as a whole, the Greenbrier East High School Marching Band and 2nd Block Rock programs, our life experiences growing up in Southern West Virginia, friends and family, and, obviously, each other.”

That foundation in structured musicianship, paired with experimentation, shows up in their sound. While their influences include artists like Wu-Tang Clan, Rage Against the Machine, Kendrick Lamar, Nas, and Stevie Wonder, their identity is firmly rooted in homegrown creativity.

When they realized they had enough material for their self-titled debut album, the project became something more.

“I think we realized Stereophonic was becoming more than just a project whenever we figured out that we had enough material to release our self-titled debut album, ‘Stereophonic.’ Since then, we’ve taken it seriously!”

A Sound That Refuses to Sit Still

Describing the group’s sound isn’t simple. And that’s intentional.

“Honestly, it is kind of difficult to pinpoint our sound. If someone were hearing us for the first time, we would probably recommend some songs to listen to based on what they already like.”

Their music blends hip hop, rock, R&B, jazz, metal, pop, and more. But if they have to label it?

“If we had to pinpoint it, we would use the phrase Appalachian Hip Hop. A very raw sound.”

But genre labels aren’t the point. The feeling is.

“As funny as this sounds, we hope the listener is in shock. Like when they’re listening to Stereophonic, we want their minds to be blown. We also switch up our songs a lot, so we hope the listener feels anticipation about what is coming next on the track or album.”

Meaning in the Music

While their catalog spans moods and genres, one song holds particular weight: “Cycles.”

“Our single ‘Cycles’ has a deep meaning to all of us. We wrote this song at a time in our lives when I think we all needed it.”

The track reflects on patterns, both positive and negative, and the effort it takes to break them.

“The song is about how there will always be cycles in life, whether negative or positive, and that you either have to come to terms with them or try to break them.”

For Reece, the message is deeply personal. He wrote the verse about how his anxiety often feels cyclical, building up and then tapering off, and how if he does not put in effort to break the cycle, it will repeat. “So yeah, ‘Cycles’ is very meaningful to us, and we believe our listeners agree.”

Built as a Collective

The group is made up of four core members – Reece, Jacob, Cooper, and Ben – alongside key contributors Alex, Birch, Billy, and Dylan, whom the band was quick to acknowledge: “Without them, our music wouldn’t come to life.”

Each core member plays multiple roles in shaping the band’s identity. Reece handles mixing, mastering, organization, and lyricism. Jacob brings deep knowledge of music theory, guitar, and jazz. Cooper specializes in hooks, melodies, and multifaceted production. Ben coordinates live shows, engineers recordings, and, as they put it, is “renowned as the Stereophonic idea guy.”

That collaboration hasn’t always been effortless, and that’s part of the growth.

“The biggest lesson we have learned so far as a band is that you have to work together and compromise. Creative decisions can be some of the most personal ones that we make, so being able to take all of our opinions and reach a decision that we all like is integral to a functioning band and partnership.”

Live and Local

The group performs most frequently in Lewisburg, with additional shows in Morgantown. For them, live performance is about more than stage presence.

“We enjoy almost every aspect of performing live, but one that particularly stands out to us is how we can put our personalities into our performances. We also love getting the crowd involved and spreading the energy throughout the show.”

More than anything, they value what happens beyond the stage lights.

“Arguably, our favorite aspect of performing live is how it brings the community together. We aren’t just talking about people who like Stereophonic, but also bringing local communities together for a night out; that is something special.”

Advice for the Next Generation

Their advice for aspiring musicians is both practical and passionate.

“One piece of advice that we would give to aspiring musicians would be to find a job that actually makes you money. All jokes aside, we would say that it is very important to play music with as many people as you can, as it is some of the best experience you can get.”

They also emphasize resilience: “Hard work pays off; you have to put the effort in to see results. Lastly, we would advise you to try your hardest to never cave to the pressures of unrecognition. Making or playing music should always be the most important thing to a musician if it brings them joy, not numbers.”

What’s Next?

The band has collaborations with local West Virginia artists on the way and is nearing completion of its second album.

“It’s been in the works for a long time, but we are almost finished with the musical aspects of it, and we all cannot wait for it to be out.”

They’re also setting their sights high.

“I think one of our newest goals, looking forward, is to be Born & Bred’s artist of the year. That would be such an honor.”

If there’s one takeaway they hope listeners carry with them, it’s this:

“If listeners could walk away from our music with one feeling, we hope that it would be motivation. We want our listeners to feel like they can do whatever the hell they want to do, as long as they put their mind to it. We believe that if our music hypes you up, we’ve done our job.”

From Greenbrier East High School band room roots to a genre-bending Appalachian sound, they aren’t waiting for permission. They aren’t just building songs. They’re building momentum.