Along Came Stan

So. Along Came Stan, huh. What, exactly, is it?
Along Came Stan is a three-piece band, revolving around the highs and lows, the ups and downs, the utter happiness and most miserable of miseries of one person. Namely, Stan.
Ok. And who is Stan?
Stan is a singer. And Stan is a songwriter. And a while ago, Stan was in need of a band.
And now, containing piano, bass,  drum and vocals, there is Along Came Stan.
... since Stan "came along" and asked every member of the band to join him?
Yeah. It's pretty tacky. I know.
Uh-huh. Well. Continue your story…
Ok. As a songwriter Stan is mostly influenced by people like Stevie Wonder, Prince, James Taylor, Ray Charles or Thom Yorke as well as guys like Leonard Bernstein, Richard Rogers, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Cole Porter, George Gershwin or Jimmy van Heusen. As a singer he is hugely influenced by Kurt Elling, Stevie Wonder (again), Donny Hathaway, Chet Baker, Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughn, and so on… As a lyricist he really digs on guys like Ira Gershwin, Lorenz Hart, that kind of stuff. Kurt Elling has written a lot of beautiful lyrics. Tom Waits is great. And let's not forget Randy Newman. But also a lot of writers are a big inspiration, like Dave Eggers, Nick Hornby, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Raymond Carver, Douglas Coupland, Paul Auster, Donald Barthelme. And oh. You really should check out www.mcsweeneys.net...
Ehm. Well, that sure was a lot of names. But what about the band?
What Along Came Stan intends to do, is play music with an emotional necessity to it. Songs with a story. Songs, in which colour, melody and lyrics are essential parts, brought together through clever arrangements and good musicianship.
Meaning…
Well, to sum up, I would say that Along Came Stan is a jazz band. But... not really a jazz band, because it is maybe more of a soul band. But then, technically, not a soul band, because one might say that they are, actually, a pop-band. But of course, not a pop-band, at all.
…Stan. Dude. Just stop for a second here. Ok? (Sighs)…will you cut the crap? Honestly. You're making no sense, at all. If you want people to read this fake interview and be interested in your band, give them something they want. Something they crave. Some revealing childhood trauma. Outrageous family matters. A criminal past, maybe. Your father was an alcoholic; your mother was abducted by aliens; you took fifteen bullets in the chest and survived. That kind of stuff. Give them some dramatic inner conflict. A simple secret love affair might even do the trick, but you can't just talk about your music. That kind of thing is totally worn out. Like, Totally. And who cares, anyway. Get your act together, dude. I mean, come on…
Now, I'm just going to grab a smoke and then we'll start all over. Ok? And you will give me something good… Is that a deal? At least give me something better than this wimpy music-chatter. I didn't come here to write the Ultimate Musical Guide to Boredom. I didn't. So, at least give me that much… (Door slams)
So who is Stan? I mean, as a person. Who is he? And why does he sing? Why does he write songs? Why does he feel tempted to create at all? Is it because he has a great history to tell? Is it because he has worldly wisdom to share? Is it because he desperately tries to fill a void, deep inside of him? Could it be for a much higher and nobler cause? World-peace? Homeless orphans? Lower taxes? Or is it is all, indeed, just to find a girlfriend?
Well. Yeah. Ok… I've thought about something. And I get it now. I do. I really do. And thank you for being a real friend and sacrificing your Sunday for me like this. Thank you. I just wanted to have said that. So, that being said, here I go… I suppose you want to know who I really AM, like, the pure essence of my being and all. Am I right? That's what you meant, right? Because, well, thát… of course… thát is.... – obviously - … I… I mean, when I was a kid, and… you know, and my parents and stuff… and they…. well… and something to do with getting shot by…. aliens? Right?
…?
Oh. Come on, man….can't we just listen to a couple of songs I wrote? Please?


AlongCameStan is:
Bass - Kees Dijkstra
Drums - Bob Roos (The Marzio Scholten Quartet/Trio, ProfsessieSJU, Soulseek Sunday)
Vocals - Stan Vreeken (Projekt Waxholm/Stan Diego)