Biography
The Cold Stares is a blues-rock power trio based in Evansville, Indiana, formed initially as a duo in 2012 by guitarist-singer Chris Tapp and drummer Brian Mullins, both originally from Western Kentucky near Madisonville. The band members met in their early twenties while playing in other local bands, pursued separate paths for about a decade, and reunited to launch The Cold Stares, drawing from their shared heritage of sitting in with older musicians playing Bad Company, Robin Trower, AC/DC, country, and southern rock at local lodges. Their debut album, A Cold Wet Night and a Howling Wind, released in 2012, sold 25,000 copies and topped Amazon Music's Blues Rock chart, establishing their raw, full-bodied sound blending fuzzed-out guitars, Led Zeppelin-style riffs, Cream-inspired improvisations, and Delta blues influences.
The duo expanded to a trio in 2022 with bassist Bryce Klueh, enhancing their sonic power and embracing a classic power trio dynamic heard on albums like Voices (2023) and The Southern (2024). Signing with Mascot Label Group in 2021, they released Heavy Shoes that year, praised as their finest by American Songwriter for its gusty, personal edge, with tracks like 'In The Night Time' and 'Prosecution Blues' named tracks of the week by Classic Rock Magazine. Their music, informed by Tapp's cinematic storytelling rooted in his grandfather's wild tales of crooked cops and local legends, explores Southern themes of family, tradition, resilience, and redemption, earning acclaim from outlets like No Depression and sync placements in commercials, TV, sports, and the Cyberpunk 2077 trailer for 'Mojo Hand,' which has over 10 million YouTube streams.
Having toured relentlessly across the US and Europe, sharing stages with Joe Bonamassa, Larkin Poe, Rival Sons, Reignwolf, Spoon, Grand Funk Railroad, and Thievery Corporation, The Cold Stares continue to build a legacy as modern blues-rock ambassadors of the South, with their seventh album The Southern deliberately leaning into their Kentucky roots.
Fun Facts
- Guitarist Chris Tapp is a cancer survivor, which informs haunting tracks like 'Mortality Blues' on The Southern, featuring resonator guitar and Robert Johnson references.
- Their song 'Mojo Hand' serves as the trailer track for the video game Cyberpunk 2077 and has amassed over 10 million streams on YouTube.
- Despite being labeled a Southern band, they hail from Evansville, Indiana, but embrace their Western Kentucky roots, with Tapp once mistaking Free's 'All Right Now' for a Georgia band due to its sound.
- Their 2012 debut album sold 25,000 copies independently and hit #1 on Amazon Music's Blues Rock chart.
Members
- Brian Mullins - bass drum
- Chris Tapp - guitar
- Chris Tapp - electric guitar
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Local lodge musicians - Older musicians they sat in with during youth, shaping early influences (Playing hits by Bad Company, Robin Trower, AC/DC, country, and southern rock) [Childhood/early career]
- Chris Tapp's grandfather - Storytelling inspiration for lyrics and themes (Tales influencing cinematic songwriting on albums like The Southern) [Childhood]
Key Collaborators
- Bryce Klueh - Bassist who expanded the duo to a power trio (Albums Voices (2023), The Southern (2024)) [2022-present]
- Joe Bonamassa, Larkin Poe, Rival Sons, Reignwolf, Spoon, Grand Funk Railroad, Thievery Corporation - Touring partners and shared stages (Live tours across US and Europe) [2010s-2020s]
External Links
Tags: #alternative-rock, #american-rock, #blues-rock
References
Heard on WWOZ
The Cold Stares has been played 2 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.