By Jennifer Delisle

Radio-friendly and eager to play for any audience, The Stranger’s Six is ready for prime time with their first full-length release on Orange Peal Records, A Date With Daylight. A follow-up to their self-released The Inaugural EP, A Date With Daylight is clear evidence The Sixx (as the band refers to itself) has grown into its sound and is prepared to take on the MTV generation. We caught up with frontman Aaron Thompson to find out more about this quickly emerging band.

First and foremost, we wanted to get a nagging question out of the way. As well as Thompson, the five-member ensemble includes Jason Perry (drums), Evan Ehrich (bass), Buck Merrill (guitar) and Luke Johnson (guitar). So, what’s with the name The Stranger’s Six? “You’re not the only one confused! The name has nothing to do with the band members. We got it from watching old western cowboy movies, where ‘the Mysterious Stranger’ rides into town with his six-shooter on his hip, ready to fuck the town up….that’s us,” says Thompson.

Coming from the San Diego area, the five have their roots in punk rock, alternative, metal and rap. The group formed about three years ago, according to Thompson’s estimate. “Aaron and Luke started writing songs together after their high school bands sort of fizzled out. Buck played in As I Lay Dying for a few years, Evan was playing upright in a rockabilly band and Jason has played in past projects since we were kids. It just sort of came together. It’s weird how it all happened.”

Weird or not, their self-propelled success with The Inaugural caught the attention of Orange Peal Records. Although some bands find the transition to a label difficult, Thompson could not be more enthusiastic. “Orange Peal is great. It has not affected us one bit as far as the creative process goes. We still do what we want, when we want, and how we want. Really the only [difference] is before we were completely DIY - booking our own tours, getting our own press, pushing our own records and now we have help! It’s fabulous! It’s great that kids can go into stores like Best Buy and grab the CD now. I love it.”

An easy-to-swallow sound has allowed The Sixx to win over audiences when playing shows with some of the biggest names in music, including OK Go and Franz Ferdinand. “We seem to be accepted everywhere we go by all of those bands’ fans. We seem to be able to fit on any bill and make new fans from it, so I think that’s cool!” Thompson says. One reason for their inherent listen-ability may be the music from which it derives. Of their collective influences, Thompson says, “Our main ones are groups like The Clash, The Strokes, Depeche Mode, Ryan Adams, The Hellacopters, Interpol, The All American Rejects, Ted Leo, Pedro The Lion, Danzig, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, Pulp, The Wu Tang Clan. The list could go on and on…..it’s a wide variety.”

A spin of A Date With Daylight reveals no sign of the dreaded sophomore jinx so many bands face, but rather catchy tracks that manage to stay clear of standard clichés. Thompson is adamant about not wanting to be labeled punk pop, describing The Sixx’s music as “a sort of dirty pop music that has its ethics and roots in punk.” He also thinks that A Date With Daylight is a stronger release than The Inaugural, reflecting the band’s songwriting maturity and his personal growth. “We have just learned how to write better songs, I think. And without pretense. We have also focused on making every part of the song as good as any other part. That is to say, the guitar parts were worked on just as hard as the vocals and lyrics, etc. Every part we put an equal level of work into. And I learned how to sing a lil’ bit (hahaha). I sounded like shit on the last record.”

The Stranger’s Six is already getting exposure from mainstream music outlets, including the various incarnations of MTV. Earlier this year, MTV2 aired a segment on The Sixx on Bands On The Rise. With a refreshingly modern, realistic view of using the media to further the band’s success, The Sixx jumped at the chance for an MTV gig. “We welcome any mainstream media that wants to put our ugly mugs out there; we are not the type of band who discourages it. The way I see it, if you’re doing things your way, and no corporation is telling you what to do, how to dress etc, and someone wants to expose that to the public, then it’s a good thing.”

One disappointment the band faced was terminating a dream gig because of just plain old bad luck. Scheduled to play a Christmas party at the Playboy Mansion, the show fell through at the last moment because of a problem with permits. Thompson manages to find the good in a situation that would have made most grown men cry. “It was a bummer, but probably for our own good. Someone was gonna make lots of bad decisions that night for sure. The grotto was calling.”

So, Hef’s house aside, what kinds of venues call out to The Stranger’s Six? “I’d say our favorite gigs are the ones where the kids really, really are into it, no matter if it’s at a house party, or a small venue, or wherever.” Thompson adds, “I’d much rather play to 50 people who love it than 5,000 who could care less. Although those damn large venues DO have nice stages….”

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Learn more about The Stranger’s Six by visiting TSSIX.com.
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