Kevin DeMars
photo © 2011 Josh Martines

Stock Options

Milwaukee, WI

RIYL: Pelican, Russian Circles, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Black Sabbath, June of 44, Shipping News, and Lungfish.

Stock Options draws its influences from sources as varied as Black Sabbath, Bad Brains and DC post-hardcore – a variation which sometimes makes it difficult to confine their sound to one genre, influence or scene. Revered local radio station WMSE said it best when they tweeted: “Come for the instrumental post-rock, stay for the sludge.”

Comprised of seasoned veterans. The band’s drummer, Mark Sheppard, previously toured the U.S. and Europe as vocalist and guitarist for mathy hardcore band Forstella Ford. Over the years, he’s kept busy with a myriad of projects including: rock and roll band God & the Baby Jesuses and electronic crossover BLCK/MRKT/RGNS.

Guitarist Kevin DeMars, has most recently played drums for Disguised as Birds and guitar for Mother Orchis. He currently plays guitar in Foreign Lawns and drums for Lambs Legs.

Martin Defatte, along with his bass playing, brings his 12+ years experience as an Art Director doing artist development for the independent music industry, including Mark’s band, Forstella Ford. During that time, he took a hiatus from playing in bands; the last notable band he was in was a pop-punk band during the 90s.

Artist Video Gallery

Artist Photo Gallery

Release Reviews

TEI-000: Stock Options

Thanks a lot for sending us the album, but we pretty strictly cover punk, hardcore and some garage. The disc sounds good, but unfortunately it’s outside of our scope. Thanks.

Maximum Rocknroll

An EP’s worth of some nicely meandering instrumental indie rock. Reminds me somewhat of a less frantic Fourth Rotor—a slow, simmering buildup to some kind of crescendo, scattered through with braces and squalls of feedback. Not sure how much of an appeal it’ll hold for Razorcake readers, but they seem fairly adept at what they’re doing. I can visualize lots of people drunkenly swaying to this stuff in a bar somewhere.

Keith Rosson, Razorcake

Really digging #milwaukee band Stock Options. Come for the instrumental Post-rock, stay for the sludge.

91.7FM WMSE

These guys can give any top notch Instrumental Sludge/Doom Metal Band a run for their money. These guys could be amazing touring partners for PELICAN and RUSSIAN CIRCLES.

The Sludgelord

Stock Options is a powerful opening statement from a band that surely has more coming on the horizon. 8/10

blue_light_888, AbsolutePunk.net

TEI-000: Ancient Bloom

Really digging #milwaukee band Stock Options. Come for the instrumental Post-rock, stay for the sludge.

91.7FM WMSE

It’s a real breath of fresh air when you put yourselves into the hands of a band as committed to the details as Stock Options. Ancient Bloom may not be as digestible a release as some of the other landmark releases put out this year, but the level of craft here shows that we’re dealing with a band that’s just beginning to bloom. Here’s hoping that people are listening. 8/10

blue_light_888, AbsolutePunk.net
Date City Venue Country
06/22/12 Milwaukee, WI Quarter’s United States
Venue: Quarter’s. Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $6-7. Age restrictions: 21+. Address: 900 E. Center Street. Venue phone: (414) 263-4140. w/ Rituals of the Oak [female fronted doom from Australia] [link] and Shroud of Despondency
05/04/12 Milwaukee, WI Frank’s Power Plant United States
Venue: Frank’s Power Plant. Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $. Age restrictions: 21+. Address: 2800 South Kinnickinnic Avenue. Venue phone: (414) 481-9200. w/ Romero and Shallows.
12/17/11 Milwaukee, WI Quarter’s United States
Venue: Quarter’s. Time: 5:00pm. Address: 900 E. Center Street. Venue phone: (414) 263-4140. Riverwest Fest w/ Fuck Honey, Customary Silence, Magnetic Minds + 1 TBA (5-9pm show)
11/25/11 Milwaukee, WI Cactus Club United States
Venue: Cactus Club. Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $6. Age restrictions: 21+. Address: 2496 S. Wentworth Avenue. Venue phone: 414.897.0663. w/ Drumlins, Maidens + 1 TBA
10/21/11 Milwaukee Riverwest Public House United States
Venue: Riverwest Public House. Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $3. Age restrictions: 21+. Address: 815 E Locust St.. End of Days Part 2 Celebration! w/ Astral/Subastral & HALFLETTERs
10/14/11 Milwaukee, WI Borg Ward Collective United States
Venue: Borg Ward Collective. Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $5. Age restrictions: All Ages. Address: 823 W National Ave. w/ Low Forms [Duluth, MN], Like Like the the the Death, and Magnetic Minds
10/08/11 Milwaukee, WI Quarter’s United States
Venue: Quarter’s. Time: 9:30pm. Admission: $6. Age restrictions: 21+. Address: 900 E. Center Street. Venue phone: (414) 263-4140. w/ War Brides [Chicago], Burning Sons and Ahab’s Ghost
09/20/11 Milwaukee, WI Quarter’s United States
Venue: Quarter’s. Time: 7:00pm. Age restrictions: All Ages. Address: 900 E. Center Street. Venue phone: (414) 263-4140. w/ Northless and Before The Eyewall [Columbus, OH]
09/17/11 Racine, WI Mosquito Inn United States
Venue: Mosquito Inn. Time: 9:30pm. Age restrictions: 21+. Address: 3208 4 Mile Road. w/ IfIHadAHiFi and Fresh Bison (Rust Belt Demons had to cancel)
09/17/11 Milwaukee, WI Bay View Bash United States
Venue: Bay View Bash. Time: 12:00pm. Admission: FREE. Age restrictions: All Ages. Rushmor Records’ stage (North Stage) Lineup: 12:00 – Stock Options 1:15 – The Pills 2:30 – Jon Burk’s Band 3:45 – Valles Flying Machine 5:30 – The Ragadors 6:30 – Brief Candles 8:30 – Cache
Tour: First Micro-tour, Labor Day Weekend 2011
09/04/11 Dubuque, IA Off Minor United States
Venue: Off Minor. Time: 8:30pm. Address: 920 Main Street. w/ Wretches & Remember Last Fall
09/03/11 Minneapolis Hell’s Kitchen United States
Venue: Hell’s Kitchen. Time: 10:00pm. Admission: $5. Age restrictions: All Ages/Drink w/ID. Address: 80 South 9th St.. Venue phone: 612.332.4700. Radio K’s “Now Like Photographs” presents… w/ Nomia , Humanda , Falcon Arrow
09/02/11 Sioux Falls, SD Latitude 44 United States
Venue: Latitude 44. Time: 8:30pm. Address: 201 North Weber Avenue. Venue phone: (605) 338-0943. tba
08/17/11 Milwaukee, WI Borg Ward Collective United States
Venue: Borg Ward Collective. Time: 7:00pm. Age restrictions: All Ages. Address: 823 W National Ave. w/ CJ Boyd, Lines and Terminals, tba.
08/16/11 Milwaukee, WI Ground Zero United States
Venue: Ground Zero. Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $?. Age restrictions: All Ages. Fahri, Uh-Oh, Final Club (ex-Teenage Cool Kids). Don’t know where Ground Zero is? Ask a punk or call/txt 414 704 2921 for the address.
08/12/11 Milwaukee, WI Circle A Cafe United States
Venue: Circle A Cafe. Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $5. Age restrictions: 21+. Address: 932 E. Chambers Street. Venue phone: 414-562-4101. with Busybodies [Milwaukee]
08/05/11 Milwaukee, WI Cactus Club United States
Venue: Cactus Club. Time: 9:00pm. Admission: $7. Age restrictions: 21+. Address: 2496 S. Wentworth Avenue. Venue phone: 414.897.0663. w/ Sleepcomesdown, Arctic Sleep [Chicago], and Sivini
07/29/11 Milwaukee, WI Monkey Bar United States
Venue: Monkey Bar. Time: 9:00pm. Age restrictions: 21+. Address: 1619 South 1st Street. Venue phone: (414) 384-4663. with Ceolacanth [Milwaukee] and The Radiant Republic of Texas [Chicago]
07/09/11 Milwaukee, WI Summerfest United States
Venue: Summerfest. Time: 3:00pm. Admission: $15. Age restrictions: All Ages/Drink w/ID. Address: 200 N. Harbor Drive. Venue phone: 414.273.2680. Cascio Stage. Also playing the festival on the same day: The Flaming Lips, Meat Puppets, Alkaline Trio, De la Soul and Into Arcadia play the festival.
07/05/11 Milwaukee, WI Cactus Club United States
Venue: Cactus Club. Time: 9:00pm. Age restrictions: 21+. Address: 2496 S. Wentworth Avenue. Venue phone: 414.897.0663. w/IfIHadAHiFi [Milwaukee, WI], Hex Machine [Richmond, VA] and Gnarwhal [Nashville, TN]
06/17/11 Milwaukee, WI Frank’s Power Plant United States
Venue: Frank’s Power Plant. Time: 9:30pm. Age restrictions: 21+. Address: 2800 South Kinnickinnic Avenue. Venue phone: (414) 481-9200. w/ The Spur and the Long Lost, Ralphed, + TBA
05/28/11 Racine, WI Mosquito Inn United States
Venue: Mosquito Inn. Time: 9:00pm. Admission: FREE. Age restrictions: 21+. Address: 3208 4 Mile Road. w/ Cash Removed Nightly and Guerrilla Pig. This is Cash Removed Nightly’s final show.
04/30/11 Racine, WI Brass Monkey United States
Venue: Brass Monkey. Time: 9:00pm. Admission: FREE. Age restrictions: 21+. Address: 1436 Junction Avenue. Venue phone: (262) 898-1567. w/ No Heroes
04/23/11 Milwaukee, WI Cactus Club United States
Venue: Cactus Club. Time: 9:30pm. Admission: $7. Age restrictions: 21+. Address: 2496 S. Wentworth Avenue. Venue phone: 414.897.0663. w/ Control (Madison, WI) & Sunday Flood
04/22/11 Appleton, WI Maritime Tavern United States
Venue: Maritime Tavern. Time: 9:30pm. Age restrictions: 21+. Address: 336 West Wisconsin Avenue. Venue phone: 920.733.1099. w/ Sunday Flood & Haunted Heads

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