Home: S : Staple : Biography

Biography (courtesy of Flicker Records)

Anything that Staple can call an achievement stems from its road warrior mentality. Simply put, the band loves its work, and it works hard. From day one, Staple has been dedicated to its fans, pounding the pavement to share its message. In 2004 alone, the band played more than 170 dates, including tours with Disciple, Spoken, The Showdown, Demon Hunter and Kids In The Way. "We have connected with some real diehard fans," says frontman Darin Keim. "In reality, these kids are more than fans. They are more like members of Staple; they know the lyrics to songs better than I do some nights. When people get into it, that makes it all worth it."

Such consistent, committed work defining a band's sound and purpose pays off after time. As such, Keim, guitarist Brian Miller, drummer Grant Beachy and bassist Israel see the fruit of their hard road labor on Of Truth and Reconciliation, Staple's sophomore project with Flicker Records.

Staple, with producers Sylvia Massy Shivy and Kale' Holmes, takes everything one step further on Of Truth and Reconciliation, incorporating bigger guitar riffs, louder vocals as well as larger themes. "We wanted to take our core sound and make it bigger, more expansive and more powerful," says Keim.

Melodic tracks like "Sound of Silence," and "The Day the Blind Revolted" effectively complement the more metal-influenced "Do or Die" and driving rock tune "The Circles We Run." All work together to flesh out a sound that is melodic hard rock and signature Staple.

Also unique to this project, Staple chose the album's title first, writing songs that would reflect its theme. "The songs were definitely influenced by our record's title, which we decided on a year ago," Keim notes. "We knew early on that we wanted this album to talk about owning up and facing tough issues. It's about confronting reality, facing challenges and not backing down but making things right."

Keim references "The Day the Blind Revolted" as a prime example. "This song encourages individuals to question the 'facts' they have been told by media, parents, friends or churches," he says. "Many people blindly follow what they have been told to think and feel about reality. The result is a mentality that has been wholly assembled and manipulated by beliefs of such parties listed above."

During his own discovery process, Keim recalls questioning the truths he was taught. "I did learn many good things but scattered throughout were doses of legalism. In Bible college, I took some classes on Christian evidences, and that really helped to secure my own faith. Now I find that it's a continual process to diligently seek truth and learn who God is."

Even today, Keim does not take this responsibility lightly and strives to remain accountable. He confesses, "I wrote the lyrics to 'Honor and Integrity' during a really low spiritual point. My public life on-stage was all about encouraging others to work hard to overcome their struggles. My private life, the one I was truly living, did not come close. I was at a very hypocritical place, and I knew that my character was suffering because of it. These lyrics serve as my accountability, to make the two lives one and to be a man of integrity at all points and all times."

Such honesty and desire to seek truth drive Staple's vision for the future of its work. "Our goal is to help people, not just to play music. We talk about the truth we have discovered—that Jesus is our Savior, and He offers forgiveness to anyone who asks for it," says Keim. "It's in helping other seek truth that we, as a band, find our true reward."