Morgan, N., Rock bands. Geoscientist 30 (6), 27, 2020 https://doi.org/doi: 10.1144/geosci2020-095, Download the pdf here Geologist, science writer and music lover Nina Morgan relishes the sounds of stones From early times, stone workers have tested blocks of stone with a sharp tap, listening for ringing sounds to check for cracks or flaws. Geologists, too, often take advantage of this trick to map subtle changes in lithology, porosity and permeability in the field. But these days even the most avant garde Hard Rock bands don't seem to look to geology to create their sounds. Perhaps they're missing a trick. The musical properties of rocks have been exploited from ancient times in many parts of the world. But arguably it was a stonemason Joseph Richardson [1790 – 1855], born in Keswick, Cumbria, who brought the musical possibilities of stones to international attention in the form of a lithophone – a xylophone made up of tuned stone keys. He named his creation the 'Richardson and Sons Rock, Bell and Steel Band'. Left: Joseph Richardson & sons (Keswick Museum) Early inspiration Richardson must have been inspired to build his lithophone by tales of the musical stones around Skiddaw collected by Peter Crosthwaite [1735-1808], founder of the Keswick Museum. In 1785, Crosthwaite recorded the discovery of his '6 first music stones at the Tip end or North end of long tongue'. The stones, composed of a coarse-grained hornfels created when the Ordovician mudstones and siltstones of the Skiddaw group were affected by low-grade regional metamorphisim and deformation associated with the Acadian Orogeny in the Devonian, were, he claimed, in perfect tune. The discovery inspired him to shape more stones to produce other notes to create a set of Musical Stones. Later the musically inclined Richardson further explored the sound properties of Lake District rocks. In 1827, while building houses at Thornthwaite, he struck musical gold with the hornfels around Skiddaw, and started work to create a lithophone capable of playing every musical note. Finding, testing and shaping suitable stones to assemble into an instrument took nearly 13 years, and nearly drove his family into poverty. In 1840 Richardson enlisted the help of his three sons to play his new lithophone. They built up an impressive repertoire, including selections from Handel, Beethoven, Mozart and arrangements of waltzes, quadrilles, gallops and polkas. Their concerts were very popular and received rave reviews.