Scepter Bio

Founded in Wichita, Kansas in 1987 by brothers Jeff Kirby and Joe Kirby from Wichita, KS, SCEPTER® has spent decades delivering original hard rock built on heavy guitars, melodic hooks, punk attitude, and pure live energy. Long before streaming and social media, the Kirby brothers were carving out their own lane with a fiercely independent spirit that still defines the band today.
After years performing throughout the Kansas music scene alongside respected local musicians including Paul Bland and Michael Pannell, SCEPTER® relocated to the Dallas / Frisco, TX area in 1999, continuing to evolve into one of the region’s long-running original hard rock acts. Throughout the years, the band has featured a strong lineup of drummers including Chris Menard, Brandon Downum, Damon Blythe, Gio Palombo, and now in 2026, Steve “Vantanna” Mathews.
SCEPTER® has independently released a deep catalog of music including Depletion of Time (1990), Three (1992), Humerus (1994), Eat to the Feet (1998), Scepterated at Birth (2001), It’s The Getting Up That Gets Ya (2002), Seven By Three (2007), Point of Impact (2008), and Now and Again (2016), along with streaming singles and videos such as It’s All Good, Cheap, and Joyland.
Their latest release, Really Really Real, released on Valentines Day, 2026, explores the themes of AI / human relationships and modern connection while staying firmly rooted in SCEPTER®’s signature guitar-driven hard rock sound. The release was accompanied by an AI-generated music video (on Youtube) that blends music, technology, and storytelling into a futuristic visual experience.
Today, SCEPTER® enters a powerful new era with drummer Steve Mathews, known onstage as “Vantanna.” Hailing from The Colony, Texas, Steve brings thunderous double bass, precision timing, and arena-sized energy inspired by the hard rock and metal bands of the 1980s and 1990s. After opening for SCEPTER® at a Dallas-area show and later following the band’s online live streams, Steve joined the lineup when the drummer position opened, transforming from fan to full-fledged member of the SCEPTER® machine and family.
More than three decades after its creation, SCEPTER® continues to deliver loud, authentic, guitar-driven rock with soul, attitude, and energy. Whether live on stage or streaming worldwide, SCEPTER® brings a raw performance style that proves real rock never goes out of style.