The Stems
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The Stems |
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The Stems formed in Perth, Western Australia in 1983 and played music that was heavily influenced by 1960s garage rock and 1970s power pop. The band broke up in 1987 but had a reunion in 2003 and currently working on a new album.
History
The Stems were formed in 1983 by Dom Mariani and Richard Lane who were serious students of cool underground 60's garage punk, R&B and pop music (Julian Matthews and Gary Chambers rounded out the band on bass and drums respectfully). As they evolved they also embraced an updated power pop sound. But foremost it was their ability to write great songs and electric live shows that made them stand out from the rest.
Playing such local legendary (and now long-gone) venues as The Wizbah, The Old Melbourne and The Shenton Park Hotel on a regular basis, the group built up a substantial following in Perth, at a time otherwise dominated by cover bands.
In mid 1985 the band went to Sydney to meet up with their new label Citadel and promote their first single "Make You Mine"/"She's A Monster". The tour was perfectly timed with the Sydney inner city scene rediscovering 60’s music and fashion. The group met with an enthusiastic response which culminated in a full house at the legendary Trade Union Club for their final show. During this period they recorded the classic single "Tears Me In Two" single and the Love Will Grow EP both produced by Rob Younger of the legendary Radio Birdman.
The Stems completed several national tours and were perhaps one of the first bands to gain national success while remaining in Perth, and despite never having toured internationally they are held in high esteem in Europe and the US amongst fans of classic 60’s and garage inspired rock ‘n’ roll.
The Stems released a total of five singles, one EP and one full length album, and set an impressive record with each release reaching No 1 on the Australian alternative charts. It was their debut album, At First Sight, Violets Are Blue, their first for the White label, released in 1987 that received national and international critical acclaim and would be one of the best selling Australian albums of that year despite the lack of commercial airplay in the corporate FM dominated 80’s. Leaning toward a stronger pop sensibility the album highlighed the talents of Dom Mariani and Richard Lane as skilled tunesmiths of the guitar pop genre. The album was nominated in the top 100 Australian albums of all time by Rolling Stone magazine and the title track "At First Sight" remains a bonafide Australian classic.
Unfortunately their success was short lived when at the height of their powers and on the eve of a six week European tour the band mysteriously disbanded later that same year.
The Stems epitomised 80’s indie rock, giving it a wider currency. They are one of only a handful of bands (among them the Hoodoo Gurus (half of the original line-up of the Hoodoo Gurus also came from Perth) and The Sunnyboys) that cracked the mainsteam charts with an indie approach in the 80’s .
Main singer songwriter Dom Mariani would eventually go on to achieve greater international recognition and become a linchpin of the international power pop scene with his bands DM3 and The Someloves.
In March 2003 The Stems reunited for a national tour an amazing comeback to the local and international music scene. Following the re-release of their classic At First Sight, Violets Are Blue and the release of the Mushroom Soup Anthology in 2003, the Stems found themselves playing to packed houses across the country, touring Europe, playing the prestigious "Little Stevens Underground Garage Festival" in August 2005, and most recently at the "Come Together Festival" at Sydney’s Luna Park with the cream of Australia’s newest bands in September 2005.
The Stems are currently putting the finishing touches on their long overdue second album and follow up to 1987’s At First Sight, Violets Are Blue. The new album was set for release in the first half of 2006 to be followed by national and international touring to promote the as yet to be titled new album. In the meantime, another Anthology titled Terminal Cool has just been released in the US by the prestigious Garage Rock and punk label Get Hip. The new anthology includes three previously unreleased tracks including the lost gem and title track which fans will recall from their early live sets. Nuggets Vol. III - two of the bands tunes were also included in the recent Rhino Nuggets Box set Children of Nuggets which compiles and documents the Paisley Underground and garage rock of the 80’s.
Members
- Dom Mariani - vocals, guitar (1984-1987, 2003)
- Richard Lane - vocals, guitar, keyboards (1984-1987, 2003)
- Gary, Champers - drums (1984-1986)
- Julian Mathews - bass (1984-1987, 2003)
- David Shaw - drums, percussion (1986-1987)
- John Shuttleworth - bass (1984)
Discography
Albums
- Love Will Grow - Rosebud Volume 1 - debut EP released 1986
- At First Sight, Violets Are Blue - debut album released 1987, re-released 2003 with a bonus disc of 10 live tracks (recorded at the Old Melbourne Hotel, Perth) together with B-sides from their singles
- Mushroom Soup: The Citadel Years - released 2003
Singles
- "Make You Mine"/"She's A Monster"
- "Tears Me In Two"
- "At First Sight"
- "Sad Girl"
- "Can't Forget That Girl"
Compliations
- Do The Pop! The Australian Garage Rock Sound 1976-87
- Born Out Of Time: The Australian Indie Sound 1979-88
- Shake Some Action
- Cool World: 41 Essential Australian Rock Singles 1978 - 1986
- Terminal Cool (Anthology 1983-1986) - released 26 June 2006
- Children of Nuggets