Monday 22 November 2010

[Insert witty title here] - 22/11/2010

Searching for something entertaining to write around the topic of our upcoming gigs has (based on a shoddy night's sleep and an early morn) become difficult. I'll get the ball rolling with some digital evidence of what happens when you mix rain, a very unforgiving self-timer function, four simple people with quickly diminishing imaginative ideas, and a complete lack of balance. In other words, this is basically what happened when a few months ago we tried to do our own 'photoshoot'.


Most people would say that should be confined to a private joke and not published on the internet.

I disagree.

Also, this blog can be read on the much harder to find 'Myspace blog', where it shall read identical to this except you can listen to our music simultaneously. And they say Terminators won't be in production til 2024...
Head on down to www.myspace.com/thestacksuk. Gig listings will also be present!


Friday night (26/11/2010) we're playing for the second time at Northampton's Avenue Campus Student Union, which was an absolute barnstormer last time. I mentioned before a set of 'excellent gentlemen' called Archives who'll be playing, as well as established Northampton band 'The Francis Jetty' who will be headlining the night. And I will say again; £1.80 per PINT. That's value for money.

Saturday night (the 27th...) we return to our own homeland, at the Queens Hall in Nuneaton to support 'Jesus Deluxe'. Also on the bill are Just Morale; not £1.80 pints but it's still a great venue. Nice and big and in the middle of Nuneaton! (Much like Abbey Green, except the function of the Queens Hall is clear.)

Lastly, has anyone ever SEEN so many caterpillars in one place?!


On that note, I'm going to invest a lot of my day watching 'The Last of the Mohicans' and I'm really goddam excited.

Your friend in time - Ben

Kasbahs, a Robbery and a Zulu - 8/11/2010

We've been busy bears over the past four or five weeks. I managed to condense it into the phrase "Kasbahs, a Robbery and a Zulu" (around a hardcore Solitaire marathon and the prospect of a new toothbrush) which beyond being a potentially mint EP title actually does sum it up quite well.

The toothbrush thing I mentioned basically means I've sent someone out to get me a new toothbrush, because I've somehow managed to lose mine today and in the interests of dental hygiene and maintaining friendships, I feel it's best to replace it.

Kasbahs refers to our most recent gig at the very shiny "Moseley Arms" in Digbeth, with headline and all-round excellent gentlemen "Black Market Empire". A DJ from Walsall's "Wharf Bar" DJ's at the gigs and turned up with a box of vinyl gold, including The Clash playing Live in Jamaica. During 'Rock the Kasbah' a firework goes off, and is somehow panned across the speakers and sounds mint. It was a highlight.

Also, 31st January, The Stacks are playing The Kasbah again, It's never been a bad gig so get down!

At a battle of the bands at the Northampton Avenue campus, we met an awesome band called "Archives". Great lads with a great set and an awesome guitarist, and we'll be gigging with them again on the 26th November at the same venue! So Students, get yourselves down. Pints of Fosters for £1.80, bargain!!

The Robbery part of the title refers to my guitar being stolen with all my gear in it, which we recently got back so all is well. the cost of it aside, it has sentimental value, and i'm broke. The orange strat lives on!!


And Zulu simply refers to this. Another incredible chapter in "Dudley's greatest hits".


Check your local listings...

 - Ben

Some insightful... stuff - 4/10/2010

Back at uni in Walsall for Ben and Dudley, so it's perfectly acceptable to still be in bed at half 12. Unless you're Dan, Mr "I always get up at half 8" or whatever he wants us to believe...
 Based on this picture, I don't trust that statement. This does make me laugh way too much though, including our good friend chubbsy who's in the background there!

Last night we played an 18th birthday party which went absolutely mental. Being the responsible 20 year olds that we are we used a massive PA system to encourage an 18 year old to drink shots until he was sick. The power you have when you've got a microphone! Also as soon as we started climbing on the scenery it immediately made it ok for everyone else to as well. We're a good influence.

and now, the weather.
Thankyou Stafford for letting us abuse your green screen facilities. Well, thanks for leaving the door open so we can just wander in.

Nothing much more to say for now. Looking forward to two UFC events in 2 weeks, October 16th in London!

For our gigs, as always, check the listings on www.myspace.com/thestacksuk! We've had some really good feedback over the mountain of gigs we've been working through recently so thanks everyone for the appreciation - keep listening, keep watching, keep following, keep talking to us! We're a lovely group of morons!

Thanks for watching. Ben

The Fun Bus - 23/08/2010

The fun bus. The new stackwagon.
To be honest Jimmy's face says it all. Arguably a bit suggestive about the mental state of us when put together, but that aside, it's the best bus we've ever been in. It fits all the gear in, along with 10 people, an electric wheelchair lift on the back (which we broke... almost immediately), some questionable electrical work and a pretty piss-poor collection of CDs.

This picture was just before our gig in Burbage at the Cross Keys, a nice pub in effectively the quietest town ever. Dudley got heckled for eating a pasty right before we played, and we did try and get 'rosie' from the local co-op to come and watch us play but with no results.
Further proof that the fun bus (a.k.a "Stackwagon") is awesome. The simpletons of the rhythm section have never BEEN happier, and neither will you be if you see it around.

You stay classy.
- Ben