Wednesday 15 June 2011

Yes Blog!

A couple of reasons why I like being in my safe european home in Nuneaton:

   1 - All the awful metal I used to listen to (e.g. Megadeth & Gojira) is still on this computer. Reminiscing is fun.
   2 - I have the internet again. Which is very important, as any other male will understand. You know, for... e-mails... and stuff.
   3 - I'm surrounded by cats, which is always good. Like this cheeky chappy!


He's malting as well, so I keep fucking finding bits of him everywhere. Sometimes it's enough fur to make another cat if I wanted... but just the one pigeon killing, food inhaling, shouty cat is enough.
   4 - I can get back on track with band stuff that my pesky 'degree' got in the way of. Which is why I'm contributing loads with this helpful handy blog.

I did try and have a look for some other music people on blogspot... didn't find a lot to be honest yet, maybe not a lot of bands do this. I found lots of photographers and lots of 'family' blogs... lots of people in knitted jumpers, that sort of thing. And a big one about cake! (Click the word cake and it will take you to cake. The cake isn't a lie.)

Since the last time I updated this we've been doing more of the same, gigging as much as possible, getting our standard 40 minutes of exercise. Pretty much the only exercise I do now... at all.

Lots of Birmingham (well, digbeth) with Pulp Fiction loving lads "The British Kicks", A spot in Accrington with our BFF's from Lancashire "The Yellow Chantys" (like them here or myspace them here), and the standard tearing it up in Northampton at the SU or NB's bar! Our main contact in Northampton is gone now... so we'll have to figure something out because I want to play in a cave again. A cave with fish such as this in it -


I wish attaching myself to glass by my face was the only thing I had to do everyday.

As per usual peeps, go on our myspace or the facebook for all your music needs; everyone's going on holiday over the next couple of weeks so we're taking a wee bit of time off, but we'll be back to assault your ears and eyes again. We're still writing and practising and recording so stay tuned, and check your local listings!

Finally, Jim and Dan enjoying each other's company...


And us hungover to fuck in the studio at Leeds Uni.



Your friend in time - Ben.

Thursday 3 March 2011

Adventures, artistic genius and... Ants

Alliteration has never been my strong point. Especially not in threes.

We're fresh off a 'tour' of the North... 'tour' in inverted commas because we only did two dates. One at the Greendoor in Leeds and one at the Live Lounge. We also did a photoshoot in Cheltenham (courtesy of the increasingly useful Zoe Shannon) which heralded the first time we've been in a proper studio. This inevitably turned us into bumbling morons but (more due to Zoe than us) we got some pretty cool shiz out of. Results on the way.

If anyone wants us to get us more gigs up north, feel free, we always go down well and we always have an ace time - Leeds courtesy of Josh Pontin, who put on the night with us and some D 'n' B and Dubstep artists which kicked the after party off real nice. I can't think of anything that makes you feel more famous than getting VIP entrance to a club afterwards, which definitely happened. We still had to pay to get in but that's beside the point.

I don't remember getting home.

The day after was live recording in Leeds, which we may or may not see results from; we finally got the chance to record "Smash & Crash" so hopefully it turned out ok!

We also saw this GIANT worm.





That kind of links into ants... it's an invertebrate creature.

In other news, songs are up on the facebook, the lovely lovely facebook. Head on over to www.listn.to/thestacks to check it all out! 6 tracks on there that will feature on our EP which SHOULD be coming to us very very soon! Although I keep saying that... We just need a design.

Which brings me to my final point, which is my magnificent EP cover designs. I'll be posting these consistently so keep tabs. I know I will be.


Sponsored by Hayabusa fight gear, and Windows paint. Thoughts and feelings would be greatly appreciated.

Your friend in time - Ben

Sunday 20 February 2011

It's so cold in this house!

I'm not lying, it's pretty baltic in my house because the boiler has broken again. I also got royally dicked over by the public transport system today... that's what happens when you try and give something back...


On a better note, gig listings are growing and also our songs (Live & Studio) can be found at http://www.rootmusic.com/s/TheStacks . Also we're doing two dates in the better half of the country next week, Wednesday the 23rd February at the "Green Door" in Leeds (with a shitload of D 'n' B artists) and the 25th at the "Live Lounge" in Blackburn, where we've played before and it was ace; the further north we go, the better gigs we have.

We're also staying in a hotel on friday night, so expect TVs to be thrown out of windows.

(Although admittedly we really can't afford the fine for that so we'll probably stick to free soap and any perishable items we find in the room.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE

I've got nothing more to say, I'm just bored and can't sleep...

 - Onehand

Thursday 3 February 2011

Just a load of pictures, really

Firstly, Dan in 20 years time. I'm on a mission to find this shirt for him as well just so he can really live the dream.


I don't think it's that questionable that we have a Cliff Richard calender in our student house. It shows our sensitive side.

2011 is underway. Another gig at the o2 Academy 3 down with The British Kicks. 
Predicatably this was awesome, thanks to the other bands that played (Bungalows and Slim Fit Gym Kit) and we even have some lovely photos courtesy of Zoe Shannon, who keeps following us around... so long as she keeps pumping out stuff like this we don't mind.



Captured at the exact moment that two of us tried to escape the stage.











Jim looking suitably epic.





















Also another Kasbah gig under our belts, we'll let everyone know when the next one is. (Although that would be more functional if anyone actually READ this blog, it's more for my own amusement than anything. So it's fine for me to say things like, Dumbledore dies at the end of the 6th book. And Gok Wan is a tosser.) 80p drinks on a student night! Such an ace night out! And for anyone else with a short attention span, the lasers in the main room are magical.

Also on the way from us is a 6 Track "E.P." although technically it'll be a mini album at 6 tracks. We spent two days in Moonbase Studios in Coventry recording three new tracks forthis sole purpose, with John Lotshaw who is not only an ace producer he's also a ridiculously nice guy. And he has a Vox AC30.
We're getting these printed as soon as possible and will be selling them for £4 a go -any ideas for a good E.P. launch venue?
Moonbase also looked really goddamn cool.


 That'll do, probably... Back to a serious session of season 6 of Lost and the prospect of getting on it tonight because it's Chinese NY and that's as good an excuse as any... plus it'll mean a Chinese Takeaway.

Finally, some artwork courtesy of Dudders -

And a picture of the man himself.





What a dickhead.