Thousand Yard Stare (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Thousand Yard Stare


Img_capt =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = flagicon|England Slough, England
Instrument =
Genre = Alternative rock
Indie pop
Years_active = 1989–1993
Label = Stifled Aardvark Co. Records
Polydor Ltd.
Current_members = Stephen Barnes (vocals)
Dominic Bostock (drums)
Giles Duffy (lead guitar)
Kevin Moxon (rhythm guitar)
Sean McDonaugh (bass guitar)

Thousand Yard Stare were a British band from Slough, Berkshire active during the early 1990s, prior to the Britpop explosion. Supporting popular bands on the Indie circuit such as James and Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine, the band also released several well regarded E.P.s.

History

The band's debut effort, the "Weatherwatching EP" was released in November 1990 on Stifled Aardvark Records, the band's own record label. Both the 'Easter 89' and 'Tumbletown' EPs were demo tapes made up by the band and sold at gigs prior to their first official release, the 12" vinyl only "Weatherwatching".In a response to this record, the NME nominated Thousand Yard Stare as "brightest hope for the future".Following on in June 1991, the "Keepsake EP" reached the top spot in both the NME and Melody Maker independent charts. That summer the band performed at the Reading Festival, further raising their profile and leading to their stint as support for James in October and November of that year.In the Autumn, the band began the sessions for their first album, the first fruit of which was another EP. Widely regarded as the band's finest hour, the "Seasonstream EP" was released on Stifled Aardvark Records in 1991, their last independent release on their own label. The "Seasonstream EP" began with a track titled "0-0 a.e.t", (which means "No Score After Extra Time"), a football metaphor laden song that featured the talents of Martin Bell of The Wonder Stuff on fiddle. This single again topped the Indie music charts, and even made its way onto the UK top 40 singles chart.With the backing of the major label Polydor, Thousand Yard Stare went on to release a further three E.P.s, and two full studio albums. ("Hands On" and "Mappamundi") were both produced by Stephen Street, who had already produced records for The Smiths and Blur, among others.However, neither of the albums made much of an inroad into the mainstream market, and the band became eclipsed by the more energetic music of burgeoning Britpoppers such as Suede, Blur and Elastica, and "Mappamundi" proved to be their final release.

Discography

Albums

* "Fair to Middling" (1992 - LP/CD - compilation of 'Weatherwatching', 'Keepsake' & 'Seasonstream' EP's.)
* "Hands On" Aard 008 (1992 - LP (some with free 10" Live EP) /CD/Cassette)
* "Mappamundi" (1993 - LP/CD/Cassette)

ingles and E.P.s

* "Easter 89 EP" Aard 001 (1989 - demo cassette only)
* "Tumbledown EP" Aard 002 (1990 - demo cassette only)
* "Weatherwatching EP" Aard 003 (1990 - 12" vinyl only release)
* "Keepsake EP" Aard 004 (1991 - CD/12"/10" release)
* "Seasonstream EP" Aard 005 (1991 - CD/12"/Limited Edition Blue Vinyl 10" release)
* "White Label EP" Aard 006 (1991 - one sided 12" vinyl available at the band's London ULU gig in November 1991)
* "Comeuppance EP" Aard 007 (1992 - 7"/CD/12"/Limited Edition Red Vinyl 10" release)
* "Live Bootleg EP" Aard 009 (1992 - 10" only, available as a limited edition with early copies of 'Hands On', or from the bands mail order store)
* "Spindrift EP" Aard 010 (1992 - CD/12"/Limited Edition Green Vinyl 10"/Limited Edition Clear Vinyl 10" release)
* "Version of Me" EP (1993 - 2 x CD/12" release)

External links

*amg | id = 11:8r6fmpv39f8o | label = Thousand Yard Stare