The Stockyard Stoics

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The Stockyard Stoics are a punk rock band based out of Brooklyn with current members all hailing from Eugene, Oregon. Their songs focus on political and social issues, in particular anarchism. The band is heavily influenced by such early British punk bands such as The Clash and Stiff Little Fingers, Jamaican Ska and reggae, pre-honky tonk Country, and Rockabilly.


[edit] History

Joe and B first began playing together in 1990, when they were 15 years old and B moved from New York City to Eugene. Joe was later a member of The Rickets. The Rickets were a highly influential west coast punk band in the 1990's. Kathleen Hanna sang with the Rickets on their cover of Til Tuesdays Voices Carry. Unfortunately The Rickets are not found to be noteworthy enough to be included on Wikipedia. Joe also played in The Redundants, and JP and B played together in the seminal third wave punk/ska band The Readymen. Various members have also played for MDC, The X-Possibles, and Leftöver Crack, among other bands.

In the late 1990s, Joe and B moved to New York City and began to play music together after almost 10 years. The band evolved into the Stockyard Stoics, with Avital playing drums. The band began to gig around the city, becoming regulars at ABC No Rio, where Joe was in charge of booking bands. JP took over for Avital and recording began on the Stockyard Stoic's first album in Arizona during their first American tour, with JP's brother engineering. Recording was later resumed in New Jersey at West West Side Studios, and the album was finished.

With the album done, the band entered into negotiations with Go Kart Records; but, much to the dismay of fans, instead of signing they broke up. JP left to tour with Leftöver Crack, Joe got married after proposing amidst the clouds of tear gas during the 2001 FTAA protests in Quebec City, Bobby stopped trying to balance a full time band with his studies at SUNY Purchase, and B did some studio work for local ska musicians while continuing to play for MDC. The album was eventually self-released on their own label, Roots Rock Rebel Records.

After a short while, the band got back together, with old friend Aron replacing Bobby on guitar, (as he did later for The X-Possibles when Bobby left that band). Jump Start Records picked up the previously released record, and they began to tour consistently both in Europe and the United States. In 2004 they released their second full-length album, Catastrophe, on BANKSHOT! Records.

Just before their last tour in September, 2005, JP quit the band, and Ernie Lindsey of Criminal Class USA took over on drums. Ella Sternberg, from Beer Garden and Crybaby MacArthur, took over on bass, allowing Joe to focus on lead vocals.

[edit] Discography

  • Self titled EP, 2000, Roots Rock Rebel Records, RRRR-01
    • Song of Babylon
    • Adolescent Chemistry
    • Nancy Reagan
    • U.$.A.
  • Stockyard Stoics, 2002, Roots Rock Rebel Records, RRRR-02; Jump Start Records, JST-047; in Europe on MSM1279.Records, MSM-1007
    • Song Of Babylon
    • Adolescent Chemistry
    • Not For Sale
    • Live And Die
    • Days Go By
    • Urban Decay
    • Parasite Economy
    • Status Quo
    • Word Gets Around
    • Land Of Opportunity
    • Long Goodbye
    • Justice Denied
    • U.$.A.
    • Sad Songs
  • Catastrophe, 2004, BANKSHOT! Records, BSR-008; in Europe on MSM1279.Records, MSM-1011
    • Catastrophe
    • The Ballad Of Maga And Squeaky
    • City Lights
    • You're Gonna Die
    • Ravenous
    • Turnpike South
    • Borrowed Time
    • Occupational Hazards
    • High School Yearbook
    • End Of The Road