User:Wkreth/Stick Against Stone

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Stick Against Stone was a Post-punk band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; that later resided in Brooklyn, New York; Eugene, Oregon and San Francisco, California and remained active (in no less than six incarnations) between 1980 and 1990. Although a Post-punk band, the band experimented with no wave, world music, free jazz, reggae, funk, rap, ska, dub, African, and art-rock in their music. Though the band has never released (to date) a complete album of their own music, they did have one song ("Body Motion") included on a compilation album TMI 015 (1982) and released a 4 song cassette on their own label -1985.

[edit] Pre-History

[edit] From Indiana, PA to Pancreatic Ballet, 1977 - 1980

In 1977, the core of Brook Duer (bass guitars) and Richard “Dick” Vitale (drums & percussion) formed their first “punk” group while in high school, in the attic of a house in their home town of Indiana, PA (where Vitale’s family owned a music store in town). Reuniting 3 years later while at university in Pittsburgh (where they had both played in other bands), Vitale and Duer began to plan a new kind of group.

Drawing influences from The Clash, Talking Heads, Ornette Coleman, Downtown music and West-African music (especially the music of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, to name a few) – the two high school friends started recruiting members for what was at first called Pancreatic Ballet. In 1980, the band finally settled on the name: Stick Against Stone. By this time, the youth of the U.S. had begun to discover punk rock and Post-punk, and Stick Against Stone had found their style, a unique brand of the energy of punk (initially, without electric guitars), channeled through hyperactive horn arrangements, polyrhythmic African-inspired percussion mixed with elements of funk, free jazz, ska, reggae, rap, Beat poetry and art rock.

[edit] History

[edit] The Pittsburgh Years, 1980–1982

Drummers Vitale and Sullivan were fascinated by African music, studying traditional West African drumming styles and patterns for a time under renowned Ghanaian ethnomusicologist Dr. Willie Anku, then an instructor in residence at the University of Pittsburgh. Applying interlocking principles of West African drumming to contemporary popular music styles was an audacious goal, but one that the group found fertile compositional ground in. Sax/flutist/vocalist Murray came from a family of musicians rooted in Irish music and dance, and brought the element of penny whistle and vocals to songs. Performing at Pittsburgh-area venues such as the Electric Banana and Danny’s Pub, the band began extensively writing songs, especially when John Creighton joined the group.

Creighton had a gift for words and a charismatic presence on stage, whether delivering his own lyrics, Beat-inspired poetry or playing saxophone or flute. The band started developing a reputation for their compelling live performances, and their audiences grew quickly. At their height in 1982, the band had been invited to play the prestigious Three Rivers Arts Festival and garnered a slot opening a show at the Stanley Theater for the UK reggae ensemble Steel Pulse.

Unfortunately, their rapid rise led to tensions in the group – with Duer, Laugelli, and Wenzel departing soon after their performance at the Stanley. Duer went on to join the area reggae group The Core, Laugelli later formed the New Wave group Hector in Paris, and Wenzel would later go on to join the New Wave group Carsickness.. The remaining members of the band regrouped for a new direction and eventually new destinations.

[edit] The Pittsburgh Years (cont.), 1982-1983

As the band had obtained a reputation for adventurous songs and performances, some of its fans in the area were other musicians who checked out their shows. After the departures, a few of these fans leapt at the chance to play with Vitale, Sullivan, Murray and the charismatic Creighton. Guitarist Johnson had been playing in the group Toxic Shock and bassist Soule had been playing in the group Decline.

The new line-up immediately began writing new songs, with the intent to return to the studio to record new funkier, more electric songs. One song from those studio sessions, “Get it All Out” chronicled the events, relationships and insomnia in a day in the life of Creighton – who had been a chronic sufferer of severe migraine headaches, for which he had to take medication that kept him awake at night. Over a rhythmic bed both equal parts Grandmaster Flash and Talking Heads, Creighton raps & expresses his torment and observations with incendiary verve.

Unfortunately, no album resulted from these sessions. At a concert around this time Vitale met Sari Morninghawk (then Hubbard), a vocalist from Massachusetts who fell in with the group (and into a relationship with Vitale). Some of the members wanted to move to NYC, where the music scene was larger than Pittsburgh. Faced with a possible move to NYC, and the pull to stay in PGH, Creighton decided to leave the group. Soon thereafter, Morninghawk joined the group as lead singer and percussionist.

[edit] The Brooklyn Adventure - 1983

At the urging of a friend of the band (who promised he had a place for them to stay in New York with the Bad Brains), the band bought a yellow school bus and drove to Brooklyn. Not just any place in Brooklyn, but at a squatted apartment in the rough Bed-Stuy neighborhood - and it became quickly apparent that they (the Bad Brains members) neither knew they were coming, nor were very impressed by their story. After some negotiation - the BB's agreed to let the band park their schoolbus on the street outside their building, and rehearse their music inside. In time, the band was able to get shows at New York clubs, including CBGB's.

[edit] Rock Against Reagan Tour - 1983

It was in New York where the group learned about the Rock Against Reagan tour, which was being organized by the Youth Party International, also known as the Yippies. Based loosely on the Rock Against Racism movement and concert series in the UK and Europe, the Yippies borrowed the concept and applied it to creating a political youth movement in the U.S., with the intent to recruit young punk and alternative bands to play left-leaning political rallies in cities across the country, well in advance of the 1984 Reagan/Mondale Presidential campaign (and culminating in performances the Republican National Convention in Dallas, and the Democratic National Convention in San Francisco). Key to the success of Rock Against Reagan was noted ‘60s political organizer Dana Beal. Upwards of 90 bands across the US agreed to perform for Rock Against Reagan events in cities where they lived. Far fewer actually went on the road for the tour, and Stick Against Stone was one of those groups. In the fall of 1983, the group left Brooklyn in their yellow school bus and hit the road, playing at Oberlin College in Ohio; Ann Arbor, Michigan; and Madison, Wisconsin; before completing a second leg of the tour on the west coast in Olympia, Washington; Portland, Oregon; Eugene, Oregon; San Francisco, California; Los Angeles, California; and San Diego, California (where their last scheduled show was canceled). At the end of the tour, the group decided to resettle in the Northwest, at first living in Olympia for a few months, before relocating the Eugene.

[edit] The Eugene Years - 1984–1985

Spring 1984 brought considerable changes to the band, with drummer/percussionist Sullivan and guitarist Pearl opting to leave the group and move to Portland to start their own project, and the remaining members of Vitale, Morninghawk and Soule looking to recruit new members to the group. Wind-instrument player and vocalist Geraldine Murray, who had left the group in Pittsburgh before they moved to Brooklyn, was invited to join the group again – and for a time, did relocate to Eugene to attempt a reunion, but found the new dynamic challenging, and decided to relocate to Portland, where Sullivan and Pearl had already taken up residence.

By March of 1984, the group had found a new guitarist in Dan Ramirez, and a new sax player in Robert ‘Xeres’ Sheppard. That May, they play their first show with the new lineup, and continue to work on a repertoire of new songs throughout the year. By the spring of 1985, the band has solid set-list and starts getting gigs throughout Eugene, including the University of Oregon [EMU Ballroom]]; the W.O.W. Hall; and Eugene Saturday Market. The group sets a goal of eventually moving to San Francisco and making it big on the burgeoning world beat music scene of the time.

In May 1985, the group records their first EP – a four-song cassette. While recording, the band receives some bad news from back home in Pittsburgh. Former lead singer John Creighton has died of a brain aneurysm. The group dedicates the recording to Creighton, includes a quote from his poetry in the liner notes.

By June, the group is accepted to play the main stage at the Oregon Country Fair outdoor music and crafts festival in Veneta, Oregon.

[edit] The San Francisco Years, 1985–1990

In August of 1985, the group relocated to San Francisco, playing shows at The Farm, the Mabuhay Gardens, the VIS Club and other venues of the time.

[edit] Post-History, 1990 to Present

[edit] Discography

Main article: Stick Against Stone discography

• TMI 015 Compilation of Pittsburgh bands (1982)

Song: “Body Motion” VA 23415 - STICK AGAINST STONE - BODY MOTION - TMI 015 A COMPILATION - TMI 210067

• Eponymous Stick Against Stone 4 song cassette, (1985)

[edit] Related artists and collaborations

The following artists have worked with members of Stick Against Stone:

• Trey Gunn, formerly of the band King Crimson
• H.R., of the band Bad Brains

The following bands have worked with members of Stick Against Stone:

• Decline
• The Dark
• The Core
• Carsickness
• Medicine
• Born Jamericans
• Mental Block Party
• The Invertebrates
• Body Rhythm
• Soma Mestizo

The following bands/artists (partial list) have performed on same bill at concerts with Stick Against Stone:

• Steel Pulse
• Bad Brains
• The Five
• The Minutemen
• Dead Kennedys
• Whoopi Goldberg
• MDC
• Obo Addy
• Camper Van Beethoven
• KBC Band

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Stick Against Stone official site
• David “Sir Dave ‘tmo’” Soule music website
• Pittsburgh Music History (1980s) site on Yahoo! Groups
• Panic 13 (Eugene, OR '80s Music History site) on Yahoo! Groups
• Gigposters.com - Concert Posters of Stick Against Stone from Pittsburgh-area shows and the Rock Against Reagan tour show in Los Angeles, CA
• "Re-Punk Throwdown" - article in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on the August 2006 reunion concerts of Pittsburgh-area Punk, Post-punk, New Wave and Rock bands from the 80s.
• Yinzer.net - : Collection of Pittsburgh, PA Punk, Post-punk, New Wave and Rock bands from the years 1978-1986