The Stems
Background information
Origin	Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Genre(s)	Alternative rock
Years active	1983 - 1987 2003;2007
Label(s)	Citadel White Label Mushroom/Festival Records
Associated acts	The Chevelles; Stonefish; The Rosebuds; The Someloves; DM3; The Summer Suns; Hooley Dooleys; The Neptunes; The Shivers
Website	Official website
Members
Dom Mariani Richard Lane Julian Mathews David Shaw
Former members
John Shuttleworth Gary Chambers

The Stems formed in Perth, Western Australia in 1983 and played music that was heavily influenced by 1960s garage rock and 1970s power pop. The band broke up in 1987 but had a reunion in 2003 and are currently working on a new album. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The Perth skyline viewed from the Swan River This article is about the metropolitan area of Perth, Western Australia. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Alternative rock (also called alternative music or simply alternative; known primarily in the UK as indie) is a genre of rock music that emerged in the 1980s and became widely popular in the 1990s. ... See also: 1983 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1983 Record labels established in 1983 // Michael Jacksons Thriller, the most successful album not only of 1983, but of all time, was released in 1982 and began its epic domination of the music charts the following year, 1983. ... See also: 1986 in music, other events of 1987, 1988 in music, 1980s in music and the list of years in music // January 3 - Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 2003 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Mushroom Records is an Australian record company. ... In 1958, Herb Abramson leaves Atlantic Records. ... The Chevelles are a power pop outfit, from Perth, Western Australia. ... The Someloves, represent the paisley-shirted, power-pop underground of the 80s (for power-pop, read: songs about girls using 60s-inspired catchy melodies, a pounding four-on-the-floor backbeat and overdriven guitars). ... The Hooley Dooleys are an Australian childrens performing act. ... The Perth skyline viewed from the Swan River This article is about the metropolitan area of Perth, Western Australia. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that enjoyed its original period of wide success in the United States and Canada, from 1963 to 1967. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979. ... Power pop is a long-standing musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop music. ...

History

Formation

The Stems formed in late 1983 when Dom Mariani, formerly in the band the Go-Stars, was introduced to Richard Lane. Richard had seen Mariani in the final few gigs of the Go-Stars and asked him for some guitar lessons. The lessons turned into jams, the jams into songs, and the decision was made to start the band. A friend, Gary Chambers, was recruited to join the band on drums and bass player John Shuttleworth poached from another local band, the Pink Armadillos and some demo’s recorded. The bands debut gig was supporting The Saints and the Triffids at the Old Civic Theatre in Perth. Their sound was influenced by 60’s garage acts ranging from the Electric Prunes, The Standells, The Chocolate Watch Band to the Easybeats. A local Saturday night residency at the Wizbah venue saw throwback covers and a growing list of original songs and a cult following for the band. Shuttleworth decided to leave so a final gig for the band was arranged which drew a large crowd. The success of this gig and freshly written songs saw the band recruit a new bass player, school friend Julian Matthews. {{Infobox_band | band_name = The Saints | image = | years_active = 1974–present | origin = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | status = On tour, promoting their new album Imperious Delirium music_genre = Punk Alternative rock | record_label = Harvest Records Sire Mushroom Records | current_members = Chris Bailey Caspar Wijnberg Peter Wilkinson<br The Saints are an influential Australian punk band, formed in Brisbane... The Triffids were an Australian rock band who achieved some international success in the 1980s. ... The Standells were a 1960s rock and roll band from Los Angeles, California who, like the The Seeds, exemplified the garage rock style. ... The Easybeats were a rock and roll band from Australia. ...

The Stems played at local legendary (and now long-gone) venues as The Wizbah, The Old Melbourne and The Shenton Park Hotel on a regular basis, the group built up a substantial following in Perth, at a time otherwise dominated by cover bands. During this time they replaced Shuttleworth with Julian Matthews on bass. Shenton Park is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Subiaco and west of the CBD. Its postcode is 6008. ... The Perth skyline viewed from the Swan River This article is about the metropolitan area of Perth, Western Australia. ...

Love Will Grow

Late in 1984 they recorded three songs at Shelter Studios in Perth, "She's A Monster", "Make You Mine" and a version of "Tears Me in Two". The original plan was for this to be a self released single with one track as the A side and the other two as B-sides. A friend of the band who wanted to help manage them told them he would take the tapes to the east coast and shop them around to the independent labels there. There was quite a bit of interest expressed by a number of labels, but the Stems chose Citadel because of the high quality of their releases at the time. In mid 1985 the band went to Sydney to meet up with their new label Citadel and promote their first single "Make You Mine"/"She's A Monster". The Stems first Sydney show was a sold out show with the Painters and Dockers at the Trade Union Club. The tour was perfectly timed with the Sydney inner city scene rediscovering 60’s music and fashion. The group met with an enthusiastic response which culminated in a full house at the legendary Trade Union Club for their final show. The single reached the top of the independent charts and also sold 500 copies in England. The single was to be the 2nd highest selling independent single for Australia in 1985, second only to the Hoodoo Gurus – "Like Wow Wipeout". During this period they recorded the classic single "Tears Me In Two" single and the Love Will Grow EP both produced by Rob Younger of the legendary Radio Birdman. The EP reached #1 in the national charts and the band played triumphant shows on their return to Perth. Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... Painters and Dockers are a band from Melbourne, Australia. ... This is about the city of Sydney in Australia. ... Hoodoo Gurus are a rock band from Sydney, Australia, although three of the original members Dave Faulkner, Rod Radalj and James Baker were originally from Perth. ... Radio Birdman was one of the first punk bands in Australia. ...

At First Sight

The band, with a new drummer, David Shaw, on board spent most of 1986 touring to promote their EP, including national tours supporting the Flaming Groovies and the Hoodoo Gurus, and also seeking a label deal. Mushroom Records signed the band and the band booked into Platinum Studios with producer Alan Thorne at the end of 1986. The recording process didn’t go smoothly and stretched from the planned one month to three, with a new producer bought in to complete the record. At First Sight, Violets Are Blue was released in 1987, their first recording for the White label, it received national and international critical acclaim and would be one of the best selling Australian albums of that year despite the lack of commercial airplay in the corporate FM dominated 80’s. Leaning toward a stronger pop sensibility the album highlighed the talents of Dom Mariani and Richard Lane as skilled tunesmiths of the guitar pop genre. The album was nominated in the top 100 Australian albums of all time by Rolling Stone magazine and the title track "At First Sight" remains a bonafide Australian classic. 1987 also saw the band embark on another national tour, appearances on national television – including playing the final episode of Countdown and the lead single "At First Sight" making the Young Einstein soundtrack. The band seemed to have the world at their feet, an album which went on to become the third top Australian album of 1987 and a European tour beckoning. The Flamin Groovies were an American rock music band of the 1960s and 70s. ... Hoodoo Gurus are a rock band from Sydney, Australia, although three of the original members Dave Faulkner, Rod Radalj and James Baker were originally from Perth. ... Mushroom Records is an Australian record company. ... At First Sight, Violets Are Blue is the debut album from The Stems, released in August 1987 through Mushroom Records White Label on vinyl, the album only saw limited CD release at that time. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ...

Unfortunately their success was short lived when at the height of their powers and on the eve of a six week European tour the band mysteriously disbanded later that same year. Dom's explanation was:

"I was not very happy with the way things were going towards the end of the Stems. We got quite big, and there are the usual problems that happen with that. People tend to drift apart, there are internal conflicts, egos going wild, and bad management was probably the major factor that contributed to the Stems breakup."

The Stems performed at their last live show on 31 August 1987, but it wasn't officially announced until November 1997.

The Stems released a total of five singles, one EP and one full length album, and set an impressive record with each release reaching No 1 on the Australian alternative charts. The Stems having completed several national tours were perhaps one of the first bands to gain national success while remaining in Perth, and despite never having toured internationally they are held in high esteem in Europe and the US amongst fans of classic 60’s and garage inspired rock ‘n’ roll. EP can stand for: EP is the IATA code for Iran Aseman Airlines Extended play, a music recording (usually consisting of several tracks, but shorter than a typical album) European Parliament, the parliamentary body of the European Union Evolutionary psychology, a belief that psychology can be better understood in light... The Perth skyline viewed from the Swan River This article is about the metropolitan area of Perth, Western Australia. ...

The Stems epitomised 80’s indie rock, giving it a wider currency. They are one of only a handful of bands (among them the Hoodoo Gurus (half of the original line-up of the Hoodoo Gurus also came from Perth) and The Sunnyboys) that cracked the mainsteam charts with an indie approach in the 80’s . Hoodoo Gurus are a rock band from Sydney, Australia, although three of the original members Dave Faulkner, Rod Radalj and James Baker were originally from Perth. ... Sydney band The Sunnyboys remain one of the most highly regarded and best-loved bands of the Australian post-punk era. ...

Main singer songwriter Dom Mariani would eventually go on to achieve greater international recognition and become a linchpin of the international power pop scene with his bands DM3 and The Someloves. Richard Lane went on to record with Gary Chambers in The Chevelles and later with The Rosebuds The Someloves, represent the paisley-shirted, power-pop underground of the 80s (for power-pop, read: songs about girls using 60s-inspired catchy melodies, a pounding four-on-the-floor backbeat and overdriven guitars). ... The Chevelles are a power pop outfit, from Perth, Western Australia. ...

Reunited

In March 2003 The Stems reunited for a national tour an amazing comeback to the local and international music scene. Following the re-release of their classic At First Sight, Violets Are Blue and the release of the Mushroom Soup: The Citadel Years in 2003, the Stems found themselves playing to packed houses across the country, touring Europe, playing the prestigious "Little Stevens Underground Garage Festival" in August 2005, and most recently at the "Come Together Festival" at Sydney’s Luna Park with the cream of Australia’s newest bands in September 2005. Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 2003 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... At First Sight, Violets Are Blue is the debut album from The Stems, released in August 1987 through Mushroom Records White Label on vinyl, the album only saw limited CD release at that time. ... Underground Garage is a Garage Rock radio station on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 25 and DISH Network channel 6025. ...

The Stems are currently putting the finishing touches on their long overdue second album and follow up to 1987’s At First Sight, Violets Are Blue. The new album was set for release in the second half of 2007 to be followed by national and international touring to promote the as yet to be titled new album. In the meantime, another anthology titled Terminal Cool has just been released in the United States by the prestigious garage rock and punk label Get Hip Records. The new anthology includes three previously unreleased tracks including the lost gem and title track which fans will recall from their early live sets. Two of the bands tunes were also included in the recent Rhino Nuggets Box set Children of Nuggets which compiles and documents the Paisley Underground and garage rock of the 80’s. At First Sight, Violets Are Blue is the debut album from The Stems, released in August 1987 through Mushroom Records White Label on vinyl, the album only saw limited CD release at that time. ... Terminal Cool is an anthology album from The Stems, released in Australia on June 26, 2006 and in the United States on December 6, 2005. ... Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that enjoyed its original period of wide success in the United States and Canada, from 1963 to 1967. ... Paisley Underground is a term used to describe a genre of rock music, based primarily in Los Angeles, California, which was at its most popular in the mid-1980s. ...

Members

• Dom Mariani - vocals, guitar (1983-1987, 2003)
• Richard Lane - vocals, guitar, keyboards (1983-1987, 2003)
• Gary Chambers - drums (1983-1986)
• Julian Mathews - bass (1984-1987, 2003)
• David Shaw - drums, percussion (1986-1987)
• John Shuttleworth - bass (1984)

Discography

Albums/EPs

• Love Will Grow - Rosebud Volume 1 (EP) - Citadel Records (February 1986)
• At First Sight, Violets Are Blue (Album) - White Label/Mushroom Records (1987/2003)

Love Will Grow - Rosebud Volume 1 is the first recording by The Stems. ... EP can stand for: EP is the IATA code for Iran Aseman Airlines Extended play, a music recording (usually consisting of several tracks, but shorter than a typical album) European Parliament, the parliamentary body of the European Union Evolutionary psychology, a belief that psychology can be better understood in light... See also: Musical groups established in 1986 Record labels established in 1986 1980s in music // January 23 - The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley) February 11 - Culture Club... At First Sight, Violets Are Blue is the debut album from The Stems, released in August 1987 through Mushroom Records White Label on vinyl, the album only saw limited CD release at that time. ... Mushroom Records is an Australian record company. ... See also: 1986 in music, other events of 1987, 1988 in music, 1980s in music and the list of years in music // January 3 - Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ... See also: 2003 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2003 Record labels established in 2003 // January - following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It...

Anthologies

• The Great Rosebud Hoax - Citadel Records (1987)
• Buds - Citadel Records (1991)
• Weed Out! - House of Wax (1997)
• Mushroom Soup: The Citadel Years - Citadel Records (March, 2003)
• Terminal Cool(Anthology 1983-1986) - Get Hip Records (June 26, 2006)

The Great Rosebud Hoax is an eight track mini LP by The Stems. ... See also: 1986 in music, other events of 1987, 1988 in music, 1980s in music and the list of years in music // January 3 - Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ... Buds is a 1991 album released by The Stems on Citadel Records. ... See also: 1991 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1991 Record labels established in 1991 other events of 1991 list of years in music 1990s in music // 1991 was the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. ... Weed Out is a 1997 album released by House of Wax of live recordings by The Stems. ... See also: 1996 in music, other events of 1997, 1998 in music, 1990s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 9 - David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert (the day after his birthday) at Madison Square Garden, with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic... See also: 2003 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2003 Record labels established in 2003 // January - following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It... Terminal Cool is an anthology album from The Stems, released in Australia on June 26, 2006 and in the United States on December 6, 2005. ... See also: 2006 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2006 Record labels established in 2006 Ti // January – James Nicholl, drummer of Pay*Ola became ill and was admitted to hospital. ...

Singles

• "Make You Mine"/"She's A Monster"
• "Tears Me In Two"
• "At First Sight"
• "Sad Girl"
• "Can't Forget That Girl"

Compliations

• Do The Pop! The Australian Garage Rock Sound 1976-87 (2002)
• Born Out Of Time: The Australian Indie Sound 1979-88 (2002)
• Shake Some Action Shock Records
• Cool World: 41 Essential Australian Rock Singles 1976 - 1986 Raven Records
• Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The Second Psychedelic Era, 1976-1995 Rhino Records (August 30, 2005)

External links

• Official website of The Stems
• The Stems MySpace website
• Mushroom Records - artist profile
• The Australian Rock Database: The Stems
• Australian Encyclopedia of Rock & Pop article

Interview links

• Interview with Dom Mariani on Trilogy Rock (Spain)