Stillwater Black came together in 1991 when Chris Thayer met Ahmed and Sam Pierstorff while playing in the pit band for a high school musical production. Issac McCorkell was quickly recruited on drums and the band recorded its first EP, The Last Virtuous Lady of Athens.

In 1995 they signed with Cleaves Entertainment, a now-defunct independent label based out of Southern California's Inland Empire. Stillwater Black recorded their debut LP, Adam. They played frequently with local and national acts including Dishwalla, Save Ferris, Reel Big Fish, and IE punk/ska mainstays, The Skeletones.

In 1997 the members parted ways and the project lay dormant for two decades.

Friday, September 18, 2020


 

It's been two years since our last release.

One of the things I am most proud of with Stillwater Black is our sense of priority. We have obligations to ourselves, our families, and our communities that come before the sheer joy and magic of our coming together to make music.

 It's hard to live with obligation, but we lean into those responsibilities to make sure they're handled.

And that's why we had to write this song. This was an obligation.

September is National Suicide Awareness Month. Young people are disproportionately affected by suicide, quite often through a phenomena called by some the "same-day suicide" effect.

Young people have neither the experience nor the neurological development to support long-term thinking. When life throws them a desperate curve ball, they often have no confidence in the possibility of things ever getting better. Suicide can become a sudden and very compelling option.

Veterans are at terrible risk. Addled with injuries and trauma from combat, the loss of friends, and the moral ambiguity of contemporary military campaigns, this is a population that suffers tremendously. And, like other at-risk populations, they are unlikely to seek help.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a critical resource. For many, it is their only link to survival.

And that's why we have made the decision to forward ALL proceeds from this song through the month of September to the Lifeline.

This is a situation where your money could actually save a life. And you also get what we think is a pretty good song.

Please give what you can here.

Keep well and take care of one another.

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

blink



New music.

Let's keep fathers close to their children.

#dadsmatter

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Waves


Sometimes I'm OK.

And sometimes I'm not.

It comes in waves.

I have a friend who said he could teach me to surf. He's a good friend. He even helped me pick out a wetsuit.

But mornings are dark and cold. The water is black and loud. I haven't gone with him for those reasons and others.

I imagine him out there, though. Before first light, waiting on top of the water and then gliding over all that tumbling chaos.

I'm scared to do it. But someday, I might have to.

Thursday, March 29, 2018

We are cancer

Chris wrote a song and in it he wonders why "we kill ourselves like a cancer."


Monday, March 26, 2018

Collaboration

We've always been interested in women playing a bigger role in the Stillwater Black sound.

Monday, February 26, 2018

Mining

It's been just about two months since we've written anything here. My dad died December 27th, 2017, just two days after our last blog post. God bless him and have mercy upon his soul.

Monday, December 25, 2017

Best wishes!


Wishing all who observe a very happy holiday!

Blessings to you and yours.

In fraternity,
Stillwater Black

Monday, December 18, 2017

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Artist Profile: In This Moment

Back in September, we profiled a band that Chris turned me onto, My Chemical Romance. THE poster boys of emo rock, I had missed the ENTIRE life span of this band while on my musical hiatus. The good news is that I get to enjoy them like they're some new thing, but I certainly lost an opportunity to be a part of a cultural moment.

Monday, December 11, 2017

Drum day 12/10/17



We got together yesterday. It was our longest single session in awhile. Issac put down drums for two more new songs giving us a total of five new pieces of music to work through over the coming weeks.

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Flashback '94: Roadhouse Blues

Since we're now streaming our cover of I've Just seen a Face, it seems appropriate to revisit another cover that was a staple in our early sets, The Doors' Roadhouse Blues.

Monday, November 20, 2017

The rock life chose me

Twenty years ago we had a record deal. We had a road crew. We had merchandise. And we had dreams of traveling the countryside and sharing music and good times with as many people as possible.

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Man of Wax

Take me to your prom. Dress me up and down; it's funny how these shoes- they just don't seem to fit . . .


Monday, November 13, 2017

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Kingfisher

Morning mist rolls in like a blanket and tucks itself in and falls asleep . . .