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.

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Fats Domino 1928-2017

We mentioned something about the roots of rock and roll here. Elvis Presley was mentioned. Chuck Berry was mentioned. Little Richard was mentioned.

But I missed this root, perhaps because he simply ran too deep.

Monday, October 23, 2017

Love?


It don't sit so well with me.

I can't tell your holding from your holding me down.

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Happiness?


We see it all the time. We know about people who seem to have everything. But behind the stuff, the acclaim, the achievement, and the notoriety is absolute misery.

Monday, October 16, 2017

Drum day: 10/14


We finally got Issac into the studio (hiding far left!) to start tracking drums for three new songs. It was a minor miracle that he could stand up, let alone play.

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Rock ethics

Rock musicians party. Rockers get high. They get drunk. They get laid. Rock music is inherently sexual. It's emotionally charged with a driving backbeat that compels listeners toward rabid, violent physical expression. Rock music is the soundtrack of moral depravity and a crumbling society. It's the devil's music.


This whole post is really just an excuse to showcase that totally rad Sigil of Baphomet.

But I also want to take a minute to figure out how rock got that colorful reputation.

Monday, October 9, 2017

Biology


We need a photographer. Just throwing that out there.

That hazy mess above is actually Chris and I in the studio for a fabulously productive writing and arranging session. So productive in fact, that Chris was refusing to honor his biology.

Thursday, October 5, 2017

Shane


While I haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting his lovely wife Crystal, my memory of Shane will always be connected to a gig we played in San Diego.