The Stands
| The Stands | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Liverpool, England |
| Genres | Alternative rock |
| Years active | 2002–2005 |
| Labels | Echo Records |
| Associated acts | The Zutons, Edgar Jones |
| Past members |
Howie Payne Steve Pilgrim Luke Thomson Dean Ravera Graeme Robinson Paul Molloy |
The Stands were an English alternative rock band, formed in 2002 in Liverpool. The band was composed of singer-songwriter Howie Payne, guitarist Luke Thomson, bassist Dean Ravera and drummer Steve Pilgrim.
They released two albums, before Pilgrim and Thomson left the band following the release of their second album. The band toured the album with drummer Graeme Robinson and guitarist Paul Molloy. They split up in November 2005, shortly after parting ways with their label Echo Records.
The Stands were formed by Howie Payne in 2002 following the split of the Edgar Jones fronted The Big Kids, for whom Payne had played lead guitar. Early local shows featured a revolving cast of backing musicians, including brother Sean Payne and Russell Pritchard (both fellow ex-Big Kids members and later of The Zutons) and session player Martyn Campbell. Payne then set about putting together a more permanent lineup and recruited local acoustic singer-songwriter/drummer Steve Pilgrim on drums and Luke Thomson on guitar. The trio, along with Campbell on Bass, recorded a selection of demos at Parr St Studios in Liverpool, which were reportedly financed by Payne roadying for The Zutons on the first UK tour.
In September 2002, the ITV program "This Is Music" filmed a special episode focusing on the emerging new music scene in Liverpool, centered on The Bandwagon night, ran by members of local band The Bandits at The Zanzibar venue. Due to the band being newly formed and having performed few shows, they were not set to appear until the other bands petitioned the producers of the show to add The Stands to the program, which they did and the band performed All Years Leaving, with Russell Pritchard filling in on bass. Having watched the band perform, local musician Dean Ravera asked to join the band after the show. He joined the band a week later and the band were shortly after invited to support The Coral on their imminent autumn UK tour. During the tour, Payne received a phone call from Noel Gallagher who had been given a copy of the Parr St demos by Martyn Campbell at the Oasis show at Old Trafford Cricket Ground, where Campbell was playing with support act Richard Ashcroft. Gallagher invited the band to support Oasis at their upcoming show in Liverpool at the Royal Court in December 2002, and were subsequently asked to support Oasis again for two nights at the NIA in Birmingham. In early 2003 and still unsigned without management, the band supported the likes of The Burn, Alfie, Stephen Fretwell, The Zutons and further shows with The Coral. The band were also invited to play Glastonbury, V Festival, T in the park and two further shows with Oasis at the Point Theatre in Dublin.
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