THE STILLS ANNOUNCE AMICABLE END TO DECADE-LONG CAREER
The Stills - One of the best indie bands ever
The
following is an open letter from The Stills to fans and supporters,
announcing the band's dissolution after its decade-long existence. At this time the band does not wish to comment further.
-------------------------------
Dearest Friends of The Stills,
How does one go about writing a message like this? I don't know, but I will do my best.
We
have been silent for many months now, discussing amongst ourselves how
and when to announce this news, as we've needed some time to think it
over and let the dust settle, so we hope you can understand our silence.
After
the better part of a decade together, several months ago we sat down
and decided to disband The Stills and part ways. Simply put, The Stills
have broken up.
We
love each other, we have taught each other, and we've grown up
together, through all kinds of madness and years and twists and turns,
and we spent the better part of the last year trying to keep it going
for each other, out of love for one another and out of respect for our
long past together. But ultimately, the best decision for each one of
us, and in order for each of us to live fully, creatively, and freely,
being true to our hearts, this had to happen.
Perhaps
the most difficult part of all this is announcing it to you - I
hesitate to say 'fans' - Our Friends. We've been extremely lucky to have
shared this time with you, and for the love you've shown us, we are
humbled, moved and thankful beyond words. You held us up, you encouraged
us, and you made this a profound and deeply meaningful journey for each
of us. Please know in your hearts that we felt your love and will
always keep it with us in our own hearts as we move on through life.
To
all who helped us through the years, encouraged us, supported us,
worked with us, put up with us, put our records out, toured with us,
loved us, and beyond - we are forever touched by you.
We
were creating our own story as we went. It's not easy to know when the
best ending is, but we found ours, and it's one that allows us to look
back on all we've achieved with great pride and a sense of real
accomplishment. Now that the book closes, we can look on the journey and
see it as one trip, from beginning to end; one complete and perfectly
imperfect universe.
And
now our music and what it means rests in your hands. It belongs fully
to the world out there, and especially to you. Make it all you wish it
to be, in whichever way you most want to.
May your lives be filled with joy and happiness,
The Stills
April 2011.
ABOUT THE STILLS
Appearing on the horizon at the dawn of the aughts, Montreal’s The Stills grew from a sharp, post-punk inspired four-piece to savvy, stylish songwriters counted among Canada’s best established indie rock outfits.
The Stills’ earliest incarnation - as vocalist Tim Fletcher, drummer Dave Hamelin, guitarist Greg Paquet and bassist Oliver Corbeil - formed in 2001 and was unveiled after a two-month stint in NYC landed them on Vice Records in 2003.
The band’s early sound, a fuzzy, stylized nod to the likes of Echo and The Bunnymen, Ride and Joy Division, manifested itself wholly on that year’s astonishing debut LP Logic Will Break Your Heart and launched international tours with Interpol, The Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs that quickly cemented the band’s profile amidst a burgeoning Montreal scene and beyond.
Tours of the U.K. helped The Stills score three chart-topping singles from their debut and seven years later Logic would appear on countless critics’ aughts-end lists for its place in shaping the sounds that emerged in the latter half of the decade.
Paquet left the band in late ‘04 and the band released its sophomore effort, Without Feathers, in 2006.
The record was seen as a major departure, a surprising and bold
exploration of more roots-driven rock territory spurred on by the
widespread popularity of their debut.
In 2007 the band set out on another career-altering tour, this time with Broken Social Scene, in the process forming a powerful bond with the sprawling Canadian collective and setting the stage for a 2008 move from Vice to Arts & Crafts.
Later that year, with the new imprint behind them, The Stills released their third record, Oceans Will Rise,
at once calling back to longtime fans and drawing in legions of new
appreciators with its most sonically robust and anthemic effort to date.
Oceans Will Rise would go on to earn The Stills Juno Awards for Best New Group and Alternative Album of the Year.
The band toured tirelessly in support of Oceans Will Rise,
performing alongside Kings Of Leon, Metric and Sam Roberts Band. The
Stills' impressive decade-long career now comes to a quiet close, not
far removed from its apex, and with their legacy firmly entrenched as
one of the 21st century's quintessential indie rock outfits.
