Stan Stammers
May 2008ZANI goes Stateside and chat to Stan
Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny were a band to be
reckoned with in the eighties. A tour de force with an euphoria of screaming guitar riffs, pounding
drums. Theatre of Hate had the sound of a haunting sax, whilst Spear of Destiny
had the reverberation of a keyboard. Both bands were lead by their charismatic front man and songwriter Kirk Brandon. Alongside Kirk stood Stan Stammers. The good-looking bass player with the razor-like sound, which gave both bands their raison d’être.
Stan was at the forefront of two bands that created a wonderful pandemonium across the music industry. Yet with all this exhilaration Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny had many line up changes over a short period. Often followed by fall outs with record companies.
Gossip started to speculate that Kirk Brandon was hard to work with. The rumour mill was churning out ‘stories’. For example when band members were surplus to requirement, they were supposedly marooned in unknown destinations.
Despite all the hearsay, Stan stayed with Kirk up until 1986, when he felt the need to follow his own pursuits.Forming several bands in the UK until 1989, Stan decided to try his luck over the Atlantic and became a resident of Philadelphia.
ZANI located Stan at his Philly home, where he was more than happy to discuss his colourful career as one the UK’s most exciting and influential bass players.
ZANI - Since 1996 you have been a band called The ‘Plastic Eaters’, tells us a little about the history and the vision to The Plastic Eaters?
Stan Stammers - Plastic Eaters is a band we formed with the idea of using loops and samples with live drums, bass, and guitars in a punk band. It was our vision of what a punk band should be in the 90's and onward.
I considered the so-called punk bands of the time (Green day, Offspring) more like retro bands, not to detract anything from them, I just wanted to do something a little more modern but still retain the punk ethics I had grown up with. The majority of our samples are from old punk songs, hardcore, and Bowie stuff like that.
However, as the band has progressed we are using samples less and less nowadays but we still make drum loops to play behind the band.
ZANI - I understand you tired to recruit James Atkin from EMF, after they had spilt, but it never happen. Why was that?
Stan Stammers - James and I were friends from his EMF days. I was a big fan of them and they were fans of Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny. I called him upon the demise of EMF to see if he would be interested in getting something together. We exchanged tapes and ideas but it never really came to fruition.
ZANI - Why did you leave the UK and move the USA?
Stan Stammers - There were two reasons why I moved to the States. One was the girl I was going out with and eventually married to. I felt that the UK music scene at the time was moving away from live bands to more and more DJ's making records, I am not a DJ.
ZANI - How is life in Philly treating you?
Stan Stammers - I love it here.
ZANI - What is the music scene like in Philly?
Stan Stammers - The Philadelphia music scene has a wonderful variety of music and styles. There is a very strong Hip Hop movement with The Roots, Schooly D, Incognegro, and a bunch of others plus a thriving punk and hardcore scene. Shit, even Boys to Men are from here.
ZANI - You come from Saffron Waldron, tell us about your childhood?
Stan Stammers - I'm sure my childhood was just like anybody else's. I wanted to play for Chelsea or be Marc Bolan. I realised at an early age that I probably wouldn't be good enough to play for Chelsea so I concentrated on music.
ZANI - Your father seems to be a major influence on you, by buying your first guitar at the age of eleven. Did you know then that you wanted to be a musician and why did move from the guitar to the bass?
Stan Stammers - My Dad was (and still is) a jazz musician and bought me a guitar. I got frustrated because I couldn't play it in 5 minutes and stuck it under the bed.
My Dad took away my guitar and bought me a bass so that I could play along with his keyboard and that's how I got started. It was a good thing because everybody wanted to be a singer, guitarist, or drummer. There weren't any bass players so it was real easy to get into a band.
ZANI - I understand that of your earlier influences as a bass player was Jimmy Lea of Slade. What did you like about him at such an early age?
Stan Stammers - Jimmy Lea was a major influence on me. He was the first bass player I had seen who was at the forefront of the band and who moved around on stage. All the bass players at the time stood at the back and did nothing.
He wrote all those great Slade songs with Noddy Holder providing the lyrics. His playing style was really melodic. Dig out some old Slade records and check out the bass playing, awesome.
ZANI - Like many teenagers of your generation, punk made a big impact on your life. What was the first punk band you took notice off and why?
Stan Stammers - I think The Damned. They were the first punk band I saw live, supporting T-Rex in 1976. They were the first band to release a single and an album, it was the whole movement and sprite of punk that inspired me.
ZANI - You came to London in 1979, fresh faced armed with your bass guitar. Please tells us about your experiences in post punk London
Stan Stammers - Post punk London was a mish mash of Mods, Skinheads, and guys who wanted to be Gary Numan. The time was right for bands like THEATRE OF HATE and Killing Joke.
ZANI - Did you ever get home sick and feel tempted to go back?
Stan Stammers - No.
ZANI - You co wrote a lot of the ‘Straps’ early martial, where you annoyed that you were never given any credit, only a thanks on the cover sleeve?
Stan Stammers - Not really, I was happy with what I was doing and knew it was better. Those guys were friends (and still are) and I'm glad that some of the stuff I wrote back then was appreciated by some.
ZANI - Just before you became Kirk Brandon’s partner in crime, Charlie Harper of the ‘UK Subs’, asked you to join them. You politely declined. Do you regret that decision?
Stan Stammers - No. I was a big fan of the UK Subs and felt honoured to be asked to join. However, I just had a feeling that Theatre of Hate was going to be something special.
ZANI - You came to prominence, as being the bass player in Theatre of Hate. What was your first meeting with Kirk Brandon like and do you feel that you and him had a strong vision of how you both wanted the band to be?
Stan Stammers - When Kirk and I first discussed the band, he wanted to form the new Roxy Music, and I was totally on board. Funny how the band finally evolved, but he knew he wanted a sax from the very beginning. We recorded Original Sin without one initially and it just didn't sound right.
ZANI - Theatre of Hate’s career took off when Terry Razor stepped in and became your manager. Was that a beneficial move for the career of Theatre of Hate in terms of getting a record deal?
Stan Stammers - Terry was good at what he did in the beginning and got us off to a good start. But in the end, he fucked everything up.
ZANI - Why did you think Theatre of Hate’s live reputation grew quickly by word of mouth, was it the simple fact that you were a great Rock and Roll band?
Stan Stammers - Yes, that and the fact that we sounded like nothing that had come before, nor since.
ZANI - Soon you were supporting Killing Joke, Ian Dury, and the Blockheads. Then Mick Jones of The Clash becomes your producer. What was he like to work with?
Stan Stammers - Mick was a genius and opened my eyes to a lot of things in the studio. He was never afraid to try something new and he was a pleasure to work with.
ZANI - In a short period Theatre of Hate, had a lot of line up changes, such as Billy Duffy, with you and Kirk being the original members. Why do you think that was?
Stan Stammers - Some people couldn't get it together and Kirk and Terry had a short attention span.
ZANI - I heard that Billy Duffy was stranded at petrol station penniless, is that true?
Stan Stammers - No.
ZANI - Theatre of Hate were on the map, a Top of Pops appearance under your belt, national and international fame beckoned. Then Kirk decided spilt the band. Do you think that was an insane decision and what was behind it?
Stan Stammers - Looking back I kind of wished we had taken some time off. We were just so jammed up at the time with touring and making the records that it all got on top of us and we decided to just get out. We were young and we didn't really have someone at the helm to give us good advice. If we had of stepped back outside of it and assessed the situation maybe things would of been different.
ZANI - You and Kirk resurfaced as ‘Spear of Destiny’, apart from personnel changes (surprise surprise) what was the different between the two bands?
Stan Stammers - Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny are very different bands. However, Kirk had always wanted a keyboard in Theatre of Hate (that Roxy thing again) so maybe Spear was just an extension of the thing. I think Kirk’s song writing changed in the transition, more melodies and a bigger sound. Kirk was listening to a lot of Springsteen at the time.
ZANI - Spear of Destiny made a memorable appearance on the music show Switch the day after the May 1983 general election, where Kirk smashed his guitar. Was that anger at the band or due to the fact that the Tories had got in for a second term in Parliament?
Stan Stammers - You'd have to ask him that.
ZANI - Both Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny was a great band on the live circuit, raw energy driven by insane passion, which delivered great music. This is how I would describe both bands. What were your favourite gigs around these times?
Stan Stammers - My personal favourite places were Glasgow, London, and Manchester.
ZANI - Did the bands have good relationships with the fans?
Stan Stammers - I think we did. We never ignored our audience, you could always find me out in the crowd during the support bands. I never just sat back stage waiting to go to work
ZANI - What about gigs, which were a little bit on the edgy side. Dodgy promoters or boos from the crowd perhaps?
Stan Stammers - Plenty of dodgy promoters but the crowd was always awesome.
ZANI - Spear of Destiny disbanded in 1986, after strain relationships with producers, distributors and Epic, your record company. Kirk asked you join forces with him again, but this time you said no, why was that?
Stan Stammers - I felt that we were breaking up the band prematurely (just like Theatre of Hate) and I didn't agree with Kirk and Terry's decision. I was tired of the chops and changes and felt I'd like to try something on my own.
ZANI - Soon you formed ‘Crazy Pink Revolvers’ with Adam Bolton. Tell us about that please and how did the weird and wonderful name come about?
Stan Stammers - The name 'Crazy Pink Revolvers' came from a friend of mine who had her own clothing line. She made the tops I used to wear in Spear. I liked it because the initials were CPR and I felt it was a nod to the Sex Pistols.
ZANI - Without being trying to sound like a muso, but one line up of CPR sounds unique. You on lead vocals, 4, and 5 string basses with Colin Brown on rhythm bass. How did the dual bass sound, please educate me, but I do not know of any bands with a similar approach.
Stan Stammers - The dual bass sound was something I wanted to experiment with. I couldn't play guitar very well and I couldn't play bass and sing at the same time, not the way I wanted to play bass. It's just something that happened out of necessity.
ZANI - Don’t think it may have been a chic thing of late 80’s. Where bands were trying to ditch guitars, use syths, samples, and fret less basses?
Stan Stammers - Maybe, but I didn't really care what other bands were doing.
ZANI - In 1988 we had a strong music revolution-taking place, which was came from the streets not the record companies. Acid House, what you think of that scene and did you like the music?
Stan Stammers - I felt that live music was dying in the UK. It wasn't that I didn't like club music, I just wasn't making that kind of music myself.
ZANI - Was it a brave decision to leave the UK in 1989?
Stan Stammers - No, there was nothing brave about it. It was just something I felt I had to do.
ZANI - You wasted no time in forming a band, Boy Boy Nova. Did you find the States refreshing and inspiring?
Stan Stammers - It was refreshing being in a new country and playing with new people. I think that you're always inspired by your surroundings.
ZANI - Did you form another band with Kirk, after he moved to the States in 1993 called ‘Elephant Daze’?
Stan Stammers - Elephant Daze was just a working name for our US project. It went from that to Theatre of Hate to 10.51.
ZANI - And after that you formed The PES, do you think that is the best band you have been in?
Stan Stammers - I loved all the bands I've been in, but this one is special to me. I like writing songs.
ZANI - Apart from playing the bass, what other interests do you have?
Stan Stammers - I'm a little better on the guitar now. I have a 1989 Mustang 5.0 convertible that I am restoring, plus being a father is a full time job.
ZANI - Apart from Jimmy Lea, what musicians would you cite as a great influence on you?
Stan Stammers - Man, there's been so many. Bruce Foxton, Jean Jaques Burnel, Mick & Joe, John Lydon, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Bowie, Bolan, Marley - the list is endless.
ZANI – What is your favourite make of bass and why?
Stan Stammers - The WAL. It is the most complete sounding bass there is. You can get anything out of it and they're a real pleasure to play.
ZANI - Advice to any budding bass players, how often should their practice and should they join a band ASAP and learn on the spot?
Stan Stammers - The only way to really learn an instrument and to get better quick is to play with other people. Join a band.
ZANI - Would you move back to the UK?
Stan Stammers - I can't see the future.
ZANI - Do you ever get the craving for ‘fish and chips’ and rainy days?
Stan Stammers - I was never a fish and chip guy, I always ordered pastie and chips. I used to love touring up north so you could get the mushy peas and gravy.
ZANI - Finally Stan, apart from your bass, what item would you take with you on a Desert Island?
Stan Stammers - My G4 laptop.
Good choice, ZANI’s web designer D2E, swears by Apple Macs. Thanks Stan, for laying to rest one rock and roll myth. Billy Duffy was not left at a petrol station.
Stan’s interesting route into music came by his gut feeling and following his passion. Leaving his childhood suburbs to find his ‘Nirvana’ in the ‘Old Smoke’ was brave and understandable decision. The journey paid off, and a lifestyle of being in a rock and roll band began. Stan seems that he is willing to take a chance, and if he is unhappy with the current situation, he will simply move on. He is not one to wallow and brood on the past. Forward thinking, essential to any form of success.
It would be fair to say, that Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny have become neglected over recent years. This is sad, as there are both great bands with a good back catalogue of strong songs. They were stylish, energetic, passionate and talented. Theatre of Hate and Spear of Destiny can stand alongside The Smiths and The Jam as an important band of the Eighties, which stood for youth, anger, ardour and excitement.
Stan states that at some point in the future he would like to play again with Kirk, but for the foreseeable future it does not seem likely. However with all his energy being channelled into The Plastic Eaters, and with records sales permitting we should be seeing Stan back in the UK very soon. Doing what he does best, giving it some on the bass.
©Matteo Sedazzari / ZANI
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