Stereolab have announced that they are immediately going on hiatus; their album Chemical Chords 2 is still going to come out, but the band has canceled two shows that it was scheduled to play in the coming weeks and has no plans to record any music for the foreseeable future. Why now? Why so sudden? A statement on the band’s Web site explains: “As we recently made #51 with Emperor Tomato Ketchup in the Amazon 100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums of all Time we feel that our work is done for the moment.” See, people? More evidence that the listicle era is ruining lives.* A few clips from the album in question after the jump.
“Metronomic Underground” (live in 1996)
“Les Yper Sound” (on Jools Holland)
stereolab :: news [Official site; HT Pitchfork]
* OK, they’re probably kidding. But really, does my point not stand?
hiatus?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They’ve been steadily great for so long that I don’t begrudge them this (and of course it’s not any fan’s decision to make). Two decades is a long haul, and they’ve been through everything from endlessly revolving lineups outside the core group to relationship breakdowns to, of course, Mary Hansen’s tragic death. If they want to just call it a day and move on then more power to them.
I’m glad I got to see them live last fall.
Awww! I needed to see them live again!
I say that having seen them live, like, 6 times. Including seeing them twice in one day (side stage at Lollapalooza, then a headline gig that night at a theater). Always amazing.
I know I would consider my life’s work done if I made #51 on an Amazon list.
@ghostyhead: hey, i did the lollapalooza/headline thing too! then i left the night show and caught a Lush show.
@MhS: Seriously. Any Amazon list, but especially the bestseller list.
@silkyjumbo: Atlanta? I think I went to another show after Stereolab, too, and Lush would certainly make sense. That was quite a day.
I’d been hesitant to say this, but I actually thought that list was pretty cohesive, for a dumb old listicle. Yeah, there were a few recent albums that I thought were a little to fresh for canonization — but overall, I thought it was a nice xsection of the ‘indie’ genre over the past 15 years or so, and hopefully gave some of the entry-level alts out there a nice jumping-off point to listen to some great older albums that er, don’t get a whole lot of hype these days.
I’m sure glad I caught them when I did …I missed quite a few of the last tour. Ha.
Stereolab/Unrest tour (I think 93) at the Whiskey.
one of the best shows, ever.
Stereolab Lollapalooza side stage, LA 94 (w/ Second stage line up included Shudder to Think, Shonen Knife, The Amps, Pharcyde, The Boo Radleys)
:)
@ghostyhead: A.T.L., shawty.
I’m surprised that “Emperor Tomato” was included on an indie list – that record was released on a major label.
@NDFSEA: Caught the side stage in 1994 plus the show right before the 93 Whiskey show down here in Irvine, of all places. Saw them a total of…I think eight times over the years. The show I forever regret missing, though, is the Emperor Tomato Ketchup LA appearance, with the equally godlike Prolapse opening and with Sonic Boom joining the Lab onstage as well. I can only imagine.
A wise and sympathetic friend dragged me to go see them on the “Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements” tour in 1993 and they blew me away. I’ve been a die-hard fan ever since. I still cherish the diary that Laetitia signed for me at a record store appearance in ’94.
Thankfully, I made a point to see them last year on the Chemical Chords tour (after missing a couple of swings), and was happy to see that they were as amazing as ever–even though it was weird to see them with only one woman on stage.
(R.I.P. Mary)
@NDFSEA: But did you buy the ‘Lab/Unrest split single they sold on that tour? I was a fool and waited until after the show, and they were already sold out.
A wise and sympathetic friend dragged me to go see them on the “Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements” tour in 1993 and they blew me away. I’ve been a die-hard fan ever since. I still cherish the diary that Laetitia signed for me at a record store appearance in ’94.
Thankfully, I made a point to see them last year on the Chemical Chords tour (after missing a couple of swings), and was happy to see that they were as amazing as ever–even though it was weird to see them with only one woman on stage.
(R.I.P. Mary)
@NDFSEA: But did you buy the ‘Lab/Unrest split single they sold on that tour? I was a fool and waited until after the show, and they were already sold out.
A wise and sympathetic friend dragged me to go see them on the “Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements” tour in 1993 and they blew me away. I’ve been a die-hard fan ever since. I still cherish the diary that Laetitia signed for me at a record store appearance in ’94.
Thankfully, I made a point to see them last year on the Chemical Chords tour (after missing a couple of swings), and was happy to see that they were as amazing as ever–even though it was weird to see them with only one woman on stage.
(R.I.P. Mary)
@NDFSEA: But did you buy the ‘Lab/Unrest split single they sold on that tour? I was a fool and waited until after the show, and they were already sold out.
A wise and sympathetic friend dragged me to go see them on the “Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements” tour in 1993 and they blew me away. I’ve been a die-hard fan ever since. I still cherish the diary that Laetitia signed for me at a record store appearance in ’94.
Thankfully, I made a point to see them last year on the Chemical Chords tour (after missing a couple of swings), and was happy to see that they were as amazing as ever–even though it was weird to see them with only one woman on stage.
(R.I.P. Mary)
@NDFSEA: But did you buy the ‘Lab/Unrest split single they sold on that tour? I was a fool and waited until after the show, and they were already sold out.
A wise and sympathetic friend dragged me to go see them on the “Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements” tour in 1993 and they blew me away. I’ve been a die-hard fan ever since. I still cherish the diary that Laetitia signed for me at a record store appearance in ’94.
Thankfully, I made a point to see them last year on the Chemical Chords tour (after missing a couple of swings), and was happy to see that they were as amazing as ever–even though it was weird to see them with only one woman on stage.
(R.I.P. Mary)
@NDFSEA: But did you buy the ‘Lab/Unrest split single they sold on that tour? I was a fool and waited until after the show, and they were already sold out.
@silkyjumbo: Hells yeah!
@Cam/ron: Obvs, they were using the UK definition of ‘indie’
@slowburn: I’m reminded that sarcasm doesn’t always come across well in print
@MhS: Nah. Your expectations for life are simply higher than mine.
@slowburn: HaHa, ok