THE STICKMEN – The Stickmen

“Another of these young bands doing incredible things within this nebulous musical landscape was The Stickmen. Their music was instantly recognisable yet deliberately obfuscated the accepted norm – taking the supposed trappings of post-punk and hewing out of them a nervy, chaotic dynamism that was instantly recognisable. Plenty of likeminded bands exist now that mirror this aesthetic, but the Stickmen were one of a unique few bands that truly challenged any form of sonic norm. And the inclusion of turntables is probably the only time I can think of where it belongs in rock music. It’s a bizarre concept, but when you hear the skittish scratches on songs like the excellent ‘Who Said’, it is a stroke of ardent genius. And on songs like ‘Night’, Aldous Kelly could stand up alongside the greats of the post-punk beginners, his wail as impassioned, as cathartic, as confronting.”
Sonic Masala

“You all know that thing with the well-kept secret, the totally unknown band which is actually the best thing in the world and you’re a total dickhead if you haven’t heard of them. When really it’s just a wet fart and false promises. Well maybe for once, it’s possibly true. The Stickmen were a fucken great group and no one ever gave a shit about them.

The populace will finally get to know the secret. And it’s bloody great.

In fact this album is similar to a big part of Flying Nun’s catalogue, of germs of New Zealand music, The Gordons, Straightjackets Fits, the unbridled, repetitive, noisy cavalcades and the innate sense of exotic, crotchety and sad melody.

And, above all, despite remastering, this music is timeless and could have been written today. The best album of 2013 came out in 1998.”
Perte et Fracas