Biography
Stay is an indie psych pop band from Barcelona formed in 1998. After the release of two demos, Stay (2001) and As Another Girl (2003), with good reviews in the most important national indie magazines, the English label Matchbox Recordings released their third EP: So Slow (2004). That release and a more personal sound, very careful tunes and a truly influenced by Britpop and Madchester scene guitar work, made possible a record deal with Wild thing Records (Madrid) in 2004. Starting to lose control (WTR, 2005) is their first LP and two singles were extracted from it, I’m still nothing (WTR, 2005) and Stay sings So Slow (WTR, 2006). The debut album was well-received by the media and had 9 fresh pop songs, including a Chicago’s Graham Nash cover version.
The band kept their influences but took also a look at the late-60’s American sound and to the vocal work of bands like CSN&Y or The Byrds, as felt in I’m still nothing, when Stay reaches optimum composing skills. Good reviews permitted the band to play in important national festivals like Primavera Sound 06, Bilborrok or on the TV program Conciertos de RNE3. During the second LP pre-recording sessions, two members left the band (drummer and guitar). The rest (Jordi, Ivan and Irra), together with another guitarist (Enrique), decided to continue with the project. One month in the studio was enough to elaborate what, to them, was the most important work of their lives: Things you cannot see (WTR, 2007). This second album follows the path of the first one but with a more authentic sound, warmer and with a more sixties touch, that experiments with the psychedelia and the Spencer Davis-like soul. As a result, hammonds, sitar, theremin, farfisa keyboard and moogs hold a work full of pop, soul, garage and a delicious psychedelic freak-beat. The reviews are really good and hopeful, and Stay is almost everyday on the Chema Rey’s radio show Bulevar (RNE3), led by the charismatic Chema Rey, who considers the band as a standard bearer of a new psychedelic, colourful national movement. Things you cannot see is being distributed in Japan by PowePopAcademy Records. Being awarded a Pop-Eye Prize for the best national 2007 psychedelic band, Stay appears in national fests like Lemon Pop or EasyPopWeekends and in July’07 are invited to play in the farewell party of the radio program Bulevar, together with well-recognised bands like The Sunday Drivers, Sidonie, Deluxe or Pereza. Kashmir Reflection EP (BipBip-Records 2008) is Stay’s last work, which completes their last psychedelic album (Things you cannot see). Kashmir Reflection has to be goes along Things you cannot see, with fresh sitar psychedelic arrangements and live-recordings developments. I feel you around (the single of Things you cannot see) is its first track and its very cool music video have been awarded in a national contest, CLHIPS 08. There is a special cover version of Strawberry Alarm Clock’s Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow and a groovy remix of Super Heavy Soul Mammoth Explosion by our studio engineer Roger Rodés (Posies, Jon Auer). On october 08, the band is releasing a new single by Fruits de Mer Records (USA, UK), this time in the 7" vinyl format. This is our reason to live. Welcome to Stay’s world.
myspace.com/staysongs
Instrumentation
jordi bel serra guitar, vocals
ivan lopez, bass
jordi casals, drums
israel palacio, hammond
Discography
So slow (Matchbox Recordings,UK, 2004)
I'm still nothing EP(2005)
Starting to lose control LP(2005)
Stay sings so Slow EP(2006)
Things you cannot see LP(2007)
Kashmir reflection EP(2008)
Stay-Fruits de Mer Vol.3 (2008) .Coming soon!
we have 2 tracks added the Radio-Indie-Pop playlist (NYC,Brooklyn): Chicago (G. Nash version) and Self Control (from the first album).