Thousand Yard Stare

Thousand Yard Stare

Thousand Yard Stare are a British indie band from Slough, England, formed in 1989 and active through 1993, with a later reformation in 2015. The group’s membership includes Stephen Barnes, Dominic Bostock, Giles Duffy, Floyd Foreman, Sean McDonough and Kevin Moxon. Their sound is associated with alternative rock, indie pop and rock, and they are also tagged with shoegaze and alternative.

Early releases and label history

The band’s early self-made releases include the demo tapes Easter 89 and Tumbletown, which they sell at gigs before their first official release. Their first official record is the 12-inch-only Weatherwatching EP. They also run their own label, Stifled Aardvark Records, and Seasonstream is their last independent release on that imprint.

Key recordings

Seasonstream, released in 1991, is widely regarded as the band’s strongest release. It includes Martin Bell of The Wonder Stuff on fiddle. Thousand Yard Stare release two studio albums, Hands On and Mappamundi, both produced by Stephen Street, who also produces records for acts including The Smiths and Blur. Their subsequent singles and albums appear on Polydor.

Reformation and later work

The band reform in June 2015 with a performance at the Borderline in London, and then continue with occasional live shows. In May 2016 they issue Live at Electric Studios, an album of new songs and reworkings of older material. Their third full studio album, The Panglossian Momentum, follows in May 2020.