Sticks and Stones
"The Strife and Times"
2xCD, Chunksaah Records, September 2003
When one thinks of New Jersey's popular punk bands from the 90s, Lifetime, Shades Apart and the Bouncing Souls come rolling off the tongue. I also think of New Brunswick’s Sticks and Stones, a band not quite as familiar and famous as the others, but they sure were popular and very well respected, at least by people I knew. They played the Lehigh Valley and they seemed like one of those bands that would always be there. A lot of what I know about NJ bands I learned from being associated with Weston (having released some of their 7”s, drove them around, roadie etc..) . Weston had a split 7” with these Sticks and Stones. I had seen Sticks and Stones many times in my life. Maybe they are one of the bands that I just assumed everyone knew about. Or maybe they were another struggling band looking to make their mark, working hard and being different. “The Strife and Times” is a 41-song reflection of Sticks and Stones career that started in the late 80s and came to an end in the mid 90s. The package for this double CD is fantastic, with all the lyrics plus a wonderfully written lessons learned section. Actually, you have to respect the band even more when you read how horrible luck can actually get for a band. But realistically, and sadly, this is how a LOT of bands experience being in a band! They were a punk band that incorporated melody, rock and other influences as well as having an atypical and distinctive vocal style. They were and stand as a truly original sounding band. They were emotional and dark and I would recommend this not only to fans of the band but anyone looking for an interesting listen and read. The second disc, which contains their 2 LPS, really shows how they evolved into something quite special. These discs make me appreciate Sticks and Stones even more. Members went on to The World Inferno Friendship Society and Johnny X and the Conspiracy. Bix did a short interview with Sticks and Stones for the pages of FOE #26 back in 1994, you can read that here: http://www.foe.firstpress.net/sticksnstones.pdf
Back to FOE Home: 