Alternative Rock, Emo band from Nashville, Tennessee (USA) active 1995–2001, 2006–2007.
Formed in North Carolina in the summer of 1995, Stella spent its
formative years in a bi-city existence between Charlotte, NC and
Nashville, TN. Though based in the South, the band appeared at the
1996's NXNE in Toronto where they drew the attention of UK based Beggars
Banquet A&R Lesley Bleakley.
After NXNE, Bleakley flew to Nashville to sign the band - meeting them
at the infamous “Victor/Victoria's” downtown club with the necessary
paperwork to finalize her label's offer.
In 1997 Beggars Banquet released their debut "Ascension". The album
was met with critical praise and the band toured extensively throughout
the US and Canada. Following a year filled with arduous touring.
Bouncing between studios in Tennessee and North Carolina, the band began
working up a new body of songs intended for a second release with
Beggars Banquet, entitled "American Weekend". With much of the tracking
completed, Stella's 1998 recording schedule was partially waylaid by
touring commitments. "Ascension" was released in Europe in March of 1998
to more strong praise. In September Stella embarked on a month long
tour of Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Austria. On returning
to the US, Stella finished production on "American Weekend."
The album, originally scheduled for 1999, was delayed partly due to
the label's disappointed expectations, which was followed by a two-year
legal dispute between the label and the band over the ownership rights
to the songs, which did not end until 2001. By that time, however, the
patience of the Stella US members was exhausted, and the band had
already de facto split up. Curt Perkins joined the band Mod Lang a
little later and later began a solo career; he was also involved in the
2004 solo debut of former Weezer bassist Matt Sharp. Finally, in 2006,
the second Stella US album, "American Weekend," which had previously
circulated only as a bootleg, was officially released after all and
featured a greater affinity for strings and ballads than the debut.
However, the release did not yield a longer-term reunion.
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