Stir is mixing it up on stage this weekend with a sold-out show at Delmar Hall, proving there’s a lot of life left in the ’90s ºüÀêÊÓƵ rock band.
The Blender by Kevin C. Johnson keeps you up to date with the latest concert news and more from the ºüÀêÊÓƵ music scene.
Two decades ago, the band was dropped from its record label just before releasing a new album. Since then, Stir has performed only limited special engagements such as the O’Fallon Heritage and Freedom Festival in 2018 and Wayback Pointfest at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in 2016 and 2019.
Stir’s most recent gig was Sept. 9, 2022, at Songs 4 Soldiers in Columbia, Illinois, with Everclear, Tonic, LoCash and Alexandra Kay.
Coming back to the area in 2024 and still selling out is overwhelming to singer Andy Schmidt, who currently lives in Long Beach, California, where he works in the motorcycle industry.
“It feels really good. We hadn’t rehearsed or played or anything for the past 2½ years (until now),†says Schmidt. “We put it on sale and it sells out. ‘Whoa.’ We had no idea what it would be like. We hadn’t sold that many records. We’re impressed that many fans still come and see us.â€
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Stir was part of the booming ºüÀêÊÓƵ rock scene of the ’90s that included the Urge, Gravity Kills, New World Spirits, Pale Divine and others.
“I’m floored people still know who we are, though it’s not surprising. We had a lot of big shows. Fans disappear over the years, but at the last show so many people recognized us from the old days. We played so many shows, got to know a lot of people, and maintained that friendship with the fans.â€
The group was a local hero for nabbing a deal with Capitol Records during its heyday.
With the major label, the band re-released its self-titled effort in 1996 and “Holy Dogs†in 2000. The band is best known for the songs “Looking For,†“New Beginning,†“Climbing the Walls,†and “One Angel.â€
The band’s core is Schmidt on vocals and guitar, Kevin Gagnepain on bass, and Brad Booker on drums. Non-original players in the Stir family now are Jake Elking on keyboards and Michael Eisenbeis on guitar and additional vocals.
Stir rehearsed together as a full band for the first time on Sunday, April 7, and is rehearsing throughout the week leading to the April 12 show at Delmar Hall. Prior to Sunday, the band prepared via texts, emails and FaceTime.
“The first rehearsal back, we played through the whole set and started cracking up, ‘Oh wow we’re still a band. This is crazy.’ I still remember all the songs though I forget the lyrics every once in a while. I’ve been spending time learning all my parts,†says Schmidt, adding it’s nice to have Eisenbeis on hand to help with some of that.
Playing as a five-piece rather than a three-piece “allows me to not jump around all the time. I get to sit back a little bit and remember my parts.â€
The band is expected to play a couple of new tunes at Delmar Hall. Stir actually has a whole new album ready and under wraps. Schmidt says the new music reflects the sounds fans love best from Stir.
“Being the principal songwriter, it sounds like me with the band. I haven’t changed anything much. It’s still the band. When the three of us are together, there’s a piece of me that comes through, and they are my backup. That’s the way it’s always been.â€
One new song about Schmidt’s late father is an acoustic tune simply titled “Steve Schmidt.†His father died in 2015.
“We played it once live, and the fans loved it.â€
The band isn’t sure how it will go about releasing the new music, but it knows it won’t chase a record deal with a label. Stir has been there and done that. And it didn’t end nicely.
Schmidt says signing with Capitol Records in 1996 changed their lives forever as the band enjoyed touring, playing sold-out shows, flying around the company at the label’s expense and more that was all a blast. But the band was canned after it played its third album for the label, despite the label expressing how much it loved the new music.
Stir fell victim to record company politics and changing label presidents. The president at the time the band was dropped didn’t know the band, didn’t care about the band, and put his emphasis on music from Lisa Marie Presley and Liz Phair over Stir, Schmidt says.
The band released the music from what would have been its third Capitol album on its own as “Untitled, Unmastered, and Unemployed†in 2003. The project is home to some of the best Stir music ever. Some of that music could surface at the Delmar Hall show.
Schmidt suspects excitement over the show will lead to Stir’s next gig. He’s eyeing the Factory and even a return to Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, where Stir has been an opener.
“The promoters and everyone love us. I don’t know when the next show is, but I’m already looking forward to it,†Schmidt says.
Getting to this point is huge for Schmidt. There was a period recently when he didn’t know if it was possible. He had an unspecified accident in 2022 that left him in a coma, followed by a six-month stay in the hospital, two months in a wheelchair and months of physical therapy. He calls the ordeal torturous.
“I couldn’t be more appreciative,†he says of being back. “I thank God, my son, my family for getting me back on track, back to life, back to everything. It was a tough road. I kept saying ‘You’re Stir’s guitarist and singer, and you can get through it. Get back to your band.’â€
The Blender by Kevin C. Johnson keeps you up to date with the latest concert news and more from the ºüÀêÊÓƵ music scene.