Websites: http://www.thestanleyblacks.com Band: Jon - Matt - Ashley - James Bio: Named after a 1950s composer, The Stanley Blacks are an emergent young band from Surrey, England, whose string of guitar-driven, infectious pop songs have forged a strong local following and secured a number of high profile gigs up and down the country. Hailing from the same town as mod-heroes The Jam, The Stanley Blacks fuse the energy of late 70s rock with the 60s pop sensibilities of The Beatles and Motown artists. Yet it is the industrious inventiveness of the rhythm section (Matt Emberson on drums, James Turnbull on bass), guitarist Jon Marshall’s lucid riffs and singer/songwriter Ashley Reed’s sense of melody that forge the idiosyncrasies in the Stanley Blacks’ sound. The result places the band at the forefront of a definite musical lineage, whilst simultaneously remaining fresh and invigorating due to the complex vocal harmonies and assured musicianship of the band members. No strangers to the London area club scene, The Stanley Blacks have just returned from the States following a series of high profile gigs in Los Angeles. The band won over the jaded L.A. music scene with their brand of infectious pop songs and high-energy live shows. The Stanley Blacks performed to SRO crowds at iconic Hollywood clubs such as The Whiskey A Go-Go, Bardot Hollywood, The Dakota Lounge and Molly Malone's. Both Strongholds in Venice Beach and The Viper Room were so impressed by the band that they booked them for multiple dates. It is this shared musical flair that allows the band to all contribute to the songwriting process, creating tangible variations of style between tracks. Their latest tracks exemplify a band finding their niche and thriving in it.
