Stavesacre

Stavesacre

For the plant Stavesacre (a species of Larkspur), See: Delphinium staphisagria

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Stavesacre is a Southern California-based Christian rock/metal band that, despite some key lineup changes and the vagaries of the music business, has endured for more than a decade.

History

Stavesacre debuted in the mid-1990s with three well-received studio albums on Seattle-based Tooth & Nail Records, a period when the group was associated with the edgier side of the contemporary Christian music scene. But dissatisfaction with what the band saw as hypocrisy in that industry led to a well-publicized break from the scene. The band's first three albums sold a combined 90,000 copies. In 2002 Stavesacre signed with the independent Nitro Records and released (stāvz'ā'kər). The band then sought release from their contract and went fully independent for the release of a live DVD of a show recorded in Dallas, Texas, in 2002 plus the four-song Bull Takes Fighter EP.

In 2005 the band signed a 3-record deal with Abacus Recordings, an imprint of Century Media Records, and recorded its fifth full-length studio album in Los Angeles with producer Matt Hyde. Titled How To Live With A Curse, it was released on April 18, 2006.

Stavesacre announced on their MySpace blog 27 February 2007 that they would be disbanding following the recording of some new music with original member Jeff Bellew and producing a DVD documentary of their career.

The name "Stavesacre" is derived from the stavesacre plant, which is poisonous and used as a parasiticide. Its seeds are known to induce vomiting.

Discography & videography

Year	Title	Label	Other information
1996	Friction	Tooth & Nail Records
1997	Absolutes	Tooth & Nail Records	Review: The Phantom Tollbooth
1999	Speakeasy	Tooth & Nail Records	Review: The Phantom Tollbooth
2001	Split/EP	Velvet Blue Music	Split EP with Denison Marrs, Review: The Phantom Tollbooth
2001	Collective	Tooth & Nail Records
2002	Live From Deep Ellum	XS Records	EP
2002	(stāvz'ā'kər)	Nitro Records	Review: The Phantom Tollbooth
2004	Bull Takes Fighter	Independent	EP, Limited to 1,000 copies
2005	Live From Dallas	Zambooie	DVD
2006	How To Live With A Curse	Abacus Recordings	Released April 18, 2006

Members

Current members

• Mark Salomon - vocals
• Ryan Dennee - guitars
• Dirk Lemmenes - bass
• Sam West - drums

Notes:

• Mark Salomon was the vocalist for the thrash and punk rock band The Crucified. He also had a punk rock side project called Outer Circle and has appeared on other records with Native Son, Mortal, CHATTERbOX, Project 86, Argyle Park, and AP2. He is the author of Simplicity (published by his own Skeleton Key Publishing and reprinted by Relevant Books), an autobiography which explains why Stavesacre has left the "Christian" label behind in order to more effectively fulfill what they believe God is calling them to do.

• Dirk Lemmenes was a member of the Christian hardcore band Focused.

• Sam West played drums on the first full-length Saviour Machine album and also played in Scaterd Few and The Violet Burning.

Former members

• Jeff Bellew - guitars
• Jeremy Moffett - drums
• Neil Samoy - guitars

External links

• Official Website
• Official Myspace Page
• Official Purevolume Page
• Simplicity (with sample chapter)

• Skeleton Key Publishing