Something I Think "What If" About

Ever since it happened, I always wonder, "what would've happened if Short Stack hadn't broken up?"

I know, I know. I sound like an obsessed fan girl, but I legitimately ask this question pretty regularly. What if they'd gone on to release their third album? What if they went and toured? What if they did a bunch of rural shows again? What if they were still together and supported Simple Plan again when they were here? Or Heroes For Hire? What if, what if, what if?

I was actually really looking forward to hearing Art Vandelay in its entirety. Having heard only a meagre three tracks, I knew I'd love it. Bang Bang Sexy was easy to sing along with after only a few listens- light, fun and catchy. New York City Ballet, heard on Short Stack: The Story So Far and played at their Penrith show was a really different sound and made me crave hearing the rest of the album. S.O.U.L., Short Stack's final release was chilling, if only for the fact that the lyrics seemed to sort of reflect the bands break up: "But I've got no soul", "all you did was hold me down." I don't know whether my interpretation is correct or not, but that's how I think of it. 

It cut me that I'd seen the track listing and heard them talk about the album on the documentary with pride in what they'd written, these being:

She's No Angel

Saturday Night

Tonight, Tonight, Tonight

S.O.U.L.

Rain On Her Parade

Suburbia

Goodbye

Bang Bang Sexy

Silver Screen

Rich Girls

New York City Ballet

Fight For You

Anyone who hasn't either been around since the beginning or has been a die-hard fan over the years may not know that Goodbye was the first song Short Stack ever wrote. It was recorded and featured on their first self-released album One Size Fits All. I was looking forward to hearing a polished version of that track, as well as a full version of Rain On Her Parade. A majority of the songs on One Size Fits All were incorporated somehow into their first studio album, Stack Is The New Black, and the beautiful, acoustic Darling, I'll Be Your Werewolf" came back as "Werewolves" with strings and piano on This Is Bat Country.

It would have been a dream come true to hear these songs I waited so long to hear- as well as the old tracks I've come to know and love inside-out- live on a stage. I've come to understand the mysteries of gigs which I never did when I was thirteen and desperate to go to their Stack Is The New Black tour, and missed out on when I missed their This Is Bat Country tour.

Although their posters remain proudly displayed on my bedroom wall and their albums have earned their rightful place on my iPod, Short Stack is no more and have moved on to bigger and better things- Shaun to his solo career, Bradie to DJ-ing and Andy to who knows what? Despite me always asking "what if", they have always been destined for more than being a little three-piece band from Budgewoi. They may have done amazing things as Short Stack, but will do even greater things on their own.

Sayonara, fellow ninjas!! xoxo