One of the original line-up had a stash tin with a picture of an alien on the lid, we used the name to book our first ever rehearsal and it kind of stuck.

We play anywhere that will have us. AST is a live band first and foremost and our main reason for being is to play in front of people and entertain them. Since we started we have been concentrating on gigging our way around the Bristol and Somerset areas but are looking to travel further a field over the next year. Highlights of our past gigs include a couple of free festivals, support slots with Bad Manners, and Cauda Pavonis and crazy crazy nights in as diverse places as Glastonbury – Backpacker’s, The Yew Tree in Dursley and The legendary Bunch of Grapes in Bristol.

The Internet has definitely made it easier for a band to market and develop its music independently of record company interference. You can also reach out to the whole world; we send our monthly newsletter worldwide to places as far away as South Korea, the USA and Bosnia. It also makes finding places to play and bands to play with far easier than it ever was before.

Probably not, but if they were offering us the right package and we retained full artistic control then we would definitely consider the offer.

Alien Stash Tin was formed in September 2002 by a group of Bristol based musicians and the line up has since undergone several changes. The band made their live debut in August 2003 supporting Bad Manners at the annual ‘Respect In The West’ anti-racism festival and since then has gigged their way steadily round the South West building a steadily growing fan base. (A full account can be found on our official website www.alienstashtin.co.uk)

Our influences are many and various, consisting of what the members are into. Basically the foundation is 70’s and 80’s rock and metal; Hawkwind, Led Zep, Jethro Tull, Lou Reed, Black Sabbath, Marillion, The Groundhogs, Budgie, Lynyrd Skynyrd, even a dash of (Shock horror) early Status Quo, but on top of that you have other influences like 80’s electro pop, acid psychedelia, reggae, old school punk and even stuff like NOFX and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. We like to think there is something for everyone in our sound.

The English West Country as a whole, wonderful people, beautiful places and gallons of rough cider. (Could you ask for anything more?) Favourite venue has to be either The Bunch of Grapes in Bristol, or Backpacker’s in Glastonbury.

Marshall, Laney and Trace Elliot back line and anything that we can make sound good played through it.

There is no such thing as a stranger; the whole world is full of friends we have yet to meet.