Ashley Stove

Raleigh, NC's indie rock quartet Ashley Stove was formed in 1992 by guitarists/vocalists Matt Brown and Ben Barwick. After playing for a short time with varying lineups, later that year the group found a permanent drummer in Billy Alphin, who also played with Buttsteak; bassist Jennifer Walker-Barwick (formerly of Erectus Monotone) joined in 1993. After releasing several singles, Ashley Stove released their debut album, 4-Finger Moon, in 1995 on Jesus Christ Records; two years later, their follow-up Into the Sun arrived. The group switched to Merge for their 1999 effort New Scars and appeared on the label's Oh Merge retrospective. The following year, Brown left the group just before the recording of their fourth album, All Summer Long; the remaining members enlisted the help of guitarist Mike Kenlan to complete the sessions, and recruited Jim Brantley as a permanent replacement before the album was released in early 2001.