Robby Staebler Leaves All Them Witches
Not the kind of announcement you expect to see on a given morning, but founding drummer Robby Staebler has announced his departure from Nashville’s All Them Witches. What you see in blue text below was sent out in an update to Bandcamp followers, and it comes as the four-piece are (were?) set to begin a tour through the southeastern US following their appearance this weekend at Austin Psych Fest. Comprised until today of Staebler, bassist/vocalist Charles Michael Parks, Jr., guitarist Ben McLeod and Rhodes pianist/violinist/keyboardist Allan Van Cleave, the band also have European shows ahead of them this summer, including a stop at Hellfest in France and other festivals besides. I have no idea what the status is of any of those shows, and the best I can tell you is to keep an eye on the band’s social media, which is where any further update is likely to come from.
Staebler, with a restless energy on stage that gave movement to even the band’s most minimalist moments, brought fluid energy and expansive creativity to All Them Witches across their six to-date full-lengths — the latest, 2020’s Nothing as the Ideal (review here), featured drones and tape loops that as I understood it were in no small part his contribution — and non-LP releases like the Baker’s Dozen singles series (posted here) that carried them through the end of the pandemic on 2022 en route to a 2023 spent mostly on the road for whole-album performances and other shows. Since Van Cleave rejoined in 2021 after quitting the band following 2017’s Sleeping Through the War (review here), they’ve wanted nothing for momentum. I guess maybe when you’re done you’re done.
But in addition to drumming and other sundry noisemaking, Staebler has also served as the primary visual artist for All Them Witches since their inception. And like his playing, his painting style is not something that will be easily replaced. I have no info on what his departure means for All Them Witches as regards the dates in the two posters below — maybe he’ll play them and leave after, for all I know — but Staebler will continue with the experimental audio/visual project Uvways, as he says below, and if All Them Witches do keep going, there’s no question any new player brought in will be a marked change in dynamic.
My best to Staebler and to Parks, McLeod and Van Cleave, whatever the future brings. If I hear more I’ll post it:
[UPDATE April 24: Guitarist Ben McCleod posted the following in the band’s Facebook group a short time ago:
Hello everyone. ATW will be making an official post later today, however I wanted everyone to know the shows are not canceled. We have a replacement drummer for the time being and will be fulfilling all these shows.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. We will see you soon.
Best of luck to Robby and his future endeavors. He has been an asset to this band and he will be missed.
-Ben
The band followed up with a collective statement, specifically addressing the coming shows and their plans going forward:
So there you go. Staebler‘s original announcement and All Them Witches‘ tour dates still follow below, but it’s encouraging to have some clarity and to know that the band will keep going.]
ALL THEM WITCHES FANS
All good things must come to an end.
At this time I’ve decided to step back from ATW and put
my energy into other music and projects that I love.
Thanks to everyone who has supported me and the band I created
and labored over. The fans have made my dreams comes true
in every way and I’m extremely grateful for you all.
I put every ounce of energy and resources I had towards
building something truly unique and honest that I could stand behind.
Moving forward I feel it’s important to follow my intuition and inspiration.
I’ll be releasing two new albums this year under UVWAYS
with faces you know and some you don’t.
If you want to follow what I’m doing I set up a Patreon
where I’ll be doing everything from drum videos to live chats as well as
monthly art and merch deliveries. Check out patreon.com/UVWAYS,
visit www.uvways.com for paintings and prints.
Follow @uultrasoundss for new music
and @ultraafree for my merch company that promotes unity and freedom
in the tune of rock and roll. The world is a vampire. Stay awake.
[Photo by Dylan Handley.]
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068616203614
https://instagram.com/uvways
https://youtube.com/channel/UCnT7HRgIVvE1GASQjSuA7TQ
https://uvways.com/
http://allthemwitches.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/allthemwitches
https://www.instagram.com/allthemwitchesband/
http://www.allthemwitches.org/
Damn!…. got to worry about the future of ATW now. He is one of the best and most powerful drummer’s I’ve witnessed live
breathe in ooooooooo breathe out faaaaaaa
‘ain’t it a shame…ain’t it a cryin’ shame…’
Hoping they can find a new timekeeper; Robby is an undeniable presence as a drummer, with a, to my ears, rare talent that resulted in an instantly recognizable sound. You know hendrix, iommi or pike when you hear their riffs, as you know lemmy, butler and cisneros by their tones, and you damn sure well know osbourne, parkes, and high priestess nighthawk when they sing…but to be able to immediately pinpoint a beat? That’s decidedly not every drummer. By far. Made him the point of visual focus for me live in that I’d try to get sightlines best for viewing him working/playing. Up there with the best of them for my two cents, and while hard to imagine ATW with anyone else, still hoping they soldier on regardless, as the other three weren’t exactly slouches themselves.
Shite news this morning, but all things must pass. Good luck to all of them witches.
“… to be able to immediately pinpoint a beat”?
Bonham
Ted Parsons
Mick Harris
Emil Amos
Chris Hakius
Earl Hudson
Mike Bordin
…
Hundereds if not thousands.
A bit of hyperbole was used to make a point, don’t you think?
Shit. I’m catching a flight Friday morning to go to Austin Psych Fest, and although it was seeing The Black Angels and Earthless live and scratching them off the ol bucket list was my main priority, catching another ATW set was definitely going to be another big highlight of my weekend. I guess I can only hope they still play this one out. Either way I concur with the opinions above. Without Robby’s hypnotic and frenzied bashing ATW will not be the same.
Having a hard time this one. I don’t know why I’m taking it so hard. I thought I’d be use to it by now ?
All Them Witches has become my absolute favorite band in recent years. I have seen them live a handful of times. They are amazing musicians. I am very upset at this news knowing the ATW will not be the same. While I understand and wish Rob well, I am more interested in what Charles, Ben and Allan do with the band. Will they be able to replace the drummer and continue? I hope so. Fingers crossed.
My thoughts exactly.