{{Short description|American musician, writer, and artist}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Chuck Stern | image = | image_size = | landscape = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Charles Baker Stern | birth_date = {{Birth date|1979|06|22}} | birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S. | origin = | death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|12|10|1979|06|22}} | death_place = | genre = | occupation = | instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|keyboards|multi-instrumentalist}} | years_active = <!-- YYYY–YYYY (or –present) --> | label = | current_member_of = Time of Orchids, Sculptress, Stern | website = {{URL|https://sterntheband.bandcamp.com/music}} }}
'''Charles Baker Stern''' (June 22, 1979 – December 10, 2023) was an American composer, musician, writer, and visual artist known for his work in experimental music.<ref name="Burning Ambulance 2020">{{cite web |last1=Manning |first1=Todd |title=Stern |url=https://burningambulance.com/2020/01/07/stern-2/ |website=Burning Ambulance |access-date=19 December 2023 |date=7 January 2020}}</ref><ref name="Pitchfork 2015">{{cite web |last1=Currin |first1=Grayson Haver |title=Stern: Bone Turquoise Album Review |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20917-bone-turquoise/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=19 December 2023 |date=14 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="HBiH 2018">{{cite web |last1=Murphy |first1=Scott |title=Stern – Missive: Sister Ships |url=https://www.heavyblogisheavy.com/2018/08/10/stern-missive-sister-ships/ |website=Heavy Blog is Heavy |access-date=19 December 2023 |date=10 August 2018}}</ref> He was frontman and composer of Time of Orchids,<ref name="AllMusic">{{cite web |last1=Mason |first1=Stewart |title=Time of Orchids |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/time-of-orchids-mn0000508956 |website=AllMusic |access-date=19 December 2023}}</ref> played in Sculptress,<ref name="Village Voice 2011">{{cite web |last1=Weingarten |first1=Christopher |title=Download: Tracks By Charlie Looker's Extra Life And Sculptress |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/download-tracks-by-charlie-lookers-extra-life-and-sculptress/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231219195355/https://www.villagevoice.com/download-tracks-by-charlie-lookers-extra-life-and-sculptress/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 19, 2023 |website=The Village Voice |access-date=19 December 2023 |date=21 June 2011}}</ref> and released solo and band works under the name Stern.<ref name="Pitchfork 2015" /><ref name="Burning Ambulance 2020" /> He was born and lived in New York City. He died on December 10, 2023, at the age of 44.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Anderl |first1=Timothy |title=Stomping Grounds: Chuck Stern (Stern) on New York, New York |url=https://ghettoblastermagazine.com/features/stomping-grounds/stomping-grounds-chuck-stern-stern-on-new-york-new-york/ |website=Ghetto Blaster Magazine |access-date=19 December 2023 |date=12 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="NYT Obit">{{cite web |title=Charles Stern |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/nytimes/name/charles-stern-obituary?id=53866584 |website=Legacy.com |access-date=19 December 2023}}</ref>
== Career == Stern was a programmer for public-access television station Manhattan Neighborhood Network.<ref name="MNN 2011">{{cite web |title=It Changed :( wins Hometown Video Award |url=https://www.mnn.org/blog/it-changed-wins-hometown-video-award |website=Manhattan Neighborhood Network |access-date=19 December 2023 |date=3 August 2011}}</ref> He co-created ''Roboshithead'', which ''The Village Voice'' called "the best public access show in New York,"<ref>{{cite web |last1=Torgovnick |first1=Kate |title=Even Among a Sea of Cable Channels and the Explosion of YouTube, Public Access Remains Vital |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/even-among-a-sea-of-cable_b_64341 |website=Huffington Post |access-date=19 December 2023 |date=13 September 2007}}</ref> and ''It Changed :('', which won the 2011 Hometown Video Original Teleplay Award.<ref name="MNN 2011" />
From 1999 to 2007, Stern was the frontman and composer for experimental band Time of Orchids.<ref name="ToH 2015">{{cite web |title=The Porcelain Throne: Time of Orchids |url=https://toiletovhell.com/the-porcelain-throne-time-of-orchids/ |website=The Toilet Ov Hell |access-date=19 December 2023 |date=3 June 2015}}</ref><ref name="Pitchfork 2015" /> Over the band's tenure, its lineup included Eric Fitzgerald, Jesse Krakow, David Bodie, Kim Abrams, Will Redmond, and Charlie Looker,<ref name="ToH 2015" /> with guest performances from Tim Byrnes, Maryanna Hansen, jazz pianist Marilyn Crispell, Kate Pierson of The B-52's, and Julee Cruise of Twin Peaks.<ref name="Tzadik">{{cite web |title=Time of Orchids: Sarcast While |url=https://www.tzadik.com/index.php?catalog=8013 |website=Tzadik |access-date=19 December 2023}}</ref><ref name="Aversion 2005">{{cite web |title=Review: Time of Orchids "Sarcast While" |url=https://www.aversionline.com/view/time-of-orchids-sarcast-while-cd |website=Aversion Online |access-date=19 December 2023 |date=19 May 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Time of Orchids |url=http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/artist/time-of-orchids |website=Metal Music Archives |access-date=19 December 2023}}</ref> Time of Orchids released six albums; two were self-released, with others appearing on Relapse, Epicene, Tzadik, and Cuneiform.<ref name="ToH 2015" />
In 2008, Stern and Charlie Looker formed a duo project, Sculptress.<ref name="Village Voice 2011" />
Also in 2008, after announcing the end of Time of Orchids, Stern began a new solo project releasing music under his last name.<ref name="Pitchfork 2015" /><ref name="HBiH 2018" /> "Stern" eventually grew into a quartet including former Kayo Dot members Abrams, Byrnes, and Toby Driver, with releases by the band formation including ''Bone Turquoise'' (New Atlantis, 2015)<ref name="Pitchfork 2015" /> and ''Missive: Sister Ships'' (Sleeping Giant Glossolalia, 2018).<ref name="decibelmagazine.com">{{cite web |last1=Bellino |first1=Emily |title=Video Premiere: Stern – ‘Missive: Sister Ships’ |url=https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2018/07/10/video-premiere-stern-missive-sister-ships/ |website=Decibel |access-date=19 December 2023 |date=10 July 2018}}</ref>
Stern later returned to solo project status with ''Sunder Hawk'' (2020).<ref name="Burning Ambulance 2020" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Grella |first1=George |last2=Cohan |first2=Brad |title=March Listings |url=https://brooklynrail.org/2020/03/music/March-Listings-2020 |website=Brooklyn Rail |access-date=19 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sunder Hawk |url=https://sterntheband.bandcamp.com/album/sunder-hawk |website=Bandcamp |access-date=19 December 2023}}</ref> The album features guest performances from Abrams, Erin Mount, and Stern's mother, Ellen Stern, who died in 2023.<ref name="Burning Ambulance 2020"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Ellen Stern |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/nytimes/name/ellen-stern-obituary?id=52970062 |website=Legacy.com |access-date=19 December 2023}}</ref> Stern's final release was ''Black Votive'' (2022).<ref name="Black Votive">{{cite web |title=Black Votive |url=https://sterntheband.bandcamp.com/album/black-votive |website=Bandcamp |access-date=19 December 2023}}</ref>
== Discography ==
=== As leader === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year !! Artist !! Title !! Label !! Personnel |- |2001 |Time of Orchids |''Melonwhisper'' |Relapse / Aquarius |Stern, Charlie Looker, Will Redmond, Jesse Krakow, Kim Abrams ft. guest Marilyn Crispell<ref name="ToH 2015"/> |- |2003 |Time of Orchids |''Much Too Much Fun'' | |Stern, Krakow, Abrams, Eric Fitzgerald, ft. guest Kate Pierson<ref name="ToH 2015" /> |- |2004 |Time of Orchids |''Early As Seen in Pace'' |Epicene |Stern, Krakow, Abrams, Eric Fitzgerald<ref name="ToH 2015" /> |- |2005 |Time of Orchids |''Sarcast While'' |Tzadik |Stern, Krakow, Fitzgerald, David Bodie ft. guests Tim Byrnes, Maryanna Hansen, Julee Cruise<ref name="Tzadik" /><ref name="Aversion 2005" /> |- |2007 |Time of Orchids |''Namesake Caution'' |Cuneiform |Stern, Krakow, Fitzgerald, Bodie<ref>{{cite web |title=Time of Orchids: Namesake Caution |url=https://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=5796 |website=Sea of Tranquility |access-date=19 December 2023 |date=15 October 2007}}</ref> |- |2010 |Time of Orchids |''In Due Time'' | |Stern, Krakow, Abrams, Fitzgerald, Bodie, Looker<ref name="ToH 2015" /><ref>{{cite web |title=In Due Time |url=https://timeoforchids.bandcamp.com/album/in-due-time |website=Bandcamp |access-date=19 December 2023}}</ref> |- |2010 |Stern |''Dredge Up Eventide'' | |Stern ft. guests Byrnes, Victoria Kereszi<ref>{{cite web |title=Dredge Up Eventide |url=https://sterntheband.bandcamp.com/album/dredge-up-eventide |website=Bandcamp |access-date=19 December 2023}}</ref> |- |2010 |Stern |''The Largo Sanctum'' | |Stern ft. guests Laura Vickers, Ian Garrick-Bethell, Katie Stern, Wendell Edwards<ref>{{cite web |title=The Largo Sanctum |url=https://sterntheband.bandcamp.com/album/the-largo-sanctum |website=Bandcamp |access-date=19 December 2023}}</ref> |- |2011 |Stern |''Path X'' | |Stern ft. guest Looker<ref>{{cite web |title=Path X |url=https://sterntheband.bandcamp.com/album/path-x |website=Bandcamp |access-date=19 December 2023}}</ref> |- |2012 |Stern |''Entitlement'' | |Stern, Abrams, Byrnes, Toby Driver<ref>{{cite web |title=Entitlement |url=https://sterntheband.bandcamp.com/album/entitlement |website=Bandcamp |access-date=19 December 2023}}</ref> |- |2015 |Stern |''Bone Turquoise'' |New Atlantis |Stern, Abrams, Byrnes, Driver<ref name="Pitchfork 2015" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Phipps |first1=Grant |title=Stern: Bone Turquoise - Music Review |url=http://www.noripcord.com/reviews/music/stern/bone-turquoise |website=No Ripcord |access-date=19 December 2023 |date=12 August 2015}}</ref> |- |2018 |Stern |''Missive: Sister Ships'' |Sleeping Giant Glossolalia |Stern, Abrams, Byrnes, Driver<ref name="HBiH 2018" /><ref name="decibelmagazine.com"/> |- |2020 |Stern |''Sunder Hawk'' | |Stern ft. guests Abrams, Erin Mount, Ellen Stern<ref name="Burning Ambulance 2020" /> |- |2022 |Stern |''Black Votive'' | |Stern<ref name="Black Votive"/> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{discogs artist|Chuck Stern}} * {{IMDb name|8153950}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20230611173202/https://stern.band/ Archive of stern.band]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stern, Chuck}} Category:1979 births Category:2023 deaths Category:Musicians from New York City