{{Short description|American psychedelic rock band}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name=Major Stars | background=group_or_band | origin=Greater Boston, Massachusetts, United States | genre=Psychedelic rock | years_active=1997–present | label=Twisted Village, Important Records, Drag City, Squealer | associated_acts=Galaxie 500, Crystalized Movements, Magic Hour | | current_members=Wayne Rogers<br>Kate Biggar (aka Kate Village)<br>Tom Leonard<br>Dave Dougan<br>Casey Keenan<br>Noell Dorsey<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://api.discogs.com/artists/389493|title=Major Stars|website=Discogs}}</ref> | past_members=Dave Lynch<br>Sandra Barrett<br>Amanda Bristow<br>Hayley Thompson-King }}
'''Major Stars''' is an American psychedelic rock band from greater Boston, Massachusetts. Their first live performance was in 1997 at the inaugural Terrastock Festival in Providence, Rhode Island. They toured Japan in 2000 with Overhang Party. In 2002, they toured with Acid Mothers Temple as an opening act and performed at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas. In December 2006 they performed at the Thurston Moore curated All Tomorrow's Parties festival in the UK.
In 2003, Major Stars released ''Live In Europa'', a limited edition split LP with Comets on Fire.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Comets-On-Fire-Major-Stars-Live-In-Europa/release/1142856|title=Comets On Fire / Major Stars - Live In Europa|website=Discogs}}</ref> In 2005 and 2006, the band performed at North East Sticks Together.
On April 28, 2007, Major Stars was the first concert of New York City's WFMU Free Music Series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2007/04/major_stars_liv.html |title=Major Stars Live in Brooklyn - WFMU's Beware of the Blog |publisher=Blog.wfmu.org |date=2007-04-26 |accessdate=2012-11-30}}</ref> Previously, on May 9, 2006, Major Stars had performed live in the WFMU studio.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/18977 |title=Playlist for Brian Turner - May 9, 2006 |publisher=Wfmu.org |date= |accessdate=2012-11-30}}</ref>
Guitarist Wayne Rogers sang lead vocals on all of the band's releases through 2005's ''4'', when Sandra Barrett joined to take over those duties.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefader.com/2007/10/15/freak-scene-16/ |title=Freak Scene #16 |publisher=fader.com |date= |accessdate=2012-12-16}}</ref> Barrett left the band in 2008 and was replaced by Amanda Bristow, who joined during the recording of the album ''Return To Form''. Vocalist Hayley Thompson-King joined in 2010, and appears on the albums ''Decibels of Gratitude'' and ''Motion Set'' but has since left the group and the current singer is Noell Dorsey.
==Discography== *"Rock Sounds of People" (one-sided LP, 1998 - Twisted Village) *''Rock Revival'' (1998 - Twisted Village) AMG review <ref>[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p310840|pure_url=yes}} Major Stars discography] at Allmusic</ref> *''Space/Time'' (1999 - Twisted Village) *''Distant Effects'' (2002 - Squealer) *''Live in Europa'' (split LP w/ Comets on Fire, 2003 - Plastic Records) *''4'' (2005 - Twisted Village) *"Black Road" (7", 2005 - Twisted Village) *''Syntoptikon'' (2006 - Important Records) *"Portable Freak Factory" (7", 2007 - Important Records) *''Mirror/Messenger'' (2007 - Drag City) *''Return To Form'' (2010 - Drag City) *''Decibels of Gratitude'' (2012 - Important Records,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/decibels-of-gratitude-mw0002427120 |title=Decibels of Gratitude - Major Stars : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2012-11-30}}</ref> Twisted Village<ref>{{cite web|url=http://twistedvillage.bigcartel.com/product/major-stars-decibels-of-gratitude-lp |title=Major Stars - Decibels of Gratitude |publisher=twistedvillage.bigcartel.com |date= |accessdate=2012-12-16}}</ref>) *''Motion Set'' (2016 - Drag City) *''Roots of Confusion Seeds of Joy'' (2019 - Drag City) *''More Colors of Sound'' (2025 - Drag City)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Major Stars - More Colors of Sound |url=https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1420846-major-stars-more-colors-of-sound.php |access-date=2025-10-29 |website=Album of The Year |language=en}}</ref>
==Sources== *{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p310840}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.myspace.com/themajorstars Major Stars page] on MySpace *[http://www.thefader.com/articles/2007/10/15/freak-scene-16 Interview with Major Stars vocalist Sandra Barrett], ''The Fader'', posted October 15, 2007 *[http://thephoenix.com/article_ektid51400.aspx "Maximum Volume: Major Stars turn it up on their Drag City debut"], ''The Phoenix'', November 19, 2007
{{Authority control}}
Category:Musical groups from Boston Category:Psychedelic rock music groups from Massachusetts Category:Drag City (record label) artists