The English quintet Thousand Yard Stare, hailing from Slough in Berkshire, took their name from the blank stare commonly linked to Vietnam veterans. Friends who had met through frequent visits to Windsor's Psykik Dance Hall came together to form the group in November 1988. Its lineup featured Stephen Barnes handling vocals, Dominic Bostock on drums, Sean McDonough playing bass, Giles Duffy on guitar, and Kevin Moxon providing rhythm guitar duties. Beginning in November 1990, they issued their four-track EP Weatherwatching via the independent Stifled Aardvark imprint and distributed copies at their live shows. During the following year, growing coverage in the music press led to opening slots alongside acts including Carter USM, Ned's Atomic Dustbin, Milltown Brothers, and James. Unlike the prevailing shoegazing scene, the musicians consistently delivered energetic performances onstage, even if they lacked the creative spark of certain headliners. For their first full-length release on Polydor Records, the songwriting contributions of Barnes stood out as the group's primary strength, approaching but not quite matching the level of XTC while exploring comparable themes rooted in neo-romantic English sensibilities.
