HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BAND? STANLEYS CHAT NEW SINGLE, MANCHESTER GIG AND HOW THEY ‘PASS THE TIME’
INTERVIEW | STANLEYS by Anne Kelly
After teasing a return over the past few weeks, one of Wigan’s finest are back, and they aren’t doing things by halves this year. As we settle into 2026, Stanleys have officially broken their silence, announcing a brand-new single.
The track, aptly titled ‘Pass The Time’, is set to drop on Friday, February 20th. Known for their knack for capturing the grit and heart of Northwest life with a shimmering indie-pop edge, the band seems ready to shift gears and kick off their biggest year yet.
But a new single is only half the story. To celebrate the release, the lads are returning to their roots for an intimate, high-energy headline show at Manchester’s iconic Night & Day Cafe on Friday, April 10th.
We sat down with the band to talk about the new sound, the North West music scene, and exactly how they’ve been passing the time this past year…
It’s been a quiet year for Stanleys, but a little birdie tells me that you are back in business… what can you tell us about this?
Yeah, we’ve definitely been quieter than usual — but that doesn’t mean nothing’s been happening. We took a proper step back, wrote a lot, been in the studio, lived a bit, and made sure that when we came back it actually meant something. ‘Pass The Time’ feels like the right way to return — it’s us, but older, sharper, and a bit more honest. February 20th feels like the start of a new chapter rather than just another release.
Of course, you have been teasing the return on socials and locally with mysterious posters cropping up around town. How has the reaction been from the fans? Is the hype as strong as expected?
Honestly, the reaction’s been unreal. Seeing people posting the posters, messaging us asking what’s going on — that’s when it really hit us that people hadn’t forgotten. We’re proud to be a Wigan band, so doing it locally across Wigan and Manchester first felt important. There’s something special about seeing your own town back you like that. The hype feels genuine, not forced — and that’s the best kind. We can’t thank everyone enough for sticking by us.
A year is a long time in the music industry. Was this break a calculated move to avoid burnout, or did you just feel you needed to step back to find a new direction?
A bit of both, really. We’d been going flat out and didn’t want to become a band that was just releasing music for the sake of it. Stepping back gave us space to reset and work out what we actually wanted to say next. It wasn’t about disappearing — it was about making sure the return felt right.
During the silence, did you find yourselves still hanging out as mates, or did you intentionally take space from one another to ensure that when you came back, the “band” felt fresh again?
We’re mates first and foremost, so we never really stopped seeing each other. That said, not every hangout had to turn into a band meeting, which was probably healthy. When we did come back together properly, it felt natural — no pressure, no expectations, just four lads excited to make music again.
Many bands use a break to shift their sound. Should fans expect a continuation of the jangly guitar-pop of The Gallery, or has the break introduced some darker or more experimental influences?
The jangly guitars are still there — that’s in our DNA — but there’s definitely more depth this time. We’ve lived a bit more, felt a bit more, and that naturally comes through. ‘Pass The Time’ has a maturity to it, maybe a touch darker in places, but it still sounds like Stanleys. It’s evolution, not reinvention.The new single, ‘Pass The Time’, is a very strong, matured sound to return with.
Can you tell us a bit more about what the song is about and how it came together?
Sometimes you have to take one step backwards to take two steps forward. This is exactly what we’ve done over the last few months; after a really successful summer we felt like we needed our next release to be even more impactful. Written with the intention of standing out from the crowd, our new song is a bold step for us as a group. Built around Harry’s powerful bass groove, the song cascades with energy and forcefulness that none of our previous releases have done in this particular way before. With the landscape of indie guitar music becoming ever more unpredictable, we hope to add to the confusion even more with this release. Being a culmination of weeks in the studio, the track combines punk-esque energy with linear vocal melodies, embarking on a path to uncharted waters for us as a band.
Has the songwriting process remained the same throughout the years, or did the time away change how you collaborate?
The foundations are the same, but we’re definitely more open now. We’re not afraid to say when something isn’t working, and we’re better at listening to each other. That time away gave us perspective — and it’s made the writing stronger.
The local music scene in Wigan and the North West feels like it is at another peak. Where do you think that magic comes from?
It’s always been there. There’s something about the North West — working-class towns, graft, and people finding their own voice. Bands like The K’s are flying which is inspiring, then even those coming through like Montello — everyone’s pushing each other forward. There’s no pretence, just good music and real stories.
Do you feel the scene is supportive of new artists? What have been your own biggest challenges in getting recognised outside of your local circle?
The local scene’s massively supportive — that’s how we’ve got this far. Breaking outside of that bubble is the hard part. There’s so much noise out there, and it can take time for people to really latch on. But we’ve learned that if you stay true to who you are, the right people eventually find you.
Which of you is the most restless to get back on stage?
All of us!
What about the live return – have you got any plans to tour this year?
Definitely. The release show at Night & Day on Friday 20th April is just the start. Its a venue we’d always wanted to play (and were once due to before upgrading it to a bigger venue in Gorilla) so now we have the chance to join the illustrious list of bands who’ve played on this stage! There’ll be shows popping up across the UK this year — and we’re buzzing to get back into different towns, different rooms, and properly reconnect with people.
Do you have any personal favourite new artists just now? What have you been listening to recently?
We’re always listening to what’s coming out of the scene — The Lilacs, The Clause, Montello — seeing people we know grafting is inspiring. Beyond that, we still go back to the core of what makes Stanleys: The Smiths, The La’s, The Stone Roses. That stuff never leaves you.
Finally, since the new single is called ‘Pass The Time’, what do Stanleys do to “pass the time”?
We just listen to Pass The Time. On repeat. And you should too!
Pass The Time will be released on Friday 20th February – Pre-Save now!
Tickets for Manchester’s Night and Day show on Friday 10th April go on sale this Friday 13th February at 9am https://lnk.to/StansND26
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