Canadian indie rock quintet The Stills recently announced that they have decided to hang it up via an open letter to their fans.

Originally coming together in 2001, the band consisted of singer Tim Fletcher, guitarist Greg Paquet, bassist Olver Corbeil and drummer Dave Hamelin.  Paquet departed from the group in 2004, just a year after their Vice Records debut, Logic Will Break Your Heart.

The Stills’ second album, Without Feathers, dropping in 2006 on Vice, but their 2008 release, Oceans Will Rise, came out after a move to Arts & Crafts. The latter release brought along a level of critical acceptance, garnering the band Juno awards for Best Alternative Album of the Year and Best New group.

Stating in the letter that “the best decision for each one of us, and in order for each of us to live fully, creatively, and freely, being true to our hearts, this had to happen,” the band’s dissolution is apparently a function of each individual member following different paths.

Check out the full letter below:

Dearest Friends of The Stills,

How does one go about writing a message like this? I don’t know, but I will do my best.

We have been silent for many months now, discussing amongst ourselves how and when to announce this news, as we’ve needed some time to think it over and let the dust settle, so we hope you can understand our silence.

After the better part of a decade together, several months ago we sat down and decided to disband The Stills and part ways. Simply put, The Stills have broken up.

We love each other, we have taught each other, and we’ve grown up together, through all kinds of madness and years and twists and turns, and we spent the better part of the last year trying to keep it going for each other, out of love for one another and out of respect for our long past together. But ultimately, the best decision for each one of us, and in order for each of us to live fully, creatively, and freely, being true to our hearts, this had to happen.

Perhaps the most difficult part of all this is announcing it to you – I hesitate to say ‘fans’ – Our Friends. We’ve been extremely lucky to have shared this time with you, and for the love you’ve shown us, we are humbled, moved and thankful beyond words. You held us up, you encouraged us, and you made this a profound and deeply meaningful journey for each of us. Please know in your hearts that we felt your love and will always keep it with us in our own hearts as we move on through life.

To all who helped us through the years, encouraged us, supported us, worked with us, put up with us, put our records out, toured with us, loved us, and beyond – we are forever touched by you.

We were creating our own story as we went. It’s not easy to know when the best ending is, but we found ours, and it’s one that allows us to look back on all we’ve achieved with great pride and a sense of real accomplishment. Now that the book closes, we can look on the journey and see it as one trip, from beginning to end; one complete and perfectly imperfect universe.

And now our music and what it means rests in your hands. It belongs fully to the world out there, and especially to you. Make it all you wish it to be, in whichever way you most want to.

May your lives be filled with joy and happiness,

The Stills

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