Episode #5 - Brien Stewart (AVAIL)

Jams for Man

Brien Stewart formed AVAIL in 1988 with Joe Banks, Doug Crosby, and Mikey Warstler. He and his bandmates had the idea to put on a concert featuring bands from the burgeoning local scene, and with the support of his bandmate’s mom, Patty Warstler--who ran the local Youth Club--put on the first Jam for Man concert. After the band moved to Richmond in 1990 and his good friend, Andy Wells, died tragically in a drunk-driving accident, Brien left the band. He went on to play in many memorable bands from the Reston hardcore scene, including L.D.K. (Learning Disabled Kids), BSR (Basic Skills Review), and Lickity Split. He has been recording with Ruin By Design since 2015 and they are putting the finishing touches on a new album this summer. You can find Brien’s music with AVAIL at: https://brienstewart.bandcamp.com/album/avail-each-other-1988-1990 and Ruin by Design here: https://ruinbydesign.bandcamp.com/