Firebird Union's 'Stand & Wait': A Journey Two Decades in the Making

Firebird Union’s latest release, Stand & Wait, is a triumph born from patience, perseverance, and passion. The project, led by brothers Ross and Matt Churchill, masterfully blends British and American synth and guitar music, drawing on influences as varied as Noel Gallagher, Fleet Foxes, and HAIM.

The Churchill brothers are no strangers to the music scene. In their formative years, they performed together as part of the band Cedar, emerging from the vibrant Watford scene alongside acts such as The Staves, Mohair, Kyla La Grange, and Lower Than Atlantis. Their time on local stages helped them hone a unique style: melodic, expansive, and existential songwriting. Despite the potential, Cedar disbanded in 2008, and the brothers went their separate ways.

Ross found success co-founding electronic duo Pariis Opera House, earning support from BBC Introducing and BBC 6 Music personalities like Nemone and Lauren Laverne. He also co-wrote and produced with talents such as Jake Gosling and Nuuxs, released solo material under the moniker Hyper Lion, and co-produced Lakes' debut Constance LP. Matt, meanwhile, continued to make waves on the London music scene, undertaking charity projects and collaborating with artists like Roberto Cappellina and Minnie Birch.

Yet, despite years of creative independence, the brothers remained connected through music. Firebird Union is the culmination of that enduring partnership, a project forged over decades despite the geographical distance between London and Los Angeles. All of the band’s music is recorded and produced by Ross and Matt at their personal studios - Admiralty Studios in London and The Gatehouse in Los Angeles.

The Evolution of 'Stand & Wait'

The story of Stand & Wait is as compelling as the song itself. Written around 2005, during the heyday of Cedar, it was conceived in the wake of Coldplay's X&Y - a track striving for the same anthemic quality. However, the band felt it lacked the necessary impact and shelved it, leaving it to resurface only during open mic nights or as an acoustic piece.

Despite its apparent failure, Ross couldn’t shake the feeling that Stand & Wait had something special. Over the years, he found himself repeatedly drawn to it, playing it privately and imagining how it could sound with the right arrangement. In 2019, as Firebird Union began taking shape, Stand & Wait resurfaced, more refined but still incomplete.

The breakthrough came unexpectedly - over coffee, when a counter-melody for strings spontaneously emerged. Realising that the song demanded orchestration to achieve its full potential, Ross meticulously composed the string parts, determined to do the song justice. This decision marked a turning point, with linear strings symbolising movement over the static band elements - chaos atop calm.

A Song Worth Waiting For

After 20 years of development, Stand & Wait has finally emerged as the song it was always meant to be - a testament to persistence and the power of letting creativity mature. Released on 15th May 2025, it embodies the ethos of Firebird Union: crafting music born from shared history, long-distance collaboration, and an unbreakable fraternal bond.

With the track now out in the world, listeners can appreciate the journey behind it. Sometimes, art takes time to ripen, and in the case of Stand & Wait, the years of refinement have paid off, resulting in a song both timeless and profoundly resonant.