appearances on national TV. The lead single, "At First Sight" (February), appeared on the soundtrack of the movie Young Einstein in December 1988. Mariani wrote the track and its follow up singles, "For Always" (May 1987) and "Sad Girl" (September). "Sad Girl" was premiered in a performance on TV pop show Countdown on 12 July 1987 – the show's second-last episode, which was co-hosted by Kylie Minogue and Mike Hammond. On 31 August 1987 The Stems played what turned out to be their last gig. In October of that year, a proposed six-week European tour was cancelled and the group disbanded. McFarlane wrote; "by that time they had developed into one of the best live bands on the Australian scene". In October 2009 Mariani told The Ages Michael Dwyer, "we were on the charts, getting airplay, very popular. But within the band there was a bit of burnout ... you have these moments where you can't stop thinking negatively and I kept picturing myself pushing a van in the snow. I thought, 'I don't want to be doing that. I'm getting out of here'". The Huffington Posts Holly Cara Price described the group as "one of the most tuneful and tasty garage rock bands of the era. Avid fans of pop, R&B and 60's garage punk, their predilection translated to great punchy songs". The Stems line-up of Mariani, Lane, Matthews and Shaw played a reunion gig in Fremantle in late February 1997. Adam Connors for The Australian recalled that; "since the disbandment their simple yet unassailable songsmithery endeared them to a huge European music public and propelled them on to play the final Countdown". At the reunion he noted Shaw's drumming was "fluid and driving", Mathews played "his bass like he was oiling a bat", while Mariani and Lane showcased their "fuzzed-out appliances and Beach Boys bah bah bahs". In 2002 Off the Hip Records issued The Great Stems Hoax – A Tribute to The Stems, which had 19 cover versions of Stems songs performed by various artists. The Ages Patrick Donovan noted the album "highlighted the band's continuing influence" as the contributors were from Australia, Europe and the U.S.A. In March 2003 The Stems the line-up of Mariani, Chambers, Lane and Matthews reformed for a national tour. They performed periodically over subsequent years making regular treks to both Europe, America and the east coast of Australia. In 2007 they