The Hold Steady

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The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival
The Hold Steady at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival
Background information
Origin Flag of the United States Brooklyn, USA
Genre(s) Alternative Rock
Indie rock
Years active 2004–present
Label(s) Vagrant Records
Associated acts Lifter Puller, The World/Inferno Friendship Society
Website http://www.theholdsteady.com/
Members
Bobby Drake
Craig Finn
Tad Kubler
Franz Nicolay
Galen Polivka
Former members
Judd Counsell

The Hold Steady is a Brooklyn-based rock band. Four of its five members have lived in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area, and their Twin Cities roots are frequently reflected in the band's lyrics. The band's style has been described as a "riff-heavy mixture of classic rock," notable for its "lyrically dense storytelling." [1]

To date the band have released three albums - Almost Killed Me (2004), Separation Sunday (2005), and Boys and Girls in America (2006) - with their fourth album, Stay Positive, set to be released on July 14 2008.

Contents

[edit] History

Lead guitarist Tad Kubler and frontman Craig Finn (both formerly of the band Lifter Puller) first had the idea to form The Hold Steady when sitting at home watching The Last Waltz. Finn asked Kubler, "Dude, why aren't there any bands like this anymore? Let's do this from now on."[2]

The band's 2004 debut album Almost Killed Me, released on Frenchkiss Records, was a sleeper hit among music critics, reaching #31 in the Pazz & Jop critics poll that year - an achievement which Finn described as "like being nominated for an Oscar or something."[3] In May 2005, they were the first rock band to grace the front page of The Village Voice in 15 years. The band was Blender's 2006 Band of the Year.

The band in 2005.
The band in 2005.

The band released its second album, Separation Sunday, on May 3, 2005. The album was a loose concept album following the exploits of a character named "Holly" (short for Hallelujah) and her quest to find a balance between Catholicism and rock and roll through drugs and a metaphorical resurrection. The album was critically lauded, and its religious overtones were picked up by many critics, such as the Village Voice who dubbed it "the most egregiously American Catholic album since X's Under the Big Black Sun, Springsteen's Tunnel of Love, or that Jewish new waver Billy Joel's The Stranger. [3]

After Separation Sunday, for its third album the band moved from the Frenchkiss Records imprint to Vagrant Records. Released October 3, 2006, Boys and Girls in America was ranked #8 on the Rolling Stone Best Albums of 2006 list, and first by The A.V. Club. Pitchfork Media's Scott Plagenhoff wrote of the album, "[Craig Finn] not only has a commanding, rousing voice but he also says something worth hearing, displaying gifts for both scope and depth that are all too rare in contemporary rock — indie or mainstream."[4]

The band recorded a modified version of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" to be played during the seventh-inning stretch at Minnesota Twins home games during the 2007 season. [5]

The band's album Stay Positive is currently slated for release on July 14 2008. The album was recorded in Hoboken, New Jersey, and Wild Arctic studio in Queens, New York, with producer John Agnello. Guests on the sessions included Ben Nichols from Lucero and Doug Gillard, who spent some time playing guitar in Guided By Voices. Finn has said that he believes the album "captures a band hitting their creative peak, as well as enjoying each other's creativity and company." [6] According to Rolling Stone the band's latest album is more expansive than previous releases, including talk-box solos, harpsichord and tuneful vocals (the notoriously gruff-voiced Finn started taking voice lessons). "There are some bands that do five records that all sound similar," says guitarist Tad Kubler. "We've tried to avoid that." [7]

[edit] Influences

In interview with Pitchfork Media Craig Finn outlined the band's vast array of influences, ranging from classic rock to folk to hip-hop:

Growing up in Minneapolis, Hüsker Dü was a huge band. I always thought Grant Hart was the better songwriter, and his lyrics were very specific. Bob Mould kind of favored vague lyrics. But as far as detail-oriented songwriters, more contemporary... certainly Bruce Springsteen, Jim Carroll, John Darnielle from The Mountain Goats. A lot of hip-hop really inspires me. My absolute favorite stuff is Brother Ali from Rhymesayers. Atmosphere, obviously. Things like Aesop Rock, Sage Francis, Murs, all those guys. Even Jay-Z. Hip-hop is so much about lyrics, and as a lyricist it's hard not to be inspired by it. [8]

[edit] Songs in other media

  • In 2006, the band's song "Your Little Hoodrat Friend" was featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Project 8.
  • In 2007, the band's song "Stuck Between Stations" appeared on the soundtrack of The Nanny Diaries.[9]
  • In 2008, the band's song "Stuck Between Stations" appeared on the soundtrack in the video game MLB 2K8.
  • Episode 3x09 of the TV series One Tree Hill is titled "How a Resurrection Really Feels".

[edit] Celebrity Followers

Actor Daniel Radcliffe, who has obtained worldwide fame by starring in the Harry Potter movie series, is a big fan of the group and cited them as "the best band this year by far" in a 2007 magazine interview. [10]

Singer/songwriter Jesse Malin covered the song "You Can Make Him Like You" on his covers album, On Your Sleeve. The song was also mis-labelled as "You Can Make Them Like You."

[edit] Members

[edit] Current

Franz Nicolay, Keyboardist
Franz Nicolay, Keyboardist

[edit] Former

  • Judd Counsell – drums

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] EPs

  • Milkcrate Mosh/Hey Hey What Can I Do 7" (2004)
  • The Virgin Digital Sessions (2005)
  • Live at Lollapalooza 2006: The Hold Steady (2006)
  • Live at Fingerprints (2007)

[edit] Singles

  • Chips Ahoy (2006)
  • Sequestered In Memphis (2008)

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Dye, David. The Hold Steady: America's Bar Band. NPR Music.
  2. ^ Master, Dave. Hold Steady returns hope to rock'n'roll : Daily Collegian exclusive interview with Craig Finn. The Daily Collegian.
  3. ^ a b Gross, Joe. The Gospel According to the Hold Steady. Village Voice.
  4. ^ Plagenhoef, Scott. The Hold Steady: Boys and Girls in America review. Pitchfork Media.
  5. ^ Montgomery, James. Hold Steady Pinch-Hitting For Minnesota Twins. MTV News.
  6. ^ The Hold Steady Prepare to Stay Positive. Uncut Magazine.
  7. ^ Spring '08; LPs From Madonna, Coldplay, The Roots, Mudcrutch, Elvis Costello, Usher, Death Cab For Cutie, My Morning Jacket, Weezer and Dozens More. Rolling Stone Magazine.
  8. ^ Howe, Brian. Interview: The Hold Steady. Pitchfork Media.
  9. ^ Pitchfork: Yes, Hold Steady Are on The Nanny Diaries Soundtrack. Pitchfork Media.
  10. ^ Harry Potter reveals his favourite band. NME.
  11. ^ Template:Url= http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/news/48851-the-new-hold-steady-album-istay-positivei

[edit] References

  1. Matt Schild (February 16, 2003). Steady As She Goes. Aversion
  2. Joe Gross (May 2, 2005). The Gospel according to the Hold Steady. The Village Voice.
  3. Brian Howe (May 16, 2005). Interview: The Hold Steady. Pitchfork Media.
  4. (May 18, 2005). The Hold Steady, Separation Sunday. Billboard.

http://www.nme.com/news/the-hold-steady/29811

[edit] External links

v • d • e
The Hold Steady
Bobby Drake · Craig Finn · Tad Kubler · Franz Nicolay · Galen Polivka
Studio albums
EPs
Milkcrate Mosh/Hey Hey What Can I Do · The Virgin Digital Sessions · Live at Lollapalooza 2006: The Hold Steady · Live at Fingerprints
Languages