Harvey Danger
Encyclopedia
Harvey Danger was an American
indie rock
band that formed in Seattle
, Washington in 1993, and rose to prominence in 1998 with the single "Flagpole Sitta
." On August 29, 2009, the band played its final show at the Crocodile Cafe
in Seattle.
classmates Lin and Huffman deciding "it might be fun to start a band." Taking their name from a phrase graffiti
ed onto the wall of the UW student newspaper office, the duo played house parties and bars as they were until the following year, when they invited Evan Sult to be their drummer. Despite his complete lack of drumming experience, Sult agreed, bringing along his own similarly-inexperienced classmate Sean Nelson
.
The foursome played their first show on April 21, 1994 at the now-defunct Lake Union Pub; Sult and Nelson, both under 21, were only permitted entry during the set. That summer, the band moved into Nelson's student house together and began holding band practices in the basement. The band had little money and their drum set for their first few shows consisted of nothing more than a laundry bucket, 3 hubcaps, and a jar of pickles. More shows at the Lake Union Pub and other low-rent Seattle clubs followed, leading to exposure in The Seattle Times.
As the band began playing more shows at increasingly reputable venues, their songwriting gained momentum. In 1995, the band produced a six-song demo tape
, sold at shows for $3. When three-quarters of the group became unemployed in 1996, they decided to devote yet more attention to the band, moving to another house and renting a rehearsal space. Their shows continued to improve, to the point of becoming regular weekend performers at the Crocodile Cafe
.
The band recorded a three-track demo tape with producer John Goodmanson
, a demo tape which drew attention from some generally uninterested major labels and the very interested Greg Glover, a London Records
intern who ran his own small label, the Arena Rock Recording Co.
. Glover expressed interest in releasing a 7"
single, and Harvey Danger provided him with an additional three songs—including "Flagpole Sitta
"—also recorded with Goodmanson. On the strength of these, Glover agreed to bankroll a full-length album.
was released in July 1997 to local critical acclaim. The record performed well on college radio charts, and sold steadily in Seattle and New York
, among other cities. By the end of the year, however, the band felt as though the record had lost its momentum and the group began to contemplate breaking up. Shortly before taking January 1998 off to contemplate their future, Nelson gave a copy of Merrymakers to a KNDD
DJ
. Within weeks, "Flagpole Sitta" had become KNDD's most-requested song.
Influential L.A.
radio station KROQ-FM
picked the track up, and stations across the country shortly followed suit. When Greg Glover of Arena Rock Recording Co.
was hired at Slash/London Records, Harvey Danger were signed to the label. "Flagpole Sitta" made Billboard magazine's Top 40, and appeared in a number of films and television shows. Its video got heavy rotation on MTV
and VH1
. The song also became famous globally as one of the most memorable songs on the soundtrack
for the film American Pie
, despite not being on the official soundtrack sold in stores. It also appeared in the movie Disturbing Behavior
and its trailer. More recently, the song was used as the opening theme to the British sitcom Peep Show
for the second series and onwards.
The band toured extensively from March through December 1998, playing headlining and support gigs with some of the most popular artists of the year, and appearing at many radio festivals. Merrymakerss second single, "Private Helicopter," was released in the fall of 1998 to lukewarm reception, and in December, Harvey Danger began writing songs for their follow-up album.
, near Woodstock, New York
. Slash/London was unusually uninvolved in the recording process, a harbinger of what was to come. After three weeks of recording at Bearsville and several more weeks of recording and mixing in Seattle and Los Angeles, the band submitted the record, King James Version
, to their label, and waited. What the band refers to as "elaborate corporate reshuffling" began almost immediately after they finished their album: mergers and acquisitions among record labels left them and their record in limbo for over a year, not knowing to whom they were signed, nor when KJV would be released.
Attempts to release the album on then-fledgling indie label Barsuk Records
fell through due to legal complications, a tour with The Pretenders
fell through due to lack of label support, and, just when the band was about to give up, newly-reorganized London/Sire Records released King James Version on September 12, 2000. Reviews were strong, but buzz was almost nonexistent: sales of the album were slow, and the single "Sad Sweetheart of the Rodeo" performed poorly on radio and MTV. For the album's supporting tour, Nevada Bachelors
guitarist Mike Squires
was added as the group's live guitarist as well as The Western State Hurricanes
founder John Roderick on keyboard.
Harvey Danger played a "final" show in Portland on April 21, 2001, seven years to the day after their first show, and quietly disbanded for an indefinite period.
and Aaron Huffman formed the group Love Hotel
. Sean Nelson recorded and toured with The Long Winters
, the group formed by former Harvey Danger live member John Roderick, and worked on solo material, sometimes with Lin and Huffman (actually recording several unreleased songs, among them covers of songs written by Harry Nilsson
for a future release entitled Nelson Sings Nilsson). He wrote for the weekly alternative Seattle newspaper, The Stranger
; Nelson also became a partner in Barsuk Records and a DJ for Seattle's KEXP
. The idea of reforming Harvey Danger was raised several times, but rejected.
's Ira Elliot
accompanying on drums. The session went so well that the trio agreed to begin writing music together—with "no strings attached". Sult, busy in Chicago, was unable to return, but sent his blessing for Harvey Danger's reincarnation.
April 21, 2004 saw both the 10th anniversary of Harvey Danger and their first show since 2001. With Nada Surf opening and Elliot again filling in on drums, the band played Seattle's Crocodile Cafe to a rapturous audience. Die-hard fans and long time message board members flew cross-country, from as far away as Middletown, NY, Cleveland, Florida
and Baltimore
to witness the long awaited reunion. The show also previewed songs that would be part of the new album: "Moral Centralia," "Wine, Women, and Song," and "War Buddies." More live shows followed, including appearances at the Sasquatch Festival and Bumbershoot.
Free of pressure, expectations, and a major label, the band found itself renewed and rededicated to making music. They recruited Seattle-based drummer Michael Welke, formalized their return as a band, and performed with their new lineup at the Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle in the summer of 2004. The year ended with the self-release of a five-song EP, Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas (Sometimes)
and another sold-out show at the Crocodile.
In February 2005, Harvey Danger entered Robert Lang Studios to record their third album. Joining them again was Goodmanson, accompanied by Steve Fisk
. The recording process ran smoothly, and Little By Little...
was released on September 13, 2005, five years and one day after King James Version.
-based label Kill Rock Stars
rereleased Little by Little... with a slightly altered track listing (songs on the bonus disc and main album swapped places). This release was much more widely available, and the band set out on its first national tour in five years in support of the album.
On October 10, 2006, Barsuk Records
released "Little Round Mirrors
" as a maxi-single/EP
with four B-sides.
Reviews of the album were mixed, but mostly positive. Pitchfork Media gave the album 6.9 (of a possible 10); [ Allmusic] granted 3.5 (of a possible 5); PopMatters wrote: "If Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone is a rebellious kid kicking over trashcans in his neighborhood, then Little by Little seems to be that kid all grown up, taking out the trash, putting the lid on tightly, getting in his Jetta
, and driving to work." Treble.com wrote: "Little by Little is one of the most pleasantly surprising albums of the year and one that truly displays the intricate and clever songwriting of a band in its prime." Threeimaginarygirls.com said: "Little By Little... deals with complex issues like politics, religion, and relationships on an intelligent level that's both challenging and accessible." The album's first single, "Cream and Bastards Rise," made Rolling Stone's "Hot List." It was also released as a downloadable song for the "Rock Band" video game series on Oct. 7, 2008.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band that formed in Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, Washington in 1993, and rose to prominence in 1998 with the single "Flagpole Sitta
Flagpole Sitta
"Flagpole Sitta" is a song by American rock band Harvey Danger from their 1997 debut album, Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone?. It was released as a single in April 1998. The song gained popularity after Sean Nelson gave a copy of the album to a KNDD DJ. Shortly after this, it was picked up by...
." On August 29, 2009, the band played its final show at the Crocodile Cafe
Crocodile Cafe
The Crocodile is a music club at 2200 2nd Avenue at Blanchard Street in the neighborhood of Belltown in Seattle, Washington, USA. Opened as the "Crocodile Cafe" on April 30, 1991 by Stephanie Dorgan, it quickly became a fixture on the local music scene. It closed on December 15, 2007...
in Seattle.
(1992–1996) Early years
Harvey Danger began in 1992 with University of WashingtonUniversity of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
classmates Lin and Huffman deciding "it might be fun to start a band." Taking their name from a phrase graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
ed onto the wall of the UW student newspaper office, the duo played house parties and bars as they were until the following year, when they invited Evan Sult to be their drummer. Despite his complete lack of drumming experience, Sult agreed, bringing along his own similarly-inexperienced classmate Sean Nelson
Sean Nelson
Sean Nelson is an American singer, songwriter, and keyboardist, notable as the frontman for the alternative rock group Harvey Danger.- Career :...
.
The foursome played their first show on April 21, 1994 at the now-defunct Lake Union Pub; Sult and Nelson, both under 21, were only permitted entry during the set. That summer, the band moved into Nelson's student house together and began holding band practices in the basement. The band had little money and their drum set for their first few shows consisted of nothing more than a laundry bucket, 3 hubcaps, and a jar of pickles. More shows at the Lake Union Pub and other low-rent Seattle clubs followed, leading to exposure in The Seattle Times.
As the band began playing more shows at increasingly reputable venues, their songwriting gained momentum. In 1995, the band produced a six-song demo tape
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
, sold at shows for $3. When three-quarters of the group became unemployed in 1996, they decided to devote yet more attention to the band, moving to another house and renting a rehearsal space. Their shows continued to improve, to the point of becoming regular weekend performers at the Crocodile Cafe
Crocodile Cafe
The Crocodile is a music club at 2200 2nd Avenue at Blanchard Street in the neighborhood of Belltown in Seattle, Washington, USA. Opened as the "Crocodile Cafe" on April 30, 1991 by Stephanie Dorgan, it quickly became a fixture on the local music scene. It closed on December 15, 2007...
.
The band recorded a three-track demo tape with producer John Goodmanson
John Goodmanson
John Goodmanson is an American recording engineer and indie rock record producer.-Selected discography:*Aiden "Conviction " *Simple Plan "Crash and Burn"...
, a demo tape which drew attention from some generally uninterested major labels and the very interested Greg Glover, a London Records
London Records
London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
intern who ran his own small label, the Arena Rock Recording Co.
Arena Rock Recording Co.
The Arena Rock Recording Company is an independent record label based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Albums are distributed by Redeye in the United States and Koch in Canada.-History:...
. Glover expressed interest in releasing a 7"
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
single, and Harvey Danger provided him with an additional three songs—including "Flagpole Sitta
Flagpole Sitta
"Flagpole Sitta" is a song by American rock band Harvey Danger from their 1997 debut album, Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone?. It was released as a single in April 1998. The song gained popularity after Sean Nelson gave a copy of the album to a KNDD DJ. Shortly after this, it was picked up by...
"—also recorded with Goodmanson. On the strength of these, Glover agreed to bankroll a full-length album.
(1997–1998) Success
Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone?Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone?
Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? is Harvey Danger's first full album. It was released by Slash Records, Arena Rock Recording Co. and Island Records on July 29, 1997...
was released in July 1997 to local critical acclaim. The record performed well on college radio charts, and sold steadily in Seattle and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, among other cities. By the end of the year, however, the band felt as though the record had lost its momentum and the group began to contemplate breaking up. Shortly before taking January 1998 off to contemplate their future, Nelson gave a copy of Merrymakers to a KNDD
KNDD
KNDD , also known as "107.7 The End", is an alternative rock radio station in Seattle, Washington. It is operated by Entercom Communications Its studios are located in the Metropolitan Park West tower between Downtown and South Lake Union in Seattle...
DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
. Within weeks, "Flagpole Sitta" had become KNDD's most-requested song.
Influential L.A.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
radio station KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
picked the track up, and stations across the country shortly followed suit. When Greg Glover of Arena Rock Recording Co.
Arena Rock Recording Co.
The Arena Rock Recording Company is an independent record label based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Albums are distributed by Redeye in the United States and Koch in Canada.-History:...
was hired at Slash/London Records, Harvey Danger were signed to the label. "Flagpole Sitta" made Billboard magazine's Top 40, and appeared in a number of films and television shows. Its video got heavy rotation on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
. The song also became famous globally as one of the most memorable songs on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
for the film American Pie
American Pie (film)
American Pie is a 1999 teen comedy film written by Adam Herz. American Pie was the directorial film debut of brothers Paul and Chris Weitz, and the first film in the American Pie film series...
, despite not being on the official soundtrack sold in stores. It also appeared in the movie Disturbing Behavior
Disturbing Behavior
Disturbing Behavior is a 1998 thriller science fiction film starring James Marsden, Katie Holmes, and Nick Stahl. The film was released on July 24, 1998. The plot follows a group of high school outcasts who are horrified by their "Blue Ribbon" classmates...
and its trailer. More recently, the song was used as the opening theme to the British sitcom Peep Show
Peep Show (TV series)
Peep Show is a British sitcom starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. The television programme is written by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, with additional material by Mitchell and Webb themselves, amongst others. It has been broadcast on Channel 4 since 2003. The show's seventh series makes it...
for the second series and onwards.
The band toured extensively from March through December 1998, playing headlining and support gigs with some of the most popular artists of the year, and appearing at many radio festivals. Merrymakerss second single, "Private Helicopter," was released in the fall of 1998 to lukewarm reception, and in December, Harvey Danger began writing songs for their follow-up album.
(1999–2001) Commercial decline
Harvey Danger began production of their second album in March 1999 at Albert Grossman's Bearsville StudiosBearsville Studios
Bearsville Studios was a recording studio at Bearsville, New York just west of Woodstock, New York.The studio was opened in 1969 by Albert Grossman, manager of Bob Dylan, The Band, Janis Joplin and Todd Rundgren....
, near Woodstock, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Slash/London was unusually uninvolved in the recording process, a harbinger of what was to come. After three weeks of recording at Bearsville and several more weeks of recording and mixing in Seattle and Los Angeles, the band submitted the record, King James Version
King James Version (album)
King James Version, originally released by Sire Records on September 12, 2000, is the second full-length album by alternative rock band Harvey Danger. Although it garnered critical acclaim, it failed to produce a hit song, unlike the earlier Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone?...
, to their label, and waited. What the band refers to as "elaborate corporate reshuffling" began almost immediately after they finished their album: mergers and acquisitions among record labels left them and their record in limbo for over a year, not knowing to whom they were signed, nor when KJV would be released.
Attempts to release the album on then-fledgling indie label Barsuk Records
Barsuk Records
Barsuk Records is an independent record label based in Seattle, Washington, started and still managed by the members of the band This Busy Monster, Christopher Possanza and Josh Rosenfeld, who created the label in 1994 to release their band's material. Its logo is a drawing of a dog holding a...
fell through due to legal complications, a tour with The Pretenders
The Pretenders
The Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...
fell through due to lack of label support, and, just when the band was about to give up, newly-reorganized London/Sire Records released King James Version on September 12, 2000. Reviews were strong, but buzz was almost nonexistent: sales of the album were slow, and the single "Sad Sweetheart of the Rodeo" performed poorly on radio and MTV. For the album's supporting tour, Nevada Bachelors
Nevada Bachelors
Nevada Bachelors were an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1997. The band's lineup consisted of Robb Benson , Mike Squires and Ben Brunn . Dusty Hayes was the band's drummer from their formation until 1999, and was replaced by Jason Finn...
guitarist Mike Squires
Mike Squires (musician)
Mike Squires is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist in the hard rock group Loaded, the group led by Velvet Revolver and former Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan....
was added as the group's live guitarist as well as The Western State Hurricanes
The Western State Hurricanes
The Western State Hurricanes was a short-lived Seattle-based indie rock band in the late 1990s. It is best known as a precursor to the more successful group the Long Winters: both bands were fronted by songwriter John Roderick, and many Western State Hurricanes songs were later revamped into Long...
founder John Roderick on keyboard.
Harvey Danger played a "final" show in Portland on April 21, 2001, seven years to the day after their first show, and quietly disbanded for an indefinite period.
(2001–2003) Hiatus
During the hiatus Jeff Lin returned to school, Evan Sult relocated to Chicago and joined the band Bound StemsBound Stems
Bound Stems was an indie rock band with math rock influences from Chicago, Illinois. The band's members were Bobby Gallivan , Dan Fleury , Dan Radzicki , Evan Sult , and Janie Porche ....
and Aaron Huffman formed the group Love Hotel
Love Hotel
is a 1985 Japanese pink film in Nikkatsu's Roman porno series, directed by Shinji Sōmai and starring Noriko Hayami.-Synopsis:When businessman Tetsuro Muraki has his company go bankrupt and his wife Ryoko is raped by gangsters who use her body to pay off his debts, he succumbs to despair...
. Sean Nelson recorded and toured with The Long Winters
The Long Winters
The Long Winters is an American indie rock band based in Seattle, Washington.-Early history:Singer-songwriter John Roderick was born in Seattle, Washington, and grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. He later returned to Seattle, formed the Bun Family Players and the The Western State Hurricanes...
, the group formed by former Harvey Danger live member John Roderick, and worked on solo material, sometimes with Lin and Huffman (actually recording several unreleased songs, among them covers of songs written by Harry Nilsson
Harry Nilsson
Harry Edward Nilsson III was an American singer-songwriter who achieved the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. On all but his earliest recordings he is credited as Nilsson...
for a future release entitled Nelson Sings Nilsson). He wrote for the weekly alternative Seattle newspaper, The Stranger
The Stranger (newspaper)
The Stranger is an alternative weekly newspaper in Seattle, Washington, USA. It runs a blog known as Slog.-History:The Stranger was founded by Tim Keck, who had previously co-founded the satirical newspaper The Onion, and cartoonist James Sturm. Its first issue came out on September 23, 1991...
; Nelson also became a partner in Barsuk Records and a DJ for Seattle's KEXP
KEXP
KEXP-FM is a public radio station based in Seattle, Washington, that specializes in alternative and indie rock programmed by its disc jockeys. Its broadcasting license is owned by the University of Washington, which operates the station in a partnership with Paul Allen's Experience Music Project...
. The idea of reforming Harvey Danger was raised several times, but rejected.
(2004–2005) Reunion
Nelson, Huffman, and Lin entered a studio together for the first time in three years to record two new song ideas, with Nada SurfNada Surf
Nada Surf is an American alternative rock band. Formed in 1992, the New York band consists of Matthew Caws , Ira Elliot and Daniel Lorca .-Early years:...
's Ira Elliot
Ira Elliot
Ira Sebastian Elliot is the drummer of the NYC band Nada Surf. He was named after Ira Gershwin and Johan Sebastian Bach...
accompanying on drums. The session went so well that the trio agreed to begin writing music together—with "no strings attached". Sult, busy in Chicago, was unable to return, but sent his blessing for Harvey Danger's reincarnation.
April 21, 2004 saw both the 10th anniversary of Harvey Danger and their first show since 2001. With Nada Surf opening and Elliot again filling in on drums, the band played Seattle's Crocodile Cafe to a rapturous audience. Die-hard fans and long time message board members flew cross-country, from as far away as Middletown, NY, Cleveland, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
to witness the long awaited reunion. The show also previewed songs that would be part of the new album: "Moral Centralia," "Wine, Women, and Song," and "War Buddies." More live shows followed, including appearances at the Sasquatch Festival and Bumbershoot.
Free of pressure, expectations, and a major label, the band found itself renewed and rededicated to making music. They recruited Seattle-based drummer Michael Welke, formalized their return as a band, and performed with their new lineup at the Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle in the summer of 2004. The year ended with the self-release of a five-song EP, Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas (Sometimes)
Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas (Sometimes)
Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas is an EP that was released by Harvey Danger in December 2004 on the band's own label, Phonographic Records...
and another sold-out show at the Crocodile.
In February 2005, Harvey Danger entered Robert Lang Studios to record their third album. Joining them again was Goodmanson, accompanied by Steve Fisk
Steve Fisk
Steve Fisk is a Washington-based audio engineer, record producer and musician.Fisk joined the instrumental rock band Pell Mell in 1982. With vocalist Shawn Smith, he formed Pigeonhed, which released its first album in 1993....
. The recording process ran smoothly, and Little By Little...
Little by Little...
Little by Little... is the third and final full-length album by Harvey Danger. It was the band's first and only record without drummer Evan Sult.-Release:...
was released on September 13, 2005, five years and one day after King James Version.
(2006) Little by Little... Lives On
On July 25, 2006, OlympiaOlympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
-based label Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission...
rereleased Little by Little... with a slightly altered track listing (songs on the bonus disc and main album swapped places). This release was much more widely available, and the band set out on its first national tour in five years in support of the album.
On October 10, 2006, Barsuk Records
Barsuk Records
Barsuk Records is an independent record label based in Seattle, Washington, started and still managed by the members of the band This Busy Monster, Christopher Possanza and Josh Rosenfeld, who created the label in 1994 to release their band's material. Its logo is a drawing of a dog holding a...
released "Little Round Mirrors
Little Round Mirrors
Little Round Mirrors is an EP by Harvey Danger. It was released on Barsuk Records on October 10, 2006. The title track comes from their album Little by Little.... The second track, "Oh! You Pretty Things" is a live cover of a David Bowie song...
" as a maxi-single/EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
with four B-sides.
(2009) Breakup
On May 28, 2009, the band announced, "After 15 years, three albums, hundreds of shows, and far more twists and turns than we ever imagined possible, we've decided to put Harvey Danger to rest. The decision is totally mutual and utterly amicable." Harvey Danger played eight farewell shows in August, the last three of them in Seattle. The band closed with the last song it wrote, "The Show Must Not Go On". The song has since been made available for download on their website.Internet release of Little By Little...
Citing "a long-held sense that the practice now being demonized by the music biz as 'illegal' file sharing can be a friend to the independent musician," Harvey Danger released their third album, Little By Little..., as a free download via BitTorrent a week after its release, and directly from the band's website (mp3) a week after that. Within two months of release, the album had been downloaded 100,000 times, while the first pressing of physical copies (packaged with a disc of bonus material) had nearly sold out.Reviews of the album were mixed, but mostly positive. Pitchfork Media gave the album 6.9 (of a possible 10); [ Allmusic] granted 3.5 (of a possible 5); PopMatters wrote: "If Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone is a rebellious kid kicking over trashcans in his neighborhood, then Little by Little seems to be that kid all grown up, taking out the trash, putting the lid on tightly, getting in his Jetta
Volkswagen Jetta
Although the Golf had reached considerable success, in the North American markets, Volkswagen observed that the hatchback body style lacked some of the appeal to those who preferred the traditional three-box configuration...
, and driving to work." Treble.com wrote: "Little by Little is one of the most pleasantly surprising albums of the year and one that truly displays the intricate and clever songwriting of a band in its prime." Threeimaginarygirls.com said: "Little By Little... deals with complex issues like politics, religion, and relationships on an intelligent level that's both challenging and accessible." The album's first single, "Cream and Bastards Rise," made Rolling Stone's "Hot List." It was also released as a downloadable song for the "Rock Band" video game series on Oct. 7, 2008.
Internet release of "Dead Sea Scrolls" and "The Show Must Not Go On"
Recently Harvey Danger officially released The Dead Sea Scrolls B-side collection and final single "The Show Must Not Go On" for free on their website.Members
- Sean NelsonSean NelsonSean Nelson is an American singer, songwriter, and keyboardist, notable as the frontman for the alternative rock group Harvey Danger.- Career :...
– vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
(1993–2009) - Jeff J. Lin – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
(1992–2009) - Aaron Huffman – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, guitar (1992–2009) - Evan Sult – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1993–2001) - Michael Welke – drums (2004–2009)
- Rob Knop – keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(2005–2009)
Live members
- Mike SquiresMike Squires (musician)Mike Squires is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist in the hard rock group Loaded, the group led by Velvet Revolver and former Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan....
– guitar (2000–2001) - John Roderick – keyboards (2000–2001)
Albums
| Year | Title | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Harvey Danger [K7] | ||
| 1997 | Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? is Harvey Danger's first full album. It was released by Slash Records, Arena Rock Recording Co. and Island Records on July 29, 1997... |
Arena Rock Recording Co. Arena Rock Recording Co. The Arena Rock Recording Company is an independent record label based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Albums are distributed by Redeye in the United States and Koch in Canada.-History:... /London London Records London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label.... /Slash Slash Records Slash Records is a record label in Los Angeles, originally specializing in local and punk rock bands.The label was formed in 1978 by Bob Biggs as an outgrowth of the Los Angeles-based fanzine, Slash. Biggs, a painter, initiated the label with a seven-inch single from The Germs in 1978. A full album... |
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| 1999 | 200 Cigarettes: Music from the Motion Picture 200 Cigarettes 200 Cigarettes is a 1999 comedy-drama film starring Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Dave Chappelle, Guillermo Díaz, Angela Featherstone, Janeane Garofalo, Gaby Hoffman, Kate Hudson, Courtney Love, Jay Mohr, Martha Plimpton, Christina Ricci and Paul Rudd. The film also features paintings by Sally... |
Polygram | Covers "Save It for Later" by The English Beat. |
| 2000 | King James Version King James Version (album) King James Version, originally released by Sire Records on September 12, 2000, is the second full-length album by alternative rock band Harvey Danger. Although it garnered critical acclaim, it failed to produce a hit song, unlike the earlier Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone?... |
London/Sire London-Sire Records London-Sire Records was an American-based record label owned by Warner Music Group, created in 2000 with the merging of Sire Records and London Records. Seymour Stein remained at the helm as CEO. The binding of the two companies, however, proved to be largely unsuccessful... |
Covers "Underground" by This Busy Monster This Busy Monster This Busy Monster is an indie band that was formed in the early 1990s. They are known for their unconventional song structures and eclectic instrumentation . Their three full-length albums, Like Icicles, The Curious Sofa and Fireworks, accompany many singles and EPs. Their name is taken from a ... . |
| 2000 | Harvey Danger [EP] | London/Sire London-Sire Records London-Sire Records was an American-based record label owned by Warner Music Group, created in 2000 with the merging of Sire Records and London Records. Seymour Stein remained at the helm as CEO. The binding of the two companies, however, proved to be largely unsuccessful... |
Circuit City exclusive. |
| 2004 | Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas (Sometimes) Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas (Sometimes) Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas is an EP that was released by Harvey Danger in December 2004 on the band's own label, Phonographic Records... [EP] |
Phonographic | Not sold in stores. |
| 2005 | Little by Little... Little by Little... Little by Little... is the third and final full-length album by Harvey Danger. It was the band's first and only record without drummer Evan Sult.-Release:... |
Phonographic/Kill Rock Stars Kill Rock Stars Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission... |
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| 2005 | Cream and Bastards Rise [EP] | Kill Rock Stars Kill Rock Stars Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission... |
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| 2006 | Little Round Mirrors Little Round Mirrors Little Round Mirrors is an EP by Harvey Danger. It was released on Barsuk Records on October 10, 2006. The title track comes from their album Little by Little.... The second track, "Oh! You Pretty Things" is a live cover of a David Bowie song... [EP] |
Barsuk Barsuk Records Barsuk Records is an independent record label based in Seattle, Washington, started and still managed by the members of the band This Busy Monster, Christopher Possanza and Josh Rosenfeld, who created the label in 1994 to release their band's material. Its logo is a drawing of a dog holding a... |
Covers "Oh! You Pretty Things Oh! You Pretty Things "Oh! You Pretty Things" is a song written by David Bowie in 1971 for the album Hunky Dory. It opens with only Rick Wakeman's piano and Bowie's vocal, before entering the catchy refrain. The simple piano style is often compared to The Beatles' "Martha My Dear"... " by David Bowie David Bowie David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s... . |
| 2009 | Dead Sea Scrolls | Phonographic | Not sold in stores. |
Singles
| Year | Title | U.S. Hot 100 Airplay Hot 100 Airplay The Hot 100 Airplay chart is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It measures radio airplay, and is one of the three component charts, along with the Hot Singles Sales and the Hot Digital Songs charts, that determine the chart positions of singles on the Billboard... |
U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
U.S. Modern Rock Tracks Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs... |
CAN Alt RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | "Flagpole Sitta Flagpole Sitta "Flagpole Sitta" is a song by American rock band Harvey Danger from their 1997 debut album, Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone?. It was released as a single in April 1998. The song gained popularity after Sean Nelson gave a copy of the album to a KNDD DJ. Shortly after this, it was picked up by... " |
38 | 33 | 3 | 9 | Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? is Harvey Danger's first full album. It was released by Slash Records, Arena Rock Recording Co. and Island Records on July 29, 1997... |
| "Private Helicopter" | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1999 | "Save It for Later" | - | - | 29 | - | 200 Cigarettes: Music from the Motion Picture 200 Cigarettes 200 Cigarettes is a 1999 comedy-drama film starring Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Dave Chappelle, Guillermo Díaz, Angela Featherstone, Janeane Garofalo, Gaby Hoffman, Kate Hudson, Courtney Love, Jay Mohr, Martha Plimpton, Christina Ricci and Paul Rudd. The film also features paintings by Sally... |
| 2000 | "Sad Sweetheart of the Rodeo" | - | - | 27 | - | King James Version King James Version (album) King James Version, originally released by Sire Records on September 12, 2000, is the second full-length album by alternative rock band Harvey Danger. Although it garnered critical acclaim, it failed to produce a hit song, unlike the earlier Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone?... |
| 2001 | "Authenticity" | - | - | - | - | |
| 2005 | "Cream and Bastards Rise" | - | - | - | - | Little by Little... Little by Little... Little by Little... is the third and final full-length album by Harvey Danger. It was the band's first and only record without drummer Evan Sult.-Release:... |
| 2006 | "Little Round Mirrors" | - | - | - | - | |
| 2009 | "The Show Must Not Go On" | - | - | - | - | Download Only |
External links
- Harvey Danger's official site
- Rock and Roll McDonald's, Jeff J. Lin's blog, with background information and analysis on the free release of Little By Little....
- Harvey Danger collection at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
's live music archive - [ Harvey Danger on Allmusic]
- Review of Where have all the merrymakers gone?
- Harvey Danger interview with Globecat Music Blog 06/21/08