Hazel (band)
Encyclopedia
Hazel was an United States
alternative rock
band based in Portland
, Oregon
. The group was a quartet, consisting of Jody Bleyle
(drums and vocals), Pete Krebs (guitar and vocals), Brady Smith (bass), and Fred Nemo (dance).
The group was formed on February 14, 1992. Although based in the Pacific Northwest
and active during the grunge
movement in rock music, Hazel's music was different from most grunge in that it featured both male and female vocals as well as a more melodic sound that could be described as noise pop
. Hazel's music was not particularly intricate musically, relying on a few chords, sheer energy (many songs being played at breakneck speed), and vocal intensity. Rather than singing together in harmony, Krebs and Bleyle often sang completely different parts that answered or intertwined with one another. The majority of lyrics dealt with problems regarding relationships, including the regret and resentment following a breakup ("Everybody's Best Friend") or the anxiety felt while attempting to begin a relationship ("Day Glo").
The group was also notable for featuring the dancer Fred Nemo as a full member. Often dressed in fanciful costumes, Nemo, a tall, bearded man, cavorted crazily about the stage, climbing atop speaker cabinets and swinging heavy objects through the air.
The group released two full-length albums, Toreador of Love and Are You Going to Eat That on the Sub Pop
label. A 5-song EP on CandyAss/Caroline titled Airiana was their last release in 1997. Intermittently plagued by personality conflicts, Hazel formally broke up on February 13, 1997, following their last show in their hometown of Portland, Oregon, though they generally have played a couple of shows a year since then.
As of 2005, Nemo performs with Tara Jane O'Neil
and works as a bicycle
activist in Portland. Krebs, also living in Portland, teaches guitar and performs with a wide assortment of ensembles. Bleyle, now based in Los Angeles
, continues to perform around the United States, including reunion shows with girl punk band Team Dresch
, a duo with her brother Allen called Family Outing, touring with Amy Ray
of the Indigo Girls
, and singing jazz standards in L.A. dives
. Smith is the principal of Validus Preparatory Academy
, a public high school in The Bronx
, New York
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band based in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. The group was a quartet, consisting of Jody Bleyle
Jody Bleyle
Jody Bleyle is an American musician, songwriter and independent record label owner.Jody Bleyle first gained public attention in the Pacific Northwest music scene of the 1990s, in the Portland, Oregon–based band Hazel. The group, formed in 1992, released two albums on the Sub Pop label, to critical...
(drums and vocals), Pete Krebs (guitar and vocals), Brady Smith (bass), and Fred Nemo (dance).
The group was formed on February 14, 1992. Although based in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
and active during the grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
movement in rock music, Hazel's music was different from most grunge in that it featured both male and female vocals as well as a more melodic sound that could be described as noise pop
Noise pop
Noise pop is a subgenre of alternative rock developed in the mid 1980s in the UK and US, that mixes atonal noise or feedback, or both, with the melodic instrumentation and production elements more often found in pop music, making it more melodic and angst-free than noise rock.-History:Noise pop has...
. Hazel's music was not particularly intricate musically, relying on a few chords, sheer energy (many songs being played at breakneck speed), and vocal intensity. Rather than singing together in harmony, Krebs and Bleyle often sang completely different parts that answered or intertwined with one another. The majority of lyrics dealt with problems regarding relationships, including the regret and resentment following a breakup ("Everybody's Best Friend") or the anxiety felt while attempting to begin a relationship ("Day Glo").
The group was also notable for featuring the dancer Fred Nemo as a full member. Often dressed in fanciful costumes, Nemo, a tall, bearded man, cavorted crazily about the stage, climbing atop speaker cabinets and swinging heavy objects through the air.
The group released two full-length albums, Toreador of Love and Are You Going to Eat That on the Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
label. A 5-song EP on CandyAss/Caroline titled Airiana was their last release in 1997. Intermittently plagued by personality conflicts, Hazel formally broke up on February 13, 1997, following their last show in their hometown of Portland, Oregon, though they generally have played a couple of shows a year since then.
As of 2005, Nemo performs with Tara Jane O'Neil
Tara Jane O'Neil
Tara Jane O'Neil is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, audio recording engineer, and visual artist based out of Portland, Oregon.-Biography:...
and works as a bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
activist in Portland. Krebs, also living in Portland, teaches guitar and performs with a wide assortment of ensembles. Bleyle, now based in Los Angeles
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...
, continues to perform around the United States, including reunion shows with girl punk band Team Dresch
Team Dresch
Team Dresch is an American punk band from Portland, Oregon, originally formed in Olympia, Washington, which was initially active from 1993 until 1998. The band made a significant impression on the do-it-yourself movement queercore, which gave voice through zines and music to the passions and...
, a duo with her brother Allen called Family Outing, touring with Amy Ray
Amy Ray
Amy Elizabeth Ray is an American singer-songwriter and member of the contemporary folk duo Indigo Girls. She also pursues a solo career and has released four albums under her own name, and founded a record company, Daemon Records....
of the Indigo Girls
Indigo Girls
The Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duo, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. They met in elementary school and began performing together as high school students in Decatur, Georgia, part of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
, and singing jazz standards in L.A. dives
Dive bar
A dive bar is a type of bar or pub. Dive bars generally have a relaxed and informal atmosphere—they are often referred to by local residents as "neighborhood bars," where people in the neighborhood gather to drink and socialize...
. Smith is the principal of Validus Preparatory Academy
Validus Preparatory Academy
Validus Preparatory Academy is a small public high school in the south Bronx, New York. Founded in 2005, Validus currently enrolls 432 students in grades 9-12....
, a public high school in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, 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...
.
External links
- Hazel page from Sub Pop site
- "The End of Hazel" by Clayton Hollifield
- monkeychicken (includes Hazel archive; maintained by Fred Nemo)