Hose (band)
Encyclopedia
Hose is an "artcore" band from the 1980s founded by producer and Def Jam creator Rick Rubin
. Hose's 12-inch EP
was the first recording released with the Def Jam logo.
's Weinstein Dorm by guitarist Rick Rubin, bassist Warren Bell, drummer Joel Horne, and lead singer Rick Rosen, this early "artcore" band was often touted as the East Coast's answer to Flipper
. The band's slow-paced, blues-influenced sound was mostly designed and produced by Rubin, who embodied the best of the era's DIY attitude that continued on to his later career as a top record producer and rock tastemaker. The first recording was a 12-inch EP (or SLP for "short long play") produced in a dorm activity room with a basic "boombox
" and a single microphone. The initial release featured a jacket with Rubin's interpretation of a Mondrian
-inspired design that held to his production idea that bass and drums provided structure and guitars and vocals added color to a song. The album mixed originals with slowed-down covers of pop soul tunes like Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing
", and Rick James
' "Superfreak". Early shows by Hose saw neophyte bassist Bell playing in a seated position, an Electrolux
vacuum mic'ed offstage to add white noise and singer Rosen aggressively entering the audience in an athletic, pre-mosh pit fashion. Both the band and album received critical praise from reviewer Robert Christgau
.
-like off-beat to the band's back end. During this period, Hose recorded a 7-inch single that became Def Jam's official first recording. On the vinyl: "Mobo," a cover of an obscure French disco song, "Girls," a 20-second hardcore thrash, and "Zoo," a dumbed-down version of the folk song "We're All Going to the Zoo Tomorrow." The single was, again, produced by Rubin (this time in a Long Island City studio)and was released with gouged etchings by Espindle in the center instead of a label and was shipped in a brown paper bag with stickers. NME
ran a positive review of the single soon after its release. Bassists during this time shifted between Bell, dorm-friends Steve Williams and Tony Scheitinger, and a pick-up bassist for a San Francisco tour simply known as "Sweet." The band also played and toured heavily at this time, sharing the stage with the likes of Hüsker Dü
, the Meat Puppets, the Butthole Surfers
, the Circle Jerks, Red Kross, Shark Attack
and MDC
.
. CBS passed on Hose, but picked up projects like the Beastie Boys
and other rap-related acts. The band recorded its final songs, "Down by the River" and a cover of Led Zeppelin
's "How Many More Times?" as part of Touch and Go Records
' "God's Favorite Dog" compilation (which included bands like Happy Flowers
, Big Black
and the Butthole Surfers
). The songs were recorded with Steve Ett, who would become Rubin's go-to-guy for producing, in what would later become Chung King House of Metal
studios made famous by the Beastie Boys and other acts. Hose's last performance together was at Irving Plaza
in 1986 with the Butthole Surfers with Rubin, Goft, Espindle and Williams.
Rick Rubin
Frederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
. Hose's 12-inch 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...
was the first recording released with the Def Jam logo.
Overview
Although largely notable simply as an early Rick Rubin project, Hose's position as an outsider, inventive rock band--a progenitor to the self-fueled alternative rock and grunge movements--deserves it own consideration.The Founding
Founded in 1981 at New York UniversityNew York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's Weinstein Dorm by guitarist Rick Rubin, bassist Warren Bell, drummer Joel Horne, and lead singer Rick Rosen, this early "artcore" band was often touted as the East Coast's answer to Flipper
Flipper (band)
Flipper is a punk band formed in San Francisco, California in 1979, continuing in often erratic fashion until the mid-1990s, then reuniting in 2005. The band influenced a number of grunge,, punk rock and noise rock bands...
. The band's slow-paced, blues-influenced sound was mostly designed and produced by Rubin, who embodied the best of the era's DIY attitude that continued on to his later career as a top record producer and rock tastemaker. The first recording was a 12-inch EP (or SLP for "short long play") produced in a dorm activity room with a basic "boombox
Boombox
Boombox is a colloquial expression for a portable cassette or CD player. Other terms known are ghetto blaster, jambox, or radio-cassette. It is a device capable of receiving radio stations and playing recorded music , usually at relatively high volume...
" and a single microphone. The initial release featured a jacket with Rubin's interpretation of a Mondrian
Piet Mondrian
Pieter Cornelis "Piet" Mondriaan, after 1906 Mondrian , was a Dutch painter.He was an important contributor to the De Stijl art movement and group, which was founded by Theo van Doesburg. He evolved a non-representational form which he termed Neo-Plasticism...
-inspired design that held to his production idea that bass and drums provided structure and guitars and vocals added color to a song. The album mixed originals with slowed-down covers of pop soul tunes like Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing
You Sexy Thing
"You Sexy Thing" is a song recorded by the British group, Hot Chocolate. It was written by Hot Chocolate's lead singer Errol Brown, and produced by Mickie Most. It reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart in 1975, and number 3 in the US Pop charts a year later...
", and Rick James
Rick James
James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. James was a popular performer in the late 1970s and 1980s, scoring four number-one hits on the U.S. R&B charts performing in the genres of funk and R&B...
' "Superfreak". Early shows by Hose saw neophyte bassist Bell playing in a seated position, an Electrolux
Electrolux
The Electrolux Group is a Swedish appliance maker.As of 2010 the 2nd largest home appliance manufacturer in the world after Whirlpool, its products sell under a variety of brand names including its own and are primarily major appliances and vacuum cleaners...
vacuum mic'ed offstage to add white noise and singer Rosen aggressively entering the audience in an athletic, pre-mosh pit fashion. Both the band and album received critical praise from reviewer Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
.
Changes
The amicable departure of Rick Rosen brought dorm-friend Mike Espindle into the vocalist slot in 1982, and his larger-than-life stage presence and growling vocals infused Hose's live shows with a rowdier vibe. Autumn Goft replaced Joel Horne on drums; a skilled, practiced drummer, Goft brought a solid, slightly BonhamJohn Bonham
John Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
-like off-beat to the band's back end. During this period, Hose recorded a 7-inch single that became Def Jam's official first recording. On the vinyl: "Mobo," a cover of an obscure French disco song, "Girls," a 20-second hardcore thrash, and "Zoo," a dumbed-down version of the folk song "We're All Going to the Zoo Tomorrow." The single was, again, produced by Rubin (this time in a Long Island City studio)and was released with gouged etchings by Espindle in the center instead of a label and was shipped in a brown paper bag with stickers. NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
ran a positive review of the single soon after its release. Bassists during this time shifted between Bell, dorm-friends Steve Williams and Tony Scheitinger, and a pick-up bassist for a San Francisco tour simply known as "Sweet." The band also played and toured heavily at this time, sharing the stage with the likes of Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer Grant Hart....
, the Meat Puppets, the Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers is an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been consistent since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second...
, the Circle Jerks, Red Kross, Shark Attack
Shark attack
A shark attack is an attack on a human by a shark. Every year around 60 shark attacks are reported worldwide, although death is quite unusual. Despite the relative rarity of shark attacks, the fear of sharks is a common phenomenon, having been fueled by the occasional instances of serial attacks,...
and MDC
MDC (band)
MDC is an American hardcore punk band formed in Austin, Texas in 1979. The band were subsequently based in San Francisco, California, and are currently based in Portland, Oregon. MDC originally formed as The Stains before changing their name...
.
End of Days
The budding enterprise of Def Jam and the demands of the fledgling label slowly took Rubin away from performing music, although he did try to include Hose in the fabled deal Def Jam made with CBS RecordsCBS Records
CBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
. CBS passed on Hose, but picked up projects like the Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
and other rap-related acts. The band recorded its final songs, "Down by the River" and a cover of Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
's "How Many More Times?" as part of Touch and Go Records
Touch and Go Records
Touch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
' "God's Favorite Dog" compilation (which included bands like Happy Flowers
Happy Flowers
The musical group, Happy Flowers, was formed in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, in 1983 by two members of the Landlords, John Beers and Charlie Kramer , both students at the University of Virginia...
, Big Black
Big Black
Big Black was an American punk rock band from Evanston, Illinois, active from 1981 to 1987. Founded by singer and guitarist Steve Albini, the band's initial lineup also included guitarist Santiago Durango and bassist Jeff Pezzati, both of Naked Raygun...
and the Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers is an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been consistent since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second...
). The songs were recorded with Steve Ett, who would become Rubin's go-to-guy for producing, in what would later become Chung King House of Metal
Chung King Studios
Chung King Recording Studios, formerly known as The Chung King House Of Metal, is a New York City recording studio founded by John King with financial backing of the Etches brothers and engineer expertise of Steve Ett became a site of many classic punk and hip hop recordings...
studios made famous by the Beastie Boys and other acts. Hose's last performance together was at Irving Plaza
Irving Plaza
Irving Plaza is a 1,200-person ballroom-style music venue at 17 Irving Place and East 15th Street in the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City...
in 1986 with the Butthole Surfers with Rubin, Goft, Espindle and Williams.
Original
- Rick RubinRick RubinFrederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
- guitar - Warren Bell - bass
- Joel Horne - drums
- Rick Rosen - vocals
Additional
- Autumn Goft - drums
- Steve Williams - bass
- Tony Scheitinger - bass
- "Sweet" - bass
- Mike Espindle - vocals