I See Me 10 Years Ago Today
Well, yesterday, technically.
That was the tenth anniversary (please don't say "10-year anniversary"; it's like saying "three a.m. in the morning") of the original release of Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone?, the debut album by my band, Harvey Danger.
The covers were all hand-screened onto cardboard (at the legendary Fort Thunder in Providence, R.I.). Aaron, Evan, Jeff, and I all sat in our revolting living room in South Wedgewood, giddily folding and stuffing them full of booklets and CDs so we could send them back to Brooklyn, where the label (Arena Rock Recording Company, which had released only one other full-length at the time) could then get them out to the handful of indie distributors that had agreed to handle the record. The original pressing was 1,200 copies. Eight months later, a re-mastered version of the same record (in a jewel box) would be released on Slash-London Records.
In the time between, Merrymakers charted somewhere low on CMJ, got great reviews in The Rocket, Magnet, Option, Puncture, Milk, and The Big Takeover and made a respectable showing in The Rocket's Northwest Top 20 charts. We played our first show in NYC, at Coney Island High, with Elf Power and a bunch of other Arena Rock bands on a SMJ showcase.
As a result of all this, we started getting better shows in town and felt a bit more legitimate about being in a rock band despite our rapidly advancing ages (I was 24, after all). We still had never made a single dollar from playing a live show (or any other musical activity), but we all felt like MISSION GODDAMN ACCOMPLISHED.
A few short months later, everything got completely douchetarded.
Hooray!
That was the tenth anniversary (please don't say "10-year anniversary"; it's like saying "three a.m. in the morning") of the original release of Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone?, the debut album by my band, Harvey Danger.
The covers were all hand-screened onto cardboard (at the legendary Fort Thunder in Providence, R.I.). Aaron, Evan, Jeff, and I all sat in our revolting living room in South Wedgewood, giddily folding and stuffing them full of booklets and CDs so we could send them back to Brooklyn, where the label (Arena Rock Recording Company, which had released only one other full-length at the time) could then get them out to the handful of indie distributors that had agreed to handle the record. The original pressing was 1,200 copies. Eight months later, a re-mastered version of the same record (in a jewel box) would be released on Slash-London Records.
In the time between, Merrymakers charted somewhere low on CMJ, got great reviews in The Rocket, Magnet, Option, Puncture, Milk, and The Big Takeover and made a respectable showing in The Rocket's Northwest Top 20 charts. We played our first show in NYC, at Coney Island High, with Elf Power and a bunch of other Arena Rock bands on a SMJ showcase.
As a result of all this, we started getting better shows in town and felt a bit more legitimate about being in a rock band despite our rapidly advancing ages (I was 24, after all). We still had never made a single dollar from playing a live show (or any other musical activity), but we all felt like MISSION GODDAMN ACCOMPLISHED.
A few short months later, everything got completely douchetarded.
Hooray!
posted by Sean Nelson at 2:16 PM
7 Comments:
wOOt!
Ahhhrghhh urm hhhh to innocence lost...
Happy First Album Anniversary!!
It's odd. I seem to be the only one who likes the newer stuff more than the older stuff. Flagpole Sitta was amazing (duh). But the Little by Little has incredible music. I particularly like the piano and the lyrics. My favorite two HD songs are "Happiness Writes White" and "Wine, Women, and Song" (the first for when in love, the second for after it falls through). "Flagpole Sitta" clocks in at about fifth, probably. My two cents
Well, I liked it. "Old Hat" is one that's stuck with me for the past decade.
Yes, in a good way. ;)
one of my favourite albums of all time, so thanks for it
L,
Sean
Hey Sean,
I met you at sxsw.
I was pretty wasted.
I'm pretty sure I made an ass out of myself.
My apologies.
If you get a chance check out my band, SNMNMNM. We have a new cd coming out this month and we will be performing at CMJ 2007.
http://www.myspace.com/snmnmnm
-Seamus
I loved your band! and not just flag pole. I found your blog on accident, my interest is restored!
Random! you SHOULD actually check out SNMNMNM. who doesn't love tuba? honestly.
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