The Hold Steady - Any fans of them here?

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

I was on holiday in Tenerife a couple of weeks ago and we stayed at The Hard Rock Hotel. I saw a video of a band performing a song that I can't get out of my head.

They are called the The Hold Steady and the song was Stuck Between Stations from 2006. I was somewhat bemused as to how I had unintentionally avoided this song/band for such a long time. In fact, none of our group of four had heard of them.

They are still going apparently. Any fans of them here? I've bagged a couple of their albums for peanuts off Music Magpie, one of which has the aforementioned single on it.

 

[AndyTravis]

A mate of mine Alex is mad obsessed with them, he has their “infinity” logo tattooed on his arm. Somehow he ended up joining them on stage to play drums...(found the vid)

I don’t remember any of their songs, but I’d know them if I heard them. Sort of Springsteen meets Graham Parker and The Rumour.

Anyhow, yes; I’ve heard of them 😂
 

 

Edited December 11, 2019 by AndyTravis

[AndyTravis]

Oh god the sound quality of the vid is awful...but still. He played with his favourite band.

[BassTractor]

Yes, I like them.
Have two or three of their albums, one of which has Stuck Between Stations. Lovely song.

[BrunoBass]

Yes, I’m a fan. I heard Stuck Between Stations in the back of a taxi in New York in 2007, bought the CD that afternoon. I enjoy their stuff but I find them heavy going over a full length album. 
 

Keyboard player Franz Nikolay has done some interesting solo stuff too.  

[Dankology]

Love them! The album that Stuck Between the Stations is from is particularly good - the song First Night on there is one of my favourite songs of all time. You can get it really cheap with a bonus acoustic live disc too.

Franz Nicolay's solo stuff is very good too (although he covers a very wide range of genres...) His Do the Struggle LP is worth checking out. I made a great recording of him touring that album that I could upload if anyone wants a listen.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

13 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

Oh god the sound quality of the vid is awful...but still. He played with his favourite band.

Yes indeed. Very cool thing to have been able to do. How on earth did he swing that?

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

5 hours ago, Dankology said:

Love them! The album that Stuck Between the Stations is from is particularly good - the song First Night on there is one of my favourite songs of all time. You can get it really cheap with a bonus acoustic live disc too.

Franz Nicolay's solo stuff is very good too (although he covers a very wide range of genres...) His Do the Struggle LP is worth checking out. I made a great recording of him touring that album that I could upload if anyone wants a listen.

Yes, that's the one I've bought. £2 on eBay 👍. Also bought the live album with additional DVD from the end of that tour. Looking forward to watching that. Love a good road documentary.

EDIT: Yes, would love to hear/see that recording.

Edited December 11, 2019 by hiram.k.hackenbacker

[pineweasel]

Great band. I saw them play on the Boys and Girls in America tour, they were excellent live.

They come over here once a year and do a weekend of gigs in London - the next ones are in March 2020.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

36 minutes ago, pineweasel said:

Great band. I saw them play on the Boys and Girls in America tour, they were excellent live.

They come over here once a year and do a weekend of gigs in London - the next ones are in March 2020.

Excellent. Definitely up for that.

[BigRedX]

Can't be getting a decent recording on that cassette without the meters being stuck in the red most of the time 😉

[AndyTravis]

2 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Yes indeed. Very cool thing to have been able to do. How on earth did he swing that?

Think it was linked to his tattoo and an Instagram tag. He’s a jammy bugger though - always lands on his feet. Lovely bloke, well deserved.

[colleya]

Saw them on the Boys & Girls In America tour. Excellent live, a really good atmosphere. It's still their best album.

Saw them again on the Stay Positive your. Franz (keys) had left and a fourth guitarist had joined. It was offensively, painfully loud and they'd lost the great balance from the previous gig. Still a decent gig but I had very high hopes from earlier.

Looks like Franz is back now, but they haven't been anywhere near Manchester recently. I'd definitely be buying a ticket if I was nearer to London though.

[Lozz196]

Never heard of them before this thread but am gonna check them out a bit more as like that song. Agree with the Springsteen similarities comments.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

9 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Never heard of them before this thread but am gonna check them out a bit more as like that song. Agree with the Springsteen similarities comments.

Ha ha. Glad it's not just me then.

Looks like they're over here March 6/7/8th. I'm gigging on the 6th & 7th, so looks like it will have to be the 8th for me if I'm going.

[RussFM]

I saw the singer Craig Finn solo in Bath earlier this year (with Brian Fallon from The Gaslight Anthem). It was a good night, but I'd like to see the full band. Boys and Girls In America is a great album.

[Normski]

Yeah really good band & even better live. I saw them at the Academy Manchester a few years ago. I seem to remember them announcing that it was the first time they’d been over here. 

[Simon.]

Back in the days I was playing with an Americana/ Alt County outfit, The Hold Steady were on pretty regular rotation, along with bands like Chuck Prophet, Richmond Fontaine, Farrah and the Gaslight Anthem - thanks for the reminder @RussFM

I thought the first couple of albums were great, but kinda lost track of them after Boys and Girls...   Must go and dig out those albums again!

[Lozz196]

CD ordered last night, the one with Stuck Between Stations on it.

[Dankology]

Here's the recording of Franz from 2012:

 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1syXn7CRAck6mPlDDanEjjTr_puoqnIJh

(zipped MP3s - can upload FLACS if anyone wants them)

The run from Track 4 - 7 is quite wonderful.

[joeystrange]

Haven’t listened to them a huge amount but I like what I have heard. I’ve seen their keyboard player, Franz Nicolay, live before though.

If you like them I recommend checking out The Gaslight Anthem and Dave Hause too.

Edited December 12, 2019 by joeystrange