Global InformationHarvey Danger information
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Harvey Danger | |
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 Harvey Danger playing their final show in 2009 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
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| Website | harveydanger |
Harvey Danger was an American alternative rock[1][2] band. It was formed in 1992 in Seattle, Washington, by Aaron Huffman and Jeff J. Lin, who were both journalism students at the University of Washington. Drummer Evan Sult and singer Sean Nelson were brought into the band in 1993, solidifying the band's lineup for the remainder of their initial existence.
After performing a variety of shows in the local area and recording a number of demos with producer John Goodmanson, Harvey Danger released their debut album, Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? (1997) through the Arena Rock Recording Company. Although the album was not a success initially, its second track, "Flagpole Sitta", began receiving nationwide radio airplay, and soon after the band signed with Slash Records, a subsidiary of the major label London Recordings. Slash/London reissued Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? and "Flagpole Sitta" as a single in April 1998[3] to widespread commercial success, with the album eventually becoming certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1999.[4] However, the band grew increasingly uncomfortable with their association with "Flagpole Sitta" and their perceived status as a one-hit wonder, and sought to distance themselves from the song and their early lo-fi sound with their subsequent musical output.[5][6][7][8]
Following a series of corporate restructurings that saw the band change record labels, Harvey Danger issued their second studio album, King James Version (2000), which showed the band moving in a more artistic direction influenced by the works of Radiohead and Frederic Tuten.[9][10] Although its sole single "Sad Sweetheart of the Rodeo" became a minor hit,[11] the album performed very poorly commercially, and its failure led to the band breaking up in April 2001.[6] It has since attracted a cult following.[12][13][14]
Nelson, Huffman and Lin reformed Harvey Danger in April 2004, with Michael Welke replacing Sult on drums.[15] In 2005, the band issued their third and final album, Little by Little..., which featured a more piano-driven sound.[16] The band's decision to release the album as a free BitTorrent/download through their website[17] attracted significant attention and helped renew the band's popularity.[1][15] On May 28, 2009, Harvey Danger announced that they had amicably decided to disband, and the band played its final show at the Crocodile Cafe in Seattle on August 29, 2009.[18]
- ^ a b Peoples, Glenn (July 10, 2010). "The New D.I.Y." Billboard. US: Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 17–18. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
- ^ Greene, Andy (August 15, 2012). "9. Harvey Danger – 'Flagpole Sitta'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- ^ Roos, John (April 27, 1998). "Danger Coming, and May Be Here to Stay". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- ^ Devenish, Colin (May 13, 1998). "Harvey Danger's 'Flagpole Sitta' Sitting Pretty On Rock Radio". sonicnet.com. Archived from the original on September 1, 1999. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- ^ a b Hay, Travis (December 30, 2004). "Time puts a new spin on dream of Harvey Danger". seattlepi.com. Archived from the original on August 11, 2022. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ Zaleski, Annie (November 11, 2015). "Why Harvey Danger's '90s alt-rock hit "Flagpole Sitta" endures". The A.V. Club. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
- ^ Ring, Julian (July 29, 2014). "Harvey Danger's Sean Nelson: The Well-Appointed Ghetto". Consequence. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
- ^ Weiss, Dan (July 28, 2017). ""Flagpole Sitta" At 20: A Conversation With Harvey Danger's Sean Nelson". Stereogum. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- ^ Behrman, Lorne (December 2000). "Wonderwall". CMJ New Music Monthly. CMJ Network, Inc. pp. 40–43. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
- ^ "Harvey Danger". Billboard. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- ^ Stull, Jimmy (September 29, 2006). "Caution: Harvey dangerous". The Badger Herald. Archived from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
- ^ Sawdey, Evan (June 5, 2013). "A Tragedy Requires a Little Greatness to Begin With: Harvey Danger's Unsung Masterpiece, PopMatters". PopMatters. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- ^ Nelson, Sean (September 13, 2007). "Hey, Terrific!". Archived from the original on September 17, 2008. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ a b Perez, Rodrigo (September 12, 2005). "Remember 'Flagpole Sitta'? Harvey Danger Return". MTV. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
- ^ "HD one sheet.indd" (PDF). harveydanger.com (Little by Little... radio promo). 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 8, 2006. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
- ^ "Harvey Danger - Why We're Releasing Our New Album for Free on the Internet". harveydanger.com. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ Toombs, Mike (August 31, 2009). "Harvey Danger Play Final Show". SPIN. Retrieved October 12, 2022.