Josh Mock

Curator of Things That May Be Good

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Posts tagged The Hold Steady

Oct 22

“The rituals in a Catholic mass are really interesting; playing a rock show has a lot of rituals, too: the sound checks and setups, opening music, the closing number. There’s all these kinds of parallels between the way we commune around the church and the way we commune around a rock show. I don’t think they’re necessarily strange bedfellows.” Craig Finn from The Hold Steady

Mar 26

Would you believe…

clarityunfiltered:

…I’ve never really listened to The Hold Steady. I’m trying them out at the moment. Kinda sounds like a cross between these bands I listen to — Gasoline Heart and mewithoutYou — mixed with a healthy dose of Bruce. Not sure if I’m a fan yet.

Hey Josh Mock…you have this album?

Hell yes, Hold Steady! I own two of their albums and wish I owned seventeen, but they only have four. (Plus a few minor EPs and a ridiculously good live LP; the first two albums are a bit more formative of their sound so I haven’t backtracked there yet.)

You have the right idea about what they’re about, mostly. There’s also a major storytelling undertone with a side of rich Catholic upbringing. Characters, story lines and ideas span multiple albums, so what you think Craig Finn (who I majorly wish was a friend I could have many beers with) is talking about is probably not exactly what he’s talking about.

I was proudly front-and-center at their Coachella set in 2009. It was a defining moment in my musical life; I don’t think I’ve ever had that positive of a show experience for someone that, at the time, I had very little background with. I’d only heard they were a stellar live show, and, boy, had I heard right. I came away a major fan and with a hundred new best friends who enjoyed the moment with me.

The Hold Steady is rich with all the best things of life, and you haven’t lived until you at least get a small taste of what they’re about.