The Beatles, Blur, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Elvis Costello, Crowded House, The Cure, Bob Dylan, The Flaming Lips, Hazel, Robyn Hitchcock, The Kinks, Harry Nilsson, Nirvana, Pavement, The Pixies, Pond, Radiohead, R.E.M., Sebadoh, The Smiths, Talking Heads, Throwing Muses, The Velvet Underground, XTC, The Zombies
For those of you who haven't heard, we broke up. Yes, it is sad. However, we've been around for about 15 years, so there's plenty of music out there for you to discover if you haven't heard it all yet. Check out Amazon, eBay, or your local independent record store (our favorites are Sonic Boom and Easy Street in Seattle) to find HD CDs. You can also find a lot of our music on iTunes, and you can still download our album Little By Little... at harveydanger.com. And don't forget about Barsuk and Kill Rock Stars. Also, check out our new Flickr page for tons of photos from the past 15 years. Join our Flickr group and upload your own HD-related images. Why did we split up? You can read about it below...
Dear Friends,
After 15 years, three albums, hundreds of shows, and far more twists and turns than we ever imagined possible, we've decided to put Harvey Danger to rest. The decision is totally mutual and utterly amicable. Everyone is very proud of the work we've done together, but we've also come to feel that our collaboration has--in a very positive way--run its course. We're all eager to try our hands at other projects, musical and otherwise. Chances are we'll all work together in one form or another; if we've learned anything, it's that you never know what will happen. Of course, putting an end to something we've been working on since our early 20s can't help being accompanied by a soupcon of melancholy. Nonetheless, as the Chambers Brothers remind us, time has come today. Rock bands have life spans, and Harvey Danger's has been longer, and more eventful, than even we would have predicted.
We've been incredibly fortunate throughout. We've made great friends, shared the stage with incredible bands, worked with truly inspiring people. Beyond question, our greatest good fortune has been the relationship we've been able to maintain with our audience, particularly those who have followed the band through its various phases and line-ups. It's a corny rock band trope to extol the virtues of "the fans," but in all seriousness... The fact that our music genuinely has meant something to people, and that we have been able to get to know so many of those people (both in person and online) and learn about how they connected to our songs--that interaction became a lot more than just a way of connecting to our increasingly private public. It offered the rarest gift: an opportunity to learn what our own work actually meant. We're deeply grateful to those who know they are. Being in this band has been a long, rewarding experience, and without you, it would probably just have been long. We hope that the relatively small body of work we've left behind (a bit more than the Sex Pistols, a tad less than Prince) continues to find a place in people's music libraries. But regardless, it's a legacy that will always mean a lot to us. Thank you for listening.
Here's our new-ish video for "Moral Centralia," directed by Seattle filmmaker Lynn Shelton:
The complete history of Harvey Danger is now on our blog...
The short version: We played our first show in April 1994 and put out our first album, Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone?, in July '98. It was later picked up by a major label and met with some success, etc. Our second album, King James Version, was released in Sept. 2000 to little fanfare, but some critical acclaim. A three-year hiatus soon followed, during which we went our separate ways, but stayed active musically. We got back together in early-2004, just in time for our 10th anniversary, and released our third album, Little By Little..., in Sept. '05. And we all lived happily ever after. (You can also download Little By Little... for free on our website, www.harveydanger.com.)
Also: If you're wanting us to add some song called "Paranoia" to our player, you might want to listen to the songs that are already on there. You just might find what you're looking for...
Thanks for the memories. Also thank you for answering the big armed guy's (me) questions at your L.A. show. It meant the world to me to see you guys twice in California over the last couple years. The amazing Casbah show that no one showed up (sorry San Diego sucks) to and the last L.A. show. Thank you for taking time answering questions and giving me an ending to what started out as a quest to find a song (Flagpole Sitta) I didn't know the name of, when I heard a part of it on the radio on the way to high school in my dad's car. I immediately knew you were special and represented ( if not embodied) the last of the great Seattle rock bands . Your songs have, and will mean a lot to me forever.
Sincerely,
A Zero Drowning in a Sea of Higher Numbers
Post script:
So what is the meaning of life? I never got a straight answer.
The last all-ages show at the Vera was amazing! It was definitely worth the drive from Montana. You were wonderful, and I'm happy to say that the show reinforced the idea that you are my favorite band. By the way, I'm sorry I didn't have a real writing utensil when I asked you to sign my water bottle, Mr. Nelson. =]
I saw you guys at the Allston show at Harpers Ferry in August., I loved every second of it and it was great meeting you all. Thanks for the great music, and the great time
Wow! It's really over isn't it?? And I never got to see my favorite band live.. I too am heartbroken. fingers crossed that in 10 years you'll do a reunion tour and when you do please tour canada! honestly.. it's rare (for me at least) to enjoy every song on every record a band puts out and you made it happen!
i was thirteen years old when i randomly bought five cds online and one of them was harvey danger's "where have all the merrymakers gone?" you became the band for me. i sought out the albums, unreleased songs, any random hd recordings i could get my hands on. you were my first favorite, my idols for so many years. i've loved the music, the shows (and i'm dying over here since i just realized i missed your last show but...)
good luck in all of your future projects and thank you for everything.
If its one thing I wanted in life it was to see you play live, Don't look like ill get the chance now but hay i got all your LP's which is better than nothing Well I wish you all the very best in life which ever path you take