The Hold Steady Bringing Anniversary Reissues & Residence; Brooklyn via Minneapolis Band Marks Ten Years On Boys And Girls In America with Deluxe Version Plus Sexy Reissues of Almost Killed Me & Separation Sunday –
The Hold Steady have become an essential New York band since coming together in Brooklyn about thirteen years ago. Three of the guys live in Greenpoint within a few blocks of each other with the remaining members in Manhattan and Memphis. I spoke with Craig Finn and Tad Kubler (pronounced ‘Koobler’) back in the spring of ’14. The occasion was a release party for Teeth Dreams at Hill Country Live in the Flatiron District where the fellas played the new album and a handful of bonus tunes for a WFUV radio crowd. This week The Hold Steady are getting ready to unleash three reissues while invading the Brooklyn Bowl for no fewer than four shows. It seemed the perfect time to revisit this interview especially as comments made relate to the passage of time.
A bonus video below offers more bits of the show, which was a toned down affair, and Finn speaking about anxiety and truth themes on Teeth Dreams. It also offers a preview of what may become the next Hold Steady classic Jimmy Got Soup that grew out of a question I asked about the many memorable named characters of Hold Steady songs past. The chat also includes some kind words about their bandmate Steve Selvidge and the guitar interplay between he and Kubler that emerged in performances and recording.
Expect the Brooklyn Bowl Residency, which starts Wed, November 30, 2016, to be more full on rock shows. They’ll be especially celebratory as Franz Nicolay has rejoined the band. Nicolay, who traditionally has the best moustache in rock, will be on hand playing keyboards as he did from 2005 to 2010.
