Photo Credit: Eric Holland.

Former The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn and Canadian singer/songwriter Kathleen Edwards visited WFUV for a chat about Finn‘s latest album Always Been, which Edwards sang backing vocals on for 6 songs. Also playing was a world premiere of Edwards’ song, “Save Your Soul,” from her new album, Billionaire. Hear the interview HERE.

The News: Craig Finn will celebrate Halloween 2017 with a show at City Winery.  Finn released his third solo album outside the confines of The Hold Steady in March of this year.  Prior to the release of that disc, We All Want The Same Things, Finn dropped by WFUV for a powwow with me and a three song session that you can see as well as hear if you follow the link.  That was the second time we had crossed paths at FUV.  The first was in the winter of ’14 when he was a guest DJ with me pressing the buttons and asking a few questions.

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.  

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.

This past winter, The Hold Steady celebrated the ten year anniversary of Boys And Girls In America with a deluxe version along with sexy reissues of Almost Killed Me & Separation Sunday.  They marked the occasion with four shows at the Brooklyn Bowl that were especially celebratory as Franz Nicolay rejoined the band.  Nicolay, who traditionally has the best mustache in rock, was on hand playing keyboards as he did from 2005 to 2010.

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 ‘Kooblerâ€) 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.

The Hold Steady have become an essential New York band since coming together in Brooklyn about eleven 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’ I learned) back this spring at 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 video (which runs 7 minutes) features conversation and footage that was not included in the 2 minute Sound Advice piece that ran in March.  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 Craig about the many memorable named characters of Hold Steady songs past.  The chat also includes some kind words about their bandmate Steve Selvidge and lyrical themes that emerged in the recording.

The Hold Steady are wrapping up this year with two shows (30th and 31st) at the Music Hall of Williamsburg with fellow Brooklynites The So So Glos.  New Years’s Eve is sold out but as of today, a few tickets remain for the 30th.  As a lead-in to those – no doubt spirited – shows, catch the radio program I recorded with Craig Finn recently that will air on Monday, December 29th at 9p on WFUV radio.  We spoke about his five favorite albums of 2014 from The War On Drugs, The Donkeys, Wussy, Strand of Oaks, and Protomartyr.  We also compared notes on the glorious show at Forest Hills Stadium that The Replacements did in September and Craig went on the record that they are his all-time favorite band – no surprise with his Minneapolis roots but good to hear nonetheless.

Marking the release of Teeth Dreams as well as the tenth anniversary of their debut album Almost Killed Me, The Hold Steady held court at Hill Country.

…the links are to my video reviews of the album or a concert appearance by the band.

1 Spoon: Transference
2 Corinne Bailey Rae: The Sea
3 Grinderman: Grinderman 2
4 Black Keys: Brothers
5 Erykah Badu: New Amerika 2 – Return of the Ankh
6 Broken Bells: S/T
7 The Dead Weather: Sea of Cowards
8 Citizen Cope: The Rainwater LP
9 The Hold Steady: Heaven is Whenever
10 Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings: I Learned the Hard Way