White Hassle
White Hassle were a band with the lead singer Marcellus Hall[1] based in New York, New York. Dave Varenka (also of Railroad Jerk) played drums, with Chris Maxwell and Joachim Kearns on guitars.[1][2] The Houston Chronicle described their music as "stripped-down ... noisy blues-soaked rock".[3]
Their debut album, "National Chain," was released on Matador Records in 1997.[4]
White Hassle released albums on Matador Records, Fargo Records,[5] Mazri Records, and Orange Recordings. The band toured Europe and America before disbanding in 2006.
Critical reaction
[edit]Modest Mouse singer, Isaac Brock, credits White Hassle's "Life Is Still Sweet" in helping turn around his songwriting and influencing their hit song "Float On."[6]
"When I heard it (Life is Still Sweet)," Brock said, "I thought, 'This is nice. This is actually an unsarcastically positive song.' I was like, 'Let's fuck this doom-and- gloom bullshit.' It was a really good thing to get reminded of, you know?"[7]
delarue described the song "Life Is Still Sweet" live performance as uplifting and a crowd favorite.[8]
Jason Ankeny described the music as "primitive folk/blues"[9]
After the song Life Is Still Sweet, the band's second most notable song may be Star Position whose lyrics contemplate the single life: "The key is in the ignition / If you're single you can sleep in the star position."[10]
Hall sang a version of the song on Eugene Mirman and Bobby Tisdale's "Invite Them Up" comedy CD.[11] He also re-recorded the song for his solo album The First Line.[4]
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]- National Chain (Matador, 1997)
- The Death of Song (Orange Music, 2003)
- Your Language (Fargo, 2005)
- The Death of Song/The Watertank (Fargo, 2005)
EP
[edit]- Life Is Still Sweet (2000)
References
[edit]- ^ Miller, Eric T. (May 23, 2011). "Q&A With Marcellus Hall". Magnet Magazine.
- ^ Hess, Christopher (March 16, 2001). "SXSW Picks & Sleepers: White Hassle". Houston Chronicle.
- ^ a b "Marcellus Hall - the First Line".
- ^ "Fargo Records". Discogs.
- ^ "Modest Mouse". Flickr. 2004-04-10. Retrieved 2016-09-01.
- ^ "Modest Mouse". 2004-04-10.
- ^ "Concert Review from the Archives: Douce Gimlet and White Hassle at CB's Gallery, NYC 3/9/00". 2008-03-09.
- ^ "White Hassle Lyrics, Song Meanings, Videos, Full Albums & Bios".
- ^ "White Hassle - the Star Position Lyrics".
- ^ "Invite Them up". Amazon. 2021.
External links
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