Harvey Milk

Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk
	;
Background information
Origin	Athens, Georgia, USA
Genres	Sludge Metal, Experimental Rock, Noise Rock, Alternative Rock
Years active	1992 - 1998, 2006 - 2012
Labels	Self Rising, Relapse, Reproductive, Tumult, Hydra Head Records
Associated acts	Earth, Melvins, High on Fire, The Whip, Thrones, Witchypoo, Music Blues, Clamp, Fiddlehead, Figure, J Mascis + The Fog, Kurt Vile & The Violators, The Martians, The Tom Collins
Website	Facebook

Harvey Milk was an experimental rock band based out of Athens, Georgia. Notably the band's sound was derived in noise rock and slow, heavy riffs in similar vein to Melvins though the band also drew influence from the likes of ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, Leonard Cohen, and Kiss. In the band's original run they were also notable for doing special tongue-in-cheek performances such as a live performance consisting entirely of Hank Williams covers and an infamous April Fools Day gig at the 40 Watt Club in Athens where they performed R.E.M.'s Reckoning album from beginning to end, while Michael Stipe was in attendance.

The band released a total of three studio albums in their original run from 1992 - 1998, gaining further notoriety after their disbandment once their albums were re-issued by the likes of Relapse Records. The original trio lineup would reform in 2006 and release four critically acclaimed albums until quietly dissolving again in 2013.

The band's name derives from Harvey Milk (1930 - 1978) the first openly gay politician elected in a major U.S. city.

History[]

Original Run (1992 - 1998)[]

Harvey Milk would be founded in 1992 via one Creston Spiers (Guitar, Vocals), Stephen Tanner (Bass, Vocals) and Paul Trudeau (Drums). The band's first release would be a split 7" with Hayride entitled Pals Forever. Throughout their original run the band would release three studio albums (1994's My Love Is Higher Than Your Assessment of What My Love Could Be, 1996's Courtesy and Good Will Toward Men and 1997's The Pleaser) amid a host of singles and split releases. Founding drummer Paul Trudeau would leave the band after their debut album with Kyle Spence joining in 1996.^[1] Along with this run the band only attained a local fanbase and didn't garner much national attention, ultimately disbanding in 1998. The band largely disbanded to concentrate on family.^[2]

Notably much of their material would be incredibly difficult to find, even when the band was still active. It was not until years after the band's demise that their singles, as well as all three full length albums, saw re-release through various labels, most notably Relapse Records.

Reunion Part 1: Special Wishes and Life... The Best Game in Town (2006 - 2008)[]

The original lineup of Spiers, Tanner and Trudeau would reunite in 2006, recording a new album in Brooklyn, New York. Teasing with a new single in I've Got a Love, Harvey Milk would release their fourth album Special Wishes in late 2006, garnering praise from several critics.^[3]^[4]^[5] A retrospective DVD/CD set entitled Anthem saw release via Chunklet Magazine.

In 2007 founding drummer Paul Trudeau would leave the band again to which second drummer Kyle Spence would return. Signing with Hydra Head Records and attaining a second guitarist in Joe Preston, Life... The Best Game in Town would see release circa 3 June 2008. Life... would attain near-universal praise^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9] and even be awarded "Album of the Year" by Rock-a-Rolla Magazine. Despite these praises Creston Spiers would cite it as the band's worst album.^[10] Harvey Milk would tour through North America and Europe to support the newest album but the band would revert to a trio by the end of the year.

Reunion Part 2: Harvey Milk and a Small Turn of Human Kindness (2009 - 2013)[]

Harvey Milk would tour their most extensively following the release of Life... The Best Game in Town, appearing at festivals such as All Tomorrows Parties and Chaos in Tejas while touring with the likes of Oxbow and Torche. Harvey Milk would release two studio albums in 2010: The eponymous Harvey Milk which was a long-lost album recorded in 1994 by Bob Weston, intended to be their debut.^[11] The band would also release an album of new material on 18 May 2010 entitled A Small Turn of Human Kindness, garnering positive reception.^[12]^[13]^[14]^[15]^[16]

Harvey Milk would tour North America with Coalesce to support both new albums,^[17] with further touring the next year, including a marquee performance alongside Premonition 13 and Sleep. Harvey Milk would tour Europe again in 2012, surrounding appearances at All Tomorrow's Parties and Primavera Sound. When asked about new material in a Fall 2012 interview the band would announce they had once again disbanded, largely due to a disinterest in touring and Hydra Head Records (the label they were signed to at the time) had folded around the same time.^[18]

Discography[]

Studio Albums[]

My Love Is Higher Than Your Assessment of What My Love Could Be (1994, Yesha)
Courtesy and Good Will Toward Men (1996, Reproductive)
The Pleaser (1997, Reproductive)
Special Wishes (2006, Troubleman Unlimited)
Life... The Best Game In Town (2008, Hydra Head Records)
Harvey Milk (2009, Hydra Head Records)
A Small Turn of Human Kindness (2010, Hydra Head Records)

Live Albums[]

Live At TT The Bear's 30 May 1996 (1997?, Reproductive)
Live Pleaser (1998?, Reproductive)
Live At Supersonic July 12 2008 (2009, Capsule)

Singles & Splits[]

Pals Forever (Split with Hayride) (1992, Self Rising)
Sunshine, Good Times & Fine Wine B/W Women Dig It (Single) (1993, Reservation)
The Martians / Harvey Milk (Split with The Martians) (1993, Reservation)
I Do Not Know How To Live My Life (Single) (1995, Half Baked)
Yer Mouse Gets My Dander Up (Single) (1995, Figurehead)
I Got A Love (Single) (2006, Troubleman Unlimited)
F*#k You Guys (Split with Hayride) (2006, Superfluous Umlaut)
Harvey Milk / Wildildlife (Split with Wildildlife) (2009, Volcom Entertainment)

Compilations[]

The Singles (2003, Relapse)
The Kelly Sessions (2004, Escape Artist)
Anthem (2006, Chunklet)

Members[]

Creston Spiers - Guitar, Vocals (1992 - 1998, 2006 - 2012)
Stephen Tanner - Bass, Vocals (1992 - 1998, 2006, - 2012)
Paul Trudeau - Drums (1992 - 1996, 2006 - 2007)
Kyle Spence - Drums (1996 - 1998, 2007 - 2012)
Joe Preston - Guitar (2008)

List of Known Tours[]

2008 Spring North American Tour (Select dates with Torche, Major Stars) (2008)^[19]
2008 European Tour (With Oxbow) (2008)^[20]
Scion Rock Fest Mini-Tour (2009)^[21]
May 2009 North American Tour (2009)^[22]
Harvey Milk & Torche (With Torche) (2009)^[23]
Spring 2010 North American Tour (With Coalesce, The Atlas Moth) (2010)^[24]
Spring 2011 North American Tour (2011)^[25]
Summer 2011 North American Tour (2011)^[26]
2012 European Tour (2012)^[27]

External Links[]

References[]

[1] Pitchfork

[2] Exclaim!

[3] Tiny Mix Tapes

[4] Exclaim!

[5] Scene Point Blank

[6] Pitchfork

[7] Invisible Oranges

[8] Treble Zine

[9] Drowned in Sound

[10] Exclaim!

[11] Drowned in Sound

[12] Pitchfork

[13] Consequence of Sound

[14] The Quietus

[15] NPR

[16] Tiny Mix Tapes

[17] Last.fm

[18] Invisible Oranges

[19] Last.fm

[20] Last.fm

[21] Last.fm

[22] Last.fm

[23] Last.fm

[24] Last.fm

[25] Last.fm

[26] Last.fm

[27] Last.fm

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