Harvey Danger is Breaking Up

[Unremarkable]

For those who didn't know, Harvey Danger, the band fronted by former Long Winter member Sean Nelson, is calling it quits. They have a few farewell shows scheduled in August in Chicago, LA, and Seattle. Read here for more info. Very, very sad news indeed.

[Liesbeth]

I read this, wanted to post about it, but was afraid I was gonna say something stupid like 'so now Sean can join The Long Winters again?'. Which doesn't do the current LW line-up justice at all, so I waited for someone else to post it.

I'm sad I never got to see Harvey Danger live, but perhaps Sean can do some solo shows in Europe sometime? The guy is such a great performer, I cannot believe it's over 6 years since I've last seen him.

[No You Are]

Chicago show is Aug 15... that gives me roughly two months to figure out how to convince my lovely wife to let me drive 3 and a half hours to see a show when we will have a two-week old baby at the time.

Or maybe I should just say my goodbye to Harvey Danger now?

[Liesbeth]

I love music, but given the choice between brand new baby and music... Anyway, congrats on this upcoming brother or sister for baby Claire. Sorry, toddler Claire by now, I guess

[Squid]

Whoa whoa WHOA. Claire's a big sister now?!

[No You Are]

She will be in late July/early Aug.

Sorry for the thread hijack... I will miss you Harvey Danger.

Maybe I should try the...
"I'll be able to see that kid for the rest of my life, but this is the LAST TIME I can ever see Harvey Danger"

That would earn me Father of the Year!!

Then again, instead of going, maybe I'll just name the kid Harvey...

[sour29]

Then again, instead of going, maybe I'll just name the kid Harvey...

[John]

I'm slightly dubious about this whole "breaking up" business. I've actually talked to various members of Harvey Danger over the years about the difference between breaking up the band and just gradually playing fewer and fewer shows, fading into the mist. What's the point of declaring a break-up? If two years from now someone offers them 100K to get back together, or All Tomorrow's Parties wants them to play Merrymakers all the way through, are they really going to turn it down? Probably not, at which point they'll have to "reform", which they've already done at least once. They've also already played several farewell shows and done a farewell tour. For my money I would be very, very surprised if Harvey Danger never performed again, which makes breaking up a weird move.

Unless they're doing it ironically.

But no fair trying to retroactively call it ironic five years from now when they want to get back together.

[Liesbeth]

Perhaps they are fed with people asking them when a new album is coming or when there are gonna be new shows, when they have no intention of making a new album or doing new shows. Besides, they have already done the 'play whole album' thing as thoroughly as any band possibly could.

Why fade out into the mist if you can have a party?

[John]

If you want to have a party, have a party! You don't have to get all DRAMATIC.

[sour29]

Remember this thread, John. I'm holding you to every. last. word. ;)

[John]

Oh, I long ago decided the Long Winters will never break up. We'll just slowly morph into a video production company making Mountain Dew commercials. But that day has not arrived yet. New album shaping up!

[Harvey Winters]

WHAT???

I'm just hearing about this now???

OK, back to serious time....
I think it's the artists attitude towards music...

I've seen John play a show in NJ, with a near death case of cholera (or was it the flu?)...
It was the one time, I didn't want to be standing right up front, in the event "Typhoid Roderick" was out to infect the Eastern seaboard with his affliction, 1 show at a time...

Honestly, he was very sick, he slept in the van, and showed up about 3 mins before showtime, which allowed everyone in the crowd to behold "the secret world of sound check"...
My sons were at the show, and after signing a few autographs, he took his kazoo, that he used for "Departure", and disposed of it properly, following CDC/OSHA regulations, to make sure that no one would try to get a hold of the "souvenir of death"...

John's the epitome of the term "hard working musician"...
He'll ride in a van across country, without complaint, he'll play obscure shows in Jakarta, just to spread the word of "Winter-ism"...
If TLW does ever break up, he'll be playing in another band, or collaborating with one, with in 5 months....
Book it...

[Moni]

New album shaping up!

Great news!... I feel really bad for having been such an impatient jerk all the while :-/

[aj]

If you want to have a party, have a party! You don't have to get all DRAMATIC.

I'm glad they're doing this. If there's basically no chance of them ever coming to Chicago again, fans wanna know that. If they play sometime down the road in Seattle, so many of us can't make that. And in my own economic situation, I gotta know how to prioritize because I really can't do much of anything with these last few pennies. But 99.9% last chance to see one of my favorite bands live? That's the kind of thing a girl wants to know about. If TLW don't go the Mountain Dew commercial route, I'd want to know if there were only going to be a few chances for me to see them ever again. And I'd try to plan on making it. Right now, it takes planning. Maybe not for all, but there's a lot of us who have been hit pretty hard.

Congrats on the baby! Tough decision. I'd pick HD. :)

[A Brutaful Smile]

I'm slightly dubious about this whole "breaking up" business. I've actually talked to various members of Harvey Danger over the years about the difference between breaking up the band and just gradually playing fewer and fewer shows, fading into the mist. What's the point of declaring a break-up? If two years from now someone offers them 100K to get back together, or All Tomorrow's Parties wants them to play Merrymakers all the way through, are they really going to turn it down? Probably not, at which point they'll have to "reform", which they've already done at least once. They've also already played several farewell shows and done a farewell tour. For my money I would be very, very surprised if Harvey Danger never performed again, which makes breaking up a weird move.

Unless they're doing it ironically.

But no fair trying to retroactively call it ironic five years from now when they want to get back together.

this. they've been a band off and on for years. i thought they broke up a long time ago actually. i didn't even know they were still considered a band.
i skimmed thru the "good bye" post and it cracked me up when it states they want to pursue other things. seriously??? i mean, come on! they have all been playing in other bands for YEARS.

[pahouk]

According to their website they're doing a mini farewell tour with a handful of shows around the country in August.