The Long Winters

by **John** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 11:29 am

Soo... the clever ones have already deduced that it is physically impossible for Sean Nelson to both rock out with Harvey Danger at the Crocodile and do the same with the Long Winters in the Midwest simultaneously. This is true.

Sean's been working on his own various projects the entire time he's been in the Long Winters, including numerous writing and acting gigs in addition to writing songs and recording demos of numerous different musical concepts. He's made a Harry Nilsson covers record, a techno/dance record, (I kid you not), a piano-rock record, (with members of Centro-Matic), and assorted other demos all within the last couple of years. I'm not revealing too much when I say that our man is both incredibly prolific and also prodigiously talented, and yet he's not released any of this material for reasons of his own, and has remained a dedicated Long Winter through thick and thin.

But this winter he had occasion to be reunited with his Harvey Danger bandmates, Jeff Lin and Aaron Huffman- initially just to play around and work on songs in a casual way- which quickly reaffirmed in them all that between them there is a special chemistry that is greater than the sum of its parts. In short, they felt the old magic once again and fell into writing and planning with an excited fervor.

Over in The Long Winters, we always knew that Sean was far too vigorous a force to be contained for long. Fire in a bottle. A kitten in a microwave. Smoke on the water. Reuniting with Harvey Danger had an inescapable logic- we were just as excited about it as they were- and we cheered their reunion as friends and fans.

When Sean revealed that the Harveys were planning on re-entering the studio to record new material, the Long Winters were finalizing the arrangements for three solid months of touring this spring. A US tour with the Pernice Brothers, followed by our second European tour, followed by an appearance at Sasquatch Festival as the kick-off to another US tour with the Decemberists in June. All this plus the recording of a new record. There wasn't really a moment to spare, not even, (in Eric’s case) to comb our hair. We had a brand new drummer in the personage of our old friend Michael Schorr and we were working, dare I say, feverishly.

It was always the policy of the band to encourage and fertilize everyone's other projects, even when it conflicted with touring and recording, but with so many things happening in such a short time span it was clearly impractical, not to say unfeasible, to schedule everything for the middle of April. Nevertheless Sean felt that, now that the "iron" of Harvey Danger was again "hot" that they would like to "strike".

So it is with sadness, tempered with joy, that we have to announce Sean's departure from the Long Winters. In wishing Harvey Danger the best and most continued success we are obliged to lose him as a member of the Long Winters. Lose a member and gain a great band.

We experimented briefly with finding a replacement for Sean, touring the West Coast with the addition of Darren Loucas on guitar, and though Darren is an excellent musician and an excellent man, it became clear to us that dealing with the departure of Sean Nelson would not be as simple as just replacing him with another fine musician. In fact, as the weeks wore on, we found ourselves retrenching, working on new music- just as a three-piece- and reconnecting with the music we make and the reasons we do this. Eric started to sing more and more, we were locking in with Michael, and the songs we were writing took on new and varied character.

So here we are at the bottom of this long-winded announcement, not so much marking the departure of Sean Nelson but declaring a new, smaller, tighter Long Winters, just three of us, preparing to bring a different show your way this spring. We would not pretend that something is not lost when you subtract the humor, vitality and talent of Sean Nelson from our equation, but in the practice space and in the studio we are discovering that something has been gained too, in the form of the band playing together with more focus and excitement than ever before. We'll find a good piano player this spring, but until then we're the fuckin' Who!

by **Unremarkable** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 11:57 am

Wow. I thought this was coming. I am overjoyed that Harvey Danger is reuniting, moreso than I am sad about his departure from The Long Winters. I look forward to seeing the LW croc shows, even without Sean. I hope you find a new keyboardist soon. It seems to me that TLW would not sound the same without one...Man...what I would do to hear that Nilsson cover album...

by **LoveSickJerk** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 2:29 pm

I'm both saddened and overjoyed at the same time, but ALSO excited beyond belief for both TLW and HD, and of course, Sean Nelson. Good luck to everyone! WOO HOO!

by **inverted/converted** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 3:08 pm

This does not mean that Sean Nelson will not make guest appearances in future Long Winter's shows and albums, does it?

by **hovering** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 3:26 pm

aw guys, excuse me for being a big wimp, but that was so beautifully written that i almost shed a tear.

and yes, i am being 100% serious.
now, if only we could get our hands on this sean nelson techno album..

by **Damien_82** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 3:31 pm

solution: hire me as your keyboard player.

by **Harvey Winters** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 3:36 pm

I don't know what to say at this time, which some would call "miraculous"...

It's like that Monty Python sketch
where the giant cat scares off the killer cars,
and the narrator says
"the city is saved, but at what cost"?

It was Sean that got me to listen,
but it was the music that made me a fan...

So I'm staying put....

by **NatureBoy** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 3:52 pm

I cannot wait for the co-headlining Long Winters / Harvey Danger tour!

by **get down here** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 4:49 pm

This changes any idea I had on how the 3rd album would be arranged. And that turns me on.

We love you, Sean.

by **heather** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 4:50 pm

Holy. Jebus.

This is the best/worst/best/even better news ever.

My mind was just blown about 9 times in 45 seconds.

by **chelsea** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:11 pm

hovering wrote:aw guys, excuse me for being a big wimp, but that was so beautifully written that i almost shed a tear.

i agree.

this is indeed sad news, but i wish sean all the best and look forward to the croc shows and sasquatch.

by **ChadyzGroove** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:55 pm

inverted/converted wrote:This does not mean that Sean Nelson will not make guest appearances in future Long Winter's shows and albums, does it?

yeah here's to hopin' he can tag along with some things in the future hopefully a song or two on album 3. even though i'm sad to see sean go, i'm more over filled with joy, that harvey danger is making a return. anyways john eric and the new micheal are obviously forces to contend with and will make an awesome trio til the new keyboardist comes along.

by **wonderbex** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 8:13 pm

ah, yes. all good things must come to an end, and also, as George Harrison reminds us, all things must pass.

MAZEL TOV, Sean, on your fantabulous new endeavors!
Release that Nilsson record, stat! Will you call it Nelson Schnelson?

ROCK AND ROLL, Long Winters, as a threesome!
And, ahem, we all know how much fun a threesome can be.

[dig: i worked sex, yiddish, and rock&roll into one email. awesome].

love and kisses,
bex

------------------------
Now the darkness only stays the night-time
In the morning it will fade away
Daylight is good at arriving at the right time
It's not always going to be this grey

by **Betty Felon** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 8:36 pm

omg. *opens virtual mouth, but nothing will come out*

by **heather** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 8:47 pm

Holy shit.. Nilsson Schmilsson is a real thing. I always thought he was joking.. [i love nilsson]

by **Karousme** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 11:41 pm

Everything that I could have said has been said, so I'm just gonna say

by **Moni** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 9:46 am

Betty Felon wrote:omg. *opens virtual mouth, but nothing will come out*

same here

by **A Brutaful Smile** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:19 pm

hhmm, i dunno, i'm torn.

how fun harvey danger may make a come back but on the down side sean was a big part of the long winters live experience. who is gonna exchange witty banter w/john? not to say the other guys aren't witty, but they never talk much. i have no problem w/the music aspect of it as i am sure it will always be genius but personality wise i know it will not be the same. i guess this means one thing...you're gonna have to let the other guys talk now. :)

by **heather** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:28 pm

I guess the audience will have to step up and help out now. Also, M.Schorr is a sassy you-know-what, so give that guy a mic and let the banter happen!

by **the new math** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:33 pm

you don't want to give me a mic. really.

"uh......um, well.....uhhhh......uh........i'm really huhhhhhh.......er...uh.......(insert joke that was funny in the van but isn't funny on stage)!"

The Long Winters

All good things...

All good things...

Techno Album?

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