Top Secret

Currently listening to: Heather Duby
Currently reading: All You Need to Know About the Music Business

If you're anything like me, you're impulsive. So, because H Is for Hellgate is also The Band That Cares, we're going to give you a means to act out those nasty, nasty impulses.


Click the picture my friend, buy our record. It will feel good once you're done.

Hooray!

Currently listening to: Van Halen

Thanks to everyone who came out and partied with the H last night at our CD release show. We had blast and, more than anything, we're happy that you were so receptive to the "hooray." Thank you.

If you weren't able to see us play in the sweaty, whiskey-scented flesh, you're not completely SOL. The kind folks at niztv.com video taped the show and part of it will be available for streaming soon. Goddamn, the internet is cool. Check back!

Lastly, Matt "Sign My Manly Chest" Brown said some nice stuff about H is for Hellgate. Check it out at the world-famous NadaMucho.

The Big Day

This whole build up of the CD release is kind of like giving birth, but minus all the pain and 18 years of taking care of a human. I'm really excited that we can finally get these songs out to people (especially since I started recording them a YEAR ago). There's been a lot of planning, build up, and anticipation - and, in a rare event, I'm actually a little nervous. I've played TONS of shows and can play these songs in my sleep with one hand tied behind my back, but it's just the build up. The big night. More than anything, I'm excited to have a party to celebrate the band.

Although, with all the excitement, there is some let down. We didn't get any reviews or write-ups about the show in the local papers. Just when I thought we were starting to reach some people, the folks in the press reminded me that we're not important enough. I'm not ranking our success on the number of reviews, but it would be nice as a means to get more people familiar with the band.

And really, all the promotion efforts weren't a total loss. We've been played on KEXP, 107.7 The End and rainydawg.org (the UW online station). Plus, the Three Imaginary Girls have us on one of their podcasts.

It kind of feels like tonight will be the beginning of H is for Hellgate. Now we have something physical and long-lasting to offer the world rather than just the one-night-stand of a club show.

The Plateau

Currently listening to: a lot of Justin Timberlake
Currently reading: I Like You by Amy Sedaris

After months of planning, emailing, promoting, ...oh yeah, and practicing, I've come to the point where there's little to nothing else I can do for the CD release show. It's a weird feeling. I imagine my life will be this strange world filled free of stress and anxiety where I can do crazy things like write songs and practice my guitar. Heck, maybe I'll even take some voice lessons.

Of course, there's always the tour that's not yet 100% booked, but most of the hard work is done. All I can say is that I'm excited for H is for Hellgate to be about the music and not the business, even if it's just for a couple weeks.

Now, go to the show on Thursday at the Sunset. 9pm. It's going to be party party time with Town Crier and Conservative Dad in the house. If you don't live in Seattle, pre-order our CD online. And we thank you.

Oh, and totally unrelated - This just in: subtle sexism DOES still exist in rock music. Here's how - I went to a certain guitar megastore yesterday to get new strings for my gutiar. You know, the guitar I play in the rock band. It's an electric guitar. After I left the store, I noticed the Sales Associate had sold me acoustic strings. Seems like a simple enough mistake, right? No. Nearly EVERY TIME I buy strings, no matter at what store from Montana to Seattle, (except Trading Musician, thank you!) the response is, "Acoustic?" No. Do I look like Ani Difranco? Did I walk into the store singing the Indigo Girls? Why do these dudes always assume that I am a folk-signing, acoustic-open-chord-strumming chick? I guess I was in too much of a hurry yesterday to double check and/or gave the Sales Associate the benefit of the doubt that I just might play an instrument powered by electricity. Christ.

So, hooray for girls. We get to front bands occassionally. Sometimes we're good enought not just be "good for a girl." But please, stop assuming that I can't f****** (the **s are for Dad) rock.

You better recognize!

Currently listening to: Death Cab for Cutie - We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes
Currently reading: siggghhh..

Two out of two people say we don't suck!

FACT: "Belt of Lights", the first song on our upcoming release was Demo of the Week on 107.7 The End's Young and the Restless show.

FACT: Cursive Mag, a DIY zine straight outta Kirkland, WA, said this about the record in issue 1.1:

At Cursive House, we were excited when the envelope came from H is for Hellgate.
"What is this?" We cooed, ripping into manila like so many Christmas presents
before. It took a few days before we could find time to sit down and listen to
it, too, so we were in for a big, pleasant surprise.

"H is for Hellgate," the self-titled album is slated to release February 15 at a massive Sunset Tavern release party, and then February 27 on stereotyperecords.com. Jamie Henkensiefken, a Seattle transplant from Missoula, MT rocks guitars and vocals on each track, joined by Marie Calderon on drums, Ben Baier on bass and vox, and David Thomas on some guitar and vocals. Henkensiefken is a self-proclaimed
"DIY-er," but don't let the indie, home-made vibe fool you. This release is an
aural treat, independent girl-rock at its finest.

Henkensiefken (whose name, I admit, I enjoy writing) included a really nice letter with her album advance, suggesting that we check out tracks 1, 3, and 4 in our initial listen, so I did. Track 1, "Belt of Lights," features halting distorted guitar, feather-light vocals, and the prettiest talk of explosions I've heard all year. I put it on
while I was getting ready for work and made myself late because dancing around
the kitchen with the disc on. Track 4 ("Soundtrack to the Summer") slowed the
alt-prog rock up-tempo vibe down with some acoustic guitar and the opening
lines, "I said you were evil, and you said I was evil, so that's the score.
We're trashed again, I'm on the dance floor." And so on; H is for Hellgate
captures the devastating romance and terrible sensation of drifting through
relationships in a way that is disconcerting to listen to- it is all too real, familiar, and true.

Other highlights of the album include the delectably soft "The Next 50 Winters," old-punk reminiscent "This is How We Take it Offline," wistful mod-garage "I Don't Lie," And the glorious final track, "Scars Like Stars." I hate Jamie Henkensiefken: she makes the music I wish I made, and makes me dance to it. Dance, Cursive, Dance! Kudos to H is for Hellgate for an excellent disc. MLY

Sometimes I think I'm pretty funny

Currently listening to: I5

This is what I did tonight. Sometimes when I do band work, I need to make it fun. This was inspired by Ben's suggestion that we get our band picture taken at the Space Needle.