HEALTH (band)
Encyclopedia
Health is an American noise rock
band from Los Angeles
, California
. The band's 2007 release with Crystal Castles
charted at position nine in the UK indie singles chart.
, has been their chosen place to record their full length album, "during empty mornings", although the band have already recorded a live album at the Smell, released on DNT Records.
In 2008, Boston newspaper The Phoenix
named them the Best New Band from California.
Health opened for Nine Inch Nails
on part of the Lights in the Sky tour in the fall of 2008.
The name of the band was chosen after the band's members agreed that they wanted to use an "everyday word." They created a list of words and went through to see which was taken, and the word "health" was the only one left.
Health have been described as having "artfully crafted noise and raw synth, haunting monotone vocals, and drum skills that are borderline insane". Guardian Unlimited
writer, Louis Pattison, chose the Crystal Castles version of "Crimewave" as the pick of the week, describing the song as "melancholy electro-pop built from pixelated synths and depressed vocals that hint at a past programme of busy and sustained serotonin depletion". Jim Carroll of The Irish Times
also chose the song as tune of the week.
The band describes the role of lyrics as being "purposely kept vague for the listener":
The band's unusual sound can be partially accredited to the use of the Zoothorn, which is a permutation of microphone and guitar pedal and an occasional atonal sound without a symmetrical structure.
In piece for Dummymag.com, Health described their love of sounds from the guitar solo on All Along the Watchtower to an elk's yelp.
To promote their 2009 album, Get Color, the band held a sweepstakes contest, in which a winner of a golden ticket was awarded a free trip to Los Angeles to go to Magic Mountain with the band. Other prizes included locks of the band members' hair and posters autographed in blood. In late 2009, the band was chosen as one of Beyond Race
Magazines "50 Emerging Artists," resulting in a spot in BRM's #11 issue as well as an exclusive online Q&A.
An album remixing the tracks from Get Color, entitled Disco2, was released on June 22, 2010.
Health plans to debut an internet television show entitled HealthVision, which will star members of the band. They will also debut a clothing line in early 2010, which will feature high-quality, hand-sewn, one-of-a-kind designer items.
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...
band from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The band's 2007 release with Crystal Castles
Crystal Castles (band)
Crystal Castles are an experimental electronic band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of producer Ethan Kath and lyricist and vocalist Alice Glass. Crystal Castles are known for their chaotic live shows and their lo-fi home productions. The duo released many limited EPs between 2006 and...
charted at position nine in the UK indie singles chart.
History
Early in their career, Health became popular playing multiple concerts for free, leading to a variety of venues requesting to book them. The band's favourite setting, LA's The SmellThe Smell
The Smell is an all ages, alcohol and drug-free punk rock/noise/experimental venue in Downtown Los Angeles, California. The Smell, notable for its DIY ethic, is home to many of the area's avant-garde performers and artists...
, has been their chosen place to record their full length album, "during empty mornings", although the band have already recorded a live album at the Smell, released on DNT Records.
In 2008, Boston newspaper The Phoenix
The Phoenix (newspaper)
The Phoenix is the name of several alternative weekly newspapers published in the United States by Phoenix Media/Communications Group of Boston, Massachusetts including the Boston Phoenix, the Providence Phoenix, the Portland Phoenix and the now-defunct Worcester Phoenix...
named them the Best New Band from California.
Health opened for Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
on part of the Lights in the Sky tour in the fall of 2008.
The name of the band was chosen after the band's members agreed that they wanted to use an "everyday word." They created a list of words and went through to see which was taken, and the word "health" was the only one left.
Health have been described as having "artfully crafted noise and raw synth, haunting monotone vocals, and drum skills that are borderline insane". Guardian Unlimited
Guardian Unlimited
guardian.co.uk, formerly known as Guardian Unlimited, is a British website owned by the Guardian Media Group. Georgina Henry is the editor...
writer, Louis Pattison, chose the Crystal Castles version of "Crimewave" as the pick of the week, describing the song as "melancholy electro-pop built from pixelated synths and depressed vocals that hint at a past programme of busy and sustained serotonin depletion". Jim Carroll of The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
also chose the song as tune of the week.
The band describes the role of lyrics as being "purposely kept vague for the listener":
The band's unusual sound can be partially accredited to the use of the Zoothorn, which is a permutation of microphone and guitar pedal and an occasional atonal sound without a symmetrical structure.
In piece for Dummymag.com, Health described their love of sounds from the guitar solo on All Along the Watchtower to an elk's yelp.
To promote their 2009 album, Get Color, the band held a sweepstakes contest, in which a winner of a golden ticket was awarded a free trip to Los Angeles to go to Magic Mountain with the band. Other prizes included locks of the band members' hair and posters autographed in blood. In late 2009, the band was chosen as one of Beyond Race
Beyond Race
Beyond Race Magazine is a quarterly magazine based in New York primarily centered on independent and emerging artists, covering music, film, and other arts, such as literature, graffiti, tattooing, and visual arts...
Magazines "50 Emerging Artists," resulting in a spot in BRM's #11 issue as well as an exclusive online Q&A.
An album remixing the tracks from Get Color, entitled Disco2, was released on June 22, 2010.
Health plans to debut an internet television show entitled HealthVision, which will star members of the band. They will also debut a clothing line in early 2010, which will feature high-quality, hand-sewn, one-of-a-kind designer items.
Albums
- 2007 HealthHEALTH (album)Health is the debut album by American noise rock band Health. The album was recorded at the Los Angeles club The Smell.-Track listing:#"Heaven" - 2:37#"Girl Attorney" - 0:36...
- Lovepump UnitedLovepump United RecordsLovepump United is an independent record label founded in 2004 by then - Vassar College students Jake Friedman and Mookie Singerman in Poughkeepsie, New York. The label is currently based in New York City. Friedman and Singerman were the only members of a duo Glitter Pals whose EP was Lovepump's... - 2009 Get Color - Lovepump United
Singles
- 2006 Health/Elphaba 7" Split - Rome Plow Records
- 2007 Crystal CastlesCrystal Castles (band)Crystal Castles are an experimental electronic band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of producer Ethan Kath and lyricist and vocalist Alice Glass. Crystal Castles are known for their chaotic live shows and their lo-fi home productions. The duo released many limited EPs between 2006 and...
vs. Health - Crimewave - Trouble Records (#9 UK indie singles charts) - 2007 Crystal Castles//Health 7" Split - Lovepump United
- 2008 Perfect Skin +RMX 7" - Suicide Squeeze
- 2008 Heaven +RMXS 12" - Flemish EyeFlemish EyeFlemish Eye is a record label started in 2003 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The first release was Infiniheart by Chad VanGaalen, which was picked up in 2005 by indie label Sub Pop. From the success of Infiniheart, the label has earnestly developed a mandate of assisting Calgary-based musicians and...
- 2008 Triceratops//Lost Time +RMXS 12" - Tough Love Records
- 2008 //M\\ 7" - No Pain in Pop
- 2009 Die Slow 7" - Lovepump United
Remix Albums
- 2008 Health//DiscoHEALTH//DISCOHealth//Disco is a remix album by American noise rock band Health. It features remixes of songs from their debut album Health.-Track listing:#"Triceratops " - 5:03#"Lost Time " - 4:20...
- Lovepump United - 2010 Health::Disco2HEALTH::DISCO2Health::Disco2 is a remix album by American noise rock band Health. It features remixes of songs from the album Get Color by various artists, as well as one new track by Health.-Track listing:#"USA Boys" - 4:06#"Before Tigers " - 4:39...
- Lovepump United
Videography
- 2007 "Heaven"
- 2008 "Crimewave"
- 2009 "Die Slow"
- 2009 "We Are Water" (Directed by Eric WareheimEric WareheimEric Wareheim is an American actor, comedian, writer and director. He is one half of the comedy team of Tim and Eric. Wareheim, along with Tim Heidecker, created the television shows Tom Goes to the Mayor, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! and Check It Out! with Dr...
) - 2010 "USA Boys"