House of Large Sizes
Encyclopedia
House of Large Sizes was an alternative rock
band from Cedar Falls
, Iowa, in the United States
. They were made up of Dave Deibler, Barb Schlif and a number of different drummers, over the years. They released their first recordings in 1987 and officially broke up December 20, 2003. Deibler and Schlif are married and were the two consistent members of this power trio
. Schlif plays bass and sings. Deibler plays guitar and sings lead. They have had a number of drummers play with them over the years. Deibler was the band's primary songwriter.
House of Large Sizes, often abbreviated HOLS, played a unique style of rock with a driving beat, lots of rhythmic changes, unexpected rests and false endings. Although their music was unusual it drew on common influences--punk rock
, funk
and heavy metal. Punk shows itself in the short length of many HOLS songs. The gut-level emotional energy of the music (largely attributable to Deibler's voice and guitar style) and the band's DIY ethic
also show their punk roots. Deviating from the DIY standard, HOLS released one album, "My Ass Kicking Life," on Red Decibel/Columbia in 1993. Primarily, they have worked with small labels like WAR (What Are Records?) and Toxic Shock or released recordings on their own.
Funk can be heard in Schlif's bass playing and the throbbing, danceable rhythms of the music. Heavy metal elements are present in some of Deibler's powerful guitar technique and the short musical phrases the songs are constructed from.
Deibler and Schlif have continued to make and record music together since HOLS disbanded.
More information on these shows can be found at the new HOLS website
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band from Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Cedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States, and it is home to one of Iowa's three public universities, the University of Northern Iowa. The population was 39,260 in the 2010 census, an increase from the 36,145 population in the 2000 census...
, Iowa, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They were made up of Dave Deibler, Barb Schlif and a number of different drummers, over the years. They released their first recordings in 1987 and officially broke up December 20, 2003. Deibler and Schlif are married and were the two consistent members of this power trio
Power trio
A power trio is a rock and roll band format where the traditional power trio has a lineup of guitar, bass and drums, leaving out the rhythm guitar or keyboard that are used in other rock music to fill out the sound with chords...
. Schlif plays bass and sings. Deibler plays guitar and sings lead. They have had a number of drummers play with them over the years. Deibler was the band's primary songwriter.
House of Large Sizes, often abbreviated HOLS, played a unique style of rock with a driving beat, lots of rhythmic changes, unexpected rests and false endings. Although their music was unusual it drew on common influences--punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
and heavy metal. Punk shows itself in the short length of many HOLS songs. The gut-level emotional energy of the music (largely attributable to Deibler's voice and guitar style) and the band's DIY ethic
DIY ethic
The DIY ethic refers to the ethic of self-sufficiency through completing tasks oneself as opposed to having others who are more experienced or able complete them for one's behalf. It promotes the idea that an ordinary person can learn to do more than he or she thought was possible...
also show their punk roots. Deviating from the DIY standard, HOLS released one album, "My Ass Kicking Life," on Red Decibel/Columbia in 1993. Primarily, they have worked with small labels like WAR (What Are Records?) and Toxic Shock or released recordings on their own.
Funk can be heard in Schlif's bass playing and the throbbing, danceable rhythms of the music. Heavy metal elements are present in some of Deibler's powerful guitar technique and the short musical phrases the songs are constructed from.
Deibler and Schlif have continued to make and record music together since HOLS disbanded.
2009
In the summer of 2009, House of Large sizes- June 26 - The Mill - Iowa City, Iowa
- June 27 - Spicolis - Cedar Falls, Iowa
- July 3 - 80/35 Festival - Des Moines, IA
- July 11 - Silver Dollar Cantina - Dubuque, Iowa
More information on these shows can be found at the new HOLS website
2007
At the end of 2007, House of Large Sizes reunited for a string of live shows:- Dec 28 - The Picador - Iowa City, Iowa
- Dec 29 - People’s Court Avenue - Des Moines, Iowa
- Dec 30 - Triple Rock Social Club - Minneapolis
- Dec 31 - The Reverb - Cedar Falls, Iowa
Discography
- One Big Cake (1989) (Re-released with bonus track in 1997)
- Heat Miser (1990) (Re-released with bonus track in 1997)
- My Ass-Kicking LifeMy Ass-Kicking LifeMy Ass-Kicking Life is an album by the Cedar Falls, Iowa band House of Large Sizes. It was released in 1993 on Columbia Records. It was the band's only release on a major label.-Track listing:#"Sox on Spot"#"Tired of Feelin' Good"#"Mean and Hateful"...
(1993) - Little HOLS on the Prairie (1997)
- Glass Cockpit (1997)
- Not for Sale (1998)
- Idiots Out Wandering Around (2000)
- House of Large Sizes (2002)