Something I Learned Today

Punk Rock and Other Assorted Bullshit

Hazel

March 01st, 2007 | Posted by: Eric | Category: Indie/Alt

I’m sure there a plenty of folks who will read the description, take a quick listen, and pass this off as disposable grunge. Not that there isn’t a kernal of truth to those sentiments, but what set Hazel apart from the other neo-grungers and noiseniks that busted out of the Portland, OR scene was the vocal interplay between guitarist Peter Krebs and drummer Jody Bleyle. Kinda like a John and Exene for the 90’s Sub Pop set (take that with a grain of salt). My first exposure was their cover of the Wipers “Tragedy” on the 14 Songs for Greg Sage and the Wipers compilation, which was enough for me to track down the bands two Sub Pop albums and the Ariana EP on Bleyle’s own Candy Ass label. Highlights include the guitar crunch of “Calliope”, the pop edge of “Title Track”, the hyperkinetic “Mr Magazine Man”, and the melancholic gem “Everybody’s Best Friend”

from 1993’s Toreador of Love
Hazel - Joe Louis Punch Out.mp3
Hazel - Truly.mp3
Hazel - Everybody’s Best Friend.mp3

from 1995’s Are You Going To Eat That?
Hazel - Lazy H.mp3
Hazel - Calliope.mp3

from 1997’s Ariana EP
Hazel - Title Track.mp3
Hazel - Mr Magazine Man.mp3

Notes:
>> Band dancer Fred Nemo maintains a Hazel Archive, amongst other things
>> Photo swiped from the band’s Myspace page
>> Hazel goods from Amazon

11 Comments so far

  1. Ross March 2nd, 2007 7:42 am

    Hey, i just found your blog, awesome shit !!!
    I love Mr Magazine man !!
    Post more grunge/90’s stuff, i’m obsessed with it.

    Thanks for the Hazel tip.
    Oh ‘ Title Track’ is the same mp3 as mag man
    Cheers
    Rx

  2. Eric March 2nd, 2007 7:50 am

    the “title track” link is fixed. If you’re looking for grunge you absolutely gotta check out the excellent Lamestain - It has everything you could ask for.

  3. Ross March 2nd, 2007 10:04 am

    Nice one Eric, thanks for the tip !!

  4. William March 2nd, 2007 10:45 am

    Great post about a great band. “Truly” somehow became their best known song back in the day, although it originally appeared as a b-side to their Sub Pop single “Jilted,” which I find even better. (Not sure if my bro or I still have that single, though; I hope we do.)

    Jody later played guitar and bass for Team Dresch, a band whose rather boring records failed to capture the esprit and punk rock fury of their live shows.

  5. William March 2nd, 2007 10:46 am

    Oh, and thanks for the compliment re: lamestain, Eric!

  6. E. March 2nd, 2007 11:01 am

    That’s good music to have melancholic sex to. Thanks Eric!

  7. bill March 5th, 2007 3:22 pm

    loved “are you going to eat that” for many, many years. amazing record and a sadly unappreciated band. saw them play a reunion show at brownies in nyc in 1992, i think. never thought i’d hear those songs live.

  8. bill March 5th, 2007 3:26 pm

    i mean i saw them in 2002. old brain won’t work.

  9. phil March 7th, 2007 11:18 pm

    this is great. i still listen to “toreador of love” on a regular basis and would do the same with “are you going to eat that” had some jerk not borrowed it and moved away shortly thereafter i keep planning to find another copy somewhere, but never quite manage.

  10. jeff March 8th, 2007 11:42 am

    Wow I have had this song “Truly” stuck in my head for the past couple days, but in a good way. I’ve been reading this blog for a while and it is always incredible, thanks so much, it has turned me on to a ton of great bands that I never really knew about before.

  11. Lame Punk Slogan » Blog Archive » Exhibit Number One, The Fire of the Setting Sun March 9th, 2007 12:07 am

    […] I was really excited to see that Something I Learned Today, my go-to MP3 blog for all things punk, had posted about Hazel. […]

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