All About Hem

October 2004 Archive (Older news link at bottom of page)

October 27, 2004 -- No Depression Magazine

The November/December 2004 issue of No Depression includes a great long article about Hem. For now, a little background information about "The Fire Thief" from that article is on the meanings page. Edited 2005: Pictures were here, but I had to remove them. Visit No Depression's site to read the article and to learn how to order a back copy of this issue to see the great pictures.

October 22, 2004 -- Official Site Update

Hem's official site updated today with some new and quite interesting sections. Check out Rabbit Songs background, Eveningland background, guitar tabs (handwritten!), and press quotes. There's also a new discography section, but it doesn't include information different from this site's discography page. Except for their listing of the Dreamworks release of Rabbit Songs in 2003 instead of 2002, which is what I have because that's the copyright date on the CD. More goodies are yet to come on the official site, so keep an eye out!

In site news, I added more information about "Lazy Eye" to the meanings page.

October 18, 2004 -- Lots-o-Stuff

ABC News Now, a video news show you can watch online, apparently ran a segment on Eveningland on October 11. I missed it, but if you didn't and have more information about it, let me know. The show may run again this week, and if so, I'll update with new airing information.

From Hem's official site: "Hem got a nod from actress Minnie Driver this week in Q magazine: "The album I really love at the moment is by a band called Hem. Their record Rabbit Songs is absolutely blinding. The singer Sally Ellyson has got the most incredible voice. It's like Emmylou Harris but with vibey beats." Minnie Driver has a new album out herself this month, and you can hear samples from it at her site.

Finally, sorry for the gap in news updates. I was on a little vacation in Missouri where I enjoyed nature without the Internet. And there I used to think it was impossible to enjoy anything without the Internet!

October 12, 2004 -- Eveningland recording information

Gary Maurer, who along with Dan Messe produced Eveningland, posted some technical recording information about the new album here on the message board. I may not fully understand what he's talking about, but it's still interesting! I know people can easily read the details there, but to help prevent the details from being lost, here they are as posted:

Vocal Mics..we use a Telefunken/Nuemann u47 (tube)..it's a really old one..the best I've ever used.. also a neumann m49 once in a while. I usually use a Tubetech MP1A mic pre with an LA2A compressor

Mastering: well.it was sort of up to us what got released so... Dan and I loved the idea of making the record as dynamic as possible... something not heard very often these days Greg Calbi did the mastering..all from 1/2 inch analog..he did a great job as usual.

We mixed on 2 Neve consoles..8068 at Stratosphere and 8038 at Sear Sound.

Pedal Steel: it is all Bob..but technically..we used Bob's vintage Fender Showman amp with his custom THD Cabinet (2x12" celestions).. We record it with either that u47 or maybe a Royer ribbon mic..Neve pre with a Urei 1176 blackface comp... quite a bit of compression,actually and not with the amp on 11.... not too loud at all..

Reverb: it is absolutely a plate!!. EMT 140 I think..with a bit of pre delay..

As a reminder, as I get setlist information for recent shows, I'll update the tour page to include it. Ditto for any pictures or print reviews of shows. Not that I have any pictures or newspaper articles yet. But I will hopefully get some as the tour progresses.

October 8, 2004 -- World Cafe

Today Hem recorded their World Cafe show. Sally, Gary, Dan, Steve, Catherine, Bob, Heather, and Mark were all there, as was Dawn Landes. Dawn sings harmony for a few songs on Eveningland ("The Fire Thief," "Redwing," and "Dance With Me, Now Darling") and will open at least some shows on Hem's headlining tour. In addition to doing an interview that included some talk about recording with the orchestra in Slovakia, Hem played the following songs:

1. The Fire Thief

2. An Easy One

3. Hollow

4. My Father's Waltz

5. Redwing

6. Half Acre

Thanks to Murph for the taping information! There's no radio air date scheduled yet, but I'll update with that information as soon as I have it.

In site news, I added some comments from Sally about the meaning of the name Hem.

October 6, 2004 -- Eveningland and Birds, Beasts & Flowers Discography Updates

Just a small update today about Hem's two new releases yesterday, Eveningland and Birds, Beasts, & Flowers. Information about each album is now, to the best of my knowledge, complete on the discography page. If you're curious, the three songs on the Birds, Beasts, & Flowers EP are the same as the mp3s previously available for download at Hem's rabbitsongs.com site. The pre-release information I had for Birds, Beasts, & Flowers indicated that "Half Acre" and "Pacific Street" might be different versions recorded at Radio Denmark, but they are indeed the ones recorded at BBC Scotland in September 2002.

Rolling Stone has on its website a lovely new article about Eveningland that includes a lot of album insight from our favorite songwriter, Dan Messe.

October 5, 2004 -- Eveningland and Birds, Beasts & Flowers Day

Hem's second album Eveningland hits stores today! Also new in stores today is a split EP with the band The Autumn Defense featuring three new/unreleased songs by Hem. Go, buy! I'll be here when you get back!

Visit Hem's Official Site, newly renovated and debuting today.

Note time change from previous update. Don't forget that today Hem will be on CNN at 11:54am (EST) in a segment called "Paste Picks" presented by Paste Magazine editor Josh Jackson. This segment airs during CNN's daily show "CNN Live Today."

A new tour date in Seattle is on the tour page, though it is a private CD Release party with the radio station KMTT. Look for regular west coast tour dates soon.

October 3, 2004 -- Hem on CNN

Hem will be on CNN Tuesday, October 5 at 10:54am (EST) in a segment called "Paste Picks" presented by Paste Magazine editor Josh Jackson. This segment airs during CNN's daily show "CNN Live Today." It may be a hardship to take a break from listening to songs on "Eveningland," new in stores on Tuesday, but I'm pretty sure it will be worth it.

FYI, to help keep this page manageable, unless I add a new date to the tour page I won't note here on the news page when I update it with details like start times, ticket prices, etc. for previously announced shows. I will note here, though, if there are any date, venue, or other significant changes to previously announced shows. So, check the tour page for the most recent tour information.

Also FYI, I updated the FAQ, but I'm always fiddling with that page and don't note it here every time I tweak an answer or add a new one because that would probably be very tedious and boring. As always, if you have a comment or question not answered on that page, feel free to drop me a note.

October 1, 2004 -- More Tour Dates + New Meanings

There are a number of new East Coast tour dates. Check the tour page for more information about the new shows and some new ticket information about previously listed shows. Note that one of the new dates is next week when Hem opens for Wilco in Sarasota Springs, NY.

In site news, I added information about "Stupid Mouth Shut" to the meanings page. Also new on the meanings page, I have links to interview transcripts for Hem's 2002 NPR appearances on All Songs Considered and All Things Considered.

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