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The Heartless Bastards’ story starts in Dayton, Ohio, where Wennerstrom found the name on a multiple choice video trivia game at a bar.
As a songwriting teenager during a time when Guided By Voices and Brainiac were packing local bars and three of The Breeders were still in town, Wennerstrom used to sneak into clubs to check out the scene. “I would just see those people—my music heroes—hanging out at the bar like everyone else,” she remembers. “I could see myself in them. It gave me inspiration to do my own thing.”
After doing the usual business of playing local shows, the trio set out the following year on a regional tour. One of the first gigs of the trip took them to a bar in Akron, where The Black Keys’ drummer Patrick Carney just happened to be one of only a handful of people in the audience. This chance encounter led Wennerstrom and the Heartless Bastards to Fat Possum Records, with whom they released their debut, Stairs and Elevators, in early 2005.
The band moved on with critical praise in their back pocket, including a four-and-a-half star review from Rolling Stone, which took note that, when Wennerstrom “opens her throat on Stairs and Elevators … she sounds like she’s wailing on the shoulders of giants; her sad and angry vocals channeling all the swagger and spit of a young Robert Plant”
By whatever yardstick you care to measure, it was high time for Erika to get out of Dayton.
As a songwriting teenager during a time when Guided By Voices and Brainiac were packing local bars and three of The Breeders were still in town, Wennerstrom used to sneak into clubs to check out the scene. “I would just see those people—my music heroes—hanging out at the bar like everyone else,” she remembers. “I could see myself in them. It gave me inspiration to do my own thing.”
After doing the usual business of playing local shows, the trio set out the following year on a regional tour. One of the first gigs of the trip took them to a bar in Akron, where The Black Keys’ drummer Patrick Carney just happened to be one of only a handful of people in the audience. This chance encounter led Wennerstrom and the Heartless Bastards to Fat Possum Records, with whom they released their debut, Stairs and Elevators, in early 2005.
The band moved on with critical praise in their back pocket, including a four-and-a-half star review from Rolling Stone, which took note that, when Wennerstrom “opens her throat on Stairs and Elevators … she sounds like she’s wailing on the shoulders of giants; her sad and angry vocals channeling all the swagger and spit of a young Robert Plant”
By whatever yardstick you care to measure, it was high time for Erika to get out of Dayton.
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Top Albums
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The Mountain
Heartless Bastards
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All This Time
Heartless Bastards Buy- Download Album
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Stairs And Elevators
Heartless Bastards Buy- Download Album
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Shoutbox
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Elzbieta1986 wrote:
Why did I have to be out of Toronto when you're playing the Horseshoe of all places!!
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daveo76 wrote:
http://mp3.rollingstone.com/download/02PartedWays.mp3
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jizzy_jams wrote:
The new album comes out February 14th. The new stuff they played at the show I went to was all good, but it was acoustic. I'm excited to hear how different it sounds on the album.
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trashymomma wrote:
finally came to me... lucinda williams...she sounds a bit like;) whew! its been itching my brain for a year.
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qaz23 wrote:
It looks like there won't be a new album til next year at least. There was some new material played when they opened for DBT earlier this year.
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pourmeanother wrote:
Son of a gun I've heard rumblings from their twitter, etc about a new album... but their website is awful! Can't find tour info or anything about a new album. Would love new material, and an opportunity to see Erika's vocals live please and thanks.
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jizzy_jams wrote:
These guys were freakin awesome live. I got to talk the band after they played and they were all cool as hell.
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CRAZYBALLIZTIK wrote:
"Early In The Morning"
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jizzy_jams wrote:
I rarely ever like female vocals, but this chick is awesome
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ultrapeanut wrote:
oh my goodness
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CoolJets wrote:
Fell in love with these guys when I caught them opening for The Hold Steady. I just picked up Stairs And Elevators and The Mountain (after just having All This Time) and now I'm so excited to have more tunes to dig into.
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mweave5707 wrote:
After seeing how exciting your charts are Jeremy I understand why you said that.............. Love the sound of these guys, they demand more airtime on my radio
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Debaser987 wrote:
How the FUCK did I miss out on these guys so long? My radioshow's called "Sad Bastards" for crying out loud! Time to catch up...
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Jaypeedee wrote:
great bluesy, rawk sound - love 'em to death
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lincredible wrote:
can't believe i hadn't ever listened to them until i caught them on austin city limits. great sound.
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MoninAleksey wrote:
Шикарный Band
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JannellRamirez wrote:
I saw them on TV! :D
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tjd9 wrote:
Just heard these guys for the first time. They sound real good. I'll bet they rock in concert.
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eddymad wrote:
Pass & fail !
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UmmmHayley wrote:
wow, i listen to nothing else much like this, but i am obsessed. mostly the mountain album. i love "had to go." i love a lot of it. i... this is great.
Videos
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Events
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Apr
3
Heartless Bastards
Echoplex, Los Angeles, United States
4 going
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Apr
5
Heartless Bastards
The Fillmore, San Francisco CA, United States
1 going
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Apr
20
Heartless Bastards
La Zona Rosa, Austin TX, United States
2 going
News
Show at Antones 11-27
23 Nov 2010 | from blog.myspace.com/heartlessbastards
This Sat. 11-27 we are playing Antones in Austin, and hope to
see all your smiling faces!
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Show at Antones 11-27
23 Nov 2010 | from blog.myspace.com/heartlessbastards -
14 Sep 2010 | from blog.myspace.com/heartlessbastards -
14 Sep 2010 | from blog.myspace.com/heartlessbastards
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Recent Activity
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Dnerak and nadarine added Heartless Bastards to their libraries. 3 hours ago
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theonealexa tagged Heartless Bastards with indie rock and garage rock. 8 hours ago
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turdburglar1981, soundscrimson, paulrockercinci and 11 other people added Heartless Bastards to their libraries. 9 hours ago
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kelleythegreat added Heartless Bastards to the lineup of Heartless Bastards at The Fillmore. Tuesday morning
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andrewarden, miriya99, thetavernshow and 5 other people added Heartless Bastards to their libraries. Tuesday morning
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yodel tagged Heartless Bastards with ‘indie rock’. Monday morning
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orcaortheseal, flofblo, Rosebigmusicfan and 4 other people added Heartless Bastards to their libraries. Monday morning
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gohawgs2012 added Heartless Bastards to the lineup of Heartless Bastards at George's Majestic Lounge. last week
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gtdmouse added Heartless Bastards to the lineup of Heartless Bastards at The Orpheum. last week
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gtdmouse added Heartless Bastards to the lineup of Heartless Bastards at The Social. last week
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Groups (14)
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Postcard From Hell
498 members
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Not The Same Old Blues Crap
331 members
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Fat Possum Records
269 members
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Audacity
177 members
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Cool Independent Motherfuckers who are here to take your virginity
160 members
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