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Howe Gelb is an American artist who fronted Giant Sand, and was a member of “OP8”.
THIS IS EROSION ROCK: Inaccurately yet affectionately dubbed “the Godfather of Alt. Country” by the British press, Tucson, Arizona-based musician Howe Gelb has remained the sole epicenter and creative force behind the ever-fluid configurations of Giant Sand for over a quarter century, giving birth along the way to an extended musical family tree that fostered the likes of The Band of…Blacky Ranchette, The Friends of Dean Martinez, OP8, and Calexico.
“Giant Sand is a mood,” explained Howe, as if to simplify the dizzying breadth of his prolific output as an artist. With an impressive catalog of material that stretches back to 1983, he can easily claim some 40 albums to his credentials as both a band leader and a solo performer, each of which maintains its own genre-defying singularity while also drawing on the not-so disparate threads of country, southwestern roots, lo-fi, jazz, and punk—or the “yippity and happenstance“ that arises to inspire the soundscape of
whatever project Gelb is involved in creating.
But Howe’s initial signposts were planted crookedly in Pennsylvania during the 1970s, among them being the rock opera ZEQE 24,088 which was recorded in 3 hours at a PBS radio station. In 1972, when floodwaters claimed his hometown and family house, ultimately sending him downstream to Arizona alongside the debris of his parents’ divorce, the song “Steadfast” was born as an articulation of that disaster. Soon upon arriving in Tucson, he met his sonic soul mate in the guitarist Rainer Ptacek, and as a result the two went on to form the Giant Sandworms.
THIS IS EROSION ROCK: Inaccurately yet affectionately dubbed “the Godfather of Alt. Country” by the British press, Tucson, Arizona-based musician Howe Gelb has remained the sole epicenter and creative force behind the ever-fluid configurations of Giant Sand for over a quarter century, giving birth along the way to an extended musical family tree that fostered the likes of The Band of…Blacky Ranchette, The Friends of Dean Martinez, OP8, and Calexico.
“Giant Sand is a mood,” explained Howe, as if to simplify the dizzying breadth of his prolific output as an artist. With an impressive catalog of material that stretches back to 1983, he can easily claim some 40 albums to his credentials as both a band leader and a solo performer, each of which maintains its own genre-defying singularity while also drawing on the not-so disparate threads of country, southwestern roots, lo-fi, jazz, and punk—or the “yippity and happenstance“ that arises to inspire the soundscape of
whatever project Gelb is involved in creating.
But Howe’s initial signposts were planted crookedly in Pennsylvania during the 1970s, among them being the rock opera ZEQE 24,088 which was recorded in 3 hours at a PBS radio station. In 1972, when floodwaters claimed his hometown and family house, ultimately sending him downstream to Arizona alongside the debris of his parents’ divorce, the song “Steadfast” was born as an articulation of that disaster. Soon upon arriving in Tucson, he met his sonic soul mate in the guitarist Rainer Ptacek, and as a result the two went on to form the Giant Sandworms.
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'Sno Angel Like You
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The Listener
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Hisser (Euro Release)
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Shoutbox
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WaspSummer wrote:
Oh, just lovely music. Thank you.
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MrSouljacker wrote:
Howe Gelb & many others say happy birthday to Bob Dylan: http://www.ondarock.it/speciali/dylanbirthdayeng.htm
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Myles_Dunhill wrote:
Does anyone want his album The Listener? go here: http://gunkthemusicblog.blogspot.com
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strajnic wrote:
He is comfortable even in European jazz. Genius!
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Norrage wrote:
He is so good! I don't know what exactly is what I find so fantastic, but it's something! Incredible artist. Severely underrated!
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mikelittlepony wrote:
"How's Howe?" ... "Gelb's good!"
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nooneastern wrote:
Howe is the man
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Gaston89 wrote:
Howe Gelb makes great music. Love and respect from Croatia
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phinbar wrote:
I've been a fan of Giant Sand since the mid-eighties, how I stumbled across them is up in the air. College radio, as music director, is probably where it started. I think back then they were on Ensign records, which I thought to be a good label, so anyone on it I would take a look at. I found that I was correct in my assumption, that labels were where to find music that was unfamiliar to you. Correct me if I am wrong about them being on Ensign. So, about Howe Gelb, I think he has the most unique voices out there. Definitely know it's Howe when he gets behind the microphone. His emotional quality, and the way he puts words together to bring out a deeper truth the may have been overlooked is brilliant on his behalf. I love this man, a true artist in every sense of the word.
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AllFunkNoLuck wrote:
Check out The Listener. Fantastic album. Also check out the newest Giant Sand album, ProVisions, I feel that it is as much as a solo album from Howe, though under the Giant Sand umbralla.
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Indyalanjones1 wrote:
sorry, i totally forgot i asked which album to start with here...I bought Sno angel like you and love it. I have been told that thats not your typical howe gelb though, with the gospal choire and all. Still, this is fantastic
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Indyalanjones1 wrote:
great music man.
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marcodisimplici wrote:
love it
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Story_Ephemera wrote:
let us not forget GIANT SAND: their new album (Provisions) has some great stuff on it
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mietpistole wrote:
show the world how much you hate christmas / by celebrating it every day
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rawbag wrote:
Nice Airstream
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AllFunkNoLuck wrote:
You might wanna try The Listener as a starter(Tango Americana?) and then you may wanna follow up with 'sno angel like you whcih is more dry crispy blues/americana. I don't know with the newest album as I never quite got into it.
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betrayal wrote:
'sno angel like u.
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Indyalanjones1 wrote:
Whats the best album to start with?
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mada11 wrote:
I must say.....wow
Videos
Events
- Feb 5 Celtic Connections: Floating Palace O2 ABC, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Feb 8 The Floating Palace Barbican Centre, London, United Kingdom
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Feb
13
Howe Gelb
La Maroquinerie, Paris, France
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Recent Activity
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combost added Howe Gelb to combost’s library. Saturday morning
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M_Zondag tagged Howe Gelb with americana and alt-country. Friday evening
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M_Zondag and marcjacobsprair added Howe Gelb to their libraries. Friday evening
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allsystemsred added Howe Gelb to the lineup of Howe Gelb at La Maroquinerie. last week
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Jigwally and Ameisenman3000 added Howe Gelb to their libraries. last week
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nooneastern tagged Howe Gelb with ‘solo’. last month
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franklouisallen, TheFructose, sergsvist and 19 other people added Howe Gelb to their libraries. last month
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monxton added Howe Gelb to the lineup of Celtic Connections: Floating Palace at O2 ABC. last month
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