The loudest, most abrasive “post-post-punk” band in town, Urban Henry … Ballard Lesemann, Club & Wire, Flagpole Magazine, Athens, Ga. July 18, 2001
Athfest Caledonia: Saturday, June 21, 2003 w/ David Barbe, The Tom Collins and The Close – I’ ll be at the Bar, Kelley Hirt , The Red and Back
Album Review, Stereotype (Karate Media) February 12, 2003 – Flagpole Magazine, Gordon Lamb.
The nine tracks on the disc are culled from three different recording sessions and, as such, the record comes across like three different EPs rather than an album proper. But they’re three EPs of the hard-hitting, emotional turbulence that Eric Holder and Co have come to personify. The sheer largeness of the band’s presence on Stereotype is worth the price of admission. Image guitar tones that scream without screeching. Bass that pumps without bottoming out. Drums that pound without overshadowing. Riffs that can turn on a dime and move effortlessly to booming choruses and fist-pumping tempos. Already secured its position as one of Athens’ best live bands, Urban Henry has delivered a record that’s a document of this phenomenon.
CD Release Reunion Show Caledonia: November 30, 2003 Let’s hope the clouds have lifted. Angst-rockers Urban Henry quit the game a little too early a couple years ago following an incredible streak of bad luck. Now they’re back for their first show since the sun’s come up. Tonight, they celebrate the release (finally) of Stereotype. – Chris McKay, Flagpole Magazine
“Everything Finally Comes Together for Urban Henry” November 27, 2003 – Flagpole Magazine, Ballard Lesemann
“First and foremost, this is a reunion show, says Eric Holder, Urban Henry’s lead screamer and guitarist. “It’s a really positive thing for the band’s future, although I can’t really say what’s going to happen.”
Athens rock quartet Urban Henry made its mark on the local band scene in the late 90’s with an angst-fueled sound pulsing with nervous energy, loud guitar amplification and searing (and sneering) lyrics about troublesome relationships and life disappointments and experiences.
The band formed back in 1996 under the direction of Holder and fellow guitarist Matt McFerron, who initially played bass. The two went through several drummers and bass players before landing drummer Brandon McDearis (formerly of Atlanta’s Year Zero and recently of Kitty Snyder’s band, Cafeteria and Southern Bitch). A slew of bassists including Jay Ring, John Britt and Brian Sweeney played through the years, although Jay Gonzalez (formerly of Loveapple, currently with the Possibilities) stuck in there the longest.
The group of twentysomethings solidified a strong set of aggressive, guitar-heavy riff-rock molded from the leftovers of such ’80s and ’90s post-punk bands as Dinosaur, Jr., Husker Du, Mission of Burma, My Bloody Valentine and Nirvana. Holder’s aggressive, strained and hoarse vocal delivery was particularly reminiscent of Iggy’s and Cobain’s early stuff … or even the throaty, bent-note yells associated with old Athens band The Martians. Some veterans of the band scene may wonder exactly how that band’s lead singer Keith Kortemeier was able to crawl down Holder’s gullet.
In early 1997, the band recorded its first batch of tunes at Radium Recoding with Chris Bishop and at Full Moon Studios in Watkinsville and the so-called Princess Diana Memorial Studios with Chris Grehan (of the Possibilities) at the helm. The band put a few self-produced collections on disc and made the stuff available on the local Dust Bunny label and most recently released a fiery, limited-edition EP disc titled Already Dead.
“We kept throwing bits and pieces around.” says Holder. “When (former Athens musician and resident) Ruddy Cullers recorded this new stuff at Water Studios in Hoboken in November, 2000 it was a really big deal to us. Brian Sweeney had just joined and started to gel with the band. There were lots of investments in equipment and stuff. We’d just played with Trail of Dead and got the van and did the whole nine yards. That trip to New York was supposed to be the final piece for the new album”
Urban Henry barely survived the road trip up the cost for that recording session that month. In D.C., Sweeney’s bass amp caught fire on-stage (Holder: “not just smoking it was flaming!”). In Philly, Holder’s Marshall amp head blew and the band trashed its equipment. In New York, the band spent its first night in the van on the street and woke up to find a parking ticket for $150.
“Finally, Ruddy came to the rescue and brought us into Hoboken. We were totally energized and totally happy with the sound.”
On the way home, Sweeney’s Rickenbacker bass was stolen in Philly. The band ended up calling off several shows.
“And then the van’s engine blows … we were exasperated,” sighs Holder. “Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong and all the money we had saved up to release the album and continue to tour was just wiped out. So we were just throwing up our hands and going “What are we doing?”
Damaged but not quite sunk, the band went on unofficial hiatus throughout most of 2001 and ’02. McDearis stayed busy touring with Kitty Snyder, Cafeteria and Southern Bitch. McFerron relocated to NYC and started a job with Miramax films. Sweeney worked in town as an electrician and sound engineer. Holder held a day job on the UGA campus.
“It just came time to let it rest for a little bit and everyone sort of regrouped collectively,” says Holder.
In recent months, the band finally made plans to come back together and finally release that album they almost completed back in late 2000. The week’s “reunion” show is also the official “CD Release” event for the end result, a ten-song ,independent album titled Stereotype.
“John Britt and Chris Grehan and Andy Baker have been a great help with putting this album together,” says Holder. “We have nine great songs plus a bonus track. The CD is going to be in all the local stores that day and we’re doing it with Karate Media. Depending on how the show goes, we’re planning to take a next step.”
The show features the core lineup of the band – Holder, McFerron and McDearis – with Brian Sweeney on Rickenbacker bass guitar.
Holder: “We practiced on-stage at the Caledonia one recent Sunday and it was great. And Sweeney was killing it! Of all of us there, he was more on than anybody. the show is going to be a lot of fun and we’re going to pull out all of the stops -especially playing with terrific bands like Sci Fu and The Brothers Korn, which is Lost Sons Of Nitti minus Joel, I can’t wait.”
Athfest: 40 Watt Club: Friday, June 22, 2001 Urban Henry: Louder than hell and tighter than a steel drum, this local heavy rock quartet balances larynx-shredding vocals, thundering drums and bone-crunching guitars to create one of the most consistently interesting heavy rock sounds in town. w/Southern Bitch, Red Letter Blonde and Cafeteria. Flagpole Magazine pick, Matt Thompson
May 2, 2001 – Urban Henry is featured on the first edition of the Caledonia CD Club with Macha, Little Red Rocket, Hayride, The Possibilities, Drive-By-Truckers, Patterson Hood, Ceiling Fan and David Barbe – Club & Wire, Flagpole Magazine, Ballard Leseman
Tasty World: Thursday, April 26, 2001 – Urban Henry w/ Polemic and ****Volcanic, The Red and Black Music Picks; Urban Henry: Louder than hell and tighter than a steel drum, this local heavy rock quartet balances larynx-shredding vocals, thundering drums and bone-crunching guitars to create one of the most consistently interesting heavy rock sounds in town. Flagpole Magazine (April 25, 2001) Matt Thompson
April 5, 2001, Caledonia Lounge, Friday, Urban Henry w/Plug Spark Sanjay, Music Picks, The Red and Black. Matt Thompson at Flagpole used his standard template for UH.
March 24, 2001 Engine Room Urban Henry: Loud. raw, aggressive and tight-as-Otis-Campbell, Urban Henry is consistently one of the most entertaining hard rock outfits Athens has to offer. w/ Solar Coaster, Matt Thompson, Flagpole Magazine
February 8, 2001, Thursday, Caledonia Lounge, Urban Henry w/ Ceiling Fan, Sci Fui and The Dark Cloud, The Red and Black, Music Pics. This confrontational Athens rock quartet blasts a style of post-punk fueled by angst, nervous energy and plenty of amplification, Flagpole Magazine, Matt Thompson
January 3, 2001, Flagpole Magazine
May 17, 2000 Flagpole Magazine
February 3, 1999 Flagpole Magazine
