News for Hardly Art

NEWS : TUE, SEP 15, 2020 at 6:00 PM

#2020SeizeChange - A Campaign for Voter Engagement

There should be little argument that this year has been challenging, painful, and just profoundly lousy in a whole lot of ways so far. One bright bit of good news is that the US general election on November 3 is an opportunity to seize greater control of our collective future beyond the calamitous slog of 2020. This year’s election is our chance to initiate much-needed change, but we need to act quickly and together to clean up the mess.

To seize change in 2020, there are 2 things we must do:

(1) Register to vote (or confirm your info is current and valid if already registered)

(2) Participate by actually fucking voting for all races at all levels

Iwillvote.com is a handy resource to make and execute your 2020 voting plan, including: registering, confirming your registration, locating your polling place, finding out about vote-by-mail eligibility, and learning how to “own your vote” by knowing the important dates, deadlines, and requirements in your particular state.

So! Please do those 2 things! Really! DO THEM! And then also help us encourage others to do them, too! In an effort to make this easier and, we hope, more successful, we’ve created a shared folder that contains: (i) images to post on websites and social media (on the dates indicated below), and (ii) a google sheet that includes state-by-state voter registration and information links. Please share all of this far and wide, and again, encourage others to do so as well. 

IMPORTANT - TO PARTICIPATE IN AND AMPLIFY #2020SeizeChange:

To maximize the impact and visibility of this campaign, we suggest that all #2020SeizeChange public engagement, mentions, social media posts, etc. happen on the following days:

  • Wednesday, September 16
  • Wednesday, September 30
  • Wednesday, October 14
  • Wednesday, October 28
  • Monday, November 2 
  • Tuesday, November 3 (Election Day)

Your participation on those days can and should be your own.  In short, we invite you to be part of this campaign, start anytime, be creative, and help mobilize people to register and vote in whatever way feels right to you. 

Your Friends at Sub Pop Records and Hardly Art 

#2020SeizeChange

✌️❤️🎵



Posted by Chris Jacobs

NEWS : MON, JUL 6, 2020 at 6:00 PM

Sub Pop and Hardly Art Have ‘Got You Covered’ (A Cover Song Series)

Artists from the labels’ rosters are covering their favorite Sub Pop/Hardly Art songs.

Sub Pop and Hardly Art are, together, very excited to announce Got You Covered (a cover song series)! Got You Covered will feature Hardly Art and Sub Pop artists covering their favorite songs from the labels’ catalogs. Beginning today, Monday, July 6th at 6 pm PT (and every weekday evening this week), artists like Yuno, Chad VanGaalen, Lala Lala, Whitmer Thomas, and Jenn Champion will offer their takes on songs by Beach House, The Vaselines, Chastity Belt, and Nirvana.

The first installment of Got You Covered, Yuno’s excellent and sweetly affecting rendition of the Beach House song “Zebra,” is available to see/hear right now here.

Second in the series, here now is Jenn Champion’s take on Nirvana’s “Dive.”

Number three from the Big Baby himself: comedian / musician / world-famous actor Whitmer Thomas covers his friends Chastity Belt’s anthemic hit “Different Now” over here.

Please join us here in our appreciation of multi-talented weirdo Chad VanGaalen covering The Vaselines “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam.”

Polish singer and producer Perfect Son covers Chad VanGaalen’s “Molten Light” from beloved (and recently repressed to vinyl!) album ’Soft Airplane’ here.

Here’s Lala Lala’s lovely rendition of Beach House’s “Space Song.”

Prepare to be mesmerized here by Morgan Delt covering another mellifluous Beach House classic, “PPP.”

Rounding out this week’s collection of ‘Got You Covered’ tunes, here’s Alicia aka Bully absolutely shredding a cover of Sub Pop alum Orville Peck’s hit song ‘Turn to Hate.”




Posted by Rachel White

NEWS : THU, JUL 2, 2020 at 9:00 AM

Sub Pop & Hardly Art releases for Bandcamp Friday, July 3rd, 2020

Including Father John Misty, Man Man, Jon Benjamin: Jazz Daredevil, METZ, Gazebos, The Gotobeds, Omni, Versing, and Frankie Cosmos.

On Friday, June 3rd, (aka Bandcamp Friday) Sub Pop & Hardly Art artists past and present – Jon Benjamin, Father John Misty, Frankie Cosmos (as Franz Charcoal), Gazebos, The Gotobeds, Man Man, Omni, METZ, and Versing – will be offering a variety of special releases, sales, and deals through Bandcamp’s “No Revenue Share Day.” Sub Pop and Hardly Art will be passing through 100% of digital sales revenue on Bandcamp to all of our active artists.
 
Jon Benjamin: Jazz Daredevil Well I Should Have… – long out-of-print LP now available on a special limited edition Red/White/Blue colored vinyl.
 
Father John Misty Anthem +3 – a 4-song EP featuring covers of Leonard Cohen,  Yusuf/Cat Stevens,  and Link Wray. Proceeds to benefit both CARE Action Network and Ground Game LA.
Pay-what-you-want $5 minimum for the whole EP, no individual track sales.
 
Frankie Cosmos as “Franz Charcoal” – self-releases Great Scraps, a compilation of demos. Proceeds to benefit Critical Resistance.
 
Gazebos “Therapy” – Previously unreleased track with all proceeds raised Friday, July 3rd to benefit King County Equity Now.  Pay-what-you-want on July 3rd, $1/per track after

The Gotobeds  “Have You Checked the Tapes?” b/w “Blazing Sun of Youth” – Two previously unreleased tracks from their Debt Begins at 30 album sessions. Proceeds from July 3rd will benefit Sisters PGH COVID-19 support.  Pay-what-you-want on July 3rd, $1/per track after
 
Man Man “Dig Deep” – Releases a brand new single with proceeds to benefit both the NAACP and Know Your Rights Campaign.  Pay-what-you-want w/ $1 minimum.
 
METZ Live at Ramsgate Music Hall – a 4-song digital EP featuring live versions of METZ’s “Cellophane,” “Acetate,” “Nervous System,” and “Raw Materials” recorded during the band’s date at the UK venue on May 3rd, 2018. Proceeds to help raise funds through Ramsgate Music Hall’s Bandcamp page, while they’re closed due to COVID-19.  Pay-what-you-want through July 5, £1.50 per track / £5 for the full EP thereafter.
 
Omni “The Stranger” b/w “Art for Art’s Sake” – Covers of Billy Joel’s The Stranger,” and 10cc’s “Art for Arts Sake,” originally recorded for Aquarium Drunkard Lagniappe sessions. 
Proceeds raised July 3rd to benefit Georgia NAACP. Pay-what-you-want on July 3rd, $1/per track after

Versing “Red Wave” b/w “Once Bitten” –  Previously unreleased single with all proceeds raised Friday, July 3rd to benefit Northwest Community Bail Fund.  Pay-what-you-want on July 3rd, $1/per track after


Posted by Rachel White

NEWS : TUE, JUN 9, 2020 at 12:00 PM

Get Involved

Giving and volunteer work have always been fundamental components of Sub Pop’s and Hardly Art’s culture and business. We don’t always share this side of our business; for better or worse, we typically handle our gifts privately. Because we’ve been asked recently about the organizations we support, we’re sharing info about those organizations we’ve donated to and done volunteer work with, over the past four years. We’re proud to shine whatever light we can on all of these organizations, and help support the excellent work they do. Brief descriptions and links follow for organizations we’ve donated to in the last couple of years, and we encourage anyone curious to learn more.

In the last month we’ve contributed to:

The core activists and organizers of BLM Seattle-King County is a group of Black and other people of color focused on dismantling anti-black systems and policies of oppression.

Langston Seattle

LANGSTON guides generative programs and community partnerships that center Black art, artists and audiences and honor the ongoing legacy of Seattle’s Black Central Area. We support a variety of enriching programs, across multiple disciplines, rooted in our mission and values.

Preservation Hall Foundation

The Preservation Hall Foundation’s primary activity is to serve the next generation of New Orleans musicians and listeners through our education and community engagement programs.

Seattle King County NAACP

The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.

During the current administration we’ve contributed to:

350

350 is building a future that’s just, prosperous, equitable and safe from the effects of the climate crisis.

ACLU

The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union — beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees.

Alki Community Council

The Alki Community Council is a neighborhood, residential group organized to promote the orderly and comprehensive enhancement, preservation and improvement of our neighborhood and beach.

American Diabetes Foundation

Improving the lives of all people with diabetes while moving us closer toward a cure.

Arts Corps

Arts Corps revolutionizes arts education by igniting the creative power of young people through culturally engaging learning experiences.

Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County

The core activists and organizers of BLM Seattle-King County is a group of Black and other people of color focused on dismantling anti-black systems and policies of oppression.

Black Prisoners’ Caucus

The BPC fosters respect, responsibility, self-worth and unity. The organization stands as a testimony to the potential of the African American community to create a healthier future for ourselves. The BPC promotes cultural growth and provides incarcerated men and women the tools and platform to confront social issues that perpetuate discrimination, inequality and oppression among prisoners and poor communities of color.

Cascade Bicycle Club / Major Taylor Project

Named after African-American world champion cyclist Marshall “Major” Taylor, the Major Taylor Project (MTP) empowers youth through bicycling. In after-school bicycling clubs MTP students explore their communities, build confidence and leadership skills, and discover their power to effect change.

CCAN Climate

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) is the first grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to fighting global warming in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Community Enterprise Foundation - Bendigo AUS

At Community Enterprise Foundation™ we offer communities and not-for-profit organisations across Australia the opportunity to raise and distribute tax-effective donations to benefit their own communities.

Forterra

Forterra is a Washington-based nonprofit that enhances, supports and stewards the region’s most precious resources- its communities and its ecosystems

Hedgebrook

A literary nonprofit, our mission is to support visionary women writers whose stories and ideas shape our culture now and for generations

HoC Foundation  (Hospice of Chattanooga)

Compassion, Accountability, Communication, Enthusiasm, Excellence. We at Hospice of Chattanooga will take the time to listen, honor your choices, and walk with you through life’s journey.

KEXP

KEXP’s mission is to enrich your life by championing music and discovery. KEXP is a nonprofit arts organization serving music lovers through in-person, broadcast and online programming.

Lambert House

Lambert House is an international leader in LGBTQ youth community building – the primary prevention strategy for the constellation of risks that disproportionately affects all LGBTQ youth.

Langston Seattle

LANGSTON guides generative programs and community partnerships that center Black art, artists and audiences and honor the ongoing legacy of Seattle’s Black Central Area. We support a variety of enriching programs, across multiple disciplines, rooted in our mission and values.

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is at the forefront of the fight to cure cancer. We are the largest nonprofit dedicated to creating a world without blood cancers.

Mary’s Place

Mary’s Place is a nonprofit organization in Seattle that provides safe, inclusive shelter and services for women, children and families on their journey out of homelessness.

Musicares

MusiCares provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. MusiCares’ services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality.

NRDC

NRDC works to safeguard the earth—its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends.

NW Parkinson’s Foundation

Our mission is to transform the way people live with Parkinson’s through awareness, education, advocacy, and care.

Preservation Hall Foundation

The Preservation Hall Foundation’s primary activity is to serve the next generation of New Orleans musicians and listeners through our education and community engagement programs.

Plymouth Housing

Plymouth Housing works to eliminate homelessness and address its causes by preserving, developing and operating safe, quality, supportive housing and by providing adults experiencing homelessness with opportunities to stabilize and improve their lives.

Seattle Children’s Hospital Foundation

We provide hope, care and cures to help every child live the healthiest and most fulfilling life possible.

Seattle King County NAACP

The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.

Share It Music

Support independent musical artists and advance community organizations by merging music and social causes. 

SMooCH

Seattle Musicians in support of uncompensated care at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

Social Justice Fund NW

Social Justice Fund NW is a foundation working at the frontlines of social change

The Solutions Project

Committing 100% to racial and gender justice by supporting frontline leaders making 100% clean energy for all, happen. 100.org

Sweet Relief

Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians and music industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems.

The Pablove Foundation

The Pablove foundation is a US pediatric cancer nonprofit organization. At the Pablove Foundation, we approach pediatric cancer at the intersection of art and science.

The Painted Turtle

To provide a year-round, life-changing environment and authentic camp experience for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses.

Totem Star

Totem Star supports a diverse community of young recording artists learning music and life skills through mentorship and meaningful relationships. Our work in the studio and on the stage fosters growth in collaboration, leadership, and self-identity.

Vera Project

Vera strives to fulfill its mission to foster a participatory creative culture through popular music concerts, arts programs, experiential learning and volunteer opportunities for all ages, especially young people.

The Village of Hope Seattle

The Village of Hope is rooted in an African/African American experience, and we are committed to a powerful and unified community. We welcome and embrace all people who are in the struggle to end racism and usher in justice.

Youthcare

YouthCare works to end youth homelessness and to ensure that young people are valued for who they are and empowered to achieve their potential.

We’re also fortunate to have been afforded the opportunity to organize volunteer efforts during work hours. Here are some of the organizations and causes we’ve supported in that way:

Bike Everywhere Day (Cascade Bicycle Club)

Black Prisoners’ Caucus

Bloodworks Northwest

Bureau of Fearless Ideas

Chicken Soup Brigade

Forterra

Mary’s Place

Motley Zoo Animal Rescue

National Voter Registration Day + The Washington Bus

NW Harvest

NW Parkinson’s Foundation

Operation Sack Lunch

Plymouth Housing Group

Planned Parenthood

Pike Place Market Foundation

Puget Soundkeeper

Rain City Rock Camp for Girls

Rainier Beach HS: Building Leaders of Change (BLOC Party)

Safe Consumption Sites

Salvation Army

Save the Showbox

Skate Like A Girl

South Park Info & Resource Center

Totem Star

UW Arboretum

The Vera Project

Veteran’s Affairs (The VA)

The Village of Hope Seattle

WA Trail Association

WA Talking Book and Braille Library

Washington Ceasefire

West Seattle Helpline

Youngstown Cultural Arts Center / Delridge Neighborhood Development Association (DNDA)

YouthCare


Posted by Chris Jacobs

NEWS : FRI, JUN 5, 2020 at 7:00 AM

Sub Pop & Hardly Art Releases for Bandcamp Friday (June 5th, 2020)

On Friday, June 5th, Sub Pop & Hardly Art artists past and present – Bully, Corridor, Downtown Boys, The Helio Sequence, Hot Snakes, Shannon Lay (with Steve Gunn), METZ, Mudhoney, Pissed Jeans, Protomartyr, Shabazz Palaces (with Stas THEE Boss), and Weyes Blood – will be offering a variety of special sales and deals through Bandcamp’s “No Revenue Share Day.” Additionally, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever’s excellent new album Sideways to New Italy, released today, will be available on the site for the first time. 

Sub Pop and Hardly Art will be passing through 100% of digital sales revenue on Bandcamp to all of our active artists today.

 
Bully
All funds raised Friday will go to gideonsarmyunited.org.
 
Corridor
Pay-what-you-want for each of the band’s releases on June 5th only.
All funds raised Friday will go to www.hoodstock.ca.

Downtown Boys
All funds raised Friday will be split between instagram.com/btfacollective and gofundme.com/f/fangbailfund

The Helio Sequence
Acoustic Live at the Triple Door        
Pay-what-you-want with a $10 minimum, $1/track for individual songs.
 
Hot Snakes
“They Put You Up to This”     
The track from their 2018 split single w Mudhoney, released as a limited-edition 7” for Sub Pop’s 30th anniversary, is being released digitally for the first time ever for one day only on Bandcamp on June 5.
Pay-what-you-want on June 5th.

METZ
“Acid” b/w “Slow Decay”
“M.E.”
“Escalator Teeth/On and On”
“Eraser” b/w “Pure Auto”
“Can’t Understand”
“Dirty Shirt” b/w “Leave Me Out”
All of METZ’s currently available singles (listed above) will be pay-what-you-want on June 5th.

Mudhoney
Live Mud        
First digital release of Mudhoney’s long out of print limited-edition vinyl-only release from 2007, only on Bandcamp. 11 tracks of Mudhoney live from Mexico City, recorded Dec. 10, 2005, by Brett Ellason at Patacio de los Deportes
Pay-what-you-want on June 5th.
 
Pissed Jeans
“Don’t Need Smoke to Make Myself Disappear” b/w “Love Clown”*
“Sam Kinison Woman” b/w “L Word”**
*2006 Sub Pop debut 7”, available for the first time on Bandcamp.
**Pissed Jeans’ 2010 7”, finally available on Bandcamp
Pay-what-you-want on June 5th.
All funds raised Friday to go to www.phillybailout.com.
 
Protomartyr 
Old Spool and Gurges 1        
This release includes “Born to Be Wine,” originally released as a single from Adult Swim, and “French Poet,” which initially appeared on the Sub Pop 1000 compilation.
$1/track, $2 total
 
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
Sideways To New Italy
The band’s second album for Sub Pop will be available Friday, June 5th.
 
Shabazz Palaces ft. Stas THEE Boss
“MEGA CHURCH”
Previously unreleased single.
Pay-what-you-want on June 5th, $1/track after.
 
Shannon Lay & Steve Gunn
“Clay Pigeons”
In these transformational times we must find new ways to connect and create together. Steve Gunn and Shannon Lay are on opposite sides of the country but exchanged recordings and covered this song in honor of John Prine and Blaze Foley. All proceeds on June 5th will go to the Black Visions Collective in Minnesota in support of racial equity. [Steve Gunn appears courtesy of Matador Records.]
Pay-what-you-want on June 5th, $1/track after.
All proceeds will go to the Black Visions Collective in Minnesota in support of racial equity. www.blackvisionsmn.org.
 
Weyes Blood
Titanic Rising
Rough Trade Session
Pay-what-you-want for June 5th only.



Posted by Rachel White

NEWS : THU, OCT 10, 2019 at 7:00 AM

Marika Hackman North American Tour Begins Tomorrow, October 11th in Support of ‘Any Human Friend’

Plus, she’s shared a new acoustic EPNorth American tour features support from Hardly Art’s Girl Friday who also serves as her backing band.

[Photo Credit: Joost Vendebrug]

Marika Hackman’s North American tour in support of Any Human Friendher acclaimed new album, kicks-off tomorrow in Atlanta, GA at the Earl and ends November 6th in West Hollywood, CA at The Roxy. These shows will feature support from Hardly Art band Girl Friday, who will also act as her backing band for the tour.

Oct. 11 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl*
Oct. 12 - Durham, NC - The Pinhook*
Oct. 13 - Washington, DC - U Street Music Hall*
Oct. 14 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle*
Oct. 15 - Brooklyn, NY - Elsewhere*
Oct. 18 - Allston, MA - Great Scott*
Oct. 19 - Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall*
Oct. 20 - Montréal, QC - Bar Le ‘Ritz’ P.D.B.*
Oct. 21 - Toronto, ON- The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern*
Oct. 23 - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
Oct. 24 - Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig*
Oct. 25 - Chicago, IL- Sleeping Village*
Oct. 26 - Milwaukee, WI - Back Room at Colectivo Coffee*
Oct. 28 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry*
Nov. 01 - Seattle, WA - Neumos*
Nov. 04 - Oakland, CA - Starline Social Club*
Nov. 06 - West Hollywood, CA - The Roxy Theatre*
Dec. 08 - Amsterdam, NL - Bitterzoet
Dec. 09 - Brussels, BE - Botanique-Rotonde
Dec. 11 - Hamburg, DE - Häkken
Dec. 12 - Berlin, DE - Privatclub
Dec. 13 - Cologne, DE - Artheater
Dec. 14 - Paris, FR - Point Ephemere
Mar. 05 - London, UK - O2 Forum Kentish Town
 
*w/ Girl Friday


In celebration of the tour, Marika has just released a new acoustic digital EP featuring alternate takes on Any Human Friend singles “hand solo” “i’m not where you are,” “the one,” and “blow.” (listen here).


Any Human Friend features the singles “hand solo” “i’m not where you are,” “the one,” and “blow,” and is out now on Sub Pop in North and South America and the rest of the world via AMF Records. The album was co-produced by David Wrench (Frank Ocean, The xx, Let’s Eat Grandma) and Marika herself, and shows off a sharper and more liberated sound than ever before.


Posted by Rachel White