Introducing Gabriel Hart (the most run-on sentences ever)
This post revolves around the music of my buddy Gabriel Hart. He’s a singer/lyricist/guitarist/composer living in downtown Los Angeles. Gabe is someone whose music really made me want to start this site. Hopefully, that won’t flatter him a bit. He’s a friend after all, and when this makes him Lionel Richie famous, I won’t be able to look him in the eye anymore. His bands, Starvations, Fortune’s Flesh, and Jail Weddings have been oddly seldom written about considering their fanbase and the years he’s been at it. These fans are mostly born losers/drug abusers/etc. I suppose, and those types usually don’t waste time blogging. Me however, I’m a winner. In typical sportsmanlike fashion, I’ll try my best not to bloat this write-up.
Breakin’ My Black Heart by The Starvations (b-side of first single, ‘Shut Up Sirens‘)
Upon Your Request by The Starvations (off of their second lp, ‘Get Well Soon‘)
Purgatory by The Starvations (off of their third lp, ‘Gravity’s a Bitch‘)
A few years ago, my brother used to play songs over and o’er by this band called The Starvations. I didn’t know that was their name then, I just recognized the songs, and tied them together through the singer’s weird voice (that’s Gabe, today’s subject). Down the line after finding out their name, I asked Kevin (my bro) for the music. During the in-between time I had fallen in love with the Flesh Eaters, Gun Club, These Immortal Souls, Dream Syndicate, Rik L Rik. I think that’s an alright way to describe The Starvations……. if you only use punk references. If it’s details and “insight” you want, well, something that always struck me about them was the influence of country/rockabilly in the drumming (Ian Harrower). Not neo-fagabilly; more along the lines of the old southern stuff Lux Interior used to listen to. But I don’t actually know anything about rockabilly. Not sure if they had more than one guitar in the early days (they formed around ‘96 if I’m correct), but at their best they had two guitarists; Gabe and Ryan Hertz. Working together they got a sharp, yet warm sound going; something like the Pogues, something like Dave Alvin. They also added a girl on keyboard/elec piano and accordion;Vanessa Gonzalez. The keyboard added to the old California punk feeling. No particular bands really come to mind, and that’s a good thing. The accordion bolstered the nice Irish stench of it all. All I can say about Jean-Paul Garnier’s bass is listen to Upon Your Request.
Fortune’s Flesh tread very similar ground to The Starvations (after they broke up in 2005). Gabe and Ian were still present, with a few friends on hand from other bands. This is not to say they felt like nothing new. Nope, not at all. This band never released a single record, though Gabe tells me they recorded an album. So here’s something special. One of the prettiest songs I ever heard a man sing.
Mutual Fools by Fortune’s Flesh (unreleased)
Death Country by Gabriel Hart (the ‘Nightlight‘ Ep)
These Fleeting Moments by Jail Weddings (‘Inconvenient Dreams‘ Ep)
Fortune’s Flesh didn’t last very long though. I don’t know what it was. I’m not going to ask. Since then (2007?) Gabe released an acoustic solo-ep called The Nightlight, and has formed a new band. And mandaddy, is it a band! 10 members strong, and lead singers are always made out to be the stars, but fuck man, far as I’m concerned that number is not in excess. What you get is some very layered records. Great shit, good for many listens in a row. My favorites are the bass and violin. Live, they take forever to set up, but are well worth it, despite the lack of brutal pits at their performances. Ideally, they should play open air. The charge of the rhythm section would be amazing. JW are fucking far from what the Starvations were. A lot more tender songs, just check I Thought You Were Someone I Knew on they myspace. Did I mention the Weddings are replete with dualing female singers?
So that’s my impression of Gabe’s music in a nutshell. The scant, hacknyed reviews of his records might lead you to believe that he’s a creepy lech, jeffrey lee pierce wannabe, star-in-the-making, godhead, or genius. Maybe he is all those things at one time or another, but what they always neglect is that he’s a human. Same as everyone who ever lived. To me personally, he’s been a kind guy who let me get away with being awkward, and in my experience, most people don’t do that.
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