How did you get people into THS?

[Deleted]

Last night a new friend was going on about the Gaslight Anthem and after 5 minutes of 'HOLY SHIT GASLIGHT ROCK!' 'FUCK YES GASLIGHT ANTHEM' i'm like 'if you like Gaslight Anthem you might like seeing this band that's playing Sydney next week' and tho he may have just been being nice i think i convinced him to see THS just by comparing them to Gaslight
i'm guessing this also works in reverse

also my ex bought a CD 'cause in one of my reviews i said that if someone dosen't like THS i don't like them. i didn't expect her to take me so literally!

[gushingblood]

I grabbed my best friends brother and forced my earphones into his head, fast forwarded to the Most People are DJs solo.
Then went onto the Southtown Girls solo.
Then went onto the Sweet Payne solo.

I am quite forceful.

Also made a THS mix CD for my Dad.
He loves the stuff of SP, but isn't as keen on AKM and SS.

[212margarita]

I took a good friend of mine to see them when they played with Art Brut, and he was sold.

I played them for the girlfriend when we first started dating...i sort of threatened not to date her anymore if she didnt like them. : )

[katieee]

I haven't successfully converted anyone but my dad. I gave him Stay Positive this summer and he was sold and started texting me his favorite lyrics. It was real cute.

After playing them in my car for two years and dragging her to three shows, my best friend from high school has finally admitted she digs them.

[Evan]

I made a mix for my friend Jay (who was at the HOB Chicago show) for his 3-hour drive back to Wisconsin one time. After two listens, he was hooked.

[Admin]

Anyone I've spoken to since October 26, 2006 has heard the same thing from me. Many attempts have failed. Some success stories.

[brady]

My friend James, a very good rapper, was battle rapping at me. And the only thing I could think of was Hold Steady lyrics. He thought they were witty and funny, I made him a Hold Steady mx. Great success.

[JonnyJay]

My go-to line is, "You gotta listen to this band. They're like if Bruce Springsteen, The Replacements, Elvis Costello, Jawbreaker, and Thin Lizzy all got together, got really wasted, found Jesus, and wrote awesome songs about it." That usually catches their attention.

This is gonna sound condescending, but when it comes to THS, I'm able to break my friends into two categories: smart and dumb. I love em all to death, but the ones who are a little more thoughtful and open-minded tend to love The Hold Steady, whereas the simpler ones who don't pay much attention to lyrics, and are more concerned with "thrashing" seem to think they "fucking suck".

[deadelectromix]

"You like classic rock, right? Good, I've got a band for you then"

[blackbeard]

I've never converted anybody for whom I've not simply played Separation Sunday, from start to finish. Always does the trick.

[Deleted]

i tried that and the guy hated it
apparently Aussies have a very low tolerance for earnestness

[JonnyJay]

Jan 27, 2009 23:13:55 GMT -5 blackbeard said:

I've never converted anybody for whom I've not simply played Separation Sunday, from start to finish. Always does the trick.

This is definitely key. I feel like with alot of people, they want a quick hook when it comes to new bands. This band isn't like that. You really have devote some time and attention in order to really love them. For some, specifically those who simply can't get past Craig's vocals, this just isn't an option.

[lilhan]

they don't get a choice because they know i love this band.
my best friends did the decent thing and went and found out, everyone else gets blasted whenever they are with me. they have no choice, it's what i do.

also, dragging them to shows really works.
i converted: my aunt, my aunt's ex boyfriend, my best friends (hannah, erica, james) through this method and i will convert more doing the same.

[kim]

I left Boys and Girls in the car once. When my brother got back from work, he was singing "First Night" and wanted to know what it was. I'm always sort of dumbfounded that out of all THS songs, "First Night" is what sold him since he almost exclusively listening to Metallica and Dr. Dre at the time.

[theblondette]

I got 3 people to buy BAGIA! Woot. And I got 2 different friends to come to shows with me. And now my bf really likes SP. Woo!

[laurenjean]

Of my friends, I have only been able to get Missy Ann into the Hold Steady. I have two friends who specifically have stated that they don't like the Hold Steady because of Craig's singing/stammering. But I got my dad to buy Stay Positive by bringing it up fifty million times and he thinks it's all right. That was kind of exciting for me because my dad doesn't usually even bother with musicians that weren't making music in the 70s or before.

[gushingblood]

Jan 27, 2009 19:44:20 GMT -5 JonnyJay said:

This is gonna sound condescending, but when it comes to THS, I'm able to break my friends into two categories: smart and dumb. I love em all to death, but the ones who are a little more thoughtful and open-minded tend to love The Hold Steady, whereas the simpler ones who don't pay much attention to lyrics, and are more concerned with "thrashing" seem to think they "fucking suck".

Same for me.
As it turns out, one my best friends is quite "dumb", yet his 12 year old brother is "smart"
(even though my mate is really bright, and his brother is a tad thick)

[Jersey]

I just played them repeatedly- at high volume- and quoted lyrics for months, and months.

Then brought them to Harrisburg and converted the whole city.

Now, however, is a different story. One of the bartenders at the brewery told Kennedy this past Saturday- "Dude, Jersey Mike made me HATE The Hold Steady. I broke all my CD's."

It's a constant request, at this point when I'm running sound for a show, for the bartenders to say "Jersey, please no Hold Steady tonight."

Ruthless, I am.

[sportfishing]

i told my mother that the boss was a fan, and thats all it took.
for my brother i had to be sneaky. i had to make a "mix" entitled "for mature audiences only" and left it on the kitchen counter over xmas break. of course he ganked it and listened, and of course it was actually ss.
what can i say, i am a clever kid. muahahahahahah!

[sportfishing]

to add to that: they are both raging fans now. my mom keeps asking if they're going to be coming to milwaukee anytime soon... for some reason, that doesnt look like it will happen. dammit beligerant drunks at turner hall!!! (id be happy with a madison date though... if anyone has the power to make that happen...)

[penetrationpark]

If you want somebody to be a Hold Steady fan all you have to do is take them to a show.

[mitch71]

I took my younger brother to a show in Seatlle and he's was sold with the first song, Citrus.

[frannyglass]

Feb 3, 2009 17:07:55 GMT -5 mitch71 said:

I took my younger brother to a show in Seatlle and he's was sold with the first song, Citrus.

Hey! I was at that show! Take your younger brother switch it for my older sister, we got the same story.

[dissident]

i first converted a buddy of mine to springsteen and once he was sold on that gave him boys and girls in america. now he claims he has superior knowledge of ths than me, it's a neverending battle.

[Deleted]

next Gaslight Anthem show we're at we need to convert the crowd
since the conversions were flowing the other way last night its only fair to return the favor