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Hold For Swank [New album on iTunes NOW!]



Last Updated: 11/24/2009

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Status: Single
City: Des Moines
State: Iowa
Country: US
Signup Date: 7/20/2005

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Saturday, November 14, 2009 

So one of my (Eric) really good friends, Alyssa Sparks, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. For the second time in three years. Ugh. She's already had it once, had the tumor removed, been through chemo, lost her hair, lost her breasts, got her hair back, got some new breasts, and just generally been through hell, but with a smile on her face and a positive attitude the whole time. Now her small family has to go through this again, and it's not going to be cheap. Let me explain one important thing to you: Her husband, Nathan, is one of my best friends in this world, and if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be writing the songs that I write, I wouldn't have the motivation that I have, and there would be no Hold For Swank.

So I come to you with this plea: If you have yet to buy our new CD, "Get Confident, Stupid!" now is the time to buy it, because for every CD you buy from our site, we're giving $3.00 to the Sparks family, and for every full album you buy on iTunes, we'll give them $2.00. Here are two pie charts to show how this breaks down:


We don't really have a goal for this campaign, and we're probably going to do it until we sell out of CDs. Click here to buy the new CD off our site, or here to buy it on iTunes, and you'll not only have a great album, you'll be helping out a dear friend. Thanks!

10:36 PM 
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Thursday, October 15, 2009 
Hey everyone! So I have an announcement that needs to be made. I just got off the phone with Max and Eric. I wanted to let everyone know that I will no longer be able to continue on as the full time drummer in Hold For Swank. Don’t fret! Its not one of those drama filled “I hate you, you smell bad” kinds of departures. Max and Eric are two of the nicest dudes around and we all remain good friends. I fully intend to support and assist the band, only from a less direct role. I no longer feel I can fulfill my duties as a full time drummer in two bands. With my other band planning on hitting the road full time this winter, and the remainder of my time being increasingly devoted to building a recording studio, time has become scarce. I will be relocating to Kansas City in the next several weeks and can no longer afford to commute. I simply do not feel its fair to the guys in HFS to continue on in this capacity.
 
I do, at least, have some awesome memories to take with me - we recorded and released an amazing album, played all over Iowa , Nebraska , Kansas and Missouri and met and befriended some incredible people in the process. I’ve learned a ton of stuff about how bands SHOULD work and I’ve even learned some stuff about myself. Some awesome things are on the horizon for HFS and I think its time I step aside, and let someone who can dedicate more time and effort to the band take over before any incredible opportunities are missed. It really does break my heart to think that we will no longer be playing shows together as a band, but I know in the long run this is the right decision for everyone involved. Please, please, please don’t forget about me, I certainly won’t forget about you! Thank you to everyone who has come to a show, let me sleep on their couch/floor/bed, stayed up late and chatted with me on myspace or even bought a CD. And I especially want to thank Max and Eric for letting me join their band. HFS has been a great chapter in my life and we really do have some the raddest fans around, nothing will change that. If you’d like to stay in touch feel free to add me on MySpace or Facebook. I’d love to talk!
 
Thanks again for 2 incredible years! I love you all and can’t begin to thank you enough.
 
Love,
-Nick Talley

www.myspace.com/pfknick
www.facebook.com
10:34 PM 
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Monday, September 21, 2009 
Hey, go to this site:

http://www.shiftedsound.com/?p=521

and check out the new Shifted Sound podcast. Shelby played "The Record Skips," which you know from our profile, but also "Oncoming Traffic," a song you probably haven't heard but that will give you goosebumps. I promise. Lots of people have told me they've gotten the chilly willies listening to this song. So go check it out and support the podcast and the other bands on it this week!

Word-
Eric (HFS)
10:17 PM 
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Wednesday, September 16, 2009 
Hey, we haven't been as active on here as normal, because I (Eric) am trying to wind up grad school, because Max's place of work (Sleepy Hollow Sports Park in Des Moines) keeps him stupid busy with a renaissance faire and all sorts of Halloween stuff, and because Nick is laying in some laboratory being injected with dangerous new drugs in exchange for money.

But that doesn't mean the good times have to stop!

Our new album, "Get Confident, Stupid!" is now on iTunes, and I think you should go check it out. Why? I really think you'll like it. I don't care who is reading this, you will like it. The lyrics are more meaningful, the music is crafted way more intricately, the production is top-notch, and you're just going to want to sing along. So go to iTunes and let us know what you think!

Also, Max and I played an acoustic set this past Saturday for our friend Brent Houzenga to celebrate the opening of his exhibit at the Des Moines Social Club. If you're in the area, go to 1408 Locust and check it out.

Speaking of acoustic sets, we're doing it again 8:30 p.m. THIS THURSDAY at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, Iowa. And we're gonna play for almost TWO HOURS! Holy crap! Come here songs you haven't heard since Shep was a pup.

So pretty soon I'll have my master's degree, Max will have a weekend off, and Nick will have a third penis. Until then, keep checking us out, keep letting us know what you like (or don't like), and we'll see you sooooooon!!!

Hearts and stars and moons-
Eric (HFS)
10:18 PM 
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Thursday, August 20, 2009 
DES MOINES – Exciting news for Des Moines - based rock trio Hold For Swank as they have acquired two new sponsorships.
 

TRX Cymbals, based in Studio City, California, have agreed to endorse drummer Nick Talley as part of their Rising Star program.  According to company president, David Levine, the project has been developed to provide TRX’s high-quality, custom made Turkish cymbals to talented, young players who are currently establishing their credentials and building solid reputations in the studio and on the road. (trxcymbals.com)

 

“I’m super-stoked about this opportunity,” said Talley.  “I’m really impressed with the quality and craftsmanship of the TRX brand.”


The band has also arranged a relationship with GotVape?, based in Lake Forest, California. Lake Forest is in Orange County California, the nation's 8th largest consumer market, and GotVape has been in business since 2000. (gotvape.com)

 

This brings the band's endorsements to a total of four, including Masters of Maple custom drum kits and Knucklehead Strings.

Hold For Swank has recently released their sophomore album, “Get Confident, Stupid.”  The band recorded the album at Sound Farm Studio and Recording  Environment in Jamaica, IA.  The disc is available online at www.holdforswank.com, and at cdbaby.com, as well a scheduled iTunes release of September 1st.


For more information on Hold For Swank please visit www.holdforswank.com, www.myspace.com/holdforswank or www.facebook.com/holdforswank.  Email rock@holdforswank.com.


TRX Cymbals:
....12665 Kling St...
..Studio City.., ..CA.. ..91604....
www.trxcymbals.com
www.myspace.com/trxcymbals
www.youtube.com/trxcymbals



Gotvape.com
336 ..Adams.. Cir.
Corona CA. 92882
Unit 102
www.gotvape.com

11:35 PM 
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Saturday, August 08, 2009 
We have a brand new album out, and we need all the help we can get to promote it. Here's where you come in. All you have to do it put "Hold For Swank" somewhere in your myspace name.

FOR EXAMPLE: Eric [Hold For Swank] or Hold For Max or Nick For Swank or John [HFS] or whatever you want. Get creative. Have fun with it.

Just send us a message or comment and we'll put you in our top friends. Its that easy.

Love,
-HFS
8:00 PM 
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Thursday, August 06, 2009 
Hey folks, tune into Bob Dorr's program "Down on the Corner" on your local Iowa Public Radio station this Friday from 9 to 11 p.m. to hear a Hold For Swank song off the new CD "Get Confident, Stupid!" Bob played six (count 'em, SIX!) songs off our previous album, "This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things" when that CD came out, so make sure you start listening to this awesome local-music program to see what else of ours he chooses to play!

Not sure what station to tune into? Here's a listing:

Ames/Des Moines
KDMR 88.9 FM
WOI 90.1 FM
KUNI 101.7 FM
WOI 640 AM

Carroll
KWOI 90.7 FM

Cedar Falls/Waterloo
KHKE 89.5 FM
KUNI 90.9 FM

Clear Lake/Mason City
KHKE 90.7 FM
KUNY 91.5 FM
KRNI 1010 AM

Dubuque
KDUB 89.7 FM
KUNI 98.7 FM
KSUI 101.7 FM

Fort Dodge
KTPR 91.1 FM

Iowa City/Cedar Rapids
KSUI 91.7 FM
WSUI 910 AM

Lamoni
KOWI 97.9 FM

Ottumwa
KDWI 89.1 FM
KUNZ 91.1 FM

Quad Cities
KUNI 94.5 FM
KUNI 102.1 FM
11:42 PM 
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Tuesday, July 21, 2009 
I'd like to announce a neat little contest for everyone. As soon as "The Record Skips" reaches 1000 plays we'll upload a new song. Its really easy, and we have less than 400 plays to go. So....

Here's how you can help:
Add the song to your profile
Put us in your top friends
Tell your friends to listen to it.
Add a banner onto your page
Post a bulletin

If everyone did ONE of these, we'd reach the number today. So do it!

Love,
-HFS
4:21 PM 
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Monday, July 06, 2009 
Hello again, friendos! We just knocked some rust off via practice tonight, to get ready for our semi-official CD RELEASE PARTY! Holy shit! So if you're in the Des Moines area (which is to say, anywhere, you douchebags), and you're older than 21, come to the Vaudeville Mews, 212 Fourth St., Des Moines, IA, at 9 p.m., bring $5 to get it, then bring $10 more to buy our new CD.

Oh, you're a huge mooch and you're not sure if you want to buy the new CD? Well, maybe this will sell you: Go to our profile and check out "The Record Skips". We just put it up about 10 minutes before posting this blog, which was just after 1 a.m. Monday. We're up late because we love you and want to deliver the goods. Listen to "The Record Skips," listen to "As You Wish," and then fall in love with us all over again. Then quit being a bag lady and buy our new CD at www.holdforswank.com/merch.html.

Alright, a good night's work was put in, and now we go to bed. Yep, Hold For Swank all sleeps in the same big bed. We wear matching footie pajamas and hats with balls at the ends of them. And if you don't come to our show tomorrow, they will be *your* balls.

Good night-
Eric (HFS)
6:29 AM 
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Thursday, June 25, 2009 
Hey, first things first: We put out a call for pre-orders (go here to do that), and if we get 25, we'll post a new song. We're doing alright so far, but we're getting antsy to post something new. We might lower the bar a little bit, but y'all need to get to pre-ordering! :-)

So we have a pretty unique name for our new album: "Get Confident, Stupid!" Why in the world would a band use that title? Well, for one thing, the chump writing the songs needs to follow that advice. But for another, it's a hilarious reference from "The Simpsons" (as was our previous album title). In fact, here's the video to prove it:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/24531/the-simpsons-life-script-shame-spiral

Wait, can I embed this thing?



Well I'll be god damned! The reference comes early, but watch the whole thing; it's classic.

Alright, let us know what you think of the new layout, and look for more blogs soon!
Eric (HFS)
4:17 AM 
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