AFTER A TRYING 2010 THE DEAF SINGER LEADS 'HISTORY for SALE' IN RELEASE OF "THE FUTURE":
SEATTLE, WA June 17, 2011 - HISTORY for SALE seems to know the frequency needed to speak their voice in a time of musical chaos. From the land of gray skies and an every evolving music scene that is Seattle, Washington, HISTORY for SALE has placed the task squarely on the shoulders of hearing impaired lead singer Mark Young by pushing him to the front of the mix. His searing vocals and R&B inspired staccato delivery give flight to the sounds, but give no indication to the fact that he is wearing hearing aids while doing so. Though a self titled debut effort from the band has been previously released, it is on this sophomore 8 track effort that HISTORY for SALE (H4S) seem to have become a singular entity. A gelled mass of musical substance that has found that speaking in volumes and taking listeners on a journey of musical exploration and virtuosity is something only life experienced artists who make honest music can do.
It goes on explaining the history and the lead singer's deafness:
Sound is something that is taken for granted every day, but not by the hearing challenged singer. "I was born with a partially flattened stirrup and thus couldn't resonate certain frequencies" Young contends. "Through high school in Yakima it was all about EPMD, Public Enemy, DJ QUIK, and how loud you could play your music. Basically everything your parents tell you not to do" he added. Given his loss, it is hard to imagine that someone with so great a hearing deficiency requiring hearing aids could aspire to lead a rock band into the fray of the current day music scene, and do so effectively, but listening to the tracks on "The Future" it seems that task is but just a small one.
Behind Frans Laulainen's inventive and metronome like drumming, Doug Warren's walking and driving bass lines, and Keefe O'neill's Edge and Gilmour like guitar melodies HISTORY for SALE have created a album that is not small, is not local, and does not suggest something shallow or narrow in space. What they have created is an anthemic crying voice of "HEAR ME NOW". A message that even a deaf man could hear.Here we have a deaf/hearing impaired/hard of hearing lead singer and let's not get into this whole "he's not really deaf nonsense sort of deal a la Sarah Churman" because it serves no purpose. If he wants to be identified as a deaf singer, let him.
Despite all that it got me wondering since there are extremely few truly deaf bands such as Beethoven's Nightmare, what are some of deaf/hh people's favorite local rock bands that they like to listen to and not the big name rock bands (i.e. Billy Joel, Madonna, etc)? What's your favorite local rock bands in your area?
As for History for Sale, good luck to them and many successes. The rock band business is a brutal one. You can listen to their music here and tell me what you think of the music and the lead singer.
1 comments:
History 4 Sale is okay....I'd have to hear more of their songs before I decide if I would buy their music.
I don't have a favorite local band. However, years ago I went to a bar where they have local bands play. I saw Disturbed. Bought their t-shirt and sticker for my old VW Vanagon bumper. They were awesome. a year later, Disturbed became a big name band By the way, one of the crew member's g/f knew sign language, we chatted that night.
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