The Hold Steady

The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady, 2014
Background information
Origin	Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genres	Alternative rock, indie rock, heartland rock
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Vagrant Records, Full Time Hobby, Washington Square/Razor & Tie
Associated acts	Lifter Puller, The World/Inferno Friendship Society, Lucero, Against Me!, Bash & Pop
Website	http://theholdsteady.net/
Members	Bobby Drake Craig Finn Tad Kubler Galen Polivka Steve Selvidge Franz Nicolay
Past members	Judd Counsell

The Hold Steady is an American rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2004. The band consists of Craig Finn (vocals, guitar), Tad Kubler (guitar), Galen Polivka (bass), Bobby Drake (drums), Franz Nicolay (keyboards) and Steve Selvidge (guitar). Noted for their "lyrically dense storytelling," and classic rock / bar music influences, the band's narrative-based songs frequently address themes, such as drug addiction, religion and redemption, and often feature recurring characters based within the city of Minneapolis.

Formed four years following the break-up of Finn and Kubler's former band, Lifter Puller, The Hold Steady released their debut album, Almost Killed Me in 2004, and came to prominence with the release of their third studio album, Boys and Girls in America, in 2006. In 2010, keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Franz Nicolay left the band prior to the recording of their fifth studio album, Heaven Is Whenever (2010). During the band's subsequent tour, the band became a five piece, once more, with the addition of former Lucero guitarist Steve Selvidge. The band released their sixth LP, Teeth Dreams, on March 25, 2014. Franz Nicolay re-joined the band on May 4, 2016.

In 2003, Minnesota-raised singer, writer, and guitarist Craig Finn and New York City bartender and bassist Galen Polivka began talking about starting a band. Finn and lead guitarist Tad Kubler (both formerly of Lifter Puller) developed the idea of The Hold Steady when, while watching The Band concert film The Last Waltz, Finn asked Kubler, "Dude, why aren't there any bands like this anymore?" The Hold Steady's 2004 debut album Almost Killed Me, released on Frenchkiss Records, was a sleeper hit among music critics, reaching No. 31 in the Pazz & Jop critics poll that year, an achievement which Finn described as "like being nominated for an Oscar or something." In May 2005, they were the first rock band to grace the front page of The Village Voice in 15 years. They were Blender's 2006 "Band of the Year".