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Health (band)

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Health
Health performing at Becks Music Box in 2010
Health performing at Becks Music Box in 2010
Background information
OriginLos Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Years active2005–present
Labels
Members
  • Benjamin Jared Miller
  • Jake Duzsik
  • John Famiglietti
Past membersJupiter Keyes[1]
Websitewww.youwillloveeachother.com

Health is an American industrial/noise rock band from Los Angeles, California. The band currently consists of drummer B.J. Miller, vocalist and guitarist Jake Duzsik, and bassist and producer John Famiglietti. It formerly also included Jupiter Keyes, who left in 2015. Originating from the Los Angeles underground experimental music community, they gained prominence with a remix of "Crimewave" by Crystal Castles before releasing a self-titled album in 2007.

Since then, they have released a further five albums: Get Color in 2009, Death Magic in 2015, Vol. 4: Slaves of Fear in 2019, and Rat Wars in 2023. The band also released the collaborative double album Disco4 in 2020 and 2022, and have contributed to a variety of video game soundtracks, including those for Max Payne 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Grand Theft Auto V, and Ultrakill.

History

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Health was founded after its singer Jake Duzsik met bassist John Famigletti, while Duzsik was working at the flagship Guitar Center in Los Angeles. They decided to form a band and enlisted guitarist Jupiter Keyes and drummer B.J. Miller, the former of which Duzsik knew from university.[2] The band's name was chosen after the members agreed it should be an "everyday word"; when reviewing a long list of terms, "health" was the only one not taken.[3] Their earliest work was inspired by experimentation in Los Angeles' underground music scene, with the intention of incorporating it into a more conventional band format.[4]

Health

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The band first gained a reputation through a remix of their song "Crimewave" by experimental electronic band Crystal Castles in August 2007. This was followed by their full-length debut a month later, which was recorded at L.A.’s noise/experimental venue, The Smell.[5][6][7] At the time, Famiglietti stated in an interview that it "completely changes the tone of anything you want to record; makes a lot of things dark and beautiful".[3] Spin praised the album, describing it as a "mind-numbing sonic overload only sauntered by Health's noisy predecessors."[8]

Health released their first remix album, Health//Disco in 2008, which received favorable critical reception.[9] That year, the band also opened for the rock band Nine Inch Nails on their Lights In The Sky tour; after they initially failed to gain the crowd's attention, Trent Reznor lent them his band's expensive LED equipment.[10][4]

Get Color

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To promote their 2009 album, Get Color, the band held a sweepstakes contest, in which the winner of a golden ticket was awarded a free trip to Los Angeles to go to Six Flags Magic Mountain with the band. Other prizes included locks of the band members' hair and posters autographed in blood.[11] The album was praised by Pitchfork, which described it as an "unqualified success" with a "more delicate balance of noise and prettiness" than the debut album.[12]

The following year, they released "Disco2", which featured remixed tracks from Get Color in addition to some new original songs.[13]

Max Payne 3 soundtrack

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In 2012, Health composed the soundtrack for the Rockstar Games video game, Max Payne 3.[14] The game's music director, Ivan Pavlovich stated that his team "wanted to give Max a sound that is really identifiable"; after they saw Health play "it was very clear that they were the ones".[15] At the time, Duzsik stated that while it was a "surprise" to the band's fans, it was "fun to make music that was atypical for that sort of entertainment";[16] he later credited the soundtrack as forcing the band to "expand our musical palette" and head in a more electronic music-influenced direction.[17]

The score was nominated for Best Score in a Game and "Tears" was nominated for Best Song in a Game at the 2012 Spike Video Game Awards.[18] In 2013, this was followed by the track "High Pressure Dave" which appeared in Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto V.[19]

Death Magic and Disco3

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Health's third album, Death Magic, was released on August 7, 2015, on Loma Vista Records. It signified a shift in the band's style, being more melodic and featuring greater usage of electronic elements than their previous work.[2][20] The album's release was preceded by three singles: On April 23, 2015, Health premiered "New Coke" on SiriusXMU. The song "Stonefist" would be the second single released in June. On July 24, "Men Today" was released as the third track from the album.[citation needed] During the European Death Magic tour in 2015, Jupiter Keyes left the band.[2][1]

Disco3 was released in the United States on February 17, 2017, on Loma Vista. Announced and released alongside a reverse telethon event on Facebook live, broadcast from the FunnyOrDie studios. Fans were asked to text a number in order to receive a call back from those involved, including B.J. and John.[21] Later that year, the band covered New Order’s "Blue Monday" for the film Atomic Blonde.[22]

Slaves of Fear and further video game work

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Health's fourth album, Vol. 4 :: Slaves of Fear, was released on February 8, 2019, on Loma Vista. The album was preceded by the singles "Slaves of Fear", released in December 2018, and "Feel Nothing", released through the Adult Swim Singles Program in January 2019.[23][24][25]

Over the next year, Health also composed the soundtrack for GTA Online's Arena War update,[26] and the song "Major Crimes" for the video game Cyberpunk 2077.[27] "Major Crimes", alongside some other songs from the game, also appeared in its anime adaptation, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, in 2022.[28]

Disco4 series

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On September 17, 2020, the band announced their fifth album, Disco4: Part I. Despite being called Disco4 "in the interest of continuity", it is not a part of Health's Disco series of remix albums, but a collection of original collaborations (with the exception of the album's lead single, "Cyberpunk 2020", which was composed solely by Health themselves).[29] The album was released through Loma Vista on October 16, 2020.[30] An accompanying remix album, Disco4+, was later released on April 2, 2021, on the band's Bandcamp page.[31]

With both themselves and other artists not touring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Health decided to use the opportunity to work on more collaborations, resulting in Disco4: Part II.[17] After a teaser on 3 May 2021, the band released the first track off the album three days later, a song with Nine Inch Nails titled "Isn't Everyone".[32][33] The full album was eventually released on 8 April 2022, featuring artists such as Poppy, Lamb of God, The Neighbourhood and Street Sects.[34]

Just before the 10-year anniversary of the game's release in May 2022, an expanded anniversary edition of the Max Payne 3 soundtrack was announced for release later that year. This would also mark the album's first release on a vinyl record.[35]

Rat Wars and collaborations

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Health announced their next single "Hateful" as part of an April 2023 update to the video game Ultrakill.[36] This was followed by the announcement of their sixth album, Rat Wars, with a release date of December 7, alongside two additional singles, "Children of Sorrow" and "Sicko".[37] Thematically, the album was more "personal" than Health's previous work, being influenced by recent events in Duzsik's life.[38] To promote its release, they published a Vampire Survivors-like game, Rat Wars Survivors, on itch.io themed around the album.[39]

In 2024, the band collaborated with Bad Omens and Swarm for the track "The Drain" for the former's album Concrete Jungle [The OST], and released a reprised version of "Ashamed" from Rat Wars in collaboration with Lauren Mayberry.[40][41]

Musical style

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Health's musical style has variously been described as industrial rock,[4][42][43] electronic rock,[44][45] experimental rock,[46][47] and electro-industrial.[48][38] Having origins in Los Angeles' experimental scene,[4][42] the band has also been classified as noise rock,[49][43] though Duzsik has stated that even its earlier work would not be categorised as such by "purists".[50] He has described the band as a "primitive soundscape", influenced by sci-fi movies and the imagery of a dystopic future.[17]

At the time of its first record, the band was referred to as creating noise music with "raw synth, haunting monotone vocals, and drum[s]."[51] The band used a "Zoothorn", a permutation of microphone and guitar pedal and an occasional atonal sound without a symmetrical structure.[52] With their third album Death Magic and Vol. 4: Slaves of Fear, Health shifted their style, incorporating more electronic elements and a closer adherence to a standard song structure, and taking greater inspiration from metal and industrial music.[4][16][2] Famigletti has credited this to the innovation in the electronic scene at the time, stating that he found the resulting music to have "sheer power" that made it "orders of magnitude bigger" than its precedents.[42]

Lyrically, the band described its tracks as "purposely kept vague for the listener", with the vocals imbuing "an even, unaffected feel. A softness, like a Zombies melody, or even a Gregorian chant".[53]

Members

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Current members

  • Jake Duzsik – vocals, guitar (2005–present)[16]
  • John Famiglietti – bass, pedals, electronics (2005–present)[2]
  • B.J. Miller – drums (2005–present)[2]

Past members

  • Jupiter Keyes – guitar, synthesizer (2005–2015)[2]

Discography

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Main article: Health discography

Studio albums

Remix and collaborative albums

References

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  1. ^ a b K, Simon (8 February 2019). "Review: HEALTH - VOL. 4 :: SLAVES OF FEAR | Sputnikmusic". www.sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Appleford, Steve (21 November 2023). "Winning the 'Rat Wars': How HEALTH pulled triumph out of "a purgatory of meaninglessness and death"". Revolver. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b Jones, Kenya (2009-09-17). "Interview: Health". Impose Magazine. Archived from the original on 2008-12-04. Retrieved 2009-09-10.
  4. ^ a b c d e Goodman, Eleanor (22 September 2021). "Health: The Trent Reznor-approved industrial band angering hipsters". louder. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  5. ^ "HEALTH, by HEALTH". Bandcamp. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  6. ^ "HEALTH". ABC Rage. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  7. ^ Host, Vivian. "Interview: LA noise rockers HEALTH". Red Bull Music Academy. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  8. ^ "Artist of the Day: HEALTH". Spin. 2007-11-06. Archived from the original on 2014-08-12. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
  9. ^ "HEALTH//DISCO". Pitchfork Media. 2008-05-23. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
  10. ^ "Nine Inch Nails Cancel, Reschedule Some Shows". Pitchfork Media. 2008-09-17. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
  11. ^ "Best Contest Launched By An L.A. Band: HEALTH's CD Sweepstakes (the Golden Ticket is Discovered!)". LA Weekly. 2009-10-01. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
  12. ^ Colly, Joe. "HEALTH: Get Color". Pitchfork. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  13. ^ "HEALTH ::DISCO2 Review". BBC. 2010. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
  14. ^ "HEALTH Max Payne 3: The Official Soundtrack Review". BBC. 2012. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
  15. ^ "Scoring Max Payne 3 With HEALTH". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2014-08-11 – via YouTube.
  16. ^ a b c "The L.A. electro-noise band tell us what to expect from their forthcoming third LP". Pitchfork Media. 2012-10-29. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
  17. ^ a b c Pearlman, Mischa (6 April 2022). "HEALTH: "We always thought we were making music for a post-Skynet…". Kerrang!. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  18. ^ "2012 Spike Video Game Awards Winners List". Game Rant. 2012-12-07. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
  19. ^ Grubb, Jeffrey (24 September 2013). "Grand Theft Auto V digital album available now on iTunes". VentureBeat. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Game Over: HEALTH Finish First Album in Six Years". Pitchfork. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  21. ^ Bowe, Miles (17 February 2017). "Watch Pauly Shore and HEALTH call fans to announce surprise album DISCO3". Fact Magazine. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  22. ^ Yoo, Noah (10 March 2017). "HEALTH Cover New Order's "Blue Monday" For New Movie Atomic Blonde: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  23. ^ "Hear HEALTH Rain Industrial Terror With New Song "SLAVES OF FEAR"". Revolver. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  24. ^ Rettig, James (28 January 2019). "HEALTH - "FEEL NOTHING"". Stereogum. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  25. ^ "Album Review: HEALTH Vol. 4 :: Slaves of Fear". Metal Injection. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  26. ^ K, Simon (2 March 2019). "Review: HEALTH - GTA: Online Arena War (Soundtrack) | Sputnikmusic". www.sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  27. ^ Breihan, Tom (18 December 2020). "HEALTH – "Major Crimes"". Stereogum. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  28. ^ Moss, Molly (11 October 2022). "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners soundtrack – Every song in the Netflix anime series". Radio Times. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  29. ^ "HEALTH announce collaborative album 'DISCO 4:: PART I' | News". diymag.com. 17 September 2020. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  30. ^ Breihan, Tom (16 October 2020). "HEALTH Release Excellent New All-Collabs Album 'DISCO4 :: PART I': Stream". Stereogum. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  31. ^ "DISCO4+, by HEALTH". Health. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  32. ^ Benitez-Eves, Tina (6 May 2021). "Health, Nine Inch Nails Release "Isn't Everyone"". American Songwriter. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  33. ^ Thiessen, Brock (3 May 2021). "HEALTH and Nine Inch Nails Are Busy Teasing Something │ Exclaim!". HEALTH and Nine Inch Nails Are Busy Teasing Something │ Exclaim!. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  34. ^ Crudgington, Kate. "HEALTH's DISCO::4 Part II is the sound of the disconnected seeking connection". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  35. ^ "Celebrate the 10-Year Anniversary of Max Payne 3". Rockstar Games Newswire. 2022-05-13. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
  36. ^ Brown, Andy (28 April 2023). "HEALTH debut new single 'HATEFUL' through first-person shooter 'Ultrakill'". NME. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  37. ^ Damara Kelly, Tyler. "Health announce new album, Rat Wars alongside double singles, "Children of Sorrow" and "Sicko"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  38. ^ a b Marlin, Natalie. "HEALTH Embrace Their Inner Dark". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  39. ^ Easby, Ryan (11 December 2023). "HEALTH release free 'Vampire Survivors'-style game with sex toys and death magic". NME. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  40. ^ Kaufman, Spencer (17 April 2024). "Bad Omens Team Up with HEALTH and SWARM on "THE DRAIN"". Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  41. ^ Campbell, Erica (17 July 2024). "Deeper Dimension: HEALTH and Lauren Mayberry Remix 'ASHAMED". Paper. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  42. ^ a b c Mudrak, James. "Interview: HEALTH's John Famiglietti Explores Band's Storied Journey". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  43. ^ a b Sigur, Matthew (April 25, 2019). "Noise rock band HEALTH talks new album, reality's 'lame, dystopian movie' ahead of BR show". The Advocate. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  44. ^ Hughes, Josiah (October 24, 2012). "HEALTH Drop Off of Crystal Castles Tour". Exclaim!. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  45. ^ Lymangrover, Jason. "HEALTH". AllMusic. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  46. ^ Lesuer, Mike. "As Always, the New HEALTH Record Is Darker, Heavier, and Dirtier". FLOOD. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  47. ^ Kharas, Kev (27 July 2009). "New HEALTH Album Get Color Reviewed Track-By-Track". The Quietus. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  48. ^ Hadusek, Jon (8 December 2023). "HEALTH's "Future of Hell" Is Our Heavy Song of the Week". Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  49. ^ Kreps, Daniel (24 April 2015). "Noise Rockers Health Release Most Disgusting Video of the Year". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  50. ^ Stubbs, Stuart. "HEALTH have recorded a new record inspired by modern hip-hop, high-end production and slamming electronics". Loud And Quiet. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  51. ^ "HEALTH - BLOWIN' UP". Rock Insider. 2007-07-19. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
  52. ^ "HEALTH: HE'S APPROVING FRIEND REQUESTS". L.A. Record. 2007-03-10. Archived from the original on 2014-08-12. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
  53. ^ "HEALTH – ::Disco2". Way Too Indie. 2012-07-03. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
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