Episode 216: Sean Nelson of Harvey Danger

Explicit content warning

04/22/25 • 91 min

Harvey Danger vocalist Sean Nelson makes a good case for his group being, in his words, "the last band through the door" of the alternative revolution: Though the quartet went gold thanks to the frenetic, inescapable "Flagpole Sitta" as the nineties closed, the landscape for them (and cohorts such as Cake, Semisonic or Fastball) would look much different a year later. By 2000, a sudden contingent of beefy backwards cappers, led by the likes of Limp Bizkit and Papa Roach, had commandeered arenas and the airwaves as an antithesis to pop radio. Paired with a massive label shake-up, this left Harvey Danger's expansive second album King James Version DOA. But like a lot of unsung masterworks, many have praised King James Version over the last quarter century for its dialed-in cacophony and sarcastic swagger -- enough to drum up major excitement for a first-ever vinyl pressing, which hit shelves as a Record Store Day exclusive recently from both Barsuk and Latent Print Records. Today, Nelson gives us the full arc of how King James Version was born, died and rose again, taking its throne on 12-inch format to mark the album's 25th anniversary. Follow @officialharveydangerarchive and @actualseannelson on Instagram for updates. You can also hear The Wonder of It All, Sean's engaging podcast on the blessings and curses of fame, via this link or wherever you listen.

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Episode 215: Minus the Bear on “Menos El Oso,” Track-By-Track

After 15+ years on the road, Seattle's Minus the Bear said goodbye in 2018... but not for long. Marking two decades since the release of their second album, Menos El Oso -- heralded by both critics and fans alike -- the five-piece are back this year to play the album in full across the country. A sprawling, math-rock masterclass, Menos takes listeners on a globetrotting trail through Spain, Ireland, Los Angeles and more, while vocalist/guitarist Jake Snider inhabits characters seeking escape, be it from fever dreams, crime scenes or soul-crushing day jobs. Today, Jake is joined by guitarist David Knudson, as the pair breakdown Menos track-by-track. Along with host Jim Hanke, they dive into the meanings behind some of the band's most impactful songs twenty years later, and how the genre-bending experimentation of Danger Mouse and DJ Shadow influenced the LP. Catch Minus the Bear at this year's Best Friends Forever Fest in Las Vegas, or on tour cost-to-coast, this fall. Visit minusthebear.com for tickets, social media and more.