Hamell on Trial
Encyclopedia
Hamell on Trial is the one-man band of Ed Hamell of Syracuse, New York
. Hamell typically describes his style as punk rock
. Righteous Babe Records
explains the use of the term as "loud, fast music informed by politics, passion, energy and intelligence, played by a guy with a sharp tongue and a wicked sense of humor".
ers, Hamell On Trial addresses poignant and controversial issues bluntly, but with the comic edge one might expect from a bald headed acoustic punk. Known for rapid and powerful strumming on his heavily amplified acoustic guitar, Hamell's musical styling is as far from traditional folk music
as it is from the typical drum-heavy electric guitar
ridden sounds of traditional punk
music. His sound and composition is comparable to that of the Velvet Underground " Live performances also include extended jokes and comic anecdotes between songs, demonstrating Hamell's respect for the stand-up comedy of Bill Hicks
, who is celebrated in the closing tracks of Hamell's album Choochtown.
Aug 2007 - Herald Angel Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
May 2009 - Conveyor Awards of Excellence for Best Story Telling - Non-Theatrical & Best Musical Moments at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival
July 2009 - Directors' Award at the Capital Fringe Festival
, Hamell spent years as a member of many bands before venturing into the realm of the solo singer-songwriter
. He finally got his big break when he moved to Austin, TX and earned a residency at first the Chicago House and then the Electric Lounge.
Since then, he's released a number of albums on various labels
including Mercury Records
, his own DiY label Such-A-Punch Media, and more recently Righteous Babe Records
, the label started by his long time supporter and frequent touring companion, Ani Difranco
. Ed has a son named Detroit, for whom he wrote the song "Detroit Lullabye." He was seriously injured in a car accident in May 2000, but recovered from head and spinal injuries to release the album Ed's Not Dead: Hamell Comes Alive the following year. His touring covers the US and Europe.
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. Hamell typically describes his style as punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
. Righteous Babe Records
Righteous Babe Records
Righteous Babe Records is an American independent record label. It was created by progressive folksinger Ani DiFranco in 1990 to release her own songs in lieu of being beholden to a mainstream record company.-History:...
explains the use of the term as "loud, fast music informed by politics, passion, energy and intelligence, played by a guy with a sharp tongue and a wicked sense of humor".
Style
In the long tradition of punk rockPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
ers, Hamell On Trial addresses poignant and controversial issues bluntly, but with the comic edge one might expect from a bald headed acoustic punk. Known for rapid and powerful strumming on his heavily amplified acoustic guitar, Hamell's musical styling is as far from traditional folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
as it is from the typical drum-heavy electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
ridden sounds of traditional punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
music. His sound and composition is comparable to that of the Velvet Underground " Live performances also include extended jokes and comic anecdotes between songs, demonstrating Hamell's respect for the stand-up comedy of Bill Hicks
Bill Hicks
William Melvin "Bill" Hicks was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material largely consisted of general discussions about society, religion, politics, philosophy, and personal issues. Hicks' material was often controversial and steeped in dark comedy...
, who is celebrated in the closing tracks of Hamell's album Choochtown.
Discography
- 1989 - Conviction (Blue Wave)
- 1992 - Letter to Mike (Self-Published, cassette only)
- 1996 - Big as Life (Doolittle/MercuryMercury RecordsMercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
) - 1997 - The Chord is Mightier Than the Sword (PolyGramPolyGramPolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
) - 2000 - Choochtown (Such-A-Punch Media)
- 2001 - Ed's Not Dead: Hamell Comes Alive (Such-A-Punch Media)
- 2003 - Yap (Such-A-Punch Media)
- 2003 - Tough Love (Righteous Babe RecordsRighteous Babe RecordsRighteous Babe Records is an American independent record label. It was created by progressive folksinger Ani DiFranco in 1990 to release her own songs in lieu of being beholden to a mainstream record company.-History:...
) - 2006 - Songs for Parents Who Enjoy Drugs (Righteous Babe RecordsRighteous Babe RecordsRighteous Babe Records is an American independent record label. It was created by progressive folksinger Ani DiFranco in 1990 to release her own songs in lieu of being beholden to a mainstream record company.-History:...
) - 2008 - Live From Edinburgh: The Terrorism of Everyday Life (Righteous Babe RecordsRighteous Babe RecordsRighteous Babe Records is an American independent record label. It was created by progressive folksinger Ani DiFranco in 1990 to release her own songs in lieu of being beholden to a mainstream record company.-History:...
) - 2008 - Rant and Roll (Righteous Babe RecordsRighteous Babe RecordsRighteous Babe Records is an American independent record label. It was created by progressive folksinger Ani DiFranco in 1990 to release her own songs in lieu of being beholden to a mainstream record company.-History:...
)
Awards & honors
May 2007 - inducted into the SAMMY (Syracuse Area Music Awards) Hall of FameAug 2007 - Herald Angel Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
May 2009 - Conveyor Awards of Excellence for Best Story Telling - Non-Theatrical & Best Musical Moments at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival
July 2009 - Directors' Award at the Capital Fringe Festival
The man
Born in Syracuse, New YorkSyracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, Hamell spent years as a member of many bands before venturing into the realm of the solo singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. He finally got his big break when he moved to Austin, TX and earned a residency at first the Chicago House and then the Electric Lounge.
Since then, he's released a number of albums on various labels
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
including Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
, his own DiY label Such-A-Punch Media, and more recently Righteous Babe Records
Righteous Babe Records
Righteous Babe Records is an American independent record label. It was created by progressive folksinger Ani DiFranco in 1990 to release her own songs in lieu of being beholden to a mainstream record company.-History:...
, the label started by his long time supporter and frequent touring companion, Ani Difranco
Ani DiFranco
Ani DiFranco is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, guitarist, poet, and songwriter. She has released more than 20 albums, and is widely considered a feminist icon.-Biography:...
. Ed has a son named Detroit, for whom he wrote the song "Detroit Lullabye." He was seriously injured in a car accident in May 2000, but recovered from head and spinal injuries to release the album Ed's Not Dead: Hamell Comes Alive the following year. His touring covers the US and Europe.
External links
- Official Website: Hamell On Trial
- Hamell On Trial on Righteous Babe Records
- [ Allmusic guide entry]
- Hamell on Trial collection at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
's live music archive - Hamell On Trial Live at the Sarah Street Grill 12-22-05