Artist description What do you get when you cross a New York bred punk rocker with affinities toward Motown, Rock Steady, and Jazz, with three Midwesterners whose likes range from Sunny Day Real Estate, Anthrax, and Kiss to Toots and the Maytals, Sublime, and The Police? The answer is HELVA. This Minneapolis quartet melds these influences and more to create a sound so unique that they have shared the stage with a wide array of groups including Smashmouth, Sugar Ray, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Limp Bizkit, Royal Crown Revue, Long Beach Dub All-Stars, The Aquabats, Crystal Method, and Scott Weiland. The band has earned itself performances at both the Warped Tour ’97 and a main stage gig on the local radio station, Zone 105’s, EdgefestV.The guys met in 1993 while each was playing in local bands, Poop and Original Jumbo, and after a simultaneous demise of both bands, Nate Collis (Vox/Guitar) and Shane Baskerville (Guitar) formed the songwriting core of HELVA . A year later, Kent McConaughey (Bass) found his place in the group. After a Spinal Tapping of drummers, the final piece fell into place with the addition of Nick Larsen (Drums), a fixture in the local emo/punk scene, rounding out the line-up.The band released its first full length album in 1999, with ex-Beastie Boys’ crew man Dave Pinsky at the console. The band celebrated the release of the CD, Another Day, Another Dollar, Another Nail in the Coffin with a furious touring schedule, including a National Hemp Day show with Mike Watt and Steven Perkins’ side project, Banyan, at Los Angeles’ House of Blues. In addition, the band played over 40 shows out of their home state, in as well as opening for national acts such as the Long Beach Dub All-Stars and the Aquabats.The band’s 1997 EP Big Heavy Push Action continues to sell well exclusively through MP3.com.The band’s new Pinsky produced release, Automatic, features a more focussed group, sticking to its rockin’ roots, while still delving into the more introspective genre of Reggae, with a more emotional approach. It just wouldn’t be Helva if they didn’t toss in a few curve balls, and this album stays true to form.Expect a powerful and furious show when they come to your town, again, and again and again.

Music Style Ska, reggae, punk, metal, and a little bit of a bunch of other styles.

Similar Artists Bad Brains, Sublime, All, Descendents, the Police, the Urge, Faith No More

Group Members Nate Collis-Vocals, Shane Baskerville-Guitar, Nick Larsen-Drums, and Kent McConaughey-Bass

Location Houlton, WI - USA

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