Heaven Street Seven

Biography

Popular indie/britpop band of Hungary. After several years of planning, and playing acoustic teahouse gigs, as well as several ametuer demo recordings made in the girls showers at the college, the band known as Heaven Street Seven came into being in 1995. The founding members of the band are Krisztián Szucs and Robert Németh, who were college classmates in the city of Esztergom. Soon Gyula Orbán and Endre Kiss joined the band as well (both former members of the Paks based band Houdinis). During...

Popular indie/britpop band of Hungary.

After several years of planning, and playing acoustic teahouse gigs, as well as several ametuer demo recordings made in the girls showers at the college, the band known as Heaven Street Seven came into being in 1995. The founding members of the band are Krisztián Szucs and Robert Németh, who were college classmates in the city of Esztergom. Soon Gyula Orbán and Endre Kiss joined the band as well (both former members of the Paks based band Houdinis). During this summer, sound engineer Bernhard Hahn from Stuttgart offered a helping hand to the band, and together they worked together on HS7's debut album Tick Tock No Fear. The album was made independently, and released privately, as the band did not yet have a recording deal. Around this time the band starts to play their first "serious" gigs. The band is born!

In the fall of 1995 another former member of Houdinis, Gábor Balczer, joins HS7, bring the band to a total of 5 members. Still without a record deal, the band starts work in the summer of 1996 on the album titled "Goal". During the Fall, Endre Kiss decides to leave the band.

After a long and exhausting search for a record deal, the band struck a deal with the newly formed Warner Music Hungary label, a division of 1G Records, in 1997. Soon the album "Goal" is released, and becomes available in several retail outlets. The band also produces their first serious video clip for the track "Wallflower". This clip eventually is played not only in Hungary, but on some MTV Europe programs as well, a big achievement for the band.

1998
There is a fresh batch of songs put together. The Budapest Dolls is put together in studios in Stuttgart, Germany, where they were already "regulars" in Bernhard's studios. There were also contributions from Quimby band member Szilard Balanyi.(special guest star on the album). A serious turning point occurs in the life of the band, as the first Hungarian language songs are prepared. Two of these songs "Hiphop mjuzik" and "Valami" become minor hits in the Hungarian music charts. In Fall 1998, after much searching, the band adds new member Zoltan "Japan" Takacs to play keyboards, who in addition to being a very talented keyboardist, also has the uncanny ability to speak Japanese, hence the nickname.

1999
Mainly a low key year for the band, though HS7 do begin work on some new tracks with an eye towards releasing a new album. The band does score a very memorable gig, as they play the Budapest Kisstadion in support of the very popular REM. Guitarist Peter Buck was sufficiently impressed with the band that he asked the band for a copy of their album. He received it right away. Mike Mills then wanted a copy as well, but due to lack of supplies, Mills did not get his HS7 CD.

2000
Spring 2000, HS7 completes their first fully Hungarian language album "Cukor". With the production support of Neo duo, this becomes their breakthrough album, including hit songs such as the "straight from the heart" song "Hol van az a krézi srác", the dance song "Mozdulj", and the rocker "Sajnálom". "Hol van az a krézi srác" becomes a number one hit on the Hungarian charts in the month "Cukor" is released. No so-called "alternative" band in Hungary has achieved this since.. This was the moment that their music became far more known within Hungary, and band enjoyed much broader recognition, including successful concert tours and festival performances The bands EP "White Lies in Hi-Fi", containing four songs, is picked by England based publication "Record Collector" as "EP of the month".

2002
The band prepares their longest, most complex, and diverse album titled "Kisfilmek a nagyvilágból". On this album you can find memorable song such as the bittersweet "Éjszaka", the playful hit "Dél-Amerika" (for which the well-known Hungarian artist, Balázs Gróf prepared a cartoon video clip for), and the jubilant "Ezután", as well as the epic "A régi nóta".

2003
HS7 plays the main stage of the Sziget festival (one of the largest music festivals in Europe), supporting international stars Fun Lovin' Criminals.

2004
The band spends some one and a half years working in the studio on the new album "Szállj ki és gyalogolj", which sees the band return to a more stripped down sound reminiscent of their first few albums. The album includes several stand out tracks, including "Ez a szerelem", "Hangerő", as well as "Csízbörger" and "Taposs a szívemen". In Spring 2005 the album receives the prestigious MAHASZ Recording Prize in the Rock Album category. A change occurs in the band line up, as HS7 and guitarist Gábor Balczer decide to part ways following the release of the album. He is replaced by long time friend Zsolt Ábrahám, former guitarist of the Szeged based band Időrablók and Neo. The new formation of HS7 starts work on new songs in Fall 2004.

2005
As already mentioned, the album "Szállj ki és gyalogolj" receives in Spring 2005 the MAHASZ recording prize in the rock album category. In December 2005, the band begins work on their next studio album, which sees HS7 reunited with the sound engineer/production partner Dávid Schram, who also worked on "Szállj ki és gyalogolj".

2006
Much is happening in HS7 in the start of 2006! The band is busy preparing their new album in the studio, but this work is briefly interrupted by a very exciting event. The band travels to Cannes, France due to their nomination for the higly prestigious European Breakthrough Award of the Border Breakers Awards of MIDEM by MTV Europe, MIDEM and the European Music Office. HS7 are happy to receive the nomination, and even more happy when they win the award! Winning the award is all the more impressive considering that there were more than a hundred bands contesting for the prize from the new EU member states. In May 2005, HS7 release their new album "Tudom, hogy szeretsz titokban". The new album, which is also the debut for guitarist Zsolt Abraham, is hailed by most music critics as the bands most accomplished and best album to date. The album is praised for its dynamic, complex, and subversive beauty. Also, the title track of the album is relased as a free EP via the internet on www.tudomhogyszeretsztitokban.com, something almost unheard of in Hungary. The band continues touring, headlining many successful concerts, as well as playing together with such international acts as Radiohead, Morrissey and The Church.

2007
The band released the english version of "Tudom, hogy szeretsz titokban". The release called Sordid Little Symphonies. The band played some gigs but they wasn't so active in this year.

2008
In 2008 the band recorded they 8th studio album wich will be allow to download legal on "http://hs7.blog.hu" for one week from 10th of November.



Members:
Szűcs Krisztián (vocals, guitar) 1995-
Németh Róbert (bass guitar) 1995-
Orbán Gyula (drums) 1995-
Takács Zoltán Jappán (keyboards) 1998-
Ábrahám Zsolt (guitar) 2004-

Former members:
Kiss Endre (guitar) 1995-1996
Balczer Gábor (guitar) 1995-2004
Balanyi Szilárd (keyboards) 1996-1998 Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.