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Artist
Alger Hiss
8+ albums
noise rockGrungeliszaj radio2xmetal liszaj radio
about
Alger Hiss formed in 1994, with the implied goal of grafting harsh, no wave-influenced noise spew onto modernist progressive rock. The NYC trio originally consisted of drummer Hajji Majer, guitarist/vocalist/bassist Jordan N. Mamone and bassist/vocalist/guitarist Chris O’Rourke. By late 1995, they had self-released a cassette and played several Northeastern gigs with the likes of the Dirty Three, Bardo Pond, Blind Idiot God, Rake, Gary Lucas, and other rough, avant-rock luminaries. These shows were often characterized by bloody hands, drunken sloppiness, and the drop kicking of guitars. Oblivious of its surroundings, the band played with reckless enthusiasm regardless of whether an audience was receptive, apathetic, or hostile. At the end of 1995, the burgeoning Ba Da Bing! label (run by writer and future Matador publicist Ben Goldberg) released Alger Hiss’ official debut, a vinyl mini-LP/CD entitled Settings For Nudes. Following a health-related leave of absence on the part of Mr. Mamone, the three-piece resumed activity six months later. Mr. O’Rourke left and was replaced by guitarist-turned-bassist Jon Fine (ex-Bitch Magnet, Don Cabellero). Free of O’Rourke’s more melodic aspirations, Mamone relied on a heavier, more grounded approach that clearly elucidated his love of volume, complexity, chunky riffs, alternate tunings, and brief explosions of improvisation. In January 1997, Stephanie Oxley’s Feldspar label released the varied Graft Vs. Host, which compiled a remixed v
