Known for singer Craig Finn's keen lyrical prowess, the members of the Hold Steady are quite the literary bunch. Further proof is the fact that keyboardist Franz Nicolay has announced the release of a collection of short stories.
Titled Complicated Gardening Techniques, the book will be out in January from Julius Singer Press and, as Nicolay puts it, explores "real things that happened to me and people I know, fake things that might have happened to people you know; loosely fictionalized and highly stylized with handy tips and pithy epigrams."
He's also given us a lengthy excerpt from the book, which can be found here.
Besides the book, Nicolay is keeping busy with a new solo ten-inch called St. Sebastian of the Short Stage, which is to drop soon from Team Science. The record has a song about the original Nite Owl from The Watchmen and a cover of Jonathan Richman featuring the Dresden Dolls. Oh, and to celebrate the release, the label have released a Franz Nicolay corkscrew.
But Nicolay's life isn't all corkscrews and The Watchmen. Dude is also a member of budding gypsy punk crew Guignol. The band have planned a 16-track full-length collaboration with fellow New Yorkers Mischief Brew, which, according to Pitchfork, will feature covers of both Iron Maiden and Django Reinhardt.
Titled Complicated Gardening Techniques, the book will be out in January from Julius Singer Press and, as Nicolay puts it, explores "real things that happened to me and people I know, fake things that might have happened to people you know; loosely fictionalized and highly stylized with handy tips and pithy epigrams."
He's also given us a lengthy excerpt from the book, which can be found here.
Besides the book, Nicolay is keeping busy with a new solo ten-inch called St. Sebastian of the Short Stage, which is to drop soon from Team Science. The record has a song about the original Nite Owl from The Watchmen and a cover of Jonathan Richman featuring the Dresden Dolls. Oh, and to celebrate the release, the label have released a Franz Nicolay corkscrew.
But Nicolay's life isn't all corkscrews and The Watchmen. Dude is also a member of budding gypsy punk crew Guignol. The band have planned a 16-track full-length collaboration with fellow New Yorkers Mischief Brew, which, according to Pitchfork, will feature covers of both Iron Maiden and Django Reinhardt.
