Have a Good Season
Eatontown, NJ | Established. Jan 01, 2012
Music
Press
New Noise Magazine is indulging in some soft tones thanks to the exclusive premiere of “Gum” by Have A Good Season. The metaphor of the lyrics is clever, easy to understand and latch onto, but what makes “Gum” a great song is the instrumentals. The guitars provide a steady foundation for the song to embrace its own catchiness. The song was recorded at Timber Studios with Adam Cichocki. The melodies swinging around Have A Good Season represent their knack for songwriting, evidenced by the song streaming below.
“‘Gum’ is a song about being in love and falling out of it, bringing back memories of people who came into your life and left shortly after. It reminds you of seeing a face for the first time. ‘Gum’ is the evocative soundtrack to the moments that left a deep, resounding impact on your adolescent summers.
Have a Good Season is a power trio that started in 2012 playing DIY shows in basements and backyards around New Jersey. Their sound is fresh, blending the emotive drive of older acts like Built to Spill, Dinosaur Jr. and American Football with distinct lyricism and melodic intricacies that set them apart from other acts in the “emo” and “indie” genres. With 2 EPs and a single in their catalog, Have a Good Season is an example of committed local musicians with the mindset to bring back the nostalgic sound of the 90s with their own personal twist. Plus, their live set rips. - New Noise Magazine
A week before NJ rockers Have a Good Season released their latest single “Gum,” they promised via Facebook that it would be “the perfect summer song to drive around to… or cry to.” After bumping it for two weeks, I can vouch that they were true to their word. “Gum” delivers head-bobbing guitar riffs, a catchy chorus and a twinge of nostalgia throughout. It’s about falling in and out of love, and all of the cherished memories you collect along the way.
“You’re the first time hearing Big Star / You’re the gum beneath my shoe / You’re an eyelash-catching snowfall / You’re the gum between my tooth,” vocalist Nic Palermo sings. The memory of snowflakes sticking to your lashes might be a sweet one; perhaps of the first snowfall of the year, spending the holidays with loved ones or building a snowman. But gum sticking to the bottom of your shoe? Not such a great one. “Gum” reminds listeners that no matter how frustrating or fleeting, a memory is precious when it’s of someone you love.
‘And I hope you miss it too,” Palermo sings. The good and the bad. - The Alternative
About over a month ago, New Noise Magazine premiered the single “Gum” by Have A Good Season. We were excited about the clever lyrics and the catchiness of the hooks. Now, Have A Good Season have attached a nostalgic music video to the tune, shot with a retro flair that weaves the band playing in a basement and hanging out for a day. With this stellar backdrop and the song’s infectious melodies, “Gum” (recorded and mixed by Adam Cichocki of Timber Studios) has turned into a hit single of 2017. The music video was filmed and directed by Brett Sweeney.
“The goal of the video was to incorporate things that define our band. Anything from Japanese culture to skating to art. And of course, the energy of playing live shows. Our good friend Brett Sweeney filmed it on a Hi8 camera to create an old school vibe. Grainy and warm, sort of like a memory.” – Have A Good Season
Have a Good Season is a power trio that started in 2012 playing DIY shows in basements and backyards around New Jersey. Their blends the emotive drive of older acts like Built to Spill, Dinosaur Jr. and American Football with distinct lyricism and melodic intricacies that set them apart from other bands in the “emo” and “indie” genres. With 2 EPs and a single in their catalog, Have a Good Season is an example of committed local musicians with the mindset to bring back the nostalgic sound of the 90s with their own personal twist. Plus, their live set rips. - New Noise Magazine
Discography
Oh, Carl (Single) - March 2014
Last Picture Day EP - March 2014
Joseph EP - August 2015
Gum (Single) - August 2017
Photos
Bio
Have a Good Season (aka HAGS) was not inspired by the annual yearbook signage quote, but rather from a book of the same name that featured a drawing of two little children having a picnic. Nicolas Palermo, Dan Stattner and Dan Sakumoto formed the indie rock band in 2012 while in high school, playing DIY gigs in and around the Central Jersey area. With comparisons to emo and indie rock pioneers such as American Football, Built to Spill, and Dinosaur Jr., Have a Good Season blends a unique sound that encompasses themes of nineties nostalgia, Jersey Shore roots, and adolescent innocence. In August of 2017, Have a Good Season self-released their single “Gum” to positive acclaim. The track features artwork curated by Palermo under his “Boy! Oh Boy” moniker, along with a debut music video filmed by Jersey-based photographer Brett Sweeney that showcases the band’s affiliation with Japanese-American culture, the New Jersey skateboarding scene and the Jersey Shore boardwalk. On Spotify, the track has reached 170k streams since its debut, launching the Have a Good Season name in cities such as Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. As of 2019, Have a Good Season is currently working and recording on new material while simultaneously playing shows around the area. With 6.5k monthly listeners on Spotify, HAGS has played with notable indie alternative acts such as Pinegrove, Jeff Rosenstock, Sorority Noise, and Cymbals Eat Guitars. Nicolas Palermo leads in vocals and guitar while designing all of the band’s artwork and merchandise, Dan Stattner plays bass while Dan Sakumoto plays drums. When writing music, the trio collaborate and formulate melodies before Palermo pens his sentimental and emotive lyrics. Despite pursuing different colleges around New Jersey, the time apart has only strengthened the long-standing bond between their friendship and sheds new light in the creative process. Known for their high-energy and punk-motivated performances, Have a Good Season embarked on their very own “Before the Gold Rush” Tour in the beginning of 2019 with the help of NJ’s Beehive Collective. The ten-date tour stretched across notable cities such as Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Cincinnati. HAGS has also taken on much smaller co-headlining tours, with notable New Jersey based bands such as Ragged Lines and Halogens, with most recently a Spring 2019 tour set to kick off in April with Sweet Pill. As a collaboration with NJ based indie record label Choke Artist, Have a Good Season released an exclusive pressing of their first two EPs, appeared on the Mayflower Collective’s holiday compilation album, and created custom merchandise with the 4333 Collective. HAGS doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon - with two EPs in their corner and an ever-growing fanbase around the east coast, HAGS holds a special place in everyone’s memories of past summer loves.
Band Members
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