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Heiruspecs

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Heiruspecs
OriginSt Paul, Minnesota, United States
GenresHip hop[1]
Years active1997 – present
LabelsRazor & Tie
Interlock
MembersFelix
Muad'dib
Twinkie Jiggles
dVRG
Peter Leggett
Josh Peterson
Websitehttp://www.heiruspecs.com/

Heiruspecs (/ˈhaɪ.ruˌspɛks/) is a live hip hop band based in the Midway neighborhood of Saint Paul, Minnesota. Their name is a deliberate misspelling of the word haruspex, which is a Roman term for a person trained to practice divination from the inspection of entrails.[2]

The band's first releases Live from the Studio, and Antidisestablishmetabolism are out-of-print, though a compilation featuring songs from them was released as 10 Years Strong in December 2007. Their self-titled album Heiruspecs was released on December 13, 2008. On April 22, 2014 the band released Night Falls.[3]

In contrast to many contemporary hip hop groups that use sampling and turntables, Heiruspecs emphasize a raw, live sound celebrating their roots, and local music scene, and are more known for their live performances than records. They do shows with Minnesota-local hip hop label Rhymesayers Entertainment, and the group's style has been compared to the live hip hop band The Roots. They have a very upbeat sound and at one point were typically on tour for at least half of the year.[4] The band has since stayed closer to the Twin Cities and band members have picked up day jobs.[5]

History

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Heiruspecs formed in 1997 when the members were attending St. Paul Central High School. They met while taking a studio recording arts program there. Sean (Twinkie Jiggles) would play bass while four or five drummers would rotate in and out of freestyle sessions, and Felix would rhyme throughout the whole process.[6] Early Heiruspecs music contained trombone and saxophone, but these were absent on Small Steps and A Tiger Dancing. In 2004 Heiruspecs was named the best live artist in the Twin Cities by City Pages.[7] Reviewing A Tiger Dancing for CMJ New Music Monthly, Owen Strock wrote that "Heiruspecs are smart enough to keep James Brown's advice close to heart—they always make it funky."[8]

In commemoration of 10 years of St. Paul pride and good Hip Hop music, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman declared December 22 Heiruspecs Day in Saint Paul, Minnesota.[9]

Heiruspecs took an unofficial hiatus after their tour van was totaled in 2005.[10][5] Heiruspecs was released in 2008 at a point when the band began touring less.[5]

In summer 2010, the band was in the studio working on a new album.[11]

On December 23, 2022, the group released a new album, Pretty Random But What Happened To the Heiruspecs.[12]

Many of the band's concerts since 2010 have benefited charities including those in honor of Philando Castile and for students at Saint Paul Central.[5][12][13][14]

Members and Former Members

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Current

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  • Felix (Chris Wilbourn) - Vocals
  • Muad'dib (Jon Harrison) - Vocals, Beat Box
  • Twinkie Jiggles (Sean McPherson) - Bass
  • dVRG (DeVon Gray) - Keyboards
  • Peter Leggett - Drums
  • Josh Peterson - Guitar

Former

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  • Martin Devaney - Saxophone
  • Bryan Alvarez - Trombone
  • Alex Oftelie - Drums
  • Al McIntosh - Trumpet
  • Steve McPherson - Guitar
  • Kevin Hunt - Drums
  • Conor Meehan - Drums
  • Tasha Baron - Keyboards
  • Alex Danovitch - Keys
  • Joshua Herbst - Drums
  • Brett Bullion - Drums
  • Noah Paster - Percussion, 808 pad
  • Tim Glenn - Drums

Discography

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Studio albums

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EPs

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  • Theskyisfalling (2016)

Compilation albums

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  • 10 Years Strong (2007)
  • 20/20 (2017)

References

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  1. ^ Carlson, Keri (September 23, 2004). "Back to the future". The Minnesota Daily. Archived from the original on 2008-03-15. Retrieved 2007-10-22.
  2. ^ Nishimoto, Dan (30 March 2005) "An Interview with Felix of the Heiruspecs" PopMatters
  3. ^ "Heiruspecs Scholarship". www.heiruspecs.com.
  4. ^ Harris, Keith (August 2, 2000), "Funk Is Instrumental" Archived 2007-08-15 at archive.today City Pages
  5. ^ a b c d Tillery, Grant (July 16, 2014). "High respects". The Minnesota Daily. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  6. ^ Tatasciore, David (October 27, 2003), "Underground hip-hop sound of Heiruspecs invades area" The Daily Collegian
  7. ^ "BEST LIVE ARTIST: Heiruspecs" Archived 2008-05-21 at the Wayback Machine 2004. City Pages
  8. ^ Strock, Owen (2004). "Reviews: Heiruspecs, A Tiger Dancing". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 127–128. CMJ Network, Inc. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
  9. ^ Wheat, Mark (December 21, 2007),"Heiruspecs perform in The Current studios" Minnesota Public Radio
  10. ^ "Minneapolis hip-hop heavies Heiruspecs end their hiatus". Archived from the original on 2008-12-06.
  11. ^ Chris, Opposition. "Heiruspecs in the Studio 2010 on Vimeo". Vimeo.com. Retrieved 2010-10-06.
  12. ^ a b Elabbady, Ali (August 16, 2023). "Inside Heiruspecs' sizzling new summer block party". www.thecurrent.org. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  13. ^ Staff (8 March 2018). "Scholarship in Philando Castile's name a way to 'create a legacy for him'". Bring Me The News. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  14. ^ Adler, Erin (August 21, 2016). "Event marks scholarship in Philando Castile's name". Star Tribune. Retrieved 6 May 2024.

Sources

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  • Bucket, Charlie (September 22, 2004). "Heiruspecs". Urbansmarts. Retrieved 2007-10-22.
  • Roberts, Chris (September 30, 2004). "The pride of St. Paul". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved 2007-10-22.
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