 the color drained... Monday, January 08, 2007 I just read this morning where Larissa Strickland, guitarist for one of my favorite, if not the favorite, of the early 90s noisemongering breed--The Laughing Hyenas--passed away back in November. Drugs, prescription pills it's rumored. The Hyenas were known around the 'scene' as users back in the day. You never knew what was real or what was fiction, but you knew the Hyenas were definitely the legit fucking deal. With a punk pedigree that included Negative Approach and Necros, the Laughing Hyenas morphed white boy blues with gritty edge and sometimes Stoogesque aplumb. Most fans were even intimidated by them. I'll tell you this...there is one reason I got into music as a vocalist, only one. John Brannon of the Laughing Hyenas. My history crossed theirs more than once but the first time was a religious experience. I watched them dissolve on stage in one of many of John and Larissa's break-ups. In Lexington, at the Wrocklage, I stood in awe as the Hyenas tore throw the whole Life of Crime record in front of maybe 40 people. Larissa and John were agitated, as was Kevin the bassist (he smelled like he had not bathed in weeks) and the band was like a pitbull irritated by the broken limb suffered by a passing semi. There was no crying or howling merely the growls, snarls and vicious bite of an animal percieved to be literally on its last legs. It was a zen moment for me watching them. The show ended when John shoved Larissa down on the stage, she ripped a gash in her knee and bleeding heavily, stormed off the stage. John's little bro, P.W. Long (opening for them, was his first band Wig) finished a song with the band and then the band lurched into Public Enemy's 'She Watch Channel Zero!' to bring the night to a caustic, bubbling halt. Back in those days, punks were not covering rap yet. It was bizarre. I was downright inspired and for the next year played the Hyenas records for anyone who would listen. Eventually, George and I started TBVW and I admit I was doing little at first beyond aping Brannon's brutal vocal attack. Once we became a real band we played 3 shows with them. The most memorable was the one, they didn't show up for in Madison, Wisconsin. They were touring with Blacktop and had played in Chicago the night prior and as Blacktop told us had decided to run back to Detroit to score some drugs before the gig at Okayz Corral. They never made it to the show. Instead we played the best show of that tour or any for us in front of some good folk from various Midwestern labels, bands and bars and had a great night. A couple months later we played back to back shows with them in Lexington and Cinci. Larissa seemed tired. Kevin and Jim had been replaced as the rthym section and the Hyenas were knee deep in early Stones bluesyness. Nonetheless, it didn't excape me that I was playing gigs with my heroes. I had conversations with Larissa both before and after both shows about the pitfalls of being on the road and playing the kind of music that we were...like I said, she was tired. I remember thinking...'wow, I am talking heart to heart with Larissa Strickland...and she seems worse off than me...' Safe to say, she was. John Brannon's new band Easy Action is amazing, I still have not seen them live but the records speak volumes. Negative Approach also has played some shows recently for the big ATP gig and the Touch and Go 25th Anniversary. Has Brannon outran his demons...who the fuck cares, that is his thang. All I know is he is still a force to be reckoned with on the mic...and I am typing on a fucking photoblog...albeit happily. RIP Larissa. We hardly knew ye. Here's a free treat from my collection, listen to Life of Crime...my pal Bill Widener did the artwork... Colorless but not dead yet. Diana (Windsor clone) Kodak Porta 400 VC. Comment (7) | Permalink |
