Halo of Flies was a noise rock

Noise rock

Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...

 band from Minneapolis. Named after an Alice Cooper song

Halo of Flies (song)

"Halo of Flies" is a 1973 single by rock band Alice Cooper taken from their 1971 album Killer. The single was only released in the Netherlands. The song was, according to Cooper's liner notes in the compilation The Definitive Alice Cooper, an attempt by the band to prove that they could perform...

 from Killer, Halo of Flies was formed in 1986 by Tom Hazelmyer, John Anglim and Tim Mac. Over the next 5 years they released a series of 7 inch singles and mini LPs starting with a limited edition, hand numbered single called “Rubber Room”. These singles were released on Hazelmyer’s label Amphetamine Reptile Records

Amphetamine Reptile Records

Amphetamine Reptile Records is a nationally renowned record label which was founded in 1986 by then-US Marine Tom Hazelmyer in Washington State, US The label is best-known for its roster of noise rock artists, and its Dope, Guns 'n' Fucking In The Streets series of compilations.-History:Hazelmyer...

 and were later compiled on a CD (Insect Music for Insect Minds) in 1991. The band partially reformed a few years ago under the name H•O•F, and continue to release new material.

Life of Band

Sales of Halo of Flies records was assisted by a manufacturing/distribution deal with the popular Minnesota label Twin Tone records. Influenced by early punk bands MC5

MC5

The MC5 is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan and originally active from 1964 to 1972. The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson...

 and The Stooges

The Stooges

The Stooges are an American rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan first active from 1967 to 1974, and later reformed in 2003...

, the band had a loud raw sound that was heavily guitar influenced garage rock. Halo of Flies stopped recording in the early 1990s but Hazelmyer kept Amphetamine Reptile Records in business for 20 years by releasing music by Boss Hog

Boss Hog

Boss Hog is an American punk blues band including the husband and wife duo of Jon Spencer and Cristina Martinez along with Jens Jurgensen , Hollis Queens and Mark Boyce...

, Helmet

Helmet (band)

Helmet is an alternative metal band from New York City formed in 1989. Founded by vocalist and lead guitarist Page Hamilton, Helmet has had numerous lineup changes, and Hamilton has been the only constant member....

, The Melvins

The Melvins

The Melvins are an American band that formed in 1983. They usually perform as a trio, but in recent years have performed as a four piece with two drummers. Since 1984, singer and guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover have been the band's constant members...

, The Cows

The Cows

Cows are a post-hardcore/punk blues band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The band formed in 1987 and disbanded in 1998. They were known for a unique mixture of punk rock and blues played with large amounts of noise and surreal humour; their music is often considered noise rock...

, God Bullies, Helios Creed

Helios Creed

Helios Creed is an American guitarist, singer and bandleader. He first came to prominence in the mid 1970s with the San Francisco band Chrome. They are credited with being the godfathers of what later became known as Industrial Rock music...

 and Unsane

Unsane

Unsane is an influential noise rock trio that formed in New York City in 1988. Their music also touches on elements of hardcore punk and metal...

.

Discography

As Halo of Flies

• Rubber Room 7", 1986
• Snapping Black Roscoe Bottles 7", 1986
• Circling the Pile 7", 1987
• Richies Dog 7", 1987
• Four from the Bottom cassette, 1988
• Garbage Rock! 12", 1988
• Garbageburn 12", 1988
• No Time 7", 1988
• Death of a Fly 7", 1989
• Singles Going Nowhere 12", 1989
• Winged 7", 1990
• Big Mod Hate Trip 7", 1991
• Mod Showdown! 7", 1991
• Music For Insect Minds, 1991 (compilation of all the previously released material)

As H•O•F

• split 7" with Wild Billy Childish and the Musicians of the British Empire, 2007
• A New Kind of Hate 7", 2008
• When I'm Loaded 7" (with Lydia Lunch), 2008
• F.T.W. EP, 2008
• Gay Witch Abortion Sessions CD, 2009
• Resurrect a Bad Idea LP, 2010

Sources

City Pages

Minnesota Daily