Negative Approach
Encyclopedia
Negative Approach is an American
hardcore punk
band, formed in Detroit, Michigan
in 1981. The band is considered among of the pioneers of hardcore punk, particularly in the Midwest region. Like most hardcore bands, Negative Approach was little known in its day outside of its hometown. It is now idolized in the Detroit rock underground
and the punk subculture
, considered to be one of the elite bands of the "old school" era, and continues to be influential. Negative Approach initially broke up in 1984 with singer John Brannon moving onto Laughing Hyenas
, and later Easy Action, but the band has reformed as of 2006 and continues to tour sporadically.
by John Brannon and Pete Zelewski, supposedly after seeing a Black Flag
/Necros
show. The first NA lineup consisted of Brannon on vocals, Rob McCulloch on guitar, Pete Zelewski on bass and Zuheir on drums. Not long after, Zelewski left the band to form the Allied and was replaced by Rob McCulloch's brother Graham. Zuheir Fakhoury was later replaced by Chris "Opie" Moore. The lineup of Brannon/McCulloch/McCulloch/Moore would remain unchanged until NA disbanded.
NA's first gig was in the basement of Necros drummer Todd Swalla's mother's home. Soon after, they recorded a demo, and followed that up with an appearance on the Process of Elimination compilation 7” EP, released on Meatmen frontman Tesco Vee's fledgling Touch & Go
label, named after his fanzine
of the same name. The comp also featured the Necros
and the Meatmen, among others. NA, the Necros and the Meatmen then embarked on the Process of Elimination tour. Though this “tour” consisted of a mere three shows (Boston
, New York City
and Washington, DC), it is cited as being a key event in the early spread of hardcore.
The first proper Negative Approach studio release came in 1982 with their self-titled 7” EP, also on Touch & Go. It contained “Can't Tell No One,” “Ready To Fight” and “Nothing,” which is considered by many to be the quintessential NA song.
The following year saw the release of the Tied Down LP, also venerated as a hardcore classic.
The classic line-up fell apart in 1983. Rob McCulloch claims that the band had grown weary of the group's reputation for writing negative lyrics but that John Brannon was not comfortable writing differently. Also, Rob has stated that John's involvement with Larissa Stolarchuk from L-Seven
was another source of tension for the group. The band re-grouped long enough to record the Tied Down LP, then split for good.
Afterwards, Brannon assembled a new line-up with members Kelly Dermody (guitar), Dave (bass) and Mike McCabe (drums). This version of Negative Approach played a series of live shows throughout 1984 which featured some new songs, such as "Obsession," "Tunnel Vision," "Kiss Me Kill Me" and a cover of "I Got A Right" by the Stooges. This line-up can be heard on the Live at the Newtown Theater bootleg 7" and some live tracks recorded at Boston's Paradise club that appear on the Total Recall
. discography CD. The new line-up of the band split during the first week of their tour in support of Tied Down, playing their last show in Memphis
.
band Laughing Hyenas
with his girlfriend Larissa Stolarchuk (then calling herself "Larissa Strickland") from L-Seven
, and currently sings for Easy Action. In 2008 John Brannon sings 2 songs on Vitamin X
's album Full Scale Assault produced by Steve Albini
.
Opie Moore moved out from behind the drums to front '80s/'90s alt-rock act Crossed Wire along with Rob McCulloch. After Crossed Wire, Rob McCulloch attended college and has not pursued a career in music, although he maintains a home recording studio. Currently, Moore enjoys a respected solo career as an edgy roots-oriented singer and songwriter. His current band, Moore & Sons on the UK's Triumphant Sounds/Drawing Room label, features Lambchop
member Dennis Cronin.
Graham McCulloch moved to Washington, DC and joined the Meatmen before forming Earth 18 with John "Bubba" Dupree (formerly of Void
). Earth 18 released several albums and toured the US, opening for Nitzer Ebb
. After Earth 18 disbanded Graham played for several years in Mother May I.
on December 10. Despite repeated efforts by Rob and Graham McCulloch to be a part of the reunion and have the classic NA lineup play, John refused. It was instead announced that Harold Richardson (of Brannon's current band Easy Action) and Ron Sakowski (formerly of Easy Action, Laughing Hyenas, and Necros) would complete the lineup.
Negative Approach closed out the No Fun Fest in Brooklyn, New York on May 20, 2007. Thurston Moore
played guitar on two songs at the start of their set.
Negative Approach did a brief reunion tour in the northeast United States in April 2008, performing in Brooklyn and Providence. They also played the wedding of Anal Cunt
founder Seth Putnam
. The band did a lengthier tour of Europe in June 2008, and later that year a concert in Los Angeles. In 2009, they played a string of shows in the US.
In 2011 Augist 27, St.Andrews hall Downtown Detroit
In 2010 the original members of Negative Approach discovered several tracks in a basement in Detroit which contained the lost 1984 sessions of unreleased studio tracks. The songs included "Friends Of No One", "Cargo Cult" "Kiss Me Kill Me", "Obsession", "Genociide" and a studio version of "I Got A Right". The tapes were brought to Jim Diamond to restore and preserve. A boxed set
is expected to be released of the found recordings.
. Of The Stooges' guitarist Ron Asheton
, John Brannon said, "So much of what NA stands for; our sound and lyrics were based on the music which he helped to create." NA were also influenced by high-octane British
punk rock
(especially Discharge
) and Oi!
music (Blitz
, 4-Skins, et al.), although from the start their sound and demeanor were considerably more aggressive and brutal than that of their influences. NA's brand of hardcore was savage and nihilistic, exuding frustration, pessimism and rage. This was personified in the band's vocalist John Brannon, an intimidating and intense young man with a shaved head, piercing stare and belligerent attitude. His vocal style and stage presence set the standard for those that followed.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band, formed in Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
in 1981. The band is considered among of the pioneers of hardcore punk, particularly in the Midwest region. Like most hardcore bands, Negative Approach was little known in its day outside of its hometown. It is now idolized in the Detroit rock underground
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
and the punk subculture
Punk subculture
The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
, considered to be one of the elite bands of the "old school" era, and continues to be influential. Negative Approach initially broke up in 1984 with singer John Brannon moving onto Laughing Hyenas
Laughing Hyenas
Laughing Hyenas was an American rock band that existed from 1985 to 1995. They formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan and were initially made up of former members of Negative Approach , L-Seven , plus Kevin Strickland and Jim Kimball...
, and later Easy Action, but the band has reformed as of 2006 and continues to tour sporadically.
Main career (1981-1983)
Negative Approach was formed in August 1981 in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
by John Brannon and Pete Zelewski, supposedly after seeing a Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
/Necros
Necros
Necros were an early American hardcore punk band from Maumee, Ohio, although they are usually identified with the Detroit music scene. They are the first band to record for Touch and Go Records.-History:...
show. The first NA lineup consisted of Brannon on vocals, Rob McCulloch on guitar, Pete Zelewski on bass and Zuheir on drums. Not long after, Zelewski left the band to form the Allied and was replaced by Rob McCulloch's brother Graham. Zuheir Fakhoury was later replaced by Chris "Opie" Moore. The lineup of Brannon/McCulloch/McCulloch/Moore would remain unchanged until NA disbanded.
NA's first gig was in the basement of Necros drummer Todd Swalla's mother's home. Soon after, they recorded a demo, and followed that up with an appearance on the Process of Elimination compilation 7” EP, released on Meatmen frontman Tesco Vee's fledgling Touch & Go
Touch and Go Records
Touch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
label, named after his fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
of the same name. The comp also featured the Necros
Necros
Necros were an early American hardcore punk band from Maumee, Ohio, although they are usually identified with the Detroit music scene. They are the first band to record for Touch and Go Records.-History:...
and the Meatmen, among others. NA, the Necros and the Meatmen then embarked on the Process of Elimination tour. Though this “tour” consisted of a mere three shows (Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Washington, DC), it is cited as being a key event in the early spread of hardcore.
The first proper Negative Approach studio release came in 1982 with their self-titled 7” EP, also on Touch & Go. It contained “Can't Tell No One,” “Ready To Fight” and “Nothing,” which is considered by many to be the quintessential NA song.
The following year saw the release of the Tied Down LP, also venerated as a hardcore classic.
The classic line-up fell apart in 1983. Rob McCulloch claims that the band had grown weary of the group's reputation for writing negative lyrics but that John Brannon was not comfortable writing differently. Also, Rob has stated that John's involvement with Larissa Stolarchuk from L-Seven
L-Seven
L-Seven was a post-punk band from Detroit, Michigan, United States. The band existed during 1980–1983 and released a 7" titled "L-Seven" by Touch and Go Special Forces in 1982. Touch and Go Special Forces was created to issue records that of a different nature than the hardcore records that Touch...
was another source of tension for the group. The band re-grouped long enough to record the Tied Down LP, then split for good.
Afterwards, Brannon assembled a new line-up with members Kelly Dermody (guitar), Dave (bass) and Mike McCabe (drums). This version of Negative Approach played a series of live shows throughout 1984 which featured some new songs, such as "Obsession," "Tunnel Vision," "Kiss Me Kill Me" and a cover of "I Got A Right" by the Stooges. This line-up can be heard on the Live at the Newtown Theater bootleg 7" and some live tracks recorded at Boston's Paradise club that appear on the Total Recall
Total Recall (CD)
Total Recall is the 1992 discography release of the American hardcore punk band Negative Approach.- Track listing :All tracks written by Negative Approach unless noted otherwise# "Lost Cause" # "Can't Tell No One" # "Sick Of Talk"...
. discography CD. The new line-up of the band split during the first week of their tour in support of Tied Down, playing their last show in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
.
Post-break up (1983-2006)
John Brannon went on to front the punk bluesPunk blues
Punk blues denotes a fusion genre of punk rock and blues. Punk blues musicians and bands usually incorporate elements of related styles, such as protopunk and blues rock. Its origins lie strongly within the garage rock sound of the 1960s and 1970s.Punk blues can be said to favor the common...
band Laughing Hyenas
Laughing Hyenas
Laughing Hyenas was an American rock band that existed from 1985 to 1995. They formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan and were initially made up of former members of Negative Approach , L-Seven , plus Kevin Strickland and Jim Kimball...
with his girlfriend Larissa Stolarchuk (then calling herself "Larissa Strickland") from L-Seven
L-Seven
L-Seven was a post-punk band from Detroit, Michigan, United States. The band existed during 1980–1983 and released a 7" titled "L-Seven" by Touch and Go Special Forces in 1982. Touch and Go Special Forces was created to issue records that of a different nature than the hardcore records that Touch...
, and currently sings for Easy Action. In 2008 John Brannon sings 2 songs on Vitamin X
Vitamin X
Vitamin X or VX is a hardcore punk and thrashcore band from Amsterdam, Netherlands that was formed in 1997. They are named as one of the best and most important hardcore punk bands going. Their unique sound is characterized by furious hardcore punk mixed with turbo-charged thrash, 70's rock riffage...
's album Full Scale Assault produced by Steve Albini
Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
.
Opie Moore moved out from behind the drums to front '80s/'90s alt-rock act Crossed Wire along with Rob McCulloch. After Crossed Wire, Rob McCulloch attended college and has not pursued a career in music, although he maintains a home recording studio. Currently, Moore enjoys a respected solo career as an edgy roots-oriented singer and songwriter. His current band, Moore & Sons on the UK's Triumphant Sounds/Drawing Room label, features Lambchop
Lambchop (band)
Lambchop, originally Posterchild, is a band from Nashville, Tennessee. Lambchop is loosely associated with the alternative country genre...
member Dennis Cronin.
Graham McCulloch moved to Washington, DC and joined the Meatmen before forming Earth 18 with John "Bubba" Dupree (formerly of Void
Void (band)
Void was a Washington D.C.-based hardcore punk/crossover thrash band. They were one of the first hardcore outfits to fuse hardcore and some heavy metal in a way most hardcore and metal fans could accept, paving the way for bands such as The Melvins. They were one of the first local bands popular in...
). Earth 18 released several albums and toured the US, opening for Nitzer Ebb
Nitzer Ebb
Nitzer Ebb is a British EBM group formed in 1982 by Essex school friends Vaughan "Bon" Harris , Douglas McCarthy , and David Gooday .-Band name:...
. After Earth 18 disbanded Graham played for several years in Mother May I.
Reunion (2006-present)
It was announced in May 2006 that Brannon and Moore would play a Negative Approach reunion show, of sorts, for Touch & Go's 25th Anniversary show on September 9, 2006, as well as two later shows in the UK - London on December 7 and at All Tomorrow's PartiesAll Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
on December 10. Despite repeated efforts by Rob and Graham McCulloch to be a part of the reunion and have the classic NA lineup play, John refused. It was instead announced that Harold Richardson (of Brannon's current band Easy Action) and Ron Sakowski (formerly of Easy Action, Laughing Hyenas, and Necros) would complete the lineup.
Negative Approach closed out the No Fun Fest in Brooklyn, New York on May 20, 2007. Thurston Moore
Thurston Moore
Thurston Joseph Moore is an American musician best known as a singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside of Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label...
played guitar on two songs at the start of their set.
Negative Approach did a brief reunion tour in the northeast United States in April 2008, performing in Brooklyn and Providence. They also played the wedding of Anal Cunt
Anal Cunt
Anal Cunt, also known as AxCx and A.C., was an American grindcore band that formed in Newton, Massachusetts in 1988. Since its inception, the band underwent a number of line-up changes. Known for its grindcore musical style and controversial lyrics, Anal Cunt released eight full-length studio...
founder Seth Putnam
Seth Putnam
Seth Edward Putnam was the founder of grindcore band Anal Cunt. He was known for his brutal screaming and lyrics that either shock, offend, or invoke morbid humor...
. The band did a lengthier tour of Europe in June 2008, and later that year a concert in Los Angeles. In 2009, they played a string of shows in the US.
In 2011 Augist 27, St.Andrews hall Downtown Detroit
In 2010 the original members of Negative Approach discovered several tracks in a basement in Detroit which contained the lost 1984 sessions of unreleased studio tracks. The songs included "Friends Of No One", "Cargo Cult" "Kiss Me Kill Me", "Obsession", "Genociide" and a studio version of "I Got A Right". The tapes were brought to Jim Diamond to restore and preserve. A boxed set
Boxed set
A box set is a compilation of various musical recordings, films, television programs, or other collection of related items that are contained in a box.-Music box sets:...
is expected to be released of the found recordings.
Influences and style
Negative Approach's musical style was based on Detroit proto-punk/rock & roll icons The StoogesThe Stooges
The Stooges are an American rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan first active from 1967 to 1974, and later reformed in 2003...
. Of The Stooges' guitarist Ron Asheton
Ron Asheton
Ronald Frank Asheton was an American guitarist and co-songwriter with Iggy Pop for the rock band The Stooges.Asheton is ranked as number 29 on Rolling Stones list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time....
, John Brannon said, "So much of what NA stands for; our sound and lyrics were based on the music which he helped to create." NA were also influenced by high-octane British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
(especially Discharge
Discharge (band)
Discharge is a British hardcore punk band formed in 1977 by Terry "Tezz" Roberts and Roy "Rainy" Wainwright. They are often considered among one of the very first bands to play hardcore punk, and to mix punk with metal...
) and Oi!
Oi!
Oi! is a working class subgenre of punk rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The music and its associated subculture had the goal of bringing together punks, skinheads and other working-class youths ....
music (Blitz
Blitz (band)
Blitz was a street punk band from New Mills, Derbyshire, England. They had success in the United Kingdom indie charts in the early 1980s. With both punk and skinhead members, they were enthusiastically championed by Sounds magazine writer Garry Bushell, though guitarist Nidge would later go on to...
, 4-Skins, et al.), although from the start their sound and demeanor were considerably more aggressive and brutal than that of their influences. NA's brand of hardcore was savage and nihilistic, exuding frustration, pessimism and rage. This was personified in the band's vocalist John Brannon, an intimidating and intense young man with a shaved head, piercing stare and belligerent attitude. His vocal style and stage presence set the standard for those that followed.
Current
- John Brannon - vocals (1981–1984, 2006–present)
- Chris "Opie" Moore - Drums (1981–1983, 2006–present)
- Harold Richardson - GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(2006–present) - Ron Sakowski - BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2006–present)
Former
- Pete Zelewski - BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1981) - Zuheir - Drums (1981)
- Rob McCulloch - GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1981–1983) - Graham McCulloch - BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1981–1983)
Touring musicians
- Kelly Dermody - GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1984) - Dave - BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1984) - Mike McCabe - Drums (1984)
EPs
- Negative Approach (1982, 7", Touch & GoTouch and Go RecordsTouch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
) - Friends Of No One (2010, 7", Taang! RecordsTaang! RecordsTaang! Records is an American independent record label founded by Curtis Casella in Boston, Massachusetts which is currently based in San Diego...
) Recorded In 1984 - Friends Of No One (2010, CD EP", Taang! RecordsTaang! RecordsTaang! Records is an American independent record label founded by Curtis Casella in Boston, Massachusetts which is currently based in San Diego...
) Recorded In 1984
Demos
- 1st Demo (5/81)
- Lost Cause Demo (8/81)
- EP Demo First Version (late '81/early '82)
- Tied Down Demo (6/83) [a.k.a. Rice City Demo]
Compilation albums
- Total Recall (1992, Touch & GoTouch and Go RecordsTouch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
) - Ready to Fight: Demos, Live and Unreleased 1981-83 (2005, Reptilian)
Videos
- Fair Warning, Vol. 1 (2006)
- Fair Warning, Vol. 2 (2007)
- Can't Tell No One (2008)
Other appearances
- "Lost Cause" on Process of Elimination (1981, 7" EP, Touch & GoTouch and Go RecordsTouch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
) - "Can't Tell No One" on Reagan Regime Review (Selfless) (1992, a compilation of live tracks, released with the last issue of Touch & Go fanzine)
External links
- Negative Approach on Myspace
- Negative Approach page on Kill From the Heart
- Negative Approach page on Motor City Rock
- Suburban Voice Interview - Negative Approach interview from 1983
- Negative Approach At Punk Island 2010