Sproton Layer
Encyclopedia
Sproton Layer was a rock and roll
group formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan
in the late 1960s. Their music was mostly hard rock
with psychedelic
touches.
It was composed of bass guitarist, singer and primary songwriter Roger Miller
and his younger brothers Benjamin (Ben) Miller on guitar and Laurence B. (Larry) Miller
on drums. Trumpeter Harold Kirchen (brother of guitarist Bill Kirchen
, a longtime member of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
) later joined the group.
Sproton Layer found local success, but earned wider attention when its personnel went on to greater success with other musical groups: Laurence and Benjamin were both members of Destroy All Monsters
, and Roger had numerous musical projects, notably art-punk group Mission of Burma
and instrumental group Birdsongs of the Mesozoic
.
Sproton Layer recorded an album's worth of material shortly before breaking up in 1970; it went unreleased until 1992 when New Alliance records issued a single of "Lost Behind Words" and a full-length album, With Magnetic Fields Disrupted. Journalist Michael Azerrad described the recordings as a valuable document of "an amazing band that sounded like Syd Barrett
fronting Cream
."
The Miller brothers would later occasionally record under the name M3
.
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
group formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
in the late 1960s. Their music was mostly hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
with psychedelic
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
touches.
It was composed of bass guitarist, singer and primary songwriter Roger Miller
Roger Miller (rock musician)
Roger Miller is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist best known for co-founding the groups Mission of Burma and Alloy Orchestra.His main instruments are guitar and piano...
and his younger brothers Benjamin (Ben) Miller on guitar and Laurence B. (Larry) Miller
Laurence B. (Larry) Miller
Laurence Bond Miller is an American rock and avant garde guitarist based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, who has formerly been a member of such Detroit/Ann Arbor bands as Destroy All Monsters, Sproton Layer, M3, Nonfiction, The Empty Set, and Larynx Zillion's Novelty Shop.- Biography :Destroy All...
on drums. Trumpeter Harold Kirchen (brother of guitarist Bill Kirchen
Bill Kirchen
Bill Kirchen is an American rockabilly guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was the guitarist with the original Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen from 1967 to the mid 1970s, although, in reality, his time with the Commander accounts for only a portion of his career...
, a longtime member of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen is an American country rock band founded in 1967. Core members included founder George Frayne, John Tichy, Billy C. Farlow, Bill Kirchen, Andy Stein, Paul "Buffalo" Bruce Barlow, Lance Dickerson, and Bobby Black....
) later joined the group.
Sproton Layer found local success, but earned wider attention when its personnel went on to greater success with other musical groups: Laurence and Benjamin were both members of Destroy All Monsters
Destroy All Monsters (band)
Destroy All Monsters were an influential Detroit band existing from 1973 to 1985, with sporadic performances since. Their music touched on elements of punk rock, psychedelic, heavy metal music and noise rock with a heavy dose of performance art. Their name likely came from the Godzilla film Destroy...
, and Roger had numerous musical projects, notably art-punk group Mission of Burma
Mission of Burma
Mission of Burma is an American post-punk band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1979. The band was formed by Roger Miller , Clint Conley , Peter Prescott and Martin Swope...
and instrumental group Birdsongs of the Mesozoic
Birdsongs of the Mesozoic
Birdsongs of the Mesozoic is a musical group founded in Boston, Massachusetts in 1980.The music of Birdsongs of the Mesozoic is almost entirely instrumental, and incorporates many different musical elements; critic Rick Anderson writes, "Very few bands have ever managed to straddle the worlds of...
.
Sproton Layer recorded an album's worth of material shortly before breaking up in 1970; it went unreleased until 1992 when New Alliance records issued a single of "Lost Behind Words" and a full-length album, With Magnetic Fields Disrupted. Journalist Michael Azerrad described the recordings as a valuable document of "an amazing band that sounded like Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett , born Roger Keith Barrett, was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter, best remembered as a founding member of the band Pink Floyd. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter during the band's psychedelic years, providing major musical and stylistic...
fronting Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
."
The Miller brothers would later occasionally record under the name M3
M3 (band)
M3 is an experimental rock group founded by brothers Roger Miller, Ben Miller and Larry Miller. Their name is a dual reference to the three M surnames, and also pun on the musical notation for a minor third....
.
See also
- MC5MC5The 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...
- the StoogesThe StoogesThe Stooges are an American rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan first active from 1967 to 1974, and later reformed in 2003...
- Proto-Punk
- PunkPunk rockPunk 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...
- Post-PunkPost-punkPost-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
- Detroit Rock
- NonfictionNonfiction (band)Nonfiction was an avant garde, Post-Punk rock band based in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the late 1980s. Members included Benjamin Miller, Laurence B...