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Laughing Hyenas

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Years active
  
1985–1995

Record label
  
Touch and Go Records

Labels
  
Touch and Go Records

Members
  
Ron Sakowski

Laughing Hyenas httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaen11bLau

Origin
  
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

Associated acts
  
Negative Approach, L-Seven, Mule, Necros, Easy Action

Past members
  
John Brannon Jim Kimball Kevin Strickland Larissa Strickland Todd Swalla Kevin Ries Ron Sakowski

Genres
  
Garage rock, Hardcore punk, Punk blues, Post-hardcore, Noise rock

Albums
  
You Can't Pray a Lie, Life of Crime, Hard Times, Come Down to the Merry, Crawl

Laughing Hyenas was an American garage rock band that existed from 1985 to 1995. According to AllMusic, "At first, the band specialized in dirges overlaid with the tortuous, throat-shredding vocals of frontman John Brannon. As time passed, their blues connections became more and more explicit".

Contents

Laughing hyenas hard time blues


History

Laughing Hyenas formed in 1985 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The original lineup consisted of vocalist Brannon (previously of Negative Approach), guitarist Larissa Strickland (aka Larissa Stolarchuk, previously of L-Seven), drummer Jim Kimball and bassist Kevin Strickland (aka Kevin Munro). Following an eponymous 1986 demo cassette, they released their debut EP, Come Down to the Merry Go Round in 1987 on Touch and Go Records.

The band released their first studio album, You Can't Pray a Lie, in 1989. Life of Crime followed in 1990, and later that year, the original rhythm section of Kimball and Kevin Strickland left the Hyenas and teamed up with P.W. Long to form Mule. After their departure, former Necros members Todd Swalla (drums) and Kevin Ries (bass) joined the band, which released the Crawl EP in 1992. Ries was later replaced by another Necros bassist, Ron Sakowski, who appeared on their third and final album, Hard Times (1995). The band self-released a covers EP, Covers: Stolen Tapes 92 to 94 that same year, before splitting.

Brannon later formed Easy Action, and reunited with Negative Approach.

Larissa Strickland died on October 8, 2006, at the age of 46, from a drug overdose in North Port, Florida.

Former members

  • John Brannon – vocals (1985–1995)
  • Larissa Strickland (Larissa Stolarchuk) – guitar (1985–1995)
  • Jim Kimball – drums (1985–1990)
  • Kevin Strickland (Kevin Munro) – bass guitar (1985–1990)
  • Todd Swalla – drums (1990–1995)
  • Kevin Ries – bass guitar (1990–1994)
  • Ron Sakowski – bass guitar (1994–1995)

    • Studio albums

  • You Can't Pray a Lie (1989, Touch and Go Records)
  • Life of Crime (1990, Touch and Go Records)
  • Hard Times (1995, Touch and Go Records)

    • Singles and EPs

  • Laughing Hyenas demo cassette EP (1986, self-released)
  • Come Down to the Merry Go Round EP (1987, Touch and Go Records)
  • "Here We Go Again" 7" EP (1987, Touch and Go Records)
  • Crawl EP (1992, Touch and Go Records)
  • Covers: Stolen Tapes 92 to 94 EP (1995, self-released)

    • Compilation albums

  • Life of Crime/You Can't Pray a Lie (1990, Touch and Go Records)

    • Compilation appearances

  • "Dedications to the One I Love (Live)" on Howl 7 EP (1990, Howl)
  • "Public Animal #9" (Alice Cooper cover) on Alice Cooper Tribute EP (1991, Sub Pop Records)
  • "Candy" on Mesomorph Enduros (1992, Big Cat)
  • "Solid Gold Hell" (The Scientists cover) on Set It on Fire! (1993, Dog Meat)
  • "Shine" on Jabberjaw...Pure Sweet Hell (1996, Mammoth Records)
  • "Just Can't Win" on American Pie 2 (1996, Rubber Records)

    • Songs

    Everything I WantLife of Crime · 1990
    Just Can't WinHard Times · 1995
    Hard Time BluesHard Times · 1995

    References

    Laughing Hyenas Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA