Negative Approach
Negative Approach, from Detroit, Michigan, were one of the early hardcore bands in the Midwest. Pioneers of a brutal, nihilistic, and angry style of punk, they are regarded by many as "the greatest hardcore band ever." It's certainly a bold statement, but one that is also difficult to dispute...
Formed in 1981, the original lineup featured John Brannon on vocals, Rob McCullough on guitar, one Pete Zelewski on bass (soon replaced by Rob's brother Graham), and a drummer known to the general public only as Zuheir (who was also replaced early on, by O.P. Moore). Negative Approach drew their influences from Michigan's punk forefathers, the Stooges, and the English Oi scene, as well as contemporary American hardcore bands such as Black Flag, Minor Threat, and the Necros. The band recorded a track for Process of Elimination, Touch & Go's 1981 compilation EP, and accompanied fellow midwesterners the Necros on an east coast tour to promote the record. In 1982 the band released a 10 song 7" EP, and the following year released the Tied Down LP. Both records are pure expressions of anger and frustration, lead by Brannon's bellicose vocals and backed by tight bursts of hardcore fury. When asked what he wrote his songs about, Brannon replied simply, "People I hate."
Negative Approach broke up in 1984, and Brannon continued on with the explicitly non-hardcore Laughing Hyenas, who put out several albums on Touch & Go. He now has a new band called Easy Action. In the 90s, Touch & Go reissued all the Negative Approach stuff on one CD (plus a bunch of badly recorded live stuff), so people won't have to break the bank to hear these essential records.
Negative Approach's musical style was based on Detroit proto-punk/rock & roll icons The Stooges. Of The Stooges, John Brannon said, "So much of what NA stands for; our sound and lyrics were based on the music which [The Stooges' guitarist Ron Asheton] 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.
History
Negative Approach was formed in August 1981 in Detroit, Michigan 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 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 7in 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 7in EP, also on Touch & Go. It contained some now-legendary songs such as Can't Tell No One, Ready To Fight and Nothing, which is considered by many to be the quintessential NA song. The quality of the recording is quite poor, but the performances themselves are powerful, and the record is now held in nearly universal high regard by hardcore fans.
The following year saw the release of the Tied Down LP, also venerated as a hardcore classic. While it mostly contains more of the same ultra-fast, angry music as the 7in, the band also branched out somewhat and included a plodding dirge (Evacuate) and a (relatively) mid-tempo rocker (Dead Stop) on the album.
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 (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.
After Negative Approach
John Brannon went on to front the punk blues band Laughing Hyenas with his girlfriend Larissa Stolarchuk (then calling herself "Larissa Strickland") from L-Seven, and currently sings for Easy Action.
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 U.K.'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.
Reunion shows
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,[7] as well as two later shows in the UK - London on December 7 and at All Tomorrow's Parties 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. Rob and Graham maintain that the appearance shouldn't be labeled as Negative Approach without the classic NA lineup. John asserts that his talks with the McCullochs deteriorated early on, and that they conceded that they were unprepared to play after years away from the music business. The whole affair has generated considerable controversy, and there is little agreement as to exactly who is in the right and for what reasons. Negative Approach closed out the No Fun Fest in Brooklyn, NY 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, playing in Amsterdam, Antwerp, London, Barcelona, Manchester, Milan, Muenster and Hamburg. Later in 2008, they did a show in Los Angeles.
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