Hardcore punks Negative Approach headlines Aurafest at El Rocko Lounge Thursday night
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Detroit hardcore legends Negative Approach are taking a quick break from their endless tour with Circle Jerks to squeeze in a riotous gig at El Rocko Lounge on Thursday, Sept. 28.
Negative Approach are pioneers of midwest hardcore, and even if they aren’t as well known as peers like Minor Threat or Black Flag, their influence on modern hardcore is undeniable. Negative Approach formed in 1981 and broke up in 1984, during which time they released a self-titled 7’’ (1982) and an album, Tied Down (1984). They also developed a reputation as one of the harshest, most nihilistic bands in the punk scene.
In the early days, frontman John Brannon was a ferocious presence in clubs and basements, prowling the stage with a shaved head, intense gaze, throat shredding vocals, and pissed-off attitude. Now at the age of 62, Brannon sports long, jet black hair and an infamous scowl that can stop a charging bull in its tracks. Age and experience has honed his voice into a primal, rage-fueled howl, one that makes it difficult to discern whether you’re hearing a human-being, or a pack of wild dogs fighting over a bone.
As a child growing up in Michigan, Brannon was inspired by Detroit rock and roll icons like Alice Cooper.
“Anybody growing up in Detroit in the '70s, it was all about the big three—Alice Cooper, Stooges, MC5,” said Brannon over the phone. “That’s kind of instilled in your blood. We were listening to that s**t when we were 10 or 12, you know, pre-punk rock. When punk rock came around it wasn’t that shocking. It didn’t have that name yet, but we thought we were already listening to punk rock.”
Negative Approach were influenced by D.C. and L.A. punk bands like Minor Threat, Black Flag, The Weirdos, and Circle Jerks, but they put their own rustbelt angst onto hardcore music.
“We were just midwest kids from Michigan,” said Brannon. “We were bored and just wanted make our own fun and do our own thing. We were taking notes, checking those guys out, but kinda wanted to do our own thing, put our own spin on it.”
“We were only together a couple years,” added Brannon. “It’s kind of crazy. We basically took 25 years off.”
After 40 years, 'still just four guys in a van'
In the years following Negative Approach’s break-up, Brannon formed Laughing Hyenas, a scuzzy, bluesy post-hardcore band that toured with the likes of Dinosaur Jr., Mudhoney, and Sonic Youth. Brannon then formed Easy Action, his current main band which still tours and puts out new material.
In 2006, Brannon was invited to reform Negative Approach for a Touch and Go 25th Anniversary concert.
“We thought that was just going to be a one-off,” said Brannon. “There was thousands of people that showed up. They had all the great Touch and Go bands that night play in Chicago. Right after that we just kept getting these offers to do shows.”
Soon after Negative Approach’s reunion, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, who was curating All Tomorrow’s Parties in England with the MC5 and Stooges, invited Negative Approach to fly out and play with their Detroit heroes.
“We were like, ‘F***, we can’t turn that down!’,” recalled Brannon. “Then we just kept getting offers to do all these gigs.”
At this point, the reunited Negative Approach have been around much longer than the original '80s incarnation, and touring more than ever.
“At the same time, we have Easy Action going,” said Brannon. “Easy Action is Negative Approach, it’s just different songs. We go out and do the Negative Approach, and the Negative Approach is what it is, and Easy Action is our new songs.”
Negative Approach have managed to dig up and release plenty of lost recordings and old live tapes. Brannon’s Laughing Hyenas records have also seen recent reissues from Third Man Records, with a double live album compiled from Brannon’s huge collection of personal tapes coming out next year.
Hopefully, Brannon can get back into the studio at some point to record more Easy Action material.
“I’m kind of the king of reissues right now,” said Brannon. “They keep reissuing all my old records. I just really need to get something new out.”
“We keep trying to go into the studio to record some new stuff, but we keep getting asked to go out on tour with the Circle Jerks, so that throws a monkey wrench in it. At this point we’re not turning down any tours. I’m at a point where I’m probably doing more shows than I’ve ever done. I just want the opportunity to play.”
Over 40 years into Negative Approach, Brannon and his bandmates are still just four guys in a van.
“We’ve never had roadies,” explained Brannon. “It’s just the four of us. Extra people take up extra room in the van. You bring roadies or friends on the road, they just end up drinking and not doing anything anyway. We all unload the van and as soon as we get off stage, our drummer and guitar player are selling s**t at the merch booth.”
Do the old hardcore fans who used to watch Negative Approach in their friends' basements still come out to the shows?
“They do, and they bring their kids,” answered Brannon. “Or it’s like the grumpy old hardcore dudes in the back hanging on the bar going, ‘I remember seeing these dudes back in the day.’ It’s kind of weird because we have this whole new kid audience—14 year old girls and boys screaming out all the lyrics. It kind of freaks us out. There’s a whole new generation that just really loves that early American hardcore. We’re excited to play for them and we never get sick of playing the songs. I wouldn’t do this if I thought it was a drag.”
Although he is older and wiser, when Brannon steps on stage, you can still see the angry kid from the midwest behind his piercing eyes.
“There’s plenty of things to still get pissed off about,” said Brannon. “But all the lyrics I wrote, I was just a kid. They kind of apply to today. It’s not that uncomfortable singing lyrics that I wrote when I was a teenager. There’s still assholes out there. It still works for me. And the songs are so good. They’re just good rock and roll songs. It’s fun to play for a whole new audience.”
If You Go >>
What: Negative Approach w/ Defiant Path, Protozoan, and Malpais Anhedonia
When: 8 p.m., Sept. 28
Where: El Rocko Lounge, 117 Whitaker St.
Cost: Ages 21+ $20/adv, $25 at door
Info: aurafestsavannah.com
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Negative Approach headlines Aurafest at El Rocko Lounge Thursday night
