Larry LaLonde
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Larry LaLonde | |
|---|---|
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| Born | September 12, 1968 in Richmond, California |
| Alias(es) | Ler |
| Genre(s) | Alternative rock Funk metal Death metal |
| Affiliation(s) | Primus Possessed No Forcefield |
| Label(s) | Prawn Song Records |
| Notable guitars | PRS Guitars Gibson Les Paul Fender Stratocaster |
| Years active | 1985 - present |
| Official site | Primus website |
Larry "Ler" LaLonde (born Lawrence LaLonde on September 12, 1968 in Richmond, California) is a guitarist who currently plays in Primus along with Les Claypool and Tim Alexander. He has also played with Possessed, No Forcefield, and the Frank Zappa tribute band Caca.
Originally inspired by guitarists such as Frank Zappa, East Bay Ray, Jerry Garcia, Jimi Hendrix, and his teacher Joe Satriani, LaLonde eventually became interested in early thrash metal bands such as Metallica and Slayer. LaLonde formed his first band in high school, a speed metal band called Blizzard. LaLonde left the band later on to join the first generation death metal band Possessed. Possessed's landmark first album, Seven Churches was released in 1985 when LaLonde was just seventeen years old.
Possessed released two less successful albums before breaking up in 1987. LaLonde then joined experimental thrash metal band Blind Illusion, which released one album, The Sane Asylum in 1988. Here LaLonde became friendly with bassist Les Claypool, who invited LaLonde to replace original guitarist Todd Huth, in Claypool's own band, the funk metal outfit Primus, after Blind Illusion broke up.
[edit] Primus
With LaLonde on board, Primus released their first album, the live Suck on This in 1989, followed by the studio album Frizzle Fry in 1990. In 1991 came their major label debut Sailing The Seas Of Cheese. The band's next studio album, Pork Soda, arrived in 1993 and landed in the Billboard Top 10. Tales from the Punchbowl followed in 1995, featuring one of Primus' most well-known songs, the single "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver", which was nominated for the 1996 Grammy for "Best Hard Rock Performance.". The following releases, Brown Album in 1997 and Antipop in 1999, both performed rather poorly, and the band went on hiatus in 2000.
During this time LaLonde formed the experimental alternative band No Forcefield with third Primus drummer Brian Mantia, releasing two albums between 2000 and 2002. In 2002 Primus returned from their hiatus with Claypool, LaLonde, and original drummer Tim Alexander, releasing the DVD/EP Animals Should Not Try To Act Like People in 2003 and the Hallucino-Genetics live DVD in 2004. LaLonde is currently collaborating on new material via the internet with Les Claypool from Northern California, with a new Primus studio album rumored to be forthcoming in 2006 . A studio recording session with the complete band lineup is soon to follow.
[edit] Gear
LaLonde's primary guitar is a PRS, but he occasionally plays a Gibson Les Paul, Gibson SG, and Fender Stratocaster. In the early days of Primus, up until 1992, he played a vintage Fender Stratocaster, and an Ibanez. LaLonde plays through Vox, Marshall and Laney amplifiers (sometimes simultaneously to create a unique sound), and uses heavy amounts of reverb and distortion. His distinctive guitar sound is created with the use of various effects, such as a whammy pedal and a wah wah pedal.
[edit] Discography
- Possessed - Seven Churches 1985
- Possessed - Beyond the Gates (1986)
- Possessed - The Eyes of Horror (1987)
- Blind Illusion - The Sane Asylum (1988)
- Primus - Suck on This (1989)
- Primus - Frizzle Fry (1990)
- Primus - Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991)
- Primus- Miscellaneous Debris (1992)
- Primus - Pork Soda (1993)
- Primus - Tales from the Punchbowl (1995)
- Primus - Brown Album (1997)
- Primus - Rhinoplasty (1998)
- Primus - Videoplasty (1999)
- Primus - Antipop (1999)
- No Forcefield- Lee's Oriental Message (2000)
- No Forcefield- God Is An Excuse (2001)
- Primus - Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People (2003)
- Primus - Hallucino-Genetics Live 2004 (2004)
- Primus - They Can't All Be Zingers (2006)
