Lach

For other uses, see Lach (disambiguation).

Lach^[1] is an international artist who founded the antifolk movement,^[2] which is cited as a main inspiration by contemporary performers like Beck, Jeffrey Lewis, Hamell on Trial, The Moldy Peaches and Regina Spektor in the US and Laura Marling in the UK.

Lach has released six albums, a book of poetry,^[3] a fantasy novel,^[4] and was the star (writer and host) of a critically acclaimed series on BBC Radio 4 called The Lach Chronicles.^[5][6]

Early life

Lach was born in Brooklyn, New York. He learned to play classical piano at a young age, but turned to rock music after discovering punk bands like the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Damned, and the Jam. Lach went to college but quickly dropped out to live in Las Vegas, resuming his education at Boston University, where he met his later bassist Geoffrey Notkin.^[7]

Career

Lach moved to Greenwich Village in New York City in 1983, looking to play the renowned Folk City club. Having been rejected by the club's bookers, who believed his music was too "punk", he moved to the Lower East Side, opening his own illegal after-hours club, the Fort. The opening of the Fort coincided with the New York City Folk Festival, so Lach held an event at his club called the New York Antifolk Festival, which remains a popular event in the East Village.^[8]

Discography

• Contender (1991) – 3/5 on AllMusic^[9]
• Blang! (1999)
• Kids Fly Free (2001)
• Today (2004) – "a gem of an album"^[10]
• The Calm Before (2008) – 3/5 on AllMusic^[11]
• Ramshackle Heart (2011) – 3/5 in The List^[12]