BIOGRAPHY
singer / songwriter / band leader / multi-instrumentalist / recording engineer / producer / videographer
Laurence Bond Miller was born and raised in Ann Arbor Michigan, and as youngest in a musical family of 5 was exposed to many types of music during his formative years: Romantic Classical and Modern 20th Century orchestral music from his father, 50s Classics and 60s folk through his older siblings, and finally drowned in "British Invasion", pop psychedelia, free-form Jazz and New Wave Punk from teens to twenties. This variety of influences has been evident in his songwriting throughout his career.
Miller had formal training in piano and clarinet during grade school, playing in school concert bands.
At age twelve however, with Beatle-mania in full swing, he began to quickly pursue the new R&R music of the time; Syd Barrett’s PINK FLOYD, JIMI HENDRIX, PROCAL HAREM, SOFT MACHINE, CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & HIS MAGIC BAND, SILVER APPLES, SRC and THE MC-5 to name a few.
One fateful night, Laurence and his two teen brothers Roger and Ben, found themselves in the basement improvising in high energy free form R&R. This so inspired the three that they set out to form an original band, FREAK TRIO with the full intent to produce ground breaking "space music". By 1969 a trumpeter was added (Harold Kirtchen ~ brother to Commander Cody of the Lost Planet Airmen of Hot Rod Lincoln fame), now calling themselves SPROTON LAYER. Their final recording in 1970, "With Magnetic Fields Disrupted", was later released in 1991 on New Alliance Records, a subsidy of SST, receiving rave reviews. More recordings have been dislodged from the archives (1969 to 1971) with plans for another release in 2011.
Though primarily a drummer in his early youth, he also taught himself how to play the guitar. Being left-handed and unable to afford a "southpaw" model, Laurence learned how to play his brother's right-handed guitar upside down. Songwriting began, and soon after, recording on the family's analogue stereo tape recorder.
Sadly, R&R devolved back into the mainstream as jocks and hillbillies began smoking dope and dropping acid. Discouraged then as the 70's progressed, Laurence threw himself into contemporary orchestral music, free-form jazz, and music college. During his discontented experience in school, Miller continued to write, working with instrumental horn oriented ensembles focusing on open ended improvisation. His signature at the time was to use musical notation mixed with "staff art" to express his original ideas. With the advent of sound on sound multi track processing, Laurence was able to experiment with his compositions, all by his lonesome. He became comfortable with this recording process and managed to document many works, crude as they were. First thru the simple 2-track method using both channels of a stereo tape deck, learning the art of doubling vocal tracks, and later learning the ins & outs of sound on sound, as mentioned.
A facinating documentary collection of these solo tapes can be found on his absurd 2002 release, "Turn a Left, and Down the Hall".
NOTE: By the mid 80's Laurence learned how to produce full multitrack solo recordings using 4 and 8 track analogue machines, documenting much of his music again, by himself. A learning curve he continues to roll out today.
By 1976, as interest in college waned, Laurence moved back home and formed a psychedlic noise band called EMPOOL. It was this NE-side A2 band that melted into the SW-side A2 band, Destroy All Monsters, which later made history with Ron Asheton and Michael Davis.
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By 1977, as the Punk Movement began taking serious root, Laurence (now having dropped out of the school scene) and his twin brother Ben, became instrumental in the makings of DESTROY ALL MONSTERS. D.A.M. were then considered to be Detroit’s first punk band, featuring X-STOOGE guitarist Ron Asheton and X-MC-5 bassist Michael Davis. Opening up for the likes of THE RAMONES, PERE UBU, and DEVO, Laurence & Ben left their mark on D.A.M.’s first two singles; “You’re Gonna Die b/w Bored” and “November 22nd 1963 b/w Meet The Creeper” released on their manager’s private label IDBI Records. These were later released in FRANCE on Revenge Records (1989) on vinyl and CD along with other singles and out-takes entitled “Nov. 22nd 1963 / Singles & Rarities”. There were two other songs recorded during that studio session, both penned by Laurence and Ben. Broken Mirrors and Taken For Granite. To this day they have not seen the light.
Though much fun and initial opportunity sprang up, Laurence and Ben’s interest with D.A.M. did not last long before personal, financial, and musical confilcts developed. The twins left the band in October 1978 to pursue more creative projects. XANADU, an X-D.A.M. recording collective, quickly formed producing an interesting 4-song 7" EP entitled, "Blackout in the City". This was released in January 1979 on Black Hole Records and featured compositions by Laurence, Ben, and Cary (original founder of D.A.M.), with drummer Rob King (D.A.M.) supplying the back beat.
NOTE: In 1978, Laurence met Donna Sevakis and by 1979 were well on their way creating a family together. Despite their rough domestic terrain, there were successes shared in the process, including three beautiful daughters, Tara, Ashia, and Brittany. Another child, a wonderful son named Brenten, was fostered later in another relationship of Donna's, after she and Laurence went their separate ways. Donna's voice is heard on the title cut of XANADU'S "Blackout in the City".
Laurence continued working with his twin brother during the first half of the 80's, co-leading Ann Arbor’s post-punk bands THE SAME BAND, THE OTHER BAND, and NON-FICTION. NON-FICTION, a well rehearsed power-trio mixing hard pop with the avant-garde, was one of 12 bands picked for Ann Arbor’s 1st compilation LP “Cruzin’ Ann Arbor” (1982). This featured a song written by Laurence entitled Walkie-Talkie and received favorable reviews nationwide. In 1984, after reaching local notoriety, co-billing with such bands as DREAM SINDICATE and THE REPLACEMENTS, NON-FICTION released a half-live half-studio double LP cassette called "Walking Sideways, Talking Backwards", considered by The Metro Times as “...best local release of the year!..” The band, disheartened by local club politics, then broke up in Spring 1985.
As a side project during this time, Laurence formed RADIO SILENCE, a "relief" from the sometimes boring head banging results of gigging with NON-FICTION. RADIO SILIENCE considered themselves punk-jazz, however that was highly debatable . No real claim to fame there, however they did release a selftitled cassette featuring a "live" set on side A followed by obscure home studio recordings on side B.
During this same time period he also worked, if not briefly, with his twin bro's side project,
G.K.W. (standing for God Knows Who). This truly avant gaurde band was not everyone's cup
of tea. Laurence's acting role in the band amounted something a kin to spoken word. G.K.W.
released several low budget cassettes over the course of the mid-80's, of which Laurence was
on a few, under the moniker Larynx Bond. G.K.W. was later recognized by Laurie Anderson
in the world of performance art.
For the remainder of that decade, Laurence continued as band leader / songwriter for THE EMPTY SET (an offshoot of NON-FICTION). Networking out of L.A., THE EMPTY SET recorded extensively, show-casing in LA., Chicago, Detroit, Boston, NYC, and Toronto. In 1986, they released a 4-song 7” EP entitled “Wandering In Wonder”, and again in 1988, their full length LP “Lost In a Ryptide” hailed by Detroit Metro Times as “...a ten-song work of art!...”, both on their private label, LALA Records. (During that time, Miller performed many of these songs unplugged on 12-string acoustic guitar, as LAURENCE BOND, releasing a handful of self-produced cassettes, locally.)
In the fall of 1989, Laurence and his two brothers Ben and Roger (as a departure from their priority projects) formed the recording collective M3. The Millers Three began recording a wild collection of original compositions and improvisations, later to be released in 1993 on SST’s subsidiary label, New Alliance Records. This selftitled Cd, "M3", was reviewed in GUITAR PLAYER Magazine (June ‘93) as “...one of the richest guitar albums to emerge this year… Later in the year, Roger was hailed as “one of 30 most original American guitarist of the ‘80’s…” M3 survives today with their 2nd Cd, "Unearthing", released in 2001 on Sublingual Records, and a 3rd Cd rumored in the works.
By early 1990 Laurence had and got sober & cleanr via AA's 12-Step Program . He then formed his own record label & publishing company; FarFetched Records & Bond Voyage Music and soon parted ways with THE EMPTY SET. In his home studio, performing all tracks himself, Miller began recording and releasing fresh, maniacal camp-rock originals for his brand new right-brainchild, LARYNX ZILLION'S NOVELTY SHOP. Remaining as an obscure local cult phenomena, LARYNX ZILLION’S NOVELTY SHOP has 5 releases to it's credit. Three versions of their manifesto "Southpaws Unite!" (1) A 7” one song picture-disc flexi sporting a special larboard mix (2) A 9” six song flexi compilation (3) And last but not least a cassette comp version with 2 bonus tracks. "Songs of Recovery (from anything or anyone)" (transparent vitamin piss yellow vinyl 7” single), and "Queen of Queens", a 4-song special mix preview to their still unreleased upcoming double-length feature, "Hotter Than The Dickens!" With nearly 24 tracks in the can, the future still looks bright for THE SHOP. It's just a matter of time...
NOTE: For a brief time during ZILLION’S reign, Laurence returned to his roots, dabbling into the Power-Pop Trio genre. Miller put together a three piece called GORDON GIGANTIC. Although short lived, GORDON GIGANTIC’S self titled cassette, hit Top 10 on the Ann Arbor ‘zine, AGENDA’s List of “Best of ‘95”.
In the summer of 1996, shortly after regrouping LARYNX ZILLION’S NOVELTY SHOP for one last blowout, Miller chose to hang up his electrical performances for a good long time. As in the mid-80’s, he again paired down to solo acoustic guitar, nervously hooking up with the New Folk revival. Unplugging the cream of his older crop, mixed with a handful of recent material, LAURENCE BOND MILLER began playing out the local open mics and coffee shop venues in the Detroit/Metro area. In the fall of that year, Miller recorded 10 originals, titled Laurence w/ a “U” as his first self-produced acoustic release in ten years. Sadly, today’s Folk audience had a greater need for rehashed 60’s sentiments and politics than the landscape Laurence set out to offer. Bitingly beautiful introspection, somewhere between Slyvia Plath and Robin Hitchcock.
It should be noted that there was a period in the mid 90's where Laurence put together a mock lounge act, called MEZZANINE. We won't bore you with the details, though like other creative projects of his, this one was clearly misunderstood. Over time -- into the new millennium -- it evolved into a more sophisticated amalgamation entitled VELVETEEN BLUE . A cross between a bloody Blue Eyes and The King on bad acid... but we won't get into that here quite yet.
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MISTER LAURENCE: In 1998 Laurence created a music program for children and began to teach in the local preschools. His immediate bonding with the kids inspired him to continue. Laurence soon came to the revealing conclusion that his real target audience was children. As all teachers in the preschool community are addressed by their first name, Laurence had the chance to reinvent himself yet one more time, this time as MISTER LAURENCE. Over the next 10 years, with the help of The Play Money Band, his prerecorded backup group, "Mister Laurence" single handedly wrote, recorded, and released over 10 CD's, produced 2 award winning children's music video collections, developed his own radio personality (WCBN 88.3), and produced a cable TV kids series featuring yet more music videos. Go figure?
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MEZZANINE and VELVETEEN BLUE
Meanwhile, In 2003 Laurence brought back his tongue n' cheek vision of MEZZANINE, renaming the outfit after David Lynch's film, Blue Velvet, VELVETEEN BLUE. Though managing a gig at the prestigious Ann Arbor jazz venue, The Fire Fly Club, VELVETEEN BLUE quickly transgressed into an existential stand up comic routine -- and from there, returned to star dust. They did however claim Finalist Award at The 2004 Philo T. Farnsworth Festival for their music video, SHOOT THE PIANO MAN. End of story.
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FILM
Though cdhilren's music remains Miller's main focus to this day, the idea of getting into FILM had been swimming in his head for decades, and in 2004 the itch finally took root. Laurence began having fun producing short experimental narrative films, soon receiving attention and awards from various national festivals.
MY BIOGRAPHY
Laurence Miller had another itch needing scratching, as well. R&R. So, Miller formed a new R&R band in November of 2007 called MY BIOIGRAPHY. Named by his drummer (the same cat who drummed and named his 90's band, GORDON GIGANTIC, MY BIOGRAPHY is a cross between Miller's earlier bands NONFICTION and THE EMPTY SET. Demo recordings and community television music video productions were made, but no CD product. They are currently hybernating.
THE COLOR OF WATER
And, it was around this time too that watercolor painting became a passion of his. Miller had dabbled in art in his youth with scribbly two-dimensional designs and color drawings using pencil or pen, and always excecuted under the influence. Now long since sober and clean, Miller began to rerender the most inspired of these on a far larger scale using water color. In 2010 he began working on a visual/audio art film project with twin brother, Ben Miller. Filming himself as he painted, Laurence later edited the footage into a surreal visual presentation with Benjamin recording a textural soundtrack underneath. 2011 saw the end result of this joint effort with three DVD's. Plans are to hit local galleries in 2012 using mixed media.
THE MISTER LAURENCE EXPERIENCE
2009 was a big year that saw "Mister Laurence" expanding his children's presentation from a solo karaoke styled performer, into a duo with the beauty & brains of his new love, Ms. Princess Melinda on the keyboards and vocals. Producing an award winning community television kids show, MISTER LAURENCE'S "Enchanted" GREEN TREE FORT (1st Place NATAO Award, fall 2010) with multiple award winning music videos STAR FISH and THE SKY IS IN THE SKY as well as releasing their new Cd MARMALINE (My Music Machine) with a debut fall performance, Mister Laurence's "expanding experience" began to take hold!
In 2010 a third member was added to the band, making it a full blown kiddie-rock power trio. OSO the Drumming Bear (animatronic brainchild of Ms. Princess Melinda) hit the scene kicking royal butt in their award winning music video "I'm GLAD at You!" with a real life debut performance in December of that year. The band continues to produce wild kids music videos including HOW NOW BROWN COW? and TEDDY BEAR'S PICNIC.
For more info: www.misterlaurence.com
