Laurence B. (Larry) Miller
Encyclopedia
Laurence Bond Miller is an American rock and avant garde guitarist
based in Ann Arbor, Michigan
, who has formerly been a member of such Detroit/Ann Arbor bands as Destroy All Monsters
, Sproton Layer
, M3, Nonfiction, The Empty Set, and Larynx Zillion's Novelty Shop.
, and Post-Punk
Detroit rock scene, featuring such bands as the MC5
, the Stooges
, and Up. "Of all those bands, at the time," Laurence told a local newspaper, "I think I had the most respect for The Five" -- referring to the MC5
. In the late 1980s, he enjoyed renewed commercial success with his single Southpaws Unite!, an unusual sort-of John Phillip Sousa military-esque march crossed with an avant garde punk sensibility via the latest Techno Pop technology of the day.
Laurence plays guitar left-handed, "upside down" -- that is, he takes a right-handed guitar and simply turns it the other way, without reversing the string order, in the manner best known as that of rock's all-time great Jimi Hendrix
. That style, "if you want to call it a style," Laurence once told a local news reporter, arose more out of necessity than an attempt to imitate Hendrix. "I started out as a drummer and I didn't own a guitar," Laurence explained, "so whenever I would pick one up to play around with, it was always a right-handed instrument, and since it wasn't mine, I couldn't take the strings off and put them on backwards, I had to play it as is." Since Laurence began his career as a professional musician—a drummer, as he mentioned—at the age of 16, he had plenty of time and energy to learn a new instrument. In fact Laurence has made numerous recordings where he plays all the instruments himself, including woodwinds, keyboards
, and various stringed instruments, in the manner of Todd Rundgren
and Paul McCartney
.
Laurence, who was sometimes also known as Larry, comes from an interesting family background. All of his family members were either musicians or scientists. He is the younger brother of Roger Miller
, a founding and current member of the Boston-based Mission of Burma
, the twin brother of Benjamin (Ben) Miller, also a former member of Destroy All Monsters
. Both of Laurence's parents were scientists and professors at the University of Michigan
. His father was well known in the field of paleo-ichthyology
. He also has a brother who is a well-respected professor and glaciologist, and a sister (now deceased) who was also a scientist and a professor.
Laurence has collaborated with his brother Roger Miller
from time to time, particularly on the M3 project, named for the three Miller brothers, but he has collaborated with his twin Ben most consistently over the years, particularly through the 1980s and early 1990s. Since Ben is a right-hander and Laurence is a left-hander and they collaborated mostly as a power trio
by adding a drummer, the team had a rather powerful visual stage presence—the guitar and bass each pointing outward, away from the centrally positioned drummer. In Nonfiction
, for example, Laurence and Ben would typically trade off on bass and guitar, with each preferring to play guitar on his own compositions. When Nonfiction folded, Laurence formed The Empty Set, and then later in the 1990s creating his theatrical, complex ravings called Larynx Zillion's Novelty Shop. All details on these exploits and others, can be found on his official website http://www.laurencebondmiller.com
In 1998, Laurence reinvented himself as Mister Laurence—a children's entertainer. However, he recently began rocking out again, in his new original rock band, My Biography. My Biography can be found on MySpace http://www.myspace.com/mybiography
Laurence grew up in Ann Arbor, attended public schools, and graduated from Pioneer High School. He went to college at the Boston School of Contemporary Music.
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
based in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, who has formerly been a member of such Detroit/Ann Arbor bands as Destroy All Monsters
Destroy All Monsters (band)
Destroy All Monsters were an influential Detroit band existing from 1973 to 1985, with sporadic performances since. Their music touched on elements of punk rock, psychedelic, heavy metal music and noise rock with a heavy dose of performance art. Their name likely came from the Godzilla film Destroy...
, Sproton Layer
Sproton Layer
Sproton Layer was a rock and roll group formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the late 1960s. Their music was mostly hard rock with psychedelic touches....
, M3, Nonfiction, The Empty Set, and Larynx Zillion's Novelty Shop.
Biography
Destroy All Monsters, in particular, still a cult favorite, was a big part of the Proto-Punk, PunkPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, and Post-Punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
Detroit rock scene, featuring such bands as the MC5
MC5
The MC5 is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan and originally active from 1964 to 1972. The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson...
, the Stooges
The Stooges
The Stooges are an American rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan first active from 1967 to 1974, and later reformed in 2003...
, and Up. "Of all those bands, at the time," Laurence told a local newspaper, "I think I had the most respect for The Five" -- referring to the MC5
MC5
The MC5 is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan and originally active from 1964 to 1972. The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson...
. In the late 1980s, he enjoyed renewed commercial success with his single Southpaws Unite!, an unusual sort-of John Phillip Sousa military-esque march crossed with an avant garde punk sensibility via the latest Techno Pop technology of the day.
Laurence plays guitar left-handed, "upside down" -- that is, he takes a right-handed guitar and simply turns it the other way, without reversing the string order, in the manner best known as that of rock's all-time great Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
. That style, "if you want to call it a style," Laurence once told a local news reporter, arose more out of necessity than an attempt to imitate Hendrix. "I started out as a drummer and I didn't own a guitar," Laurence explained, "so whenever I would pick one up to play around with, it was always a right-handed instrument, and since it wasn't mine, I couldn't take the strings off and put them on backwards, I had to play it as is." Since Laurence began his career as a professional musician—a drummer, as he mentioned—at the age of 16, he had plenty of time and energy to learn a new instrument. In fact Laurence has made numerous recordings where he plays all the instruments himself, including woodwinds, keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, and various stringed instruments, in the manner of Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren
Todd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
.
Laurence, who was sometimes also known as Larry, comes from an interesting family background. All of his family members were either musicians or scientists. He is the younger brother of Roger Miller
Roger Miller
Roger Dean Miller was an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known for his honky tonk-influenced novelty songs...
, a founding and current member of the Boston-based Mission of Burma
Mission of Burma
Mission of Burma is an American post-punk band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1979. The band was formed by Roger Miller , Clint Conley , Peter Prescott and Martin Swope...
, the twin brother of Benjamin (Ben) Miller, also a former member of Destroy All Monsters
Destroy All Monsters (band)
Destroy All Monsters were an influential Detroit band existing from 1973 to 1985, with sporadic performances since. Their music touched on elements of punk rock, psychedelic, heavy metal music and noise rock with a heavy dose of performance art. Their name likely came from the Godzilla film Destroy...
. Both of Laurence's parents were scientists and professors at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. His father was well known in the field of paleo-ichthyology
Ichthyology
Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish. This includes skeletal fish , cartilaginous fish , and jawless fish...
. He also has a brother who is a well-respected professor and glaciologist, and a sister (now deceased) who was also a scientist and a professor.
Laurence has collaborated with his brother Roger Miller
Roger Miller
Roger Dean Miller was an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known for his honky tonk-influenced novelty songs...
from time to time, particularly on the M3 project, named for the three Miller brothers, but he has collaborated with his twin Ben most consistently over the years, particularly through the 1980s and early 1990s. Since Ben is a right-hander and Laurence is a left-hander and they collaborated mostly as a power trio
Power trio
A power trio is a rock and roll band format where the traditional power trio has a lineup of guitar, bass and drums, leaving out the rhythm guitar or keyboard that are used in other rock music to fill out the sound with chords...
by adding a drummer, the team had a rather powerful visual stage presence—the guitar and bass each pointing outward, away from the centrally positioned drummer. In Nonfiction
Nonfiction (band)
Nonfiction was an avant garde, Post-Punk rock band based in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the late 1980s. Members included Benjamin Miller, Laurence B...
, for example, Laurence and Ben would typically trade off on bass and guitar, with each preferring to play guitar on his own compositions. When Nonfiction folded, Laurence formed The Empty Set, and then later in the 1990s creating his theatrical, complex ravings called Larynx Zillion's Novelty Shop. All details on these exploits and others, can be found on his official website http://www.laurencebondmiller.com
In 1998, Laurence reinvented himself as Mister Laurence—a children's entertainer. However, he recently began rocking out again, in his new original rock band, My Biography. My Biography can be found on MySpace http://www.myspace.com/mybiography
Laurence grew up in Ann Arbor, attended public schools, and graduated from Pioneer High School. He went to college at the Boston School of Contemporary Music.