| Larry LaLonde | |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Ler |
| Born | September 12, 1968 Richmond, California, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Alternative rock, alternative metal, funk metal, death metal, thrash metal, progressive metal |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar, banjo |
| Years active | 1984 - present |
| Labels | Prawn Song, Interscope, Relativity, Combat, Stray |
| Associated acts | Primus, No Forcefield, Possessed, Blind Illusion, Serj Tankian and The F.C.C., Corrupted Morals |
Larry "Ler" LaLonde (born Reid Lawrence LaLonde on September 12, 1968 in Oakland, California) is a guitarist who currently plays in Primus along with Les Claypool and Tim Alexander. He has also played with Possessed, Blind Illusion, No Forcefield, and the Frank Zappa tribute band "Caca".
Contents |
Biography
Early career
Originally inspired by guitarists such as Frank Zappa, Snakefinger, East Bay Ray, Jerry Garcia, Jimi Hendrix, and his teacher Joe Satriani,[1] 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.
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. The band went on hiatus in 2000.
During this time LaLonde formed the experimental alternative band No Forcefield with third Primus drummer Bryan 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.
Playing style
Known for his technical proficiency as a guitar player, LaLonde uses many advanced guitar techniques such as pinch harmonics, sweep picking, chicken picking, pick tapping, volume swells and tapping, as well as other extended techniques in his music. His influences include funk, world music, heavy metal and film music.
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 a custom Ibanez, as seen in the "Jerry Was A Race Car Driver" video (which he has since either lost or had stolen from him). LaLonde's Guitar Rig (1998)
Personal life
In addition to being Primus' guitar player LaLonde is also an avid skate boarder and was the boarder who knocked the nachos out of Bob Cock's hand in the music video for "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver."
Larry Lalonde is married to Shane Stirling who was a model on the CBS television show "The Price is Right".
Discography
Possessed
- 1985: Seven Churches
- 1986: Beyond the Gates
- 1987: The Eyes of Horror
Blind Illusion
- 1988: The Sane Asylum
Corrupted Morrals
- 1989: Cheese-It
Primus
- 1989: Suck on This
- 1990: Frizzle Fry
- 1991: Sailing the Seas of Cheese
- 1992: Miscellaneous Debris
- 1993: Pork Soda
- 1995: Tales from the Punchbowl
- 1997: Brown Album
- 1998: Rhinoplasty
- 1999: Videoplasty
- 1999: Antipop
- 2003: Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People
- 2004: Hallucino-Genetics Live 2004
- 2006: They Can't All Be Zingers
with Tom Waits
- 1999: Mule Variations
- 1999: Jack Kerouac Reads On The Road
- 2006: Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards
No Forcefield
- 2000: Lee's Oriental Message
- 2001: God Is An Excuse
with Serj Tankian
Ler was employed to be Serj's touring guitarist for his 2007 tour, including support slots with the Foo Fighters.
References
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