Lach

www.lachtoday.com for bio stuff, more lach news 2009, a lot more songs, free downloads, cartoons and to buy Lach CDs!
2012 Lach is preparing for the Ramshackle UK tours scheduled for April 10-20 and May 23-June 3 and his return to The Fringe in August. Rumor has it Lach is also hard at play writing his first collection of memoirs.
In 2011 Lach licensed Ramshackle Heart to Song, by Toad records for a UK vinyl/digicode release as well as an iTunes feature. The album included gorgeous artwork by Kim Gledhill and Jonathan Shaw recieving brilliant reviews from Uncut, Q and Mojo magazines. Lach moved from NYC to Edinburgh; a journey documented on the BBC Radio Lachumentary Special featuring interviews with Suzanne Vega, Michelle Shocked and BMX Bandits. Lach once again played the Edinburgh Fringe garnering raves from the media and fans alike.
In 2010 Lach completed a new album, Ramshackle Heart, recorded in the UK with British songwriter extraordinaire Neil Halstead (of Slowdive and Mojave 3) look for a summer 2011 release. Lach took on running two nights a week (the Tuesday Antihoot and Wednesday "Lach Presents" series) at Webster Hall in NYC; New York's largest and most famous landmark nightclub. He subsequently became executive producer at Webster Hall and created the Art Bar and the Saturday Rock and Roll Circus night in The Studio.
Meanwhile. Lach suddenly become one of the most sought-after stand-up comics in show biz! After debuting his one-man show The Day I Went Insane in the UK Lach was discovered by BBC producer Richard Melvin and comedy producer Karen Koren (past clients include Edie Izzard, Tim Minchin and Bill Bailey) and invited to headline The Edinburgh Fringe Festival's hottest venue, The Gilded Balloon, in August. Lach performed The Day I Went Insane nightly at the Fringe as well as hosting Lach's Antihoot. Both shows received 5 star reviews from The Herald as well as raves for the Antihoot from The Scotsman and for The Day I Went Insane from The List.
A Brief History of Lach (post-1990)



In the early 80's, after reading a Dylan biography while blaring The Sex Pistols, Lach came to Greenwich Village. He went to Folk City figuring they'd flip over him. They flipped all right: kicking Lach right out onto the street! So did the other folk clubs. It seemed Lach's form of punk/folk was not at all welcome. Fuck 'em, he thought, and moved to the Lower East Side, opening his own illegal after-hours club, "The Fort". The same week Lach opened The Fort, Folk City held the New York Folk Festival, and so, Lach held the first New York Antifolk Festival. Thus, the first wave of Antifolk was born.
A year later the cops finally told our hero to move on. The Fort became a mobile club inhabiting various New York hotspots. Lach's Antifolk sound became the inspiration for many artists such as Beck, The Moldy Peaches, Jeff Lewis, Hamell On Trial, Michelle Shocked and countless others.
In 1990 Lach put out his debut CD, Contender on Danny Goldberg's Goldcastle label. The album received rave reviews in the press and considerable radio play but alas, three months later the label folded. Lach moved to San Francisco releasing an EP, Family Values Pack, containing The Hillary Clinton Song which aired on over 600 stations during Bill Clinton's first campaign.
In 1993 Lach returned to New York and started The Fort up again at The Sidewalk Cafe in the East Village, ushering in a new wave of Antifolk.
In 1997 Lach started his own label, Fortified Records, and released, in conjunction with Shanachie Records, Lach's Antihoot: Live from the Fort. Fortified subsequently released downtown comedian Rick Shapiro's Unconditional Love, produced by Lach (1998) and Major Matt Mason USA's Me, Me, Me (2000)
In 1999 Lach released Blang!, produced by Richard Barone (of The Bongos). Billboard dubbed it "a wholly enjoyable voyage into a strange and brilliant musical mind."
September 18, 2001 saw the domestic release of Lach's newest work Kids Fly Free, again produced by Richard Barone and receiving great praise in Mojo, Uncut, Billboard and The Big Takeover, amongst others. Tours of the UK by NYC Antifolkers such as The Moldy Peaches, Lach, Hamell On Trial and Jeff Lewis spark the beginnings of the UK Antifolk scene
In 2002 Lach signed with the Agency Group (White Stripes, The Strokes) as his exclusive European booking agent, and with Steve Hawkins (Dinosaur Jr, Inspiral Carpets) as his tour managemer. Track Records (original home of The Who, Hendrix etc.) released Kids Fly Free in the UK on May 7th. Lach was also featured on Antifolk Vol.1 (Rough Trade), compiled by The Moldy Peaches.The first regular UK Antifolk night is born. A monthly feature at London's 12 Bar Club named 'Blang!' after Lach's second album and hosted by Sgt.Buzfuz.
In 2003, Fortified released Testosterone Kills' CD and Fortified Management signed Nellie McKay to Columbia Records after negotiating an intense bidding war.
In 2004 - Sanctuary Press releases Waking Up In New York City: A Musical Tour of The Big Apple by Mike Evans, with an entire chapter devoted to Lach. The band arrives in UK March 3-11 for 8 shows in 8 nights including a show at The Basement Club organized by Strokes producer Gordon Raphael. Lach and The Secrets recorded their new album, Today, scheduled for a winter 2004 release. Lach tours UK and France performing 35 dates solo supporting Suzanne Vega, Television and The Fine Young Cannibals.
Fortified records releases Lach's Today to rave reviews (4 Stars (!) in Mojo Magazine.
In 2005 Lach tours UK to sold-out performances including support slot for The CasbahClub (featuring members of The Jam, The Who, and Big Country.)
Fortified Mng. signs The Analogues and DJ Williams.
In 2006 Lach organizes biggest Fortified Summer Antifolk Fest yet with a huge concert in Tompkins Square Park, an Antifolk parade and special guest set from Suzanne Vega.
Lach tours the UK selling out shows in ten cities in ten nights including a fantastic Antifolk Fest at The Barfly in London featuring Lach headlining a show with 9 UK Antifolk acts. Timeout London names Lach, Dylan and Syd Barret the roots of the new songwriting movement. Lach starts work on his 5th album to be released in Autumn 2007.
In 2007 Lach signs with Primary UK Booking Agency, home of Oasis, Everything But The Girl, Lou Reed and, get this, The Monkees! Lach finishes his 5th album, The Calm Before recording with Billy Ficca (of Televison) on drums, Mike Visceglia (of Suzanne Vega Band) on bass and backing vocals from Richard Barone (of The Bongos), Chris Barron (of The Spin Doctors) and Lydia Ooghe (of The Analogues) at Studio G in Brooklyn with Tony Maimone (of Pere Ubu) engineering.
2008 sees Lach saying goodbye to running Sidewalk Cafe and the weekly Antihoot, his final night is so jammed it sends crowds of people spilling out onto the street. Fortified releases The Calm Before and Lach tours the USA for the first(!) time with two East Coast tours and one West Coast tour as well as another circuit through the UK and Amsterdam. The album hits the College Charts and critical accolades, quickly becoming Fortified's best seller.
2009 and Lach tours UK with British songwriting legend Neil Halstead (of Slowdive and Mojave 3). The lads hit it off so much so that Lach begins recording a new album at Neil's studio in Cornwall, UK. Lach also completes the first draft of a children's book.