Contender by Lach

"In 1989 Danny Goldberg, Nirvana's manager, asked Tom Goodkind (of The Washington Squares) who he should sign, after Joan Baez, to his new indie label Goldcastle. Tom suggested me and Danny sent his A&R person to my next NYC gig at The Chameleon Club in the East Village. Half-way through my set some jerk started hitting on my girlfriend sitting in the front and she was clearly unhappy about it. I stormed off the stage and clobbered him. The bouncers (AKA local drug dealers) carted the guy outside and me backstage to cool off. I figured I blew the record deal but the A&R woman thought it was 'gallant' and 'punk' of me and signed me on the spot!

The month the album came out Spin Magazine wrote a brilliant article on it and called me 'The spokesman for my generation'. A week after that I was preparing for my debut national tour and I called the first venue in Chicago only to be told by the promoter there, "Didn't you hear? Your record label went bankrupt. Your tour's cancelled."

Ain't that a gas?

So, that was it for Contender and I didn't record again for eight years because I was so disenchanted with the whole business side of the music business. I devoted my time to the scene I was in, the NYC Antifolk scene, giving it and me a place to grow and create.

Contender is my lost album but now it's back due to the support of my subscribers here on bandcamp and I'm very grateful to you all for helping it happen. Enjoy the album. And if you haven't subscribed yet please consider it. Check out the subscription page to see just how cool a deal it is!

Love, Lach

Lach, founder of the Antifolk movement and star of BBC Radio 4's The Lach Chronicles.

‘Beat-punk-unplugged joy!’-The Guardian UK

‘Splendid! Best of it's kind!’- Mojo

‘Incredibly bright, influential, funny, poetic.’-Suzanne Vega

‘Best punk guitarist since Johnny Ramone.’-Billy Ficca of Televis

lachstuff.substack.com