Negative Approach

Top Tracks

Track Artist Album
Lost Cause - From Process Of Elimination EP 1981 Negative Approach Total Recall
Can't Tell No One - From 10 Song 7 Inch EP 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Sick of Talk - From 10 Song 7 Inch EP 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Pressure - From 10 Song 7 Inch EP 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Why Be Something That You're Not - From 10 Song 7 Inch EP 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Nothing - From 10 Song 7 Inch EP 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Fair Warning - From 10 Song 7 Inch EP 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Ready to Fight - From 10 Song 7 Inch EP 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Lead Song - From 10 Song 7 Inch EP 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
What Ever I Do - From 10 Song 7 Inch EP 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Negative Approach - From 10 Song 7 Inch EP 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Tied Down - From Tied Down LP 1983 Negative Approach Total Recall
Hypocrite - From Tied Down LP 1983 Negative Approach Total Recall
Evacuate - From Tied Down LP 1983 Negative Approach Total Recall
Said and Done - From Tied Down LP 1983 Negative Approach Total Recall
Nothing - From Tied Down LP 1983 Negative Approach Total Recall
Your Mistake - From Tied Down LP 1983 Negative Approach Total Recall
Live Your Life - From Tied Down LP 1983 Negative Approach Total Recall
Friend or Foe - From Tied Down LP 1983 Negative Approach Total Recall
Dead Stop - From Tied Down LP 1983 Negative Approach Total Recall
I'll Survive - From Tied Down LP 1983 Negative Approach Total Recall
Can't Tell No One - Live at Freezer 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
What Ever I Do - Live at Freezer 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Ready to Fight - Live at Freezer 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Chaos - Live at Freezer 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Pressure / Fair Warning - Live at Clubhouse 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Lost Cause - Live at Clubhouse 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Genocide / Nothing - Live at Clubhouse 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Never Surrender - Live at Clubhouse 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
D.A.B.F. - Live at Clubhouse 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Said and Done - Live at Clubhouse 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Sick of Talk / N.A. - Live at Clubhouse 1982 Negative Approach Total Recall
Your Mistake - Rice Demo 1983 Negative Approach Total Recall
Tied Down - Rice Demo 1983 Negative Approach Total Recall
I'll Survive - Rice Demo 1983 Negative Approach Total Recall
Kiss Me Kill Me - Live in Boston 1984 Negative Approach Total Recall
I Got a Right - Live in Boston 1984 Negative Approach Total Recall
Tunnel Vision - Live in Boston 1984 Negative Approach Total Recall

Negative Approach is an American hardcore punk band. They are considered one of the pioneers of hardcore punk, along with bands like Minor Threat, Bad Brains and Black Flag. Formed in Detroit, Michigan, Negative Approach existed from 1981-1984, and now again from 2006-present. Like most hardcore bands, they were little known in their day outside of their hometown. They are now idolized in the Detroit underground and the punk subculture, considered to be one of the elite bands of the “old school” era, and continue to be influential. NA's brand of hardcore was savage and nihilistic, exuding frustration, alienation and rage. This was personified in the band's vocalist John Brannon, an intimidating and intense young man with a shaved head, piercing stare and belligerent attitude. His vocal style and stage presence set the standard for those that followed. NA's musical style was based on Detroit proto-punk icons The Stooges, British punk rock (especially Discharge) and Oi! music (Blitz, 4-Skins, et al.), although from the start their sound and demeanor were considerably more aggressive and brutal than that of their influences. Negative Approach was formed in August 1981 by John Brannon and Pete Zelewski, supposedly after seeing a Black Flag/Necros show. The first NA lineup consisted of Brannon on vocals, Rob McCullough on guitar, Pete Zelewski on bass and Zuheir on drums. Not long after, Zelewski left the band to form The Allied and was replaced by Rob McCullough's brother Graham. Zuheir was later replaced by Chris "O.P." Moore. The lineup of Brannon/McCullough/McCullough/Moore would remain unchanged until NA disbanded. NA's first gig was in the basement of Necros drummer Todd Swalla's mother's home. Soon after, they recorded a demo, and followed that up with an appearance on the Process of Elimination compilation 7” EP, released on Meatmen frontman Tesco Vee's fledgling Touch & Go label, named after his fanzine of the same name. The comp also featured the Necros and The Meatmen, among others. NA, the Necros and the Meatmen then embarked on the Process of Elimination tour. Though this “tour” consisted of a mere three shows (Boston, New York City and Washington, DC), it is cited as being a key event in the early spread of hardcore. The first proper Negative Approach studio release came in 1982 with their self-titled 7” EP, also on Touch & Go. It contained now-legendary songs such as “Can't Tell No One,” “Ready To Fight” and “Nothing,” which is considered by many to be the quintessential NA song. The sound quality of the recording is average, but the performances themselves are powerful, and the record is now held in nearly universal high regard by hardcore fans. The following year saw the release of the Tied Down LP, also venerated as a hardcore classic. While it mostly contains more of the same ultra-fast, angry music as the 7”, the band also branched out somewhat and included a plodding dirge (“Evacuate”) and a (relatively) mid-tempo rocker (“Dead Stop”) on the album. The classic line-up fell apart in 1983 during their tour in support of Tied Down, playing their last show in Memphis. Afterwards, Brannon assembled a new line-up with members Kelly Dermody (guitar), Dave (bass) and Mike (drums). This version of Negative Approach played a series of live shows throughout 1984 which featured some new songs, such as "Obsession," "Tunnel Vision," "Kiss Me Kill Me" and a cover of "I Got A Right" by the Stooges. This line-up can be heard on the Live at the Newtown Theater bootleg 7" and some live tracks recorded at Boston's Paradise club that appear on the Total Recall discography CD. It was announced in May 2006 that Brannon and Moore would play a Negative Approach reunion show, of sorts, for Touch & Go's 25th Anniversary show on September 9, 2006, as well as two later shows in the UK - London on December 7 and at All Tomorrow's Parties on December 10. Despite repeated efforts by Rob and Graham McCulloch to be a part of the reunion and have the classic NA lineup play, John refused; it was instead announced that Harold Richardson (of Brannon's current band Easy Action) and Ron Sakowski (formerly of Easy Action, Laughing Hyenas, and Necros) would complete the lineup. Rob and Graham maintain that the appearance shouldn't be labeled as Negative Approach without the classic NA lineup. The whole affair has generated controversy, and there is little agreement as to who is in the right and for what reasons. Negative Approach closed out the No Fun Fest in Brooklyn, NY on May 20, 2007. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.