RIP Larissa Strickland, guitarist for the mighty Laughing Hyenas, from an overdose of Xanax. The Hyenas were THE band of the late 1980s, no one could touch them for on stage intensity ... first time I saw them was at Bookies in Detroit, the bar was mostly empty but as soon as they went on, sliding into that sinister "Stain" riff and flipping playing cards into the air, I suddenly knew what it was like to see the Stooges back in 1969. It was that heavy, and the Hyenas never disappointed me live over nearly a hundred gigs I attended in basements and bars all over Michigan. I didn't know Larissa well, but the few times I hung out with her she was always sweet to me and it's sad to know that she never completely kicked her bad habits.

Dig my review of Merry Go Round (their first album).

Dig Deming's review of Life of Crime (their best album).