Hip-Hop Lives Here
Hip-Hop Lives Here
NEW JERSEY - Since the age of eight, Michael Lanthier has found solace in playing his Fender Stratocaster. Thirty-plus years later, he sees music’s healing power again by playing that same Strat.
Growing up in an abusive family, Lanthier’s escape was music until he joined the U.S. Army. When Lanthier left the military, it did not leave him. Suffering from PTSD and multiple suicide attempts, Lanthier, a three-time combat veteran, turned to alcohol, but the demons never left. In November 2020, Lanthier landed in the hospital again after attempting suicide, but this time was different. He rediscovered his love of music. Since that day, he has remained sober and allows music to heal him - and released 27 singles.
Recently, Lanthier embarked on a larger project, a 10-track album entitled “01,” signifying his start or rebirth from the darkness of his life. The album is a compilation of genres ranging from hip hop to rock, as Lanthier integrates his guitar for various styles. “01” is an instrumental masterpiece that resembles music you may hear on movie soundtracks or in video games. Lanthier has found his niche, and each track demonstrates his progression as an artist.
“I’m very comfortable playing guitar, and I like to push myself into uncomfortable situations. A year ago, I would never have guessed that I would produce what is essentially a hip-hop beat. Instead of somebody rapping over it, a guitar imitates the rap,” he said. “I’m always pushing the limits, and I like the diversity in music.”
Working in his home studio, Lanthier turns to music after putting in a full day’s work at his 9-5 job. He calls himself a “one-man show,” writing, performing, mixing, and producing music, but listening to “01,” the quality and professionalism of a seasoned musician shine through each note.
“Pain in 99” is one of “01” singles that exemplifies Lanthier’s talent. The song got its origin when he was just 16 years old when he composed the main progression. Considered one of the heavier songs on the album, “Pain in 99” is a hard rock song. The track is chaotic and filled with melodic bits, crunchy riffs, and shredding guitar tones. Lanthier’s Fender echoes the anger of his youth and the indecisiveness of his future.
The single “Offering” is quite different from “Pain in 99.” “Offering” showcases Lanthier’s ability to change tempos with a bluesy feeling. Lanthier explains, “It’s a stripped-down song with a four-chord progression through the whole song and a real simple drum beat. It’s got a positive feeling to the melody and its progression. The guitar is not chaotic but very precise and technical.”
As more fans hear Lanthier’s musical genius, he hopes to give them a slice of what music gives him, “Music brings me peace. It’s beyond a passion. It’s the therapy that keeps me sane. It’s what keeps me happy.”
Make sure to stay connected to Michael Lanthier on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/artists/B093K2M52F/michael-lanthier
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/1564664854
Bandcamp: https://michaellanthier.bandcamp.com/
Blast: https://blastmusic247.com/artist-stage/144
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-534407239
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1RJJC5nAsYaYiRNbfolLvR
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/wolfsevenmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolfsevenmusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wolfsevenmusic
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Would Johnny Marr place one of his solo songs ahead of favourites from The Smiths and Electronic? His choices are revealed in NME’s Blind Ranking video below.
Ahead of the release of ‘The Age Of Everything’, which arrived last Friday, October 2, NME sat down with the guitarist for a look back through his catalogue. Marr was challenged to place five songs in order of greatness, choosing a position for each without knowing which song would follow.
Electronic’s ‘Getting Away With It’ came first, with Marr saying it “goes down very very well, even if people are hearing it for the first time”. Next came ‘Spin’, taken from his latest solo album. Reflecting on the newer song, he admitted that “not everybody knows it, but it makes an impression”.
When ‘This Charming Man’ by The Smiths came up, Marr observed: “Obviously it’s very well known, but it goes by so quick.” The track remains a “connection” to his younger self, he explained: “I can hear the young man who wrote those guitar parts”. He described his 2014 solo release ‘Easy Money’ as “pretty catchy”, adding that it “goes off bigger than any other at any gig”. He then considered another much loved Smiths song, ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’.
“Beautiful song to play. Very proud of it still,” Marr reflected. Recalling a recent performance in Liverpool, he added that “it occurred to me that it’s the ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ of my generation.”
See where each song landed in Marr’s ranking by watching the video below, then share your own order in the Instagram comments.
The wider conversation with NME covered his “emphatic” album ‘The Age Of Everything’, his admiration for The Cure and Fontaines D.C., and his thoughts on why Andy Burnham should be able to listen to The Smiths. Read the complete interview with Marr here.
A Liverpool concert on November 14 is next on Marr’s schedule, followed by a brief run of dates with stops in Mexico, São Paulo and Chile. His largest solo headline performance to date at OVO Arena Wembley had been planned for later this month, but has been postponed, with a replacement date yet to be announced.
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