Lantz L'Amour is an American musician best known as the singer and guitarist of the Los Angeles "Miami Vice–rock" superduo Bästard Saïnts, in addition to his extensive work as a solo recording artist and session musician.
History
Bästard Saïnts (2018–present)
In early 2018, Lantz L'Amour and former Smack and Crenshaw Mafia Motherfuckers bandmate, Jamie Zimlin, finally engaged the long-in-formation Los Angeles–based "Miami Vice–rock" superduo after nearly five years of writing and rehearsing. "It was really about making sure the material had vision," L'Amour commented in an interview with ZTV, "as opposed to just performing songs that were in our extensive joint catalogs not yet used in other projects. We knew the Bästard Saïnts material was different. It was the same vibe and energy that we'd had our entire careers in music, yet there was a ridiculousness to it that we'd both always wanted to fully express but hadn't felt the same enthusiasm with our previous bandmates—well, that, and we added more synthesizers." L'Amour and Zimlin have spent most of 2018 in the studio with notable engineer, Andrew Bush, at Grandma's Warehouse in Los Angeles writing and recording their debut Bästard Saïnts–produced EP featuring much of the widely appreciated early material that Bästard Saïnts fans have grown familiar with through bootlegs and rehearsal leaks over the years, including "Sprit Animal," "Lie Back and Think of England," " Blacklite Eyes," and "When You Die the Pain Is Over." The record also features Shawn Duncan on drums, Mike Gavigan on guitar, Andrew Bush on lap steel, and Brett Walker on harmonica.
After filling in on guitar with The Black Watch for SXSW shows in early 2015, L'Amour continued to play select regional shows with the band and record on three full-length releases Highs and Lows, The Gospel According to John, and Witches! —produced by Rob Campanella and Scott Campbell. L'Amour ultimately left the group after supposed disagreements with Black Watch singer, John Andrew Fredrick, about L'Amour's insistence on being credited as by his stage name, rather than his birth name, as well as the long-running difference of opinion between L'Amour and John Andrew Fredrick over whether to refer to Black Watch songs as "songs" or "tunes."
After recording and mixing the 2003 Crenshaw Mafia Motherfuckers album in Los Angeles, the band waited patiently for Recipro/Heatseeker to schedule the Japanese release and subsequent Japanese tour dates anchored around two nights at Budokan with Loudness on New Year's Eve and New Years Day. As the Budokan dates repeatedly postponed due to complications with Budokan promoters, L'Amour, Zimlin, and Himawari initially went into the studio, Cole's in Los Angeles, with producer and guitarist Ray Hartman, to immediately write and record the sophomore Crenshaw Mafia Motherfuckers release. However, due to disputes and creative differences, the follow-up Crenshaw Mafia Motherfuckers record was scrapped, leaving L'Amour and Hartman to explore new material built around Himawari's drum tracks that were laid down before the CMMF break up. This new material, financed by Recipro/Heatseeker, was subsequently rejected by the Japanese label, then renamed Ghost of the Record and mixed by Los Angeles producer Noah Shain while Shain simultaneously recorded and mixed the first Orson full-length release, Bright Idea. The Ghost of the Record album, Exorcising the Pursuit of Pleasure—featuring an explicit cover image photographed by Robin Perine featuring pornographic model/actress Jelena Jensen and musician Christian Martucci —was subsequently shelved and never released.
The Crenshaw Mafia Motherfuckers were a Los Angeles rock band featuring renowned Japanese drummer C.J. Himawari, singer/guitarist L'Amour, bass player Jamie Zimlin, and Stacey Blades. They released one self-titled album in 2004 on the Japanese label Recipro/Heatseeker. The album was produced by Jeaux Mezzacappa.
Smack (2002–2004)
Los Angeles rockers Smack featured ex-Supercool singer L'Amour, former Roxx Gang and Supercool guitarist Stacey Blades, bass player Jamie Zimlin and Junkyard drummer Patrick Muzingo. They recorded one EP, Antidisestablishmentarianism, at Catalo Studios in North Hollywood with Brent Muscat of Faster Pussycat acting as producer. With Smack's demise in 2004, Stacey Blades joined L.A. Guns.
Supercool (2000–2002)
Supercool was a band featuring singer Lantz L'Amour, L.A. Guns guitarist Stacey Blades, former Champagne, Faster Pussycat, and Liberators bassist Eric Stacy, and at different times drummers Vik Foxx and Dave Moreno. The band released one EP, ''Live at the Wilcox Hotel," played their first LA show at the El Centro and Larchmont reopening of the Cathouse with Riki Rachtman, and toured Japan. Their "Five Nights at The Wall in Tokyo" live bootleg LP is a sought-after gem among hair- and street-rock collectors.
The Totallies released one 7" EPDrunk Over You on Braindart Records; one split 7" with The Monos; and featured tracks on both the Punk Strikes Back!compilation album, and on the We're Addicted to Dayquil! compilation.
The Krishnaz (1992–1994)
The Krishnaz formed in Edina, Minnesota, during 1992 and featured singer/guitarist/songwriter Toby Staley, guitarist Bill Morrisette, and Lantz on drums. Toby and Lantz are featured flaunting their matching Screeching Weasel tattoos in the 1994 Screeching Weasel collection Kill the Musicians. In 1998, Canadian punk band The McRackins released a cover version The Krishnaz' "Perfect World" on their Oddities & Eggcentricities, Vol. 1 CD.
