Start Listening To: Lahnah

Lahnah blends noise, jazz and improvisational magic that electrifies their live performances.

Comprising Asher, Tomis, and Griff (formerly Anonimus), Lahnah hails from the vibrant city of Philadelphia, USA. With a sound that echoes the energy of early aughts butt-rock but infused with experimental and technical flair. In this insightful conversation, Lahnah shares their evolution from a solo project to a three-piece ensemble, offering a glimpse into the influences and experiences that shape their distinctive sound. From their roots in the DIY scene of Brattleboro, Vermont, to their relocation to Philadelphia, Lahnah's journey is a testament to the transformative power of music and community.

For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?

GRIFF: We’re Lahnah, from earlier.

TOMIS: We’re Asher, Tomis, and Anonimus (AKA Griff). From Philadelphia, USA. Lately we’ve been making music that is epic and fun to listen to - sort of like early aughts butt-rock, but very experimental and technical and hopefully not hyper-masculine.

Can you walk us through the evolution of Lahnah from a two-piece to a three-piece band? How has this change influenced your sound and creative process?

Griff : I was looking way more at Machine Gun Kelly than that other stuff. So for me, it’s more about the five elements of hip hop, personally. Street fashion, branding, sarock, Machine Gun Kelly, and I shouldn’t say the fifth one.

Asher: My first instrument in the band was an electric violin with some thoughtless assortment of behringer pedals. I played bass in the band for about five years, and now I am playing drums. Thomas writes all of the songs on guitar and our job is to accompany him.

Griff: As his employees

Tomis: Lahnah sort of started as a solo project. Just me writing and recording and Asher played the electric violin live. It was very chaotic. I would loop a guitar part and run over to the drum kit and yell unhinged lyrics while doing so. There have been many iterations and members over the years but I’m very happy to be a three piece with docile employees now. Asher and Griff are great listeners and they never question their leader.

With influences ranging from Deerhoof to King Crimson, how do you navigate blending noise and jazz-inspired elements into your music?

Tomis: Griff is the only one of us who technically knows how to play their instrument. He has a background in jazz, punk, and experimental hip-hop. Asher and I don’t know as much theory but we all love jazz so much. I think this naturally bleeds into our songwriting. But I think it’d be deceptive to say we play any kind of jazz - what we do is a lesser bastardization of that beautiful music. The noise element is a result of our not knowing how to play real jazz. The “jazz chords” that I come up with are generally very discordant and blur the line between jazz and noise. We’re not exactly trying to blend noise and jazz but these elements come out as a result of our ignorance. It’s natural in that way.

What drew you to the DIY scene in Brattleboro, Vermont, and how has that environment shaped Lahnah’s identity as a band?

Griff: In Brattleboro, I was in a band called Wrestle Crow. You can get our music on bandcamp and spotify, and I will get 4 percent of distrokid royalties.

Tomis: Asher and I moved to Brattleboro together because we knew a few people there and had enjoyed visiting. This town is where we “cut our teeth” and wasted a lot of people’s time with live shows consisting of half-written songs. For a town with less than 15,000 people, there was an incredible amount of DIY music and art happening - like nowhere else that I know of. We played a lot of shows with our friends in Thus Love, who are now playing major stages around the world. They’ve been a real inspiration to watch. We went through seven different members in Vermont and all of them inspired me and helped refine the project in their own ways.

How do you approach song writing within the band?

Griff: I think about Machine Gun Kelly and I try to think about if i’m dissing Eminem with this bassline.

Asher: I hear what I wanna play in my head and I do it.

Tomis: What Asher said. I have to watch TV to fall asleep because otherwise, I will be kept up by music in my head for hours. Most often, a melody comes to me and I try to squeeze it into some chords and picking patterns. Then I go through some old writing and whittle it down to a few verses of lyrics. Then I bring it to the band and we all work out the structure and transitions together.

Can you share any memorable experiences or challenges from your tours over the years? How have these experiences influenced your growth as a band?

Tomis: In 2019, we went on a two week tour with Windier, from Portland, ME. My brother, Asa, and I bought a 1979 Ford Econoline for $250. The brakes went out on our way to our first show in Brooklyn, as we entered the big city. $400ish later, we trucked on. We made it to west virginia before it was completely irresponsible to continue on, considering the rapidly deteriorating condition of the van. We were stuck in a rural town in WV for the weekend while the van got repaired. We had to cancel a few shows because of this and the six of us all ended up pulling our hair out. The memories from that misadventure are priceless, but this experience informed my desire to drive boring and safe cars on tour. Many tours like this over the years have led me to become more strict about smaller details when planning a tour. Our last tour went perfectly!

What do you hope listeners take away from your music?

Asher: It means nothing to be a musician but it means everything to play music. Everyone should play music but people need to quit acting like they know music. You’re lucky if music even knows you.

Griff: Everyone should start a band, but also know, they shouldn’t.

Tomis: The best thing that I could ever hear would be that I played a part in inspiring someone to play music. Rocking out has really turned my life around and got me through some crazy challenges. I want to share THE POWER OF ROCK. Also, I really want people to have fun at shows and stop taking themselves so seriously - that’s why I try to emulate what I imagine hair metal bands do when I’m on stage.

How has the relocation to Philadelphia and the addition of Griff on bass affected the dynamic within Lahnah?

Griff: I bring a lot of ego into the situation, that’s kinda what I try to do. As soon as I stepped into this, I looked at it like “This is my band. This is my shot at fame and stardom. Just to go out there and prove to everybody how much I can really network”

Tomis: Yeah, Griff is pretty much a genius of networking. The ultimate sycophant. We’ve been getting really famous since we linked up with him.

What role does improvisation play in your live performances, and how do you balance it with more structured elements of your music?

Griff: Let’s talk about Ornette Coleman for a little while. So for a time, jazz was very structured. There's an improv section but it's very brief. It’s like, there’s notes. But Ornette Coleman, he was like “I don't know…”

Tomis: Griff pretty much said it. I like to leave a little room for improv during particular sections of songs. That way we can extend a part or cut it short, based on the crowd’s reaction. If we’re playing a heavy riff and thrashing around on stage while the audience is gently nodding their heads, I can communicate to the rest of the band that we should move on to the next section. Plus, some of the best sections of our songs have come from improvising at practice. Magic can happen. 

Could you share some insights into the themes or concepts explored in your lyrics, and how they connect with the overall sound of Lahnah?

Tomis: I think the connection between the lyrics and music is purely coincidental, but also very strong. Currently, the lyrics mostly explore themes of living with severe mental illness (schizoaffective disorder) and poverty. The guitar parts are a reflection of my many moods, and are often written while I’m feeling crazed. I don’t write music to fit lyrics or vice versa, I just try to make songs that are as true to me as possible.

What do you love right now?

Griff: There’s this spot, I was just there earlier today, called Rocco’s. It’s outside the home depot, and they make a jerk chicken cheese steak. Get that with peppers, mayo and onion on it.

Asher: I’m conceptually interested in coins, as an object. I’m also interested in Edward Norton, the actor.

Tomis: I’ve been loving mayo lately. We’ve been getting really into bitcoin as a band. We’ve been coming to practice and running through the set for maybe 20 minutes and the rest of the time just mining bitcoin. I also love Machine Gun Kelly’s signature guitar from Schecter.

Griff: We almost have one (bitcoin)

What do you hate right now?

Tomis: I hate it when bands take themselves too seriously. I am very down with heavy and serious subject matter. But, art has the power to strongly influence people’s emotions and perceptions. Why not try to throw a little fun in there while you're at it? Like, are you trying to bum me out and make me feel bored or are you just really focused on looking sexy?

Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s still important to you?

Asher: Discovery by Daft Punk. I really like the animations for the songs. It’s kind of like party music to cry to.

Griff: Machine Gun Kelly’s worst rated album, Demos 2024. It’s really influenced by bass playing.

Tomis: Rain Dogs by Tom Waits. My mom had that banger on all the time when I was little and I have never stopped listening to it. The lyrics are impeccable and I really admire Waits for being unafraid to look like a fool.

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for the future of the band, both creatively and in terms of reaching new audiences?

Tomis: Nothing creative for me. I just wanna be super famous and get that cheddar. Really though, I’d love to be on tour all the time. I never feel better than when I get into road dog mode and get to see great music and meet epic people every night.

Griff: We want signature guitars from schecter. I’m financially interested in coins. Stacking bread.