Mike Harpring
Mike Harpring became involved in the Louisville underground punk and hardcore scene in early 1995 after attending the St. Francis Battle of the Bands in New Albany. He attended all ages shows religiously, and started organizing events soon after through the St. Agnes youth group and the Highlands Neighborhood Youth Board (HNYB).
Through the HNYB, Mike was introduced to Liz Palmer, the key person responsible for forming Brat Magazine. Through BRAT, Mike became involved with a loose collective of people that also made up SOAP (the Suburban Outreach Action Project), and later, The Brycc House.
Mike’s early attempts to start a band brought him to Andy Schanie. Andy and Mike decided to start a band together in late 1997, and with Corey Lyons filling out the power trio, Bodyhammer was formed. Mike played with Bodyhammer for three years until the Spring of 2001. Mike also played drums for Sister Helen Prejudice in 1998, and bass for Internecine in 2001.
Between 1995 and 2002, Mike organized an obscene number of shows for a variety of local and national underground bands, and was also an active participant in the Noise Collective at the original BRYCC House. While he undoubtedly made a positive mark on the Louisville underground music scene, he also gained a bit of notoriety among a few bands and promoters who didn’t see eye to eye with his style or methods.
Aside from producing show flyers, Mike also screen printed some show posters as well as shirts and patches for bands. He also worked with Shawn Severs to design and produce Bad Culture in late 1999.
Mike moved away from Louisville in 2002 and spent a good period of time traveling and pursuing other ambitions before settling (semi-)permanently in Bloomington in 2005. Mike is currently working towards a printmaking degree at Indiana University, but has also kept up his involvement in the Bloomington underground music scene by playing in the punk band Good Luck and occasionally setting up shows for touring bands.
Bands:
- Sister Helen Prejudice
- Bodyhammer
- Internecine
- K-10 Prospect
- Los Gatos Negros (loose affiliation)
- Defiance, Ohio
- Deus Ex Machina
- The Post
- Good Luck
Also involved in:
- Bad Culture
- HNYB (Highlands Youth Board)
- SOAP
- Brat Magazine
- The Brycc House
- Monkey Posse Crew