Hello and Blessings to anyone who knew Michael Griffen. Michael passed on in the early morning of January 7th, 2008. Michael was and still is one of my personal and musical heroes and the only person I can recall referring to as a hero in my life. He played freely improvised noise violin in the one of a kind queercore/punk/noise band Behead The Prophet No Lord Shall Live, in which I played drums. He is a legend in the Free-Improv/noise music scene, which is quite a minority in the musical population but stretches out internationally (the Boredoms would be at the most popular level of that genre). Noggin was Michael's Free-Improv noise duo, which he played in with Eric Ostrowski (former Bellingham resident and co-founder of the Show-Off Gallery) throughout the 1990's up until early 2007. Noggin pushed the limits of toleration amongst even indie/underground music appreciators, but always delivered an awe-inspiring performance of purely improvised and colorful cacophony that was without a doubt an immediate and present kaleidoscopic expression of sound.
Michael was a truly independent thinker and free soul that always welcomed new people into the field of noise music, regardless of experience or talent. He and his family are beacons of making music out of anything and taking it to the limit, showing the world that you don't have to have an "instrument" or be "talented" or trained to make sounds or songs, just a willingness to throw yourself into the world of sound with whatever is around you (taking the inanimate and animating it). Without a doubt I would say Michael lead his life with integrity and lived his life the way he wanted to without conforming to the majority.
I played in a number of improvised projects with Michael and had countless improvised sessions out at his family's home the 'Griffenshire,' next to the Nooksack River by Nugent's Corner. There is a deep history of many Bellingham residents who grew up musically being encouraged to join in free-improv sessions at the Griffenshire, especially young people still exploring music and their identity. Michael and his family; including his daughter Aral, son Adam, and ex-wife/friend Terry, have been a family to me (and many others) when I needed one that made me feel at home by including me and accepting me just as I am. Michael Griffen was an individual who truly embraced the oddities of life and I will miss his presence and never forget him. Bellingham filmmaker Peter Rand and I are currently working on a documentary on Michael that we hope to have out within a year chronicling his presence, musical and artistic works. Hopefully our film will inspire some folks and will grant Michael some of the attention he certainly deserved in his life (though he never asked for it). Thanks again Michael for inspiring, living a full life, being a true friend and raising a great family. Much Love, Respect and Blessings on your soul
-Jordan Rain/Yogoman