Halo of Flies is an American noise rock band from Minneapolis. Named after an Alice Cooper song, Halo of Flies was formed in 1986 by Tom Hazelmyer, John Anglim and Tim Mac. Over the next five years they released a series of seven inch singles and mini LPs starting with a limited edition, hand numbered single called “Rubber Room”. These singles were released on Hazelmyer’s label Amphetamine Reptile Records and later compiled on a number of LPs, and eventually as the CD (Music for Insect Minds) in 1991. The band partially reformed in 2007 under the name H•O•F.
Sales of Halo of Flies records was assisted by a manufacturing/distribution deal with the popular Minnesota label Twin Tone records. Influenced by early punk bands MC5 and The Stooges, the band had a loud, raw sound that was heavily guitar influenced garage rock. Halo of Flies stopped recording in the early 1990s but Hazelmyer kept Amphetamine Reptile Records in business for 20 years by releasing music by Boss Hog, Helmet, The Melvins, Cows, God Bullies and Unsane.
Links to Peel[]
The Color of Noise Documentary Trailer
Peel seems to have discovered the band in 1989 via the 'Dope-Guns-'N-Fucking In The Streets Volume One' compilation EP and would play further material from the group into the early 90s.
Many bands signed to Tom Hazelmyer's Amphetamine Reptile Records label were played by Peel on his radio programmes, including Boss Hog, The Melvins, God Bullies and Unsane. The Strange Fruit label even released an 'Amphetamine Reptile • Peel Sessions' album in 1992, featuring session material from Cows, Helmet, Surgery and Tar.
After Peel's death in 2004, it was found that he had the Halo Of Flies album 'Singles Going Nowhere' in his Record Collection: H.
Shows Played[]
- 19 October 1989: Insecticide Stomp (v/a 7" - Dope-Guns-'N-Fucking In The Streets Volume One) Amphetamine Reptile
- 1990
- 17 April 1990: I'm A Bug (7" - Winged) Forced Exposure
- 24 April 1990: Human Fly (7" - Winged) Forced Exposure
- 26 May 1990 (BFBS): 'Human Fly (7"-Winged)' (Forced Exposure)
- 04 June 1990: 'Rubber Room (LP-Singles Going Nowhere)' (Amphetamine Reptile)
- 1991
- 26 July 1991 (BFBS): Tired & Cold (7" - Big Mod Hate Trip) Amphetamine Reptile
Amphetamine Reptile Records compilations[]
(Peel radio plays of various artists (v/a) compilations released on Tom Hazelmyer's Amphetamine Reptile label, and related collections, in order of first play.)
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(7" - Dope-Guns-'N-Fucking In The Streets Volume One) Amphetamine Reptile
- 19 October 1989: Halo Of Flies: Insecticide Stomp
(LP - Dope-Guns-'N-Fucking In The Streets Volume 1-3) Amphetamine Reptile
- 07 November 1989: Mudhoney: Twenty Four
- 13 November 1989: Tar: Antlers
- 21 November 1989 (Radio Bremen): Mudhoney: Twenty Four
(LP - Dope-Guns-'N-Fucking In The Streets Volumes 4-7) Amphetamine Reptile
- 29 June 1991: Jonestown: Short Time Left
- 22 July 1991 (Radio Bremen): Casus Belli: Telemarketing
(7"- Dope-Guns-'N-Fucking In The Streets Volume Five) Amphetamine Reptile
- 20 July 1990 (BFBS): Helmet: Impressionable
(EP - Ugly American Overkill) Amphetamine Reptile
- 04 May 1991: God Bullies: Tie A Yellow Ribbon
- 04 May 1991 (BFBS): God Bullies: Tie A Yellow Ribbon
- 13 May 1991 (BBC World Service): God Bullies: Tie A Yellow Ribbon
- 13 July 1991: God Bullies: Tie A Yellow Ribbon
(10" - Amphetamine Reptile >>Peel Sessions<<) Strange Fruit
- 22 May 1992: Tar: Viaduct Removal
- 30 May 1992 (BFBS): Cows: How Dry Am I (JP: 'Dance to that, you blighters. The Cows at their most bovine.')
- 30 May 1992 (BFBS): Surgery: D Nice
- 13 June 1992: Tar: Viaduct Removal
- 07 August 1992: Tar: Viaduct Removal
- 17 August 1992 (BFBS): Tar: Viaduct Removal
(CD - 1993 Sampler) Amphetamine Reptile
- 21 August 1993: Cows: Sugar Torch
(7" - Dope-Guns-'N-Fucking In The Streets Volume Ten) Amphetamine Reptile
- 13 May 1995: Brainiac: Cookie Doesn't Sing