Passion Fodder

Theo Hakola's name probably won't be included in any historical account of musicians from the Pacific Northwest, but the former vocalist for the French band Passion Fodder is actually from Spokane, WA. Hakola formed Passion Fodder in 1984 in Paris, France, with Lionel Dollet (guitar), Pascal Humbert (drums), Benedicte Villain (violin), and later Jean-Yves Tola (drums). The group was signed to Beggars Banquet in the U.K., and their debut LP, Fat Tuesday, was distributed in the U.S. by Island Records in 1988. Combining the Velvet Underground's droning guitars and screeching violins with the raw energy of punk rock and the alcohol-fueled melancholia of early country records, Passion Fodder's music defied categorization. Adventurous college radio stations in the U.S. provided the band with a little exposure, but Hakola's unusual voice, especially when spitting out words like an angry preacher, limited the band's appeal to a small, devoted cult; the video for the Nick Cave-ish "Heart Hunters" was played on MTV's 120 Minutes. In 1987, the New Musical Express in England described Hakola as "Baudelaire with an electric guitar." In 1989, the track "I'd Sell My Soul to God" from the Woke Up This Morning... LP was a minor hit on college radio. During that year, Hakola moved to Los Angeles, CA, and Passion Fodder called it quits. Hakola embarked on a solo career. ~ Michael Sutton, All Music Guide