36 Crazyfists’ lead singer turns up at Colony prom

PALMER — The senior prom may not be the first place you’d look for the lead singer of a heavy metal band. Those at Colony High School’s blowout last Saturday partied with one of the state’s best-known home-grown thrashers, Brock Lindow.

The lead singer for 36 Crazyfists found out last Wednesday the students wanted him at prom, and he just couldn’t say no.

“Well, no, never did a prom, and to be honest, I wasn’t really sure if it was the right forum for me,” Lindow said. “But he was fairly persistent.”

That “he” was junior class president Eddie Lee, who Lindow describes as “the coolest high school kid I’ve ever met. I got a cool vibe off him right off the bat.”

Lee attempted to contact Lindow on his Facebook page. When that didn’t work, Lee, who works at Valley radio station AM 1430, was talking on the air about bringing in the metal front man. Colony soccer coach Jeremy Johnson heard the show and texted Lindow, hooking them up. Four days later Lindow was introducing Colony’s prom royalty.

“The first time, I kind of brushed (the request) off because I didn’t know if (Lee) had cleared it through the faculty,” Lindow said. “Ultimately, I figured I couldn’t let him down.”

Lindow and 36 Crazyfists — the name was taken from Jackie Chan’s first kung fu film “Jackie Chan and the 36 Crazy Fists” — have been playing their brand of metal music in Alaska and around the world for the past 16 years. Although popular in Europe and the Lower 48, Lindow said all the band’s members hail from Alaska and like to keep in touch with their Last Frontier roots.

“Everybody in the band was born and raised here,” he said. “It’s extremely important (to stay local). We’ve had so much support here over the years. It’s something I’m constantly thankful for. The fans here have always stayed with us.”

While many kids dream of being a rock star, Lindow said his aspirations were more in line with many Alaskans.

“I wanted to be a pro hockey player,” he said. “The music thing came when I was in a band in 1989, which was my freshman year (in high school). … I was kind of hooked after that.”

Now that prom is history, 36 Crazyfists is leaving Monday to record its ninth record, which is still untitled. On June 8, they leave to perform in Europe, returning to do a show in Anchorage on July 17.

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.