Story · Massachusetts
RIP Lou Koller, Hardcore Punk Singer and Free Speech Advocate
Lou Koller, lead singer and co-founder of the iconic New York hardcore punk band Sick of It All, died at age 59 after a long battle with cancer. The article, written by Damon Root for Reason, recounts the author's personal connection to the band's music and highlights a 1992 controversy when a school shooter wore a Sick of It All shirt, leading to media blame of the band's music. Koller and his bandmates wrote a letter to the New York Times defending their music and rejecting scapegoating, becoming inadvertent free speech champions. The piece celebrates Koller's musical legacy and his principled stand against censorship.
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