Spinner

Laura Kennedy of Bush Tetras Dies After Long Battle With Hepatitis C

Facebook.com/BushTetras

Laura Kennedy, original bassist and co-founder of cornerstone no-wave/post-punk band Bush Tetras passed away due to complications from Hepatitis C. According to BrooklynVegan, Kennedy died on Monday, Nov 14.

Kennedy was diagnosed with Hepatitis C almost 20 years ago while living and playing music in New York City. She had been living in Minneapolis for the last 12 years with her girlfriend, and after a long and trying wait, she received a liver transplant at the University of Minnesota. Fundraising initiatives from her friends and well-wishers helped fund her weighty medical bills and aided her recovery.

In January 2009, the Bush Tetras reunited to play the Twin Cities for their first time in 25 years along with Suicide Commandos, David Thomas of Pere Ubu and Skoal Kodiak at a fundraiser at Nick and Eddie. Bush Tetras achieved modest chart success in the early 1980s with two dance hits, 'Too Many Creeps' and 'Can't Be Funky.'

"I remember seeing Laura jump up with her bass in some kind of rock 'n' roll move (which no No Wave person would ever do) and it forever blowing my mind," Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore wrote in his book 2008 book 'No Wave: Post-Punk. Underground. New York. 1976-1980' (thanks to City Pages). "I saw her as the coolest girl ever at that point. She certainly remains that way in my consciousness."

Watch the Video for 'Too Many Creeps'

Follow @Spinner on Twitter | Like Us on Facebook | Sign Up for Our Newsletter

All the AOL Music info you want to know

Bobby Womack is Cancer Free

Spinner

As Spinner previously reported, singer Bobby Womack was diagnosed with colon cancer…

Aerosmith Reveal New Album Title,…

Noisecreep

Aerosmith 's 15th studio album will be called Music From Another Dimension and will…

The 'Jocks' Of The Music World

The Huffington Post - Music

I am not a governess who treats the composer like a child and tells him what he…

See all AOL Music »

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

95 Comments

Filter by:
mmjk008

there are estimated to be six million people in the us with hep c,and 1/3 to 1/2 dont even know they have it,as you can carry it for years with out any symptoms,you get this disease manly from blood transmission,this is why it is so prominent in intravenous drug addicts,tattoos,is another way,this is the way i contracted it,i was diagnosed 18 years ago,and am just in the last two years had to start to fight the disease,as it was getting worse as time went on,there is a new drug out this year called Incivek, witch they add to the old treatment of Interferon and Ribavirin,it also cuts the treatment time down from one year to six months or less,but the treatment is super hard on you,i will start the treatment as soon as the government decides who is going to pay for it as it is very expensive about 48 thousand per treatment.i hope they get it figured out soon.Greg if you want some info on hep c,just log onto hep c central it will be able to tell you what you need.

November 19 2011 at 1:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mmjk008

there are estimated to be six million people in the us with hep c,and 1/3 to 1/2 dont even know they have it,as you can carry it for years with out any symptoms,you get this disease manly from blood transmission,this is why it is so prominent in intravenous drug addicts,tattoos,is another way,this is the way i contracted it,i was diagnosed 18 years ago,and am just in the last two years had to start to fight the disease,as it was getting worse as time went on,there is a new drug out this year called Incivek, witch they add to the old treatment of Interferon and Ribavirin,it also cuts the treatment time down from one year to six months or less,but the treatment is super hard on you,i will start the treatment as soon as the government decides who is going to pay for it as it is very expensive about 48 thousand per treatment.i hope they get it figured out soon.Greg if you want some info on hep c,just log onto hep c central it will be able to tell you what you need.

November 19 2011 at 1:08 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Greg Romero

How does someone contract Hep ????

November 18 2011 at 2:11 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rick

Unfortunitly I learned of LK only since her passing but having read her blog I found an inspiration. It is my loss to have not known her in life. Her spirit has touched me through her personal account of life with HCV.

November 17 2011 at 7:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
robertcongadrum

Let ye who hasn't sinned cast the first stone. You can beat the disease by taking treatment of Pegysis and Ribavarin. I have beat the dragon with treatment! but there are many who are as fortunate as I. Everyone should be tested so you know what to do and let the spirits judge you not some creeps!

November 16 2011 at 10:21 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to robertcongadrum's comment
robertcongadrum

I meant to say less fortunate. If you ever sniffed blo with a shared straw, got a pieccing or tattoo,shared a razor blade or toothbrush or any thing blood related GET TESTED. It's not always a death sentence but you have to take care. And booze drinking is like ouring gasoline on a fire so take care and don't judge and it's not important how you got it but WHAT YOU DO TO HELP YOUSELF. A good gastrointestionlogist is key. Excuse the spelling and good luck!

November 16 2011 at 10:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
joycapecod

There is no vaccine for Hep C. I was diagnosed in 2002 and started treatment through a clinic trail in 2005. It was 48 weeks of peg interferon (self injected) and ribavirin (3 in the AM and 2 in the PM). I was part of the "Perfect Study" sponsored by Merck and my group administered by Dr Nezam Afdhal at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

Hep C is NOT passed sexually. The hepatitis C virus is spread by blood-to-blood contact and can be undetected for decades. In my case from 1975, when I received 2 pints of blood during surgery until 2002, and then retested thinking it had to be a false positive and not detected again until 2004.

I was one of the lucky and responded to treatment. I have been undetected since 6 weeks into the treatment, most are not that fortunate.

For everyone, please get tested. Testing is easy and can be done with a normal blood draw. Ignorance is NOT bliss, and ignorance can kill you.

I did not know of Laura Kennedy, her music or her band, but I do know that she suffered. May she rest in peace.

November 16 2011 at 8:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mike Hulgin

That's the way they live there Lives. I don't like 2 C her pass. Although there was obviously something else goin on.

November 16 2011 at 7:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ed Baggett

Does Naomi Judd have hep. "c" ?

November 16 2011 at 7:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Ed Baggett's comment
Greg Romero

I don't know but I'm staying away from her !!!

November 18 2011 at 2:13 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
chris36m

RIP honey

November 16 2011 at 7:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
alfredschrader

Wow, the vaccine for this costs 25 bucks at the health department.

November 16 2011 at 6:42 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to alfredschrader's comment
roxxiannalisa

there is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C.

November 16 2011 at 7:08 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply