OFF THE RECORD WITH... LENNY LASHLEY

Lenny Lashley has never been one to follow the crowd. From his days fronting Boston punk staple Darkbuster to his deeply personal solo work, Lashley has carved out a space defined by raw honesty, vulnerability, and the kind of songwriting that cuts right to the bone. Now, with the release of his newest self-released album, Pray for Death, he’s delivered what might be the most powerful statement of his career—a record that doesn’t just tell stories, but lives them.

We caught up with Lenny to talk about the new album, the emotional tightrope of making honest music, and what it means to let go of the need for validation.

Orgcore: Pray for Death feels incredibly personal. There’s a balance between heartbreak and hope that runs through the whole record. Was that something intentional?

Lenny Lashley: One side really never wins out in the eternal battle of hope vs heartbreak. It's as old as time and they coexist—like day and night, or peanut butter and jelly. It’s a yin and yang balancing act… like a tightrope walk. But man, the sad songs are always better.

Orgcore: There’s a noticeable sense of freedom in this record, like you’re no longer trying to meet expectations.

Lashley: I realized I can make music from my heart and not be dependent on what folks think anymore. That’s not to say I don’t hope people like it—but I’m not bound to people’s approval to validate myself. That’s a big shift. It changes everything about how I write and record.

Orgcore: Vulnerability has always been a part of your work, but Pray for Death really leans into it. Was that difficult?

Lashley: Vulnerability? It’s my true essence musically. The most important component. And what I hope people relate to most—to realize it’s important to be that way themselves. Do I feel like I reveal too much? Or not enough? Fuckin’ A right—every day.

People try to use that against you and manipulate things based on perceived “weakness.” Then comes fear of that, so you guard yourself. But then you lose true meaning in relating emotion through song. And that petrifies me.

Orgcore: You recorded Pray for Death with Pete Steinkopf from The Bouncing Souls. What was that process like?

Lashley: Pete and I decided early on that we wanted to use Tom Petty’s Damn the Torpedoes as a kind of spiritual guide—not to rewrite a Petty record, but to tap into that feel. Everybody playing live in the room, full takes, no punching stuff in. We had the tones dialed in from the start. It was old-school. Honest. Real.

Orgcore: It shows. The record feels alive in a way that’s rare these days.

Lashley: That’s the hope. I wrote and recorded it with the intention that it could stand the test of time—as a great work. Real lightning in a bottle.

Orgcore: What would younger Lenny think of the man making this record?

Lashley: Undoubtedly he’d say, “Wow, good job you old fucker. I can’t believe you’re still alive and still trying.”

Orgcore: Looking ahead, do you see yourself taking on more of a mentor role in the scene?

Lashley: I hope I can be. I want to pass down what I’ve learned—not just the technical stuff, but the importance of staying true to who you are.

---

Lenny Lashley’s Pray for Death is out now on all platforms. It’s a bold, unflinching, and deeply human album that stands as one of his finest works to date. Play it loud. Let it sink in. And remember: the sad songs really are better.

All photos by Nick Hebditch (Dynamite Day Productions)