The Lowdown is an Up, A Tribute To Faye Hunter

Let’s Active was a gateway band for me. I got into them just as I was getting into REM, simply because I wanted to hear anything Mitch Easter produced. From there it was onto bands like Game Theory, the DB’s, The Paisley Underground, all the bands in that scene, Don Dixon and Marti Jones, and many more.

I loved Mitch Easter’s music, “Waters Part,” “Easy Does,” “Every Word Means No,” “In Little Ways,” “Reflecting Pool,” “Every Dog Has it’s Day,” “Room With A View,” “Bad Machinery,” and so on. But on the first two Let’s Active albums, Afoot and Cypress, I came to realize that as much as I loved Mitch’s music, I loved Faye Hunter’s more. Everything she sang,  and her terrific bass playing. When I wanted a pick me up, Faye’s songs were the ones that worked best with me. “Blue Line,” “Lowdown, “ just wonderful.

While Faye’s only lead vocal on Let’s Active’s third album, Big Plans For Everybody, on “Horizon” she also made her presence felt with her bass and harmonies.  That whole album is a tonic for the troops with me. 

After Big Plans, Faye left the band, and I lost touch, only to make her acquaintance on Facebook decades later. Her posts lifted me up like her songs did. I found her to be a very caring, giving, loving, funny, sweet person.  And a great artist. I’ve seen her work.

And now she’s gone. Her songs will live on with me, and give me strength, just the way Scott Miller’s songs will for now -- forever.  Long live Scott, long live Faye, two fantastic, and very underrated musicians, just the way Let’s Active is a very underrated band. RIP.   

Andrea Weiss