Larry Irgang

December 5th, 2014

I met Larry at Illinois State in 1977. I was a young guitar player and was happy to meet Larry, a drummer. Along with my friend, Rudy, we spent many hours jamming in the basement of one of the dormitories at ISU. In the spring of that school year we went back home with Larry and his friend Phil to their houses in Buffalo Grove for the weekend and were treated with great hospitality by their families. I was actually telling my own family about that trip just this past week because Larry showed us where Walter Payton lived that weekend. Funny the stuff you remember.

I am very saddened to hear of Larry’s passing, I just found out today because I was looking on the internet hoping to find out if he was going to be playing anywhere in the area and drop in to see him.

My heartfelt condolences to all those who knew and loved Larry.

~Mike Walsh
~College friend, Johnsburg, IL

October 5th, 2014

My memory of Larry: Having known Larry most of my life I have several personal memories of Larry. It’s amazing what you remember but never really express. Most of my memories start from way back to Cedar Lane in Des Plaines through Larry’s high school years on Crabtree. Being the oldest of 3 boys myself, and Larry being 3 years older than me, I remember looking up to him and wishing he was my big brother. I remember one winter in Des Plaines in the late 60s, I was standing near our car on our driveway and Larry, from his driveway next door, threw a snowball at me. I made a snowball myself and threw it at him, just missing him. Larry yelled “What an arm!” That was quite a compliment from my pretend big brother. I remember waiting for Larry to come home from baseball practice to join us in a pick up game of “pitcher’s hand out” behind the Irgang house on Crabtree. Larry showed up wearing his Phillies cap and jacked one out to the cornfield. I remember thinking “I want to be as good a ballplayer as Larry.” Then there was high school and Larry the drummer. I remember watching Larry with his drum kit crammed in the corner of his bedroom playing along with the music cranked on his stereo and just being in awe. I wanted to play the drums like Larry but my parents would never buy me a drum kit. Playing basketball on my driveway, 3 doors down, I would stop to listen to Larry’s drums ringing out over Crabtree. Awesome! After Larry graduated from high school, I didn’t see him much but I will never forget how Larry was there in January, 1991 when my family was rocked by the sudden death of my dad. Larry came every evening for the shiva to be a part of the minion. Those are things you never forget. In the early 90s we learned Larry was an electrician and we had him do the electrical work for our home in wheeling in ’93 and again when we moved to BG in ’98. It was always a good opportunity to catch up and talk about family. I remember asking him about whether he was still playing the drums and he said between work and family, he really didn’t have the time. I think I was more disappointed to hear that than he was in telling me. I’ve played a little guitar over the years but I told my wife that I always wanted to play the drums. She surprised me on my 35th birthday wit a drum kit. I couldn’t help but think of Larry. Years later, by sheer coincidence Larry wound up playing in a band with another good friend of mine and I was so happy to see him back behind the drums again. From my view point, he hadn’t missed a beat and I, having known him, could feel his utter contentment and vibe. My wife and I went to several of their shows and Larry was alway happy to see an old familiar fan and would make time to talk with us during intermission or after the show, making sure we knew when the next gig was. That is my memory of Larry. That’s how I choose to remember Larry…always looking forward to the next gig to see a familiar fan. Peace.

~Chuck Newland
~family friend, buffalo grove, il