Unless you're a musician It's really hard to measure a guitarist's talents, unless they obviously can't carry a note. Griffin is a damn good guitar player in my book, and his lyrics, if you listen to them, are more than girly, bubble gum tunes. And each album gets better, although the radio and MTV gives them less notoriety with each album. It does kind of tick me off that they claim they're from NO, though. That makes no sense at all.
Sure, this is all opinio, but I agree that Zebra is far better than Ezra. Never heard too much Cowboy Mouth, but what I've heard can't hold a candle to Zebra - IMO. I didn't even know that they're from Louisiana. The bands being discussed are, indeed, from different times. You have to be pushing 50, as I am, to be familiar with Potliquor. Does anyone here remember the contest on WLCS radio to name that band? Does anyone even remember WLCS? That was before FM radio! Remember the DJ, Crazy Kawalski? Dude was a trip! Anyway, Potliquor was from the 60s/early 70s and played a bluesy brand of R&R. Their first album is, without a doubt one of the finest collections of songs I ever heard in my life. Unfortunately, bands from Louisiana tended to get overlooked. Thank goodness no one here has suggested that "Louisiana's LeRoux" was one of the better Louisiana rock bands! They probably had the best commercial success, at least on the pop charts, of any Louisiana bands. Yuk! Just as rock bands from the south didn't get much air play and exposure, the same tended to happen to bands from the midwest. There were many, many, great bands from the midwest in the 70s that never got quite enough exposure to hit it big. The terrific band, "Head East" comes to mind. What a great group with a huge following in the midwest that never could quite break out. Fortunately, they toured a lot and I got to see them a few times - twice in Baton Rouge (at the Kingfish) and once in New Orleans. Head East put on one of the absolute best live concerts that I ever saw - and I went to a LOT of concerts.
I saw Head East at the Kingfish. Whatever happened to them? Are they still together? I don't go to many concerts anymore but last night I heard a commercial on the radio for George Thorogood at the Texas Club on March 9th. I will make that one.
Hey Bengal B, you probably saw me there at the Kingfish! 1978? 1979? I was the guy front and center with the long hair standing/dancing on my chair and, occasionally, on the table! They are still "together," but Roger Boyd, the keyboard player and leader is the only original remaining member. Of the other original members (i.e., those from the glory days of the early 70s to 1980): John Schlitt, lead vocals - got fired in 1980; had his own band, Johnny, for a year or two which didn't do well; worked as an engineer for a few years; accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and savior in mid 80s and has been doing very well as lead singer for the Christian hard rock group Petra for the past 17 years; also, put out a couple of Christian solo albums (his album "Unfit For Swine" is excellent). You may recall his excellent and very distinctive voice; he has won several grammy awards. See more at www.johnwschlitt.com Mike Somerville, guitar - left the band in 1980; worked various musical projects, including a venture with Stephen Scorfina of Pavlog's Dog; returned to Head East in 1994, but was fired from the band by Boyd last year; IMO, the band is just not at all the same without him - he is one of the greatest guitar players of all time, and he wrote many of Head East's best songs, such as "Never Been any reason," (their biggest hit, a classic, and still geting a lot of radio play today) "Separate Ways," "The Victim," and "Man I Wanna Be." Dan Birney, bass - Left the band in 1980 and got out of the music business. Passed away five months ago. Steve Huston, drums - Left the band around 1983; suffered and recovered from a heart attack not too many years later; Has owned and operated a recording studio in Houston for several years. Head East never really stopped playing, but has gone through numerous lineup changes and only plays very small venues now. I saw them at a bar in Opelousas a couple of years ago in a rare southern appearance. They play primarily in the midwest. Their set consists primarily of songs from the first studio album, Flat as a Pancake, which is a shame because they had a lot of good material on their other 8 albums - particularly on their album Get Yourself Up, which is my favorite. Unfortunately, most of their albums were never released on CD, though they did put out a couple of greatest hits type CDs in recent years. How is that? Does that answer your questions, BengalB?! For more info, see www.head-east.com. Rock on!
Spent some time following DRR around a couple years ago. Bill now lives in Nashville. They've been at Jazz Fest the last 2 years - but I don't know now...BTW - Cowboy Mouth Fred LeBlanc was the original drummer for DRR
Any of you guys from New orleans old enough to remmeber a place called Cross Roads, back in the mid to late sixites. They used to have a battle of the bands every Saturday and all of the best up and coming bands would play there to get seen and heard. Many a great band such as PotLiquor, Paper Steamboat, The llusions, The Basement, etc. got their first break at that place.
Why hasn't someone mentioned The Producers. Their best song was "Lucy", (I love Lucy, but she don't care).... I hope someone tells me they remember this and I am not crazy. (this was in the 80's). LUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCYYYYYYYYYY. I had the vinyl, someone at a music store looked it up and told me that they never made a CD. They used to play them at the Bengal, anyone remember that place on Thursday nights?
If you're gonna go there, we gotta bring in the Axe, Lillian Axe. They are still playing. The guy who plays lead guitar in my friends band, Catch Velvet out of NO, also plays guitar with the Axe. Pretty fun show if you still dream about 80s rock. Course, there is also RattPoisin to get the blood pumpin again.
