Kenneth Johnston The
Industry was a predominately gay bar. The management decided to book
acts that they thought would be profitable by catering to the LSU crowd
on Friday and Saturday nights.
It had a split level stage and, from my
perspective, great vibes. I think they were legally a private club so
there was no rush to close by 2am.
Doug Meet Kenneth Johnston yeah, man. you're preaching to the choir! here's me after my curfew gettin' my lesbian on ca. 1979, maybe by Carlton Freeman
Kenneth Johnston The
Industry was a predominately gay bar. The management decided to book
acts that they thought would be profitable by catering to the LSU crowd
on Friday and Saturday nights.
It had a split level stage and, from my
perspective, great vibes. I think they were legally a private club so
there was no rush to close by 2am.
Doug Meet Kenneth Johnston yeah, man. you're preaching to the choir! here's me after my curfew gettin' my lesbian on ca. 1979, maybe by Carlton Freeman
Oh, i forgot to say that this is Jett Rink and the Solar Skates: don had already gone into full cramps mode with dyed black poodle hair. this wasn't even the first lieup, cuz there's no greg whatshisname, who we made play punk rock...this was after he went to juliard or some such learning institution. it's rick staton. i always found it nice to have a mortician in the band.
Mark LaFlaur - The Industry was quite a venue. Fast Waves played (i.e., rocked) there a few times in 1983.
It was kind of bisexual, or ambidextrous, so to speak. After the rock bands played, as the night grew later, it became a gay bar.
Doug Meet Mark LaFlaur
everyone knows you don't become a gay bar, you're born that way.
i think my band played one of its first gigs there. maybe Johnny the chick RIP was there too.
maybe Carlton Freeman took this pic.
maybe R.u. Allman wrote a review.
i remember the stair stage.
nothing like it, except for our first gig in fat city at that club with the railing all around.
beat that, bitches. i was sixteen.
Manage
Earl Reinhalter There was a donut shop in the nearby strip mall which had a sign that flashed "HOT PRODUCT" whenever new donuts came out of the oven. I used to kid him about that. He said that Product was never "hot," not being the kind of band that rocks out.
Manage
Karl Kimbler I was counting on you, Electric Earl, to chime in with some memories from back then. I've still got your blue, solo cassette release by the way. Didn't you play in What 4 before heading out on your own? I was in Fast Waves along with Mark LaFlaur and a few other PRG/KLSU alumni. I seem to remember you opening for us a time or two. Product was by no means a rock band, but they had a happening sound all their own which I liked.
Manage
Earl Reinhalter Karl Kimbler Yes, I was in WHAT 4. In fact I thought up the name of the band. We were having trouble coming up with a name, and Ren Rowland suggested that we use a phrase, like that band Frankie Goes to Hollywood. That prompted me to think of what for, with a number 4. I played bass and sang some of the cover songs. My own originals didn't fit the band's sound (they felt). Tim Prudhomme was also in the band, along with two other guys who I don't think are on Facebook.
Manage
Earl Reinhalter WHAT 4 gigs:
5/29/1981: first gig - opened for The Look at M.M. [Mother’s Mantle?] in Lafayette
10/30/1981: opened for Vacation Bible School at “Beaux Arts Ball” at the Bayou
10/31/1981: opened for The Times at Mother’s Mantle
11/11/1981: Mother’s Mantle - with the Zoomers
11/19/1981: Mother’s Mantle
11/25/1981: opened for The Singles at Mother’s Mantle
11/28/1981: opened for The Times at Mother’s Mantle
12/17/1981: Mother’s Mantle - with The Noise
1/20/1982: Mother’s Mantle - with The Noise
2/12/1982: The Bayou
3/18/1982: opened for the Bongos at ??????? [former Kingfish]
[4/4/1982: Earl quits the band]
4/18/1982: Greek Theatre gig?
Manage
Karl Kimbler A great time to be in the south BR music scene, for sure. Plenty of memories of special shows and fantastic people. Let's keep this thread alive some more, but for now it's off to bed for this old guy. East Coast time and Saturday's change means it's past my bedtime. Enjoyed the dialogue guys, until next time!
Mark LaFlaur Yes, Karl Kimbler and Earl Reinhalter, the electrified Earl did get the crowd warmed up before Fast Waves at least once, at Dave's Derby, in 1983. (Was D's D a short-lived venue?)ManageManage
Karl Kimbler Mark LaFlaur Yep, very short-lived from what I remember. We got robbed there one night when we left Janel working the door by herself and someone walked up and intimidated her into handing over the cash. The right thing for her to do, but she should have never been handling it alone in the first place.
Earl Reinhalter That was post-WHAT 4, and pre-"Electric Earl".Manage
http://www.electricearl.com/why_ee.htmlManage
Karl Kimbler Mark LaFlaur I imagine we were short-handed and Dave's Derby declined to provide staff to handle the door for us. I'm sure the thought of Janel facing a strong arm robbery never crossed our minds, though it should have. Just lucky no one was hurt. Besides, I don't think the take was too great given the light attendance we usually had playing that place.Manage
Doug Meet Earl Reinhalter omg you were in what 4? this is making me feel again. please tell us, you and the other member above, some good Tim Prudhomme and Mercedes stories. that would totally make my night. and then, who the fuck was in that band named after a philosophical term that is escaping what little mind i have left? maybe with tim or randy? i need to know that too.Manage
Doug Meet Earl Reinhalter jesus, which one is mother's mantle? you guys traveled 4 gigs there a lot.Manage
Karl Kimbler Doug Meet Fast Waves was a BR band formed in '82 by a group of 6 close friends who grew up together and went to Lee High. No one knew how to play an instrument before starting to jam in various garages The lineup was me on Farfisa organ, Mark LaFlaur guitar, Johnny Willett bass, John Brewer drums, Chip Chesteen alto sax, and James Dupre tenor sax. To my knowledge, we were the only BR rock outfit with a brass section and that gave us a certain sound, I guess. We played a range of classic rock covers along side an equal mix of wave-centric originals. The band gigged around south BR/LSU until '85 when 3 remaining members headed off to San Francisco to take a stab at the big time. Dave's Derby was a short-lived dive bar up Highland across from Mother's Mantle. I'm remembering it maybe as The Keg originally.
Doug Meet okay, thanks. don't remember, but that could be my fault. i was looking for a brass section when we recorded our lp. found my dentist's band instead. it was a funny session.
