A walk down “rubbermemory lane” #3

September 20, 2024 by bbabin in Uncategorized

Another great group publicity shot from our session at THE COMPUTER (1963?)

This is what we call “youthful insanity.” This is the second floor balcony of MAISON BLANCH, a local upscale department store in NOLA. This building was actually on Iberville Street, behind the larger store that was on Canal Street. It was called OUTBACK.

They wanted to put a rock band on that balcony and so we said YES, not even thinking about what that would take. Remember, this building is probably at least 250 years old….. no elevator or lift, just narrow staircases.

We lugged all our gear up there, including a HAMMOND M-3 ORGAN and Leslie speaker (pictured here). I think it weighed more than 150 pounds. I’m not even sure where the PA was because I can’t see it in the picture.

Regardless, the show was a huge hit and no broken bones or fingers were encountered.

We really had a good-looking thing with the bell bottom pants, long sleeve shirts, and wide ties. All under the guidance of our manager, John Digiovanni. In this pic, you can see our KUSTOM PA speakers with 4 12″ speakers (far left and right),

Ted’s gigantic National guitar amp,

David Parker’s amazing KUSTOM bass amp with two 2-15 inch woofers,

therubbadrumma is in the middle with his “single” Olympic drum kit. He did not get double bass drums till a year later in 1969.

David Greene’s VOX SuperBeatle amp,

and Park’s VOX continental organ, driven by two SILVERTONE amps, stacked behind him.

Here you had one of the premiere NOLA party bands of the 1960s, THE RUBBER MEMORY.

I’m sure we fancied ourselves to be “beatle-like.” Here we are just goofing off under the carport after rehearsal at Ted’s, circa 1964.

I always liked this as my favorite group shot from 1969. We just looked like rockers.

Notice David Parker’s Hoffner Bass, David Greene’s new Gibson SG, and Ted’s new Kay guitar.

The wonderful cargo trailer that got our stuff all around NOLA and even other spots in southern Louisiana forms a great backdrop

Another great group pic from 1969.

Everyone has slightly longer hair.

Park’s full-size LESLIE speaker is right behind my head.

therubbadrumma sits proudly behind his new double-bass OLYMPIC drum kit, thanks to Bob Campo from CAMPO’S MUSIC STORE.

I really think the “trailer pic” above is our best shot, but we went to famous CITY PARK and shot lots of pictures in prep for the release of our album, WELCOME, in 1970.

This one here made the album cover. In 2012, well after Hurricane Katrina, we returned to City Park and looked all over for that bridge so that we could “reshoot” the picture. But it was not to be found.

Keep reading these blogs so you will see how we all looked when we did get a great reunion shot in 2024.

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