'The Roar of L'Amour'

PROPHET AND TT QUICK - Two very different bands, but with similar stories

Two NJ bands that were a part of my early-life and L'Amour that should have been huge

PROPHET - A different kind of "L'Amour band" and how it (Alan) Begun:

Wiki said they formed in 1983, but it had to be earlier.

I was working at The Factory in Staten Island as both daytime manager and later DJ and Prophet were a regular act in the venue.

I got to know the band and their crew fairly well and met guitarist Ken Dubman when he was "Alan Begun."

Confused? You should be.

See for about 2 years Ken went under the name Alan, because NJ raised the drinking/club age to 21 and Ken was too young to be allowed to play.

The band and crew committed to calling him "Alan" and even though he was old enough to be playing in Staten Island, they committed to the ruse.

One day I see him for soundcheck and say, "Hey Alan "and he replied, "It's Ken".

I was so confused because I called him Alan many times and he answered.

I looked at bassist Scott Metaxes and he explained the situation.

I thought it was brilliant that they committed to it fully, even in front of me.

Prophet was a dynamic band.

Even in the early incarnations, they stood out for their musicianship and song selection.

While other bands at their level were playing AC/DC, Van Halen, Priest, Scorpions, they played ELP, Rush, Kansas and similar acts.

While I was certainly a metalhead, I loved watching them perform. It was a breath of fresh air and the level of professionalism was unmatched, plus they were all good guys and easy to root for.

As line-ups changed, they started adding originals and I remember hearing them play 'Everything You Are (To Me)' the first time and said to my friend Rob (future drummer of Law and Order) that there was no way that wouldn't be a huge hit.

I was sadly wrong.

It was one of those songs that you heard once and sang in your head for months.

As music taste got heavier Prophet stayed true to what they were as a band and for that I will always give them credit.

By the time I got to L'Amour they were regular headliners there and deservedly so.

Even when they ditched the covers, they would still draw great crowds with their originals.

There is no rhyme or reason to why some bands make it and some don't.

I could never understand how a major label could hear 'Everything You Are (To Me)' and not see it as a top ten hit ... it made zero sense.

Later in the 80's, 3 members formed a cover band called Edgar Cayce and i was a regular every Wednesday when they played The Playpen on Rt. 35 in NJ.

I recently reconnected with Scott and Kenny online and reminisced about a funny story regarding Lyle Waggoner (Carol Burnett Show) producing White Lion and the Alan Begun story.

It's great to see them both out and playing in various projects.

Members of the band included Ted Poley (Danger Danger), Joe Zujkowski, Russel Arcara and my buddy Michael Sterlacci (as well as others).

I spent a lot of fun nights partying with Mike ... awesome drummer and guy.

They should have been huge ... make it make sense!

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TT QUICK  - Local heroes and my connection with Erik (Drummer) 

TT formed in 1979, but I met them around 1981 while working The Factory in Staten Island.

They were the epitome of a blue-collar hard rock band.

Just balls to the wall energy.

No huge stage show, no choreography, no costumes, just denim and a blistering hard rock approach.

Their no-frills approach reminded me of The Ramones. Heavier, but same no frills work ethic.

Along with bands like prophet and dreamer, they would play The Factory regularly.

I didn't know the guys that well, but we were always friendly. I remember Dave DiPietro (guitarist) welcoming me to L'Amour with a big "you are going to do great here" comment.

Then one day I hear they got a new drummer.

I knew their drummer Glenn Evans from his days in Dreamer and heard he left and wonder who the new guy is and ... it is Erik Ferro.

Erik was the first drummer I ever saw play The Factory. 

He was in a band called White Tiger that were the kings of Staten Island in 79/80.

Their singer was a cross between David Lee Roth and Punky Meadows and their guitarist had an updated Jimmy Page presence but looked modern. Their bassist was one of the best bassists on the scene, but the fn drummer was the guy that got my attention.

He was John Bonham but updated for the newer scene.

Erik in TT Quick intrigued me and I remember one night he came up to the booth to hang and I told him how I loved him as an 18 year old kid in SI and we just hung out the whole night discussing drumming (he appreciated Bun E from Cheap Trick, so that was cool) and we exchanged numbers.

TT (much like Prophet) should have been a much bigger band.

I don't think the industry knew what to do with them.

I would have just left them alone.

Their EP was a masterpiece in blue collar, no frills hard rock.

When TT didn't break as big as they should, Erik called me to see if I knew of any projects. 

a band I was working with was changing direction and Erik would have changed it even more.

We lost a drummer (who was Erik influenced) and were talking to a label and had a producer ready, but Erik was in New Orleans, and we didn't have the funds to fly him up and house him.

He was very interested and the thought of managing my favorite drummer excited me, but sadly we couldn't do it.

The last time I saw Erik was when he invited me to a club Zone DK in Manhattan to see a band and he confided in me a big band was interested in him and wanted my opinion.

We hung out and I drove him and a buddy to SI and hung until the wee hours.

RIP Erik.

TT wound up getting another SI drum legend in AJ Pero for a bit, but again they never made it to the heights they should have.

I see Walt Fortune (bassist) on social media and Mark Tornillo is absolutely killing it as the lead singer of Accept for the last 17 years.

Dave played in Nuclear Assault for a bit with Prophet's Scott Metaxes and is now playing with Prophet's Ken Dubman in his new band.

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TT Quick and Prophet - Two NJ bands that both should have been bigger and although they were two very different band, they will always be connected.

Chuck Kaye

Ah Yes Indeed

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