'The Roar of L'Amour'

RICH SANDERS - Unsung name from the heyday and the booking of L'Amour.

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When people think about the 80's era of L'Amour, more than me and more than the owners/staff they rightfully think of the headlining bands like worldwide acts Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Manowar, Slayer, Metallica, WASP, Cheap Trick and others.

Mix them in with bands like White Lion, Anthrax, Overkill that grew out of the local scene and it was quite a line-up to be proud of.

So, how did these bands start to play The Rock Capital of Brooklyn?

RICH SANDERS?

Who?

He isn't Italian.

He isn't George or Mike?

Rich kept a very low profile, and I brought him up a few times in stories about the L'Amour Rocks LP, Cheap Trick and who did what, but let give him a little focus that is due.

First off, if you walked in the club and saw an unassuming man upfront with glasses that was not an owner - that was Rich.

Now don't feel bad if you weren't aware of him, before I was hired, I had no idea either.

I thought everything was George and Mike, until ...

I am out to breakfast with George Parente after a shift in L'Amour East.

See before I started in Brooklyn, I did 4 months at East and drove in with George, and he would buy me breakfast on the way home.

On these rides and breakfast, we would talk music. George was the most "metal" of the owners but didn't know or listen to the indy bands and European bands that were starting to break and would pick my brain.

One day he says, "Rich asked me about a band called ...", I stopped him and said, "Who the F is Rich?"

He said "Our booking agent"

Huh?

What?

Who?

I thought it was all George and Mike, now there is a guy I never heard of?

See, Rich had connections with booking agents for bands and saw the potential for L'Amour early on and sprang into action.

How they connected? I can't speak about, but they did.

Now in 83/84 booking bands like Motorhead, Manowar, etc. were no brainers, but it still took work to make happen and Rich did it.

When, George asked me if I would come to L'Amour in 1984, one of the things he said was the fact he wanted my knowledge and insight on bands that none of the owners or Rich were familiar with.

If they are going to do this metal thing, might as well have a metalhead involved.

So in our discussions about taking over the DJ/VJ duties, we discussed the possibility of me being involved behind the scenes and as a 22-year-old kid ... FUCK YEAH was my answer.

So by 10/84, the club was already established and bands were being offered to Rich/L'Amour, but that doesn't mean there wasn't work involved.

There had to be negotiations, contracts, scheduling, etc. and anyone that booked bands in that era know it was exhausting to do.

No computers, all calls and fax machines and Rich was the conduit.

I told the Loudness story at https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16WosSnvgV/ which was the first time my musical influence was felt past the DJ/VJ stage.

For a while, I would get brought in on decisions when George would call me and mutter a bands name like "Tank" ...

That was my cue to tell him how many people, I thought they would draw and then he would go back to Rich and they would discuss if the booking made sense or not by multiplying my estimate by possible ticket price, etc.

There were also other considerations.

If a touring bands asking price was more than what Rich/L'Amour were comfortable with, you had to gauge by other options.

Could they get another national act and if not was it worth it to pay a band to fill that spot or go local?

A LOT when on behind every booking and Rich was the conduit.

I never met Rich when I was at East, but when I got to Brooklyn, he introduced himself to me and welcomed me to the team and said they will lean on me when there is a band, they were not sure of ... FN COOL (I was 22).

Over the years I would get calls about bands that the club wasn't sure of and give my opinion, including an hysterical DRI story (seen postscript)

Once MTV, radio, etc. caught up with the scene, 90% of the bands offered the club made sense to everyone and now my job was to place openers with the headliners

I told a few stories about that dynamic including a Cheap Trick one at https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BxdEcJQMj/

Most nights were easy to fill ...

Anthrax is booked. Let's go with Nuclear Assault

Overkill is booked. Let's go with Hades

White Lion is booked? Let's go with Playmate

Some nights/bands were more complicated (like Trick) and we would have discussions that were more involved.

When Rich was approached for a L'Amour Rocks compilation album, he called me to his office/apartment in Chelsea (Manhattan) for a meeting and asked me to bring 20-30 demo tapes of unsigned bands.

Between listening to and discussing bands, Rich and I really got into each other heads about music and cemented a respect that I still carry to this day.

I usually add the dates I was employed by L'Amour (10/84-11/88) when I write because I abhor stolen valor.

L'Amour was successful before and after me and a large unsung reason for that was ... RICH SANDERS.

Thank you, Rich, for everything and it was a pleasure working with you.

Chuck Kaye

Ah Yes Indeed

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