WOW! Everything finally lined up just right and after 26 years of looking for the band, the US Times, I have finally struck gold!
The US Times had an album, “Wanna Go to London”, with two songs that seemed to get a good rotation on WPRG in Baton Rouge, LA, US (now known as KLSU, the excellent LSU college station) sometime in 1982: “Wanna Go to London” and “I’m an Actor”. Unfortunately, I never saw them live. Oh, well. Those were the only songs I’ve heard from the album, that I know of.
They got enough airplay for me to remember some of the music and lyrics over the course of 26 years, slowly fading, fading, until today. Nothing in used record stores; in 1995, I began searching on the internet for it, maybe searching every year or two. At some point, about 1994, I spoke with my old high school friend, who is now married to Don, the original bass player, but somehow didn’t put two and two together. The internet grew and grew, the new music revolution was on and still I couldn’t find anything on the US Times.
About a year ago, I found a couple of good posts tucked into discussion groups, one of them at Dash Rip Rock’s site, with some info about the US Times. It was interesting to find, but still no sign of an album or tape to buy. Nothing on eBay, Amazon, eMusic, iTunes, etc.
Until today, when I found it on playlist. So fabulous, better than I remembered. And it’s dreamier still because it has the scratchy album sounds. Sigh…
Baton Rouge had a super-cool punk/new wave movement of local bands in the late 70’s and early 80’s, which was substantially encouraged by the Sex Pistols tour in 1978. Bands like the Shit Dogs and the Pigs have been cited among the local influences on this movement, and the fabulous Carlotta St. Parties, particularly at Halloween. The State Street/Chimes Street area just outside the LSU gates held the hotbed of clubs like The Chimes and The Bayou which hosted memorable shows.
Lead singer Gino Luti belts out with seriously cool inflections. I adore his voice in these tunes. With Don Snaith (aka “Snake”) thumpin’ out the bass grooves, Hans van Brackle rocks on guitar and currently provides the “classic edge” with the cover band Legendary Rhythm Bandits, and Buddy Bowers on the skins.
The tune “Wanna Go to London” is punky and energetic, while “I’m an Actor” seems to pick up more of a funky r&b groove. These are both really fun songs with delightfully simple progressions and subtly clever lyrics. FUN, did I mention FUN? I can’t help but groove when I hear them.
There is a recent rendition of the song “Wanna Go to London” by the band Jonny Was, featuring Shane West. Haven’t heard that, but would be interested in taking a listen.
Do you remember the US Times from Baton Rouge? Do you have any copies or recordings that you would like to share with this desperate listener? Post a comment if you do.
Click the atomic particle below to listen on playlist. A new window will open. Ouch, it’s gone! Easy come, easy go.
If you have a better update than this, please post them in a comment! [Words in brackets like this ] signify a phonetic guess. If you look around the internet, you can find a lame version of “Wanna Go to London”, presumably based on the Jonny Was release of the same song. They probably did change some of the lyrics slightly from the original, but the lyrics listed below are closest to the original lyrics of the 1982 release.
ENJOY
********************************************
Wanna Go to London Lyrics
********************************************
I wanna have a bloody good time
Get drunk on English stout
[Finally meet a queen so mean]
I want
I want
I want
I want
I wanna go to London
Now can I go to London?
Now will I go to London?
So leave me London England
Show me ’round your sleepy town
Where Holmes and Watson lurked
Is there still a Baskerville?
I want
I want
I want
I want
I wanna go to London
Now can I go to London?
Now will I go to London?
So leave me London England
The girls all talk so sexy
The guys are fuckin’ trash
And everybody’s proud to be
Of the working class
WORK
WORK
WORK
WORK
I don’t love it so I’ll leave it
I’ll go to Liverpool
Muswell Hill, Soho, Brighton
I want
I want
I want
I want
I wanna go to London
Now can I go to London?
Now will I go to London?
So leave me London England
I want to see the home of Hitchcock
And where a buzz bomb hit
If I don’t go I’ll be undone
If I
If I
If I
If I
If I don’t go to London
My life would be undone
If I don’t go to London
Well, my life would be no fun
THIS IS NO FUN
WORK
WORK
WORK
WORK
Not Jamaica, not Paree
[Not gonna go to] Waikiki
Not to Egypt or Japan
********************************
I’m an Actor Lyrics
********************************
They got places
For people like me
They got ideas
For what I can be
To set me back
On the right track
For I might need
Something I lack
I might fake it
As a matter of fact
I’ve been fakin’
Puttin’ on an act
I’m an actor
Not in movies
I’m an actor
Not Broadway
I’m an actor
I’m acting normal
I act okay
[If I get one
Livin'] like you
There’d be no choice
As to what to do
So I’m faking
I’m imitating
May not be real
But it’s still me
I do what I like
Keep it legal
And when it’s not
I keep it cool
I’m an actor
Not in movies
I’m an actor
Not Broadway-yay-eeeeee
I’m an actor
I’m acting normal
I act okay
Well, if I acted
The way that I felt
They’d put me away
For my own health
So I act fine
I don’t speak my mind
It’s not that hard
Once you get the hang
Stifle yourself
Don’t react rash
Nothing is
Important as
I’m an actor
Not in movies
I’m an actor
This ain’t Broadway-yay-eeeeee
I’m an actor
I’m acting normal
I act okay
[horn/guitar solos]
I smoke cigarettes
I’ve got housepets
I read the newspaper
I mow my grass
I change my oil
I change my clothes
I love my girl
I pay for it
I lost a job
I try to act not like a slob
I pull it off
I seem okay
So now they can’t put me away
I’m such a good actor
I act naturally
I act casual
I act comfortable in awkward situations
I’m an actor
Baby, baby look at me
I’m an actor
All the world’s a stage to me
I’m an actor
I’m as real as I can be
I’m an actor
28 June 2008 at 7:27 pm |
Aw, damn… i missed out on that playlist. It’s bound to turn up again soon. I have the email addresses of some of the guys in the band (as they commented on my site,) but never used them, let alone asked them whether they still had access to their recordings.
3 July 2008 at 8:02 pm |
I’m so sorry you missed it, too. It was only up for like a day or two after I posted it and then it was gone! There was a post, I think in your comments, from Hans Van Brackle saying he still had some live cassettes. I should contact him and ask about those.
When I talked to my friend, Don’s wife, she said she might have something somewhere, but I haven’t heard back yet.
Thanks for visiting!
Diane
8 July 2008 at 10:28 am |
They really were a lot of fun, and had a great live sound. They played ‘big’.
So many good songs, I’m just going to pull out one to mention because it made a friend and I laugh recalling it and singing it – “Wendy O”
“….She’s sportin’ massive thighs…”
Former WPRG/KLSU’er here, Beau Bahan, now in Austin. Yo, y’all!
11 July 2008 at 9:00 am |
So cool! You don’t still have any of those live recordings, do ya?
I would SO like to have access to the masters and re-release those tunes! I read on another blog (I think orbis-quintis) that Hans had some live cassettes. I have tried to contact him, and am waiting to hear back…
Maybe we’ll see you at SXSW 2009!
12 July 2008 at 9:52 am |
I may have a 45 single somewhere if I can find it, and I have a copy of the New Orleans compilation they appeared on, but no live recordings.
And that’s too bad, ’cause they really did have it going on, live.
12 July 2008 at 7:36 pm |
And I think it’s rather uncommon for bands to sound great live. It’s often the case that bands sound good on their recordings and they sound like crap live.
20 July 2008 at 10:13 am |
I still have the case to the tape of the “Wanna Go to London” album… no tape though… Where can I get a digital copy? Or a remastered CD? Some ingenious new (or old) capitalist has to realize there is some money to be made with releasing this?
Any help????
20 July 2008 at 12:48 pm |
Hey George:
I hear you! My guess is something is in the works. There is rumor of a tribute page; when I have contacted people involved and shown a willingness to volunteer for online music distribution services or other web help, I have heard nothing back. So either something is in the works and they don’t want to e-mail me back and say “We’re already doing something with it”, or “Back off; this is our glory fest,” or “Thanks, but no thanks,” or I am being perceived as a johnny-come-lately flake who can’t walk the walk! LOL
I would love to help set up the remastering, re-recording or electronic distribution, and not for glory or money. However, you can’t force a pig to fly unless you hurl it into the air, and that’s really not flying; it’s more of a forced momentum thing. So my own offer is out there, and I’m not even a good capitalist! I just want to hear the rest of the damn album!
Of course, they are probably wondering what I base my offer on: I have The Tube Dogs standing by to assist in all the technical aspects…
20 July 2008 at 2:34 pm |
Diane,
I can help you out here.
I’ve got a mint LP copy of the U.S. Times’ Wanna Go to London, and I was shocked to realize that I hadn’t already entered it into the computer. I already have their Mr. Right (b/w Vogue Baby) and The Obvious (b/w Wendy O) singles (as The Times) on the hard drive.
Being that I do a non-radio radio show (I like to think of 3 Chords & the Truth as soooooo much more than a podcast), I have a pretty decent home studio, with a Technics turntable and a Soundcraft stereo mixer. And my PC has a pro-quality sound card . . . and Adobe Audition editing software.
I think you know where I’m going with this. I can make the LP sound better than the original. And this can be all yours — for free. I am no bootlegger.
Drop me a line at the E-mail addy on the website.
20 July 2008 at 2:56 pm |
I had visited your site when you first commented, and didn’t have time to listen. I still didn’t have much time today, but I am going to make a point to download some of those shows to the iPod where I can listen at leisure (although said “leisure” may take 3 months to listen to one full show!).
Thanks for your generous gift offer!
You are THE MIGHTY FAVOG!
23 July 2008 at 12:21 am |
I like the sound of where this is going… but I am no mixologist/techno/music MacGyver…
Can you email me the music, o MIGHTY FAVOG?
17 August 2008 at 6:04 pm |
hey guys, I have 2 copies of their follow up album “Hip Isn’t It”. One copy is all ragged out cause I played it so much. The 2nd copy was never even opened (still got the cellaphane on it– I was gonna give it to someone for a gift but never got around to it, kewl, huh? I’m scared to open it…)
I saw them palay about 10 years ago on a renion nite at the Spanish Moon. They rocked. They were aell ALL types of US Times stuff- copies of old albums/tales, t-shirts. Gino rules!
Tom
19 October 2008 at 7:31 pm |
What Up???
genegno@bellsouth.net
19 October 2008 at 7:35 pm |
: )
Yay! I was beginning to wonder if you were some virtual guy who showed up on the internet every few years and taunted us all with talk of the US Times!
Thanks for visiting! Can you confirm or deny correct lyrics for the old-school fans? Is there a musical Chimes St. Project in the works? So many questions!
29 June 2009 at 7:48 pm |
This Band was called the Times in 1981 when i saw them many times live all over LA. great stuff. trying to find a song they did called “WENDY O” I’M LOOKING FOR MY OLD 45′S NOW. Keep up the search and let us know. thanks LASKO
27 July 2009 at 11:21 pm |
I first saw the then called “The Times” on 23 July 1982 at the LSU Assembly Center. The were the opening act for Blondie for her “Hunter” tour. John Cougar was originally scheduled to open for Blondie but his album American Fool sold bucket loads so he left Blondie and went on to headline his own tour. The Times got the gig and were fucking great. I was at Leisure Landing (a record store in Tiger Town just outside the LSU campus) a few days later and saw the 45rpm single of “The Obvious” with the flip side being “Wendy O” an homage to the now late Wendy O. Williams. They later released another 45rpm with the songs “Vogue Baby” and “Mr. Right” then I believe came the album “Wanna Go to London”. I heard tell that the name change came about because the Morris Day group The Time threatened of may have even sued for copyright infringement. I still have the 45’s and the L.P. which I have burnt onto cd and converted to mp3 so I can enjoy on my ipod. Their shit still holds up to this day. I am so glad I had a front row seat during such a great time for live music at LSU and the Baton Rouge area. I got to see The Times play live many times and they never disappointed, a killer punk band as they were labeled, however they were just a great rock n roll band to me. I still cherish my memories of this band 30+ years later and if the guys are out there thank them for those good times, and to let them know their music did touch some. The punk has to grow-up but he does not have to give in. Where ever you guys may be you still have me.
15 August 2009 at 10:45 pm |
I used to have a LP of The US Times- ‘Hip Isn’t It’. It is a great album.
I sent it off to have it burned to CD with a coworker who lost the album, but I still have the CD which I listen to from time to time. I am looking for the song titles so I can label them on my iTunes.
I also recall them opening up for Culture Club on Halloween night in 1985-ish at the Pete Marevich Center. Great performance and great album.
1 September 2009 at 12:25 am |
Was @ the Culture Club gig myself and saw The US Times many times around BR. My roommate had the same album and listened to its constantly. Some of the song titles I recall:
Product of a Broken Home
Young Professionals
DOA or AOA
Loitering with Intent
25 August 2009 at 2:26 pm |
Both the US Times “Wanna Go To London” & Times “Hip Isn’t It” albums will be available for digital download on CDBaby in the very near future.
c&p Skratch Records / Pal Productions Co.
all rights reserved
1 September 2009 at 9:52 am |
Ooh, I don’t have any of those, Markman. Now I have some new songs to look forward to!
Thanks everyone for keeping the US Times alive!