The potent combination of these styles combined with Lou's own talent and enthusiasm created a powerful and exciting young player, and when Killing Floor came to visit in 1968, after Lou had answered an ad in the Melody Maker music paper, they were knocked out.
Lou's style was an important part of the early Killing Floor sound and his playing received excellent reviews. When the initial band band broke up as the British blues boom waned, Lou went on to work with numerous other projects, before rejoining Killing Floor towards the end of their life, (first incarnation) along with Bill, Rod De'Ath, Mick and Stan Dekker on bass. When Killing Floor finally metamorphosed into the new Cliff Bennett band, Lou was there.. indeed it was he who had introduced the band to Cliff. But almost immediately a new call came, from one Mr. Rory Gallagher.
Rod De'Ath was already working with Rory, and had told him about this fiery pianist that he knew. Rory was intrigued, and after a quick audition he augmented his three piece band with, for the first time, keyboards. The line-up stayed together for seven years and toured extensively all over the world. They played major venues such as the Albert Hall in London, The Hollywood Bowl and Budokan in Japan. In the course of their American tours Lou jammed with Otis Rush in his Chicago club and was asked to join Albert Collins' band. A full length feature film was made of their Irish tour by producer Tony Palmer, and shown on general release around the world. Five albums were released.. "Tattoo" "Blueprint" "Calling Card" "Against the Grain" and the huge selling "Irish Tour".
When their time with Rory was finally over, Rod and Lou decided to fulfil a long time ambition and put a band together with Mick Clarke and "Mac" McDonald. With Stevie Smith fronting the band they formed "Ramrod". The band toured Ireland and had some success in London, but unfortunately the times were against it.. punk music had arrived, and bands such as Ramrod had no chance at all of securing a record contract. Despite the valiant efforts of band members, particularly Rod deAth, the band broke up after just a year.
Lou and Rod were now booked for a tour of Europe backing Chuck Berry. The tour line up included Muddy Waters and was a huge success, being repeated soon afterwards. Lou's stories of life with Chuck are legendary.. but you must ask him yourself!
Over the following years Lou took up long residencies as a solo pianist, and also recorded with Mick Clarke on several of his albums. In the early 1990's he joined up with Scottish band "Blues'n'Trouble", relocated to Edinburgh and went back on the road full time. The band recorded several albums and toured extensively across Europe. Following this Lou worked full time with Mick Clarke's band, again touring regularly across Europe, and has played on the new Killing Floor album "Zero Tolerance".
Lou has recently worked in various projects such as the "Band of Friends" and other Gallagher tributes. He also works occasionally with Nine Below Zero, Gwyn Ashton and Mick Clarke. At the moment he is recovering from illness and is hoped to rejoin working with KILLING FLOOR soon.
Top photo: Bill Thorndycraft. Lou with Chuck Berry, Alexander Palace London 1979 by courtesy of David Cooper.
Lou remembers..
The band formed in 1968 as a chicago styled blues band..Material/reportoire featured covers of Junior Wells,James Cotton, Elmore James performed in the style of the Paul Butterfield/Charlie Musselwhite band courtesy of Bill's Records.We rehearsed and then looked for places to play which was relatively easy in those days.
There was a considerable blues boom going on ever since John Mayall and Eric Clapton paved the way and the scene was quite full of guitar fronted bands playing BB King- Albert and Freddie. Our style was much more down - home with southside influences blending with the newly arrived sound of Canned Heat and just a little sprinkling of west coast hard rock.
After finding ourselves an agent,we had opportunities to support some of the big acts of the day e.g.Jethro Tull, Georgie Fame, Ten Years After, the Nice, Yes, Chicken Shack etc as well as acts as diverse as The Herd, Jr Walker and the all stars, Arthur Brown and Consortium all of which gave the band exposure and in general we were increasing our popularity whilst still adhering to our bluesy roots.
Through one of the promoters who booked American Blues Stars, the offer emerged to back Howlin' Wolf.We all reacted along the lines of 'Howlin' Wolf with Killing Floor, 'his number' - brilliant. Alas some other more moneyed orientated band hijacked the job and we alternatively got the tour with Freddie King instead. A good move as it turned out. T.B.C...
