Music
Press
Rock bands known for an epic 15-year run, marathon sets and a sizeable regional following usually sit on their laurels and gaze at scrapbook clippings by now. Not Bas Clas who, with this seven-song EP, seemed poised for another run. With its core membership still intact, the Bas Clas sound is too, a roots-rock concoction bedrocked in its Southwest Louisiana identity, ’80s rock influences (especially Tom Petty) and an occasional, guitar-jangly trace of the Byrds. The guitar-searing “Allons Danser” couldn’t be better to kick off the proceedings since it essentially shapes Bas Clas’ complex identity. Like “Allons Danser,” “My Louisiane” is also rife with cultural references with memories of Maw-Maw underneath an old oak tree. Additionally, Bas Clas delightfully strays into the metaphysical on “Whistling Wind” with lead guitarist Steve Picou and guest saxophonist Dickie Landry’s Middle Eastern-sounding riffs, not to mention the surreal lyrics: ‘I hear music in the air / bringing stories from somewhere.’ Infectious and smartly delivered, Bas Clas’ buoyant songs become addictive (“Back to Work,” “Silverbird”) after a few listens. There will always be a place in Louisiana’s musical lore for Bas Clas. - by Dan Willlging, OffBeat Magazine, New Orleans LA
Rock bands known for an epic 15-year run, marathon sets and a sizeable regional following usually sit on their laurels and gaze at scrapbook clippings by now. Not Bas Clas who, with this seven-song EP, seemed poised for another run. With its core membership still intact, the Bas Clas sound is too, a roots-rock concoction bedrocked in its Southwest Louisiana identity, ’80s rock influences (especially Tom Petty) and an occasional, guitar-jangly trace of the Byrds. The guitar-searing “Allons Danser” couldn’t be better to kick off the proceedings since it essentially shapes Bas Clas’ complex identity. Like “Allons Danser,” “My Louisiane” is also rife with cultural references with memories of Maw-Maw underneath an old oak tree. Additionally, Bas Clas delightfully strays into the metaphysical on “Whistling Wind” with lead guitarist Steve Picou and guest saxophonist Dickie Landry’s Middle Eastern-sounding riffs, not to mention the surreal lyrics: ‘I hear music in the air / bringing stories from somewhere.’ Infectious and smartly delivered, Bas Clas’ buoyant songs become addictive (“Back to Work,” “Silverbird”) after a few listens. There will always be a place in Louisiana’s musical lore for Bas Clas. - by Dan Willlging, OffBeat Magazine, New Orleans LA
If you’re from South Louisiana and are of a certain age — say, 40 to 60 — and if you care not for the Top 40 Pablum that has long oozed from the radio like bland porridge, you probably remember Bas Clas. At Grant Street and the old Jefferson Street Café in Lafayette. At Mother’s Mantle in Baton Rouge. The Maple Leaf in New Orleans.
Bas Clas bolted Lafayette in the early ’80s as the promise of major label success — and the Oil Bust — spun its compass northeast to Atlanta.
Formed in 1976 and officially disbanding 15 years later, Bas Clas members have remained friends and, from time to time, band mates. For two days this month, they’ll rekindle the flame that once burned like a cattle iron with a pair of shows in Lafayette.
“I’m proud to note that many bands got their first real stage experience opening for us, including a 14-year-old CC Adcock, the Blue Runners, a whole bunch of bands whose names I barely remember and every band Bill Davis of Dash Rip Rock ever played in,” recalls band member Steve Picou. “We like to think we were pioneers delivering songs and energy that radio was lacking at the time, and that we were generous to other musicians struggling like us to make a go of it.”
The band came painfully close to breaking through to the other side in a pre-digital, pre-Internet age when vinyl records, radio play and touring were virtually the only means of cultivating a following. Legendary producer John Hammond took it under his wing for a time, shopped it around, put a spit-shine on it. That major-label contract never got inked, but even as Bas Clas enjoyed a level of success few in rock achieve, the band remained humble, hopeful and, most important, friends.
Taking its name from a Cajun term for “low class,” Bas Clas began as a gaggle of hard-partying pals scattered around South Louisiana that coalesced into a clever, sharp-edged alternative rock band — before the term “alternative rock” existed — headquartered in a ramshackle house off a gravel road near Judice. Original members and brothers Donnie (rhythm guitar, vocals) and Steve Picou (lead guitar, vocals) of Eunice were joined by Baton Rougers Pat Gremillion (guitar, vocals) and Buddy Bowers (drums, vocals). Originally, Bas Clas was a rock band without a bass player. Within a couple of years Geoff Thistlethwaite (bass) and Ted Cobena (drums) rolled into the lineup as Gremillion and Bowers rolled out, with a few additions and subtractions along the way.
Like many bands built on an armature of friendship, rock-and-roll and beer, Bas Clas had its own quirky customs, including annual parties tied to the anniversaries of the break-in at the Watergate Hotel and Richard’s Nixon’s resignation. We don’t understand this, but we’re sure it made sense at the time.
The current roster — the Picou brothers, Thistlethwaite and Cobena — played their last gig at the 1991 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival before scattering to day jobs, odds-and-ends in the music biz and, now, the occasional reunion gig.
Donnie Picou remains in Atlanta, working in the telecommunications industry. Steve is a sustainable housing agent for the LSU AgCenter in New Orleans. Thistlethwaite lives in Opelousas and works for Mello Joy Coffee and as a freelance sound engineer, frequently manning the board at Blue Moon Saloon. Cobena has a recording studio and works as a sought-after drummer in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. But the quartet has Lafayette in its GPS at this moment.
“We’d like to think it’s a newsworthy item for our dwindling fan base, some of whom might not want to admit to what they did at Bas Clas parties so long ago,” Steve jokes about the pair of shows Bas Clas will play on Aug. 6 and 13 at The Wild Salmon in Lafayette. The shows will bookend a week of recording — their first serious recording session in more than 20 years — at legendary Dockside Studio in Maurice.
“We’re doing the first [gig] to get our juices flowing for the studio and the last one to celebrate the conclusion of the session,” Steve adds. “Of course both gigs will help us raise funds to help us turn these efforts into a product for release in the — we hope — very near future.”
- The Independent, Lafayette LA
If you’re from South Louisiana and are of a certain age — say, 40 to 60 — and if you care not for the Top 40 Pablum that has long oozed from the radio like bland porridge, you probably remember Bas Clas. At Grant Street and the old Jefferson Street Café in Lafayette. At Mother’s Mantle in Baton Rouge. The Maple Leaf in New Orleans.
Bas Clas bolted Lafayette in the early ’80s as the promise of major label success — and the Oil Bust — spun its compass northeast to Atlanta.
Formed in 1976 and officially disbanding 15 years later, Bas Clas members have remained friends and, from time to time, band mates. For two days this month, they’ll rekindle the flame that once burned like a cattle iron with a pair of shows in Lafayette.
“I’m proud to note that many bands got their first real stage experience opening for us, including a 14-year-old CC Adcock, the Blue Runners, a whole bunch of bands whose names I barely remember and every band Bill Davis of Dash Rip Rock ever played in,” recalls band member Steve Picou. “We like to think we were pioneers delivering songs and energy that radio was lacking at the time, and that we were generous to other musicians struggling like us to make a go of it.”
The band came painfully close to breaking through to the other side in a pre-digital, pre-Internet age when vinyl records, radio play and touring were virtually the only means of cultivating a following. Legendary producer John Hammond took it under his wing for a time, shopped it around, put a spit-shine on it. That major-label contract never got inked, but even as Bas Clas enjoyed a level of success few in rock achieve, the band remained humble, hopeful and, most important, friends.
Taking its name from a Cajun term for “low class,” Bas Clas began as a gaggle of hard-partying pals scattered around South Louisiana that coalesced into a clever, sharp-edged alternative rock band — before the term “alternative rock” existed — headquartered in a ramshackle house off a gravel road near Judice. Original members and brothers Donnie (rhythm guitar, vocals) and Steve Picou (lead guitar, vocals) of Eunice were joined by Baton Rougers Pat Gremillion (guitar, vocals) and Buddy Bowers (drums, vocals). Originally, Bas Clas was a rock band without a bass player. Within a couple of years Geoff Thistlethwaite (bass) and Ted Cobena (drums) rolled into the lineup as Gremillion and Bowers rolled out, with a few additions and subtractions along the way.
Like many bands built on an armature of friendship, rock-and-roll and beer, Bas Clas had its own quirky customs, including annual parties tied to the anniversaries of the break-in at the Watergate Hotel and Richard’s Nixon’s resignation. We don’t understand this, but we’re sure it made sense at the time.
The current roster — the Picou brothers, Thistlethwaite and Cobena — played their last gig at the 1991 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival before scattering to day jobs, odds-and-ends in the music biz and, now, the occasional reunion gig.
Donnie Picou remains in Atlanta, working in the telecommunications industry. Steve is a sustainable housing agent for the LSU AgCenter in New Orleans. Thistlethwaite lives in Opelousas and works for Mello Joy Coffee and as a freelance sound engineer, frequently manning the board at Blue Moon Saloon. Cobena has a recording studio and works as a sought-after drummer in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. But the quartet has Lafayette in its GPS at this moment.
“We’d like to think it’s a newsworthy item for our dwindling fan base, some of whom might not want to admit to what they did at Bas Clas parties so long ago,” Steve jokes about the pair of shows Bas Clas will play on Aug. 6 and 13 at The Wild Salmon in Lafayette. The shows will bookend a week of recording — their first serious recording session in more than 20 years — at legendary Dockside Studio in Maurice.
“We’re doing the first [gig] to get our juices flowing for the studio and the last one to celebrate the conclusion of the session,” Steve adds. “Of course both gigs will help us raise funds to help us turn these efforts into a product for release in the — we hope — very near future.”
- The Independent, Lafayette LA
Founded in the late '70s by brothers, Donnie and Steve Picou -- soon
joined by Gary Graeff and Geoff Thisthlethwaite -- Bas Clas (meaning
"low class") was one of Lafayette's first "alternative bands." Back
then it was called everything from punk rock to new wave to just rock
'n' roll. However it was rock in its truest form, mixing the primal
power and political consciousness of The Clash and Elvis Costello with
the swampy twang of its Louisiana roots. During their 15-year run, Bas
Clas developed a hard-earned reputation as a powerhouse live act with
Springsteen-like, two-hour marathon sets that established them as one
of the most influential groups in South Louisiana and the Gulf Coast.
Though their recorded output was limited to three singles such as the
seminal "Serfin' USA," the band attracted the attention of legendary
producer, John Hammond, who had signed Bob Dylan in his day. Hammond shopped the band to various record labels, but a deal never
materialized. The soldiered through the oil crash of the '80s, moving
to Atlanta in 1986 where they continued to hone their live set until
eventually disbanding in 1991....
Dege Legg, The Independent
Oct. 29, 2008
- by Dege Legg, The Independent Weekly, Lafayette, LA
Founded in the late '70s by brothers, Donnie and Steve Picou -- soon
joined by Gary Graeff and Geoff Thisthlethwaite -- Bas Clas (meaning
"low class") was one of Lafayette's first "alternative bands." Back
then it was called everything from punk rock to new wave to just rock
'n' roll. However it was rock in its truest form, mixing the primal
power and political consciousness of The Clash and Elvis Costello with
the swampy twang of its Louisiana roots. During their 15-year run, Bas
Clas developed a hard-earned reputation as a powerhouse live act with
Springsteen-like, two-hour marathon sets that established them as one
of the most influential groups in South Louisiana and the Gulf Coast.
Though their recorded output was limited to three singles such as the
seminal "Serfin' USA," the band attracted the attention of legendary
producer, John Hammond, who had signed Bob Dylan in his day. Hammond shopped the band to various record labels, but a deal never
materialized. The soldiered through the oil crash of the '80s, moving
to Atlanta in 1986 where they continued to hone their live set until
eventually disbanding in 1991....
Dege Legg, The Independent
Oct. 29, 2008
- by Dege Legg, The Independent Weekly, Lafayette, LA
01 June 2012 — by Cree McCree OffBeat Magazine
The Beatles in Hamburg in ’61. The Stooges’ 1967 Halloween debut at their State Street house in Ann Arbor. The Velvet Underground’s living room gigs in Austin, documented on Live ’69. Certain rock milestones bestow a lifetime of bragging rights on those lucky enough to be there.
For rock fans in Cajun country who danced to the different drummer of Bas Clas—the Cajun term for “low class”—that milestone came in 1978, when the band’s first gig at Lafayette’s Grant Street Dancehall got them banned from the club.
“All our friends from Mamou and Eunice and Opelousas and the surrounding countryside were so excited we had a gig in a big place,” recalls lead guitarist Steve Picou, who co-founded Bas Clas with brothers Donnie and Mike in 1976. “They all showed up wearing porkpie hats and danced on the pool tables and had a ball.”
The management was not amused. “He didn’t like the look of our crowd or the sound of our band,” which channeled Elvis Costello and Talking Heads at a time when most Lafayette artists were rediscovering their two-step roots. “He said, listen, I’m going to pay y’all not to come back. And he gave us $400 not to play the next gig.”
Bas Clas quickly regrouped at the college dive Mother’s Mantle, where overflow crowds proudly flaunted their status in freshly-printed t-shirts: “Banned from Grant Street. We had too much fun.”
Thus began a seven-year stint of Monday Night Madness gigs, which migrated from club to club on Lafayette’s college strip until the band’s self-released single “Serfin’ USA”/”Physical World” garnered rave underground music press and national college radio play. Then the oil bust hit and Bas Clas lit out for Atlanta, seeking fame and fortune.
The band came excruciatingly close twice. Initially championed by industry icon John Hammond, whose enthusiasm fell on deaf ears, Bas Clas appeared bound for glory when powerhouse manager/ promoter John Scher took up their cause and scored a major EMI publishing contract.
When a corporate takeover sabotaged that deal at the eleventh hour, the band threw in the towel. Donnie stayed in Atlanta and Steve moved to New Orleans, where he put his guitar on ice for nine years and took a behind-the-scenes job with the Louisiana Music Commission.
?????
During that long hiatus, most people in New Orleans had no idea that a guitar hero lurked inside the mild-mannered state employee who worked with his colorful LMC boss, Bernie Cyrus.
It’s no secret anymore. Bas Clas is back with a vengeance. Armed with a new CD, Big Oak Tree of freshly recorded songs from Dockside Studios, the band rocked a 2,000-plus crowd at its first-ever appearance at Festival International in Lafayette this year.
When the Picou brothers took the Scene Malibu stage with bandmates Geoff Thistlewaite (bass) and Ted Cobena (drums), and a bevy of special guests—saxophonist Dickie Landry, accordionist Roddie Romero, Eric Adcock on B3—the prodigal sons were greeted like conquering heroes by Bas Clas survivors and fervently embraced by new converts.
Like their recent live shows, the CD is no nostalgia trip. It captures a band at the height of its power from the opening track, which throws down the gauntlet with “Allons Danser.” Driven by Steve’s Cajun-inflected guitar riff, which sounds uncannily like a fiddle, the song is spiked with trail-ride “yippee yippee ti yays” and commands you to dance. But “Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler” it’s not.
Loosely based on Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death”, the song mocks “them safe behind their castle walls / laughing at the world,” along with the clueless dancers who “close their eyes as the band plays more.” Penned by resident wordsmith Donnie Picou at the height of the AIDS crisis, it’s as relevant today as the gulf between the masses and the gated one percent.
“We want people to have a good time, but we also have something to say,” Steve says. “I feel like if you’re going to be that loud with all that power and wattage behind you, you really should say something important.”
Even the band’s gentler songs get under the skin. In “My Louisiane,” Bas Clas comes full circle to its Louisiana roots. But though it invokes childhood memories under the “big oak tree,” it also mourns the passing of “Maw-Maw,” a natural occurrence. It’s an elegy for a way of life felled by development, like the dead live oak on the back of the CD cover.
“Back to Work,” the final track, is easy to take at face value: A farmer surveys his fallow field after a bad season, and vows to “get back to work!” Bas Clas is doing that now, and hits the studio again in August. “But it’s not just about us,” says Picou. “It’s about getting back to The Garden.” Indeed, the song invites listeners to “join us in the fields and dig your hands into the dirt.”
I’m in. - by Cree McCree, Offbeat Magazine New Orleans
01 June 2012 — by Cree McCree OffBeat Magazine
The Beatles in Hamburg in ’61. The Stooges’ 1967 Halloween debut at their State Street house in Ann Arbor. The Velvet Underground’s living room gigs in Austin, documented on Live ’69. Certain rock milestones bestow a lifetime of bragging rights on those lucky enough to be there.
For rock fans in Cajun country who danced to the different drummer of Bas Clas—the Cajun term for “low class”—that milestone came in 1978, when the band’s first gig at Lafayette’s Grant Street Dancehall got them banned from the club.
“All our friends from Mamou and Eunice and Opelousas and the surrounding countryside were so excited we had a gig in a big place,” recalls lead guitarist Steve Picou, who co-founded Bas Clas with brothers Donnie and Mike in 1976. “They all showed up wearing porkpie hats and danced on the pool tables and had a ball.”
The management was not amused. “He didn’t like the look of our crowd or the sound of our band,” which channeled Elvis Costello and Talking Heads at a time when most Lafayette artists were rediscovering their two-step roots. “He said, listen, I’m going to pay y’all not to come back. And he gave us $400 not to play the next gig.”
Bas Clas quickly regrouped at the college dive Mother’s Mantle, where overflow crowds proudly flaunted their status in freshly-printed t-shirts: “Banned from Grant Street. We had too much fun.”
Thus began a seven-year stint of Monday Night Madness gigs, which migrated from club to club on Lafayette’s college strip until the band’s self-released single “Serfin’ USA”/”Physical World” garnered rave underground music press and national college radio play. Then the oil bust hit and Bas Clas lit out for Atlanta, seeking fame and fortune.
The band came excruciatingly close twice. Initially championed by industry icon John Hammond, whose enthusiasm fell on deaf ears, Bas Clas appeared bound for glory when powerhouse manager/ promoter John Scher took up their cause and scored a major EMI publishing contract.
When a corporate takeover sabotaged that deal at the eleventh hour, the band threw in the towel. Donnie stayed in Atlanta and Steve moved to New Orleans, where he put his guitar on ice for nine years and took a behind-the-scenes job with the Louisiana Music Commission.
?????
During that long hiatus, most people in New Orleans had no idea that a guitar hero lurked inside the mild-mannered state employee who worked with his colorful LMC boss, Bernie Cyrus.
It’s no secret anymore. Bas Clas is back with a vengeance. Armed with a new CD, Big Oak Tree of freshly recorded songs from Dockside Studios, the band rocked a 2,000-plus crowd at its first-ever appearance at Festival International in Lafayette this year.
When the Picou brothers took the Scene Malibu stage with bandmates Geoff Thistlewaite (bass) and Ted Cobena (drums), and a bevy of special guests—saxophonist Dickie Landry, accordionist Roddie Romero, Eric Adcock on B3—the prodigal sons were greeted like conquering heroes by Bas Clas survivors and fervently embraced by new converts.
Like their recent live shows, the CD is no nostalgia trip. It captures a band at the height of its power from the opening track, which throws down the gauntlet with “Allons Danser.” Driven by Steve’s Cajun-inflected guitar riff, which sounds uncannily like a fiddle, the song is spiked with trail-ride “yippee yippee ti yays” and commands you to dance. But “Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler” it’s not.
Loosely based on Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death”, the song mocks “them safe behind their castle walls / laughing at the world,” along with the clueless dancers who “close their eyes as the band plays more.” Penned by resident wordsmith Donnie Picou at the height of the AIDS crisis, it’s as relevant today as the gulf between the masses and the gated one percent.
“We want people to have a good time, but we also have something to say,” Steve says. “I feel like if you’re going to be that loud with all that power and wattage behind you, you really should say something important.”
Even the band’s gentler songs get under the skin. In “My Louisiane,” Bas Clas comes full circle to its Louisiana roots. But though it invokes childhood memories under the “big oak tree,” it also mourns the passing of “Maw-Maw,” a natural occurrence. It’s an elegy for a way of life felled by development, like the dead live oak on the back of the CD cover.
“Back to Work,” the final track, is easy to take at face value: A farmer surveys his fallow field after a bad season, and vows to “get back to work!” Bas Clas is doing that now, and hits the studio again in August. “But it’s not just about us,” says Picou. “It’s about getting back to The Garden.” Indeed, the song invites listeners to “join us in the fields and dig your hands into the dirt.”
I’m in. - by Cree McCree, Offbeat Magazine New Orleans
By Chris Manson January 22, 2009 Issue
I was fortunate to get my ears on a copy of Bas Clas’ Volume One: The Early Years 1977-86, courtesy of drummer Ted “The Animal” Cobena. “It’s roots rock from south Louisiana,” says Cobena, who joined the band around 1979. The 22-song collection is available at www.basclas.com, where you can also read a compelling history of the band.
“This is a compilation of all the demos and EPs we recorded,” says Cobena. “We also did several singles. ‘Serfin’ USA’ got a lot of airplay.” The CD was mastered by Grammy-winning engineer Tony Daigle. “There are some glitches and wobbles, but these were the best recordings we had. We believe the CD gives a good representation of the history of the band.”
Bas Clas, by the way, is Cajun French for “low class.” “But the band has more class in it’s little finger than most,” says Cobena. “Donnie Picou’s lyrics have inspired a lot of people. They have a lot of political and social intent. We’ve always been happy to play original music for people, because we knew we were giving them a good message.” The band still plays occasionally, usually in and around Lafayette, Louisiana which Cobena calls “the new Austin, Texas.”
The recent gigs almost didn’t happen. The band members fell out of touch, but in 2002 were asked to play a benefit concert in Lafayette. “We said, ‘Guys, we gotta keep going’,” says Cobena. “Donnie lives in Atlanta now and has a corporate job. Steve (Picou) works as an environmentalist in New Orleans. But we’re all still connected musically. If we can get some of Donnie’s new songs to the right people, we could get a record deal today.”
John Hammond, the Columbia Records executive who discovered Robert Johnson, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, was impressed with Bas Clas’ sounds and wanted to record the band. “We were going to get a record contract, and Hammond was going to produce us, but he got sick and it fell through the cracks,” says Cobena. “We were that close. Capitol Records courted us for years but kept insisting that we write a ‘hit.’”
Cobena hopes Bas Clas can perform together monthly and perhaps even play some “event” shows along the Emerald Coast. Meanwhile, the drummer continues to thrive, despite the troubled (and troubling) economy. He recently teamed up with Hal Aiken (“Down in Destin”) for a new band project.
“My wife Celeste makes soap, and she hasn’t had a drop in business,” he says. “People always buy luxury items. As far as my gig calendar, it’s really slowed down. The economy, in that respect, has affected me in a negative way. I’m in my studio working on original songs, and I’m busy in there. It might be that it’s just this time of year. We’ll see. Last spring and summer, I was busy.” - The Beachcomber Newspaper
By Chris Manson January 22, 2009 Issue
I was fortunate to get my ears on a copy of Bas Clas’ Volume One: The Early Years 1977-86, courtesy of drummer Ted “The Animal” Cobena. “It’s roots rock from south Louisiana,” says Cobena, who joined the band around 1979. The 22-song collection is available at www.basclas.com, where you can also read a compelling history of the band.
“This is a compilation of all the demos and EPs we recorded,” says Cobena. “We also did several singles. ‘Serfin’ USA’ got a lot of airplay.” The CD was mastered by Grammy-winning engineer Tony Daigle. “There are some glitches and wobbles, but these were the best recordings we had. We believe the CD gives a good representation of the history of the band.”
Bas Clas, by the way, is Cajun French for “low class.” “But the band has more class in it’s little finger than most,” says Cobena. “Donnie Picou’s lyrics have inspired a lot of people. They have a lot of political and social intent. We’ve always been happy to play original music for people, because we knew we were giving them a good message.” The band still plays occasionally, usually in and around Lafayette, Louisiana which Cobena calls “the new Austin, Texas.”
The recent gigs almost didn’t happen. The band members fell out of touch, but in 2002 were asked to play a benefit concert in Lafayette. “We said, ‘Guys, we gotta keep going’,” says Cobena. “Donnie lives in Atlanta now and has a corporate job. Steve (Picou) works as an environmentalist in New Orleans. But we’re all still connected musically. If we can get some of Donnie’s new songs to the right people, we could get a record deal today.”
John Hammond, the Columbia Records executive who discovered Robert Johnson, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, was impressed with Bas Clas’ sounds and wanted to record the band. “We were going to get a record contract, and Hammond was going to produce us, but he got sick and it fell through the cracks,” says Cobena. “We were that close. Capitol Records courted us for years but kept insisting that we write a ‘hit.’”
Cobena hopes Bas Clas can perform together monthly and perhaps even play some “event” shows along the Emerald Coast. Meanwhile, the drummer continues to thrive, despite the troubled (and troubling) economy. He recently teamed up with Hal Aiken (“Down in Destin”) for a new band project.
“My wife Celeste makes soap, and she hasn’t had a drop in business,” he says. “People always buy luxury items. As far as my gig calendar, it’s really slowed down. The economy, in that respect, has affected me in a negative way. I’m in my studio working on original songs, and I’m busy in there. It might be that it’s just this time of year. We’ll see. Last spring and summer, I was busy.” - The Beachcomber Newspaper
In all of Lafayette's rock and roll legacies, none measure up to that
of Bas Clas. Their 1976-91 run helped set the stage for original rock
music in Lafayette. This Dec. 22, Bas Clas returns for a reunion show
at the Blue Moon Saloon, the first since 2003 and the third since
their 1991 disbanding. Though coming from the heart of Acadiana, the
band's full-force rock owed much more to southern rock and The Clash.
The band rolled with the punches through three decades--with the
unique vocals of Donnie Picou (a rocker's Elvis Costello) -- and
lyrics ranging from borderline prog to pop rock. Bas Clas often draws
a wide array of comparisons: The Replacements, 1980s rock and early
alternative sounds. But it was always their marathon live shows that
built their fan base...
Nick Pittman, The Independent
Dec. 20, 2006 - The Independent Weekly, Lafayette, LA
In all of Lafayette's rock and roll legacies, none measure up to that
of Bas Clas. Their 1976-91 run helped set the stage for original rock
music in Lafayette. This Dec. 22, Bas Clas returns for a reunion show
at the Blue Moon Saloon, the first since 2003 and the third since
their 1991 disbanding. Though coming from the heart of Acadiana, the
band's full-force rock owed much more to southern rock and The Clash.
The band rolled with the punches through three decades--with the
unique vocals of Donnie Picou (a rocker's Elvis Costello) -- and
lyrics ranging from borderline prog to pop rock. Bas Clas often draws
a wide array of comparisons: The Replacements, 1980s rock and early
alternative sounds. But it was always their marathon live shows that
built their fan base...
Nick Pittman, The Independent
Dec. 20, 2006 - The Independent Weekly, Lafayette, LA
Discography
Vinyl single releases:
Chasing A Mad Dog b/w All in Your Mind 1977 on Toe-Up Records
Serfin' USA b/w Physical World 1981 on Serfdom Records
Can't Say No b/w La Ti Da 1985 on Serfdom Records
On CD on Serfdom Records:
Bas Clas Vol. 1 The Early Years 1977-86
A compilation of early demos, home recordings and vinyl singles recorded between 1977 and 1986.
Big Oak Tree (2012) Seven songs recorded at Dockside Studio and joined by special guests Dickie Landry, Eric Adcock, Roddie Romero, Leslie Smith, Mike Picou, David Greely, Christine Balfa, Mitch Reed
Produced by Bas Clas, Steve Nails & David Farrell, Engineered by David Farrell
Photos
Bio
For more than 30 years, Bas Clas has — in various configurations — has been bringing passionate, intelligent rock to audiences across the southeast. The band took most of the last decade off, working together remotely on various projects. They've returned to live performance because they just love playing together.
The core of the band are the Picou brothers, Donnie and Steve. Donnie has been involved in music since the mid 60s, when he formed the Missing Links while a student at St. Edmund's High School in Eunice, LA. He's been writing music since then, too.
Bas Clas (which is French for "low class") was formed in the late 1970s in Lafayette, LA, when an existing band that Donnie belonged to broke up. Steve joined in at that point and they've been playing together ever since.
Donnie is the main songwriter, lead singer and rhythm guitarist. He's active as a solo performer in Atlanta, drawing on his catalog of well over 100 songs. His song writing has evolved over the years. Ironically, his Louisiana roots have become more evident since moving to Atlanta in the mid-80s. His other influences include Bob Dylan, the Beatles, the Kinks, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, and innumerable performers he heard growing up in south Louisiana.
Donnie's song writing combines a keen eye for observation, a rich sense of irony, and a sly (sometimes wicked) since of humor. It was his songs and the band's intensity that brought Bas Clas to the attention of the legendary talent maven John Hammond, Sr.
Steve Picou grew up playing piano in Eunice. His guitar playing is built on that solid foundation of music developed in those years. It's lyrical and melodic. The passion and intensity that he brings to the guitar is more the result of a combination of outside influence and his personality.
Steve's social conscience is evident in the cover songs Bas Clas performs. Steve sings lead on songs by the Kinks, the Clash, Elvis Costello, Warren Zevon and others. Steve has lived in New Orleans for the past 15 years, is a Katrina survivor, and is civic and social activist committed to that city's recovery.
Geoff Thistlethwaite plays bass and is the band's technical guru. Geoff and drummer Ted Cobena were part of the second wave of Bas Clas, joining the band as a unit in June 1979. It was a baptism by fire. Two days after joining the band, Geoff and Ted joined the Picou brothers on stage at the Kingfish in Baton Rouge for a gig recorded for television. What they lacked in terms of intiment familiarity with the music, they made up for with enthusiasm. The gig was a success!
Geoff is an in-demand sound engineer on the club circuit in Louisiana, bringing a wealth of technical and musical expertise to whatever task happens to be at hand. He has been instrumental in getting the Blue Moon Saloon and Hostel to webcast performances from their stage.
Geoff also handles the primary engineering work on various Bas Clas recording projects. A native of Opelousas, Louisiana, Geoff grew up in the family of a newspaper publisher.
In the 1986, the Picou brothers, Geoff and then-drummer John Boissiere, moved Bas Clas to Atlanta. Ultimately, the pull of Louisiana was too much for him to resist. He moved back to Opelousas in 1991, where he developed his technical niche in the music industry here.
Ted Cobena (aka "Cliff Boulder") is a native of Rayne, Louisiana, whose first stint with Bas Clas lasted almost a decade. Ted is a musician's drummer in that he has proven time and again that he can flourish in any musical style.
Ted had left Bas Clas just prior to the band's move to Atlanta. He and his wife Celeste moved to the Florida Panhandle where he established himself as a key player in the music scene there. His home studio and his affiliation with a Nashville songwriters group has enabled him to help a number of musicians in the Destin area extend their reach and grow their careers.
Even when he was no longer a performing member of Bas Clas, Ted continued to collaborate on recording projects with Donnie on solo projects. Eventually, that remote collaboration model enabled a virtual Bas Clas to emerge that continued to develop new material.
For the most part, virtual Bas Clas was the only evidence of life in the band from the middle of the 1990s until 2006. The only gigs the band played were a couple of benefit concerts. But, that was enough to draw the band back towards the stage.
Rehearsals for two Lafayette gigs in late 2008 re-lit the fire. The gigs at Downtown Alive (an outdoor venue) and the Blue Moon Saloon were proof that this was not a band content to rehash the 'glory days.'
There was a passion and intensity in those performances that proved to the band and its fans that Bas Clas is relevant. In a world hungry for authenticity, integrity and commitment, Bas Clas is ready to stand and deliver.--Mike W. Stagg, 2009
UPDATE: In 2012, Bas Clas released "Big Oak Tree," its first CD of new music in more t
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