Cyril A Ruth

As of December 3 2006, I'm back living in Los Angeles, Ca., where I have lived before, after spending a year living in Austin, Tx. because of hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans on August 29, 2005.
I'm originally from New Orleans and was living there when the storm came and put two feet of water in my house. I was lucky compared to others who got 6-18 feet of water when the levees broke and flooded 80% of the city. See photo below:
Katrina did send me back to L.A. by way of Austin and New Orleans to me is going to be a work in progress for some time to come (since Katrina). Just glad the French Quarter didn't flood! Too cool to be gone. Has such history...
Anyway, I was active on the New Orleans alternative rock scene promoting bands and shows. In 1977 I helped start the band THE NORMALS, who went on to become local legends. (To view THE NORMALS drop below to my comment section..comment from Jessica/you tube screen that's the Normals playing 2 song's "Sex & Violence" and "My Hardcore" in 1980 New Orleans,La.)
I started the band with bass player Steve Walters in September 1977 I called in high school friend David Brewton and we started with me being the lead singer but when Charlie Hanson(better guitar player & singer)entered the picture.
The group was better without me. So I stepped aside and became head cheerleader for the group! The Normals played shows with The Ramones, Iggy Pop, The Police, B-52's, and the Talking Heads (in front of 3,000 people).
The Normals were to be the opening band for The Sex Pistols in Baton Rouge, La. on January 9, 1978 but the manager for The Sex Pistols (Malcolm McLaren) nixed that idea. He instead wanted a Louisiana Cajun band to open for the Sex Pistols, so he got Rockin Dopsie And The Cajun Twisters, a Cajun/zydeco band from Louisiana.
D.O.A. the film of The Sex Pistols 1978 U.S.A. tour has Steve Walters (Normals) in first 5 mins. of the film. He's the one wearing the Normals t-shirt and the green day-glo glasses. I was right next to him pulling his leather jacket open to show Normals t-shirt but only my arm made it into the film! Click on Pistols pic' below to enlarge and you will see a still picture of us..D.O.A. movie was filming and I'm the one with Sex Pistols t-shirt on this was in Baton Rouge,La. 1/9/78 Sex Pistols first mini U.S. tour. In Sex Pistols photo below Steve Jones is wearing KINGFISH club t-shirt. Club they played in Baton Rouge. This pic' is in Baton Rouge against tour bus and this is what they wore(looked like) on stage that night. God Save The Queen!
I put on the first (and maybe only) punk rock show at a local New Orleans area high school with THE RED ROCKERS and Stephie And The White Sox in January 1982.
About 500 kids showed up!! At the time, I also worked at a local record store and after that show my store sold all 300 copies of "Condition Red," the Red Rockers first LP! The Red Rockers went on to release 2 more albums and had a hit with the song "China," which you can find on a lot of 80's compilation CDs. The band also played with U2,The Clash,Go Go's,Inxs,Joan Jett & Blackhearts and X! That was a highlight for me.
In the summer of 2005, I put together another band that were like an early version of Blondie. I had high hopes for the band but Hurricane Katrina broke all that apart on August 29, 2005. The members left for other cities, while I ended up in Austin and now L.A., so it was not meant to be. The singer, a young Debbie Harry look alike, went on to another band in NYC and singing in a Braodway play, as well as a layout in FHM Magazine. So I think I know how to judge talent. Oh, if not for Katrina, this could've been the best new rock band from New Orleans. Also, I'm interested in meeting new people into the same stuff as me. The End, for now.........