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I became interested in drums at about age 3. My Aunt Irish, played snare drum in high school marching band. I PLAYED HER DRUM AT NIGHT WHEN SHE GOT HOME. I threw a fit for my own so I got it before Christmas, and got one for Christmas or birthday every year until age 14 when I got a real LUDWIG SUPER CLASSIC kit. I started playing in bands at age 15 & my first gig was at age 16. I played an avg. of 4 to 8 times a month in high school after which I got with a well known local band (an offshoot of RUFUS of "Opelousas Sostan" fame). The band was "PO'BOY" and they had an album out at the time which was a big deal back then. That led to my first studio session, the first of many. That band was my beginning into professional musicianship. With them I played shows opening for Freddie Fender, Eddie Raven, Michael Murphy,Asleep at the Wheel, The Coasters Lightnin' Hopkins, and The Meters; recorded 2 singles.; and played on numerous jingles. Following is the REST of my musical bio: In a local newspaper's talent poll,I was nominated for "Best Drummer" 7 years in a row. I won BEST POP/ROCK DRUMMER one year and the following year I won BEST R&B/Soul DRUMMER in the same poll. I've played for Percy Sledge; Lightnin' Hopkins; the Coasters; Zachary Richard-5 years and 4 albums; Sonny Landreth-3 years and 1 album; Lonesome Sundown-one album, Nancy Tabb Marcantel-one album, and Liz Simma-one album. Some others for whom I've played:THE ORIGINAL Red Beans and Rice Revue , Scratch, On the Spot (cited by a local newspaper as the next hot up and coming band in 1987, Zombiebop (also cited by the same paper for the same reason in the same year), Jude Taylor & His Burning Flames, Wavelength, Cactus Jack, G.G.Shinn, T.K. Hulin, Joe Douglas, Johnny Firmin, Rod Bernard, Hub City Rhythm, Kenny and the Jokers, The Sensations, Bob Robira, P.T. and The Cruisers, Paul Tassin Trio, Jason Savoie, The Breeze Band, Crosseyed Mary,Blue Soul, many others.(I did not mention everyone I ever played with). The biggest venue I've played: Festival D'ETE' DE QUEBEC 1981 where Zachary Richard headlined and we closed the show.I got to play a drum solo for about 10 minutes right at the end of the show. There were approx. 100,000 people in attendence. People as far as you could see, the farthest ones away were on a hill so far from the stage that they looked like ANTS!I've appeared on television playing my drums over 100 times. With Zachary we were shown in concert on the TV news show: "60 Minutes". It was filmed in Milton, LA in about 1981. What's ironic is that now 25 plus years later, I LIVE in Milton, only a couple hundred yards from where the concert took place.Veteran of over 100 studio sessions, 11 different studios. You've no doubt heard me playing my drums on jingles (television commercials), if you've ever watched t.v.I toured 5 countries in Europe, Canada (Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and 8 states in the U.S.Played the NOLA Jazz Fest. 6 times, once playing for 2 different bands on 2 different stages at the Festival on the same day.Played the Festival Acadiens 3 times, and the original Festival International in Lafayette, LA. I have played on shows featuring the following: Ray Charles, Freddie Fender, Mel Tillis, Head East, The Nevills, The Meters, Dr. John, Elvin Bishop, Dave Edmonds, Tom Waits (opened for Zachary in Paris), Manhatten Transfer, Richie Cole, David Allen Coe, Michael Murphy, Prof. Longhair, Fats Domino, James Booker, Gatemouth Brown, J.J. Cale, Joe Cocker, Asleep @ the Wheel who asked me to join them-I didn't- long story (WISH I HAD);New Riders of the Purple Sage, & Eddie Raven. This is not all the bands or artists that I may have recorded and or played with...certainly don't want to leave anyone out.(will update later & to include those bands & artists) Proudest moment of my career: Watching David Letterman and unexpectedly hearing the Nevill Bros. playing "Congo Square". The significance of this is the fact that The Nevills and The Meters had such a big influence on me. From this influence, I came up with this beat ( a type of New Orleans "second-line" ) around which Sonny, Dave, Mel and I wrote the song....I forgot to mention that I played lead guitar on a couple of demo c.d.s.Friends Bob Robira and Randy Aguillard asked me to do a solo and some guitar fills on their recordings.It got a few people interested enough to ask me to play lead guitar for their band. I LOVE playing guitar but it can't match the thrill of drumming. Drumming is one of the most fun things I've ever done.Drumming is way up on the list of fun things,and while I love playing guitar, it is not anywhere close to being as THRILLING as drumming
A FAN DID THIS ART of ME while I had a GIG in one of the MOST ISOLATED PLACE in this WORLD...
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The most seculed place I have ever played was an island off the coast of NEWFOUNDLAND, ST. PIERRIE et MIQUELON. While I was there a fan did this art of me and gave it to me as a gift. I was sitting on a large bolder next to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and as I sat there taking in the sea sounds the artist did this of me. Remote and barren and very isolated. The sea was breath-taking and what I saw when I sat on that bolder I'll never forget....LATER when we were taking off to leave the ISLAND the plane nearly crashed into the sea. Madame Claude and I looked at each other like "is this IT!" Fortunately GOD was in charge,and he had other plans for us. I am certainly grateful. Years later, when I think about that very near miss, it often makes me think about that place and the people who live there in complete isolation and the artist who did this sketch of me while I sat by the sea.

"MASION DE FOUX" My old House in the country,I lived there from 1979-1987.
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This house is in the country side of Lafayette,La. The house has a really cool vibe. It must have had alot of happy times before me. Or else it was full of Angels, cause you felt GOOD the minute you stepped through the doorway. I got the house from WEASEL(Bruce McDonald). Alot of great music was played there. The following is a list of musicians who stepped through my doorway...some before I did and some after but all came to play, some stayed & lived there including me, from 1979- 1987: The Meters, Bobby Charles wrote "See ya Later Alligator" and wrote hits for Fats Domino & Joe Cocker and many others,Zachary Richard, Sonny Landreth, Mel Melton , Dave Ranson,(BAYOU RHYTHM)JERRY CONRAD, California(Cal Arnold of Edgar Winter, ATCHAFALYA,SOD,G.G.SHINN& BOOTLEGG), Kip Bacque (G.G. Shinn, TK Hulin, Edgar Winter,) Gary Newman(Jimmy C's son,) Michael Doucet(Beausoliel)Dana Breaux r.i.p.(Couteau, Scratch, and Zach), Danny Kimball, Victor & Ronnie Palmer(Red Beans & Rice & Zach),Mike Hannisee, Oran Guidry, Slim Hammer& Dwight Rochon(Crossfire), Ralph Jacks, Gary & Benny Graeff,(Rufus & Po'Boy and Nancy Tabb Marcantel), Big Steve Broussard(Joe Douglas & Catus Jack) Olivier Scozak(lil Band of gold)James Trussart(yes, The Luthier)JAMES lived there for awhile with me. Mark "Boudin" Simar(Waren Storm), Mike Hicks(Zach), Bruce "Weasel' McDonald(Rufus &Coteau,Zach, & George Porter), Mark Brinkley, Allan "Rabbit"Edwards, Pat Breaux(Zach & Beausoliel) Craig Lege', Shelton Sonnier,Mark Domingue, Ron Domingue, Billy Ware(Beausoliel) Jean Luc(France), Andy Brinkley, Bob Robira, Dale Warnken(R.i.P. Wavelength, The Skyliners, & The Fenders), and last but not least Steve Nails, Who now OWNS DOCKSIDE RECORDING STUDIO & who also was my room-mate years ago(GOT OUR BIG START IN MUSIC TOGETHER) and we now live about ten minutes from each other, where LOUISIANA is truely beautiful. The Milton & Maurice area near the Vermillion River. At MASION DE FOUX there was always someone coming over to jam when we were in town, or coming by for rehearsals, or just to hang out and listen to others that were playing. I'd leave to go on tour and there would still be friends there. And I would come home and there would be new friends @ My old House in the country, "MASION DE FOUX" MANY GOOD TIMES WITH alot of my MUSICIAN FRIENDS. I Lived there from 1979-1987.

THE LIFE and TIMES of MIKE BINET

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I tried with only 60 photos(all that this book would allow) to show my LIFE in MUSIC. To tell my story... about how I entered the PROFESSIONAL MUSIC SCENE.. and what happened in my LIFE after I DID. THERE are alot of photos OMITTED as these photos are from the beginning to TODAY are very condensed.