Bas Clas
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Bas Clas (pronounced ‘bahs clahs’) is a rock band formed in
Lafayette, Louisiana Lafayette (, ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and the most populous city and parish seat of Lafayette Parish, located along the Vermilion River. It is Louisiana's fourth largest incorporated municipality by population and the 234th- ...
in the late 1970s by brothers Donnie and Steve Picou. The name is derived from a Cajun term meaning "low class." It derives from French expression "classe de base" or base class in English. The name is a tongue-in-cheek poke at prejudice, a reflection of the band's attitude.


History

From 1976 to 1991, Bas Clas worked the music scene of the Deep South and released three 45rpm singles on their own record labels. The first "Chasing a Mad Dog/All in Your Mind" was released on Toe Up Records, a moniker the band created for the release. One thousand copies were pressed at Floyd's Records in Ville Platte, Louisiana (see
Floyd Soileau James Floyd Soileau (born November 2, 1938) is an American record producer. Biography Soileau was born in Faubourg, a small community between Ville Platte and Washington, Louisiana. He grew up speaking Cajun French and did not speak English un ...
). In 1980 Bas Clas recorded at
Studio in the Country Studio in the Country is a recording studio located at 21443 Hwy 436 in Washington Parish, Louisiana. The studio has been in operation since 1972. It was conceived and originally owned by recording engineer William S. "Bleu" Evans. It sits on ...
with engineer David Farrell, and in 1981 released another single, "Serfin' USA/Physical World" on their new label, Serfdom Records, this time pressing 3000 copies. The label bought advertisements in New York Rocker and Trouser Press magazines, and was listed as "Recommended" in Billboard Magazine, attracting inquiries that resulted in college radio airplay in more than two dozen states. In 1982, author and producer
Samuel Charters Samuel Barclay Charters IV (August 1, 1929 – March 18, 2015) was an American music historian, writer, record producer, musician, and poet. He was a widely published author on the subjects of blues and jazz. He also wrote fiction. Overview Cha ...
heard Bas Clas live at Grant Street Dancehall and sent a
cassette tape The Compact Cassette or Musicassette (MC), also commonly called the tape cassette, cassette tape, audio cassette, or simply tape or cassette, is an analog magnetic tape recording format for audio recording and playback. Invented by Lou Ottens ...
demo of the band's music to his friend, producer John Hammond Sr. "You may not know who the hell I am, but I was a vice-president of CBS Records for many years and had a lot to do with everybody from Billie Holiday to Bob Dylan and
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...
; and frankly it does take quite a lot to impress me. Just let me say I'm impressed," wrote the late John Hammond in 1983. Hammond and his longtime assistant, Mikie Harris, met with the Picou brothers, and for the next couple of years shopped the band around to labels, but there were no takers. In 1985, the band released another single, "She Can't Say No/La Ti Da" on Serfdom Records, but only pressed 500 copies and the single was not well-distributed. Relocated to Atlanta in 1986, the band attracted the interest of producer
Tom Werman Tom Werman (born 1945) is an American former record producer responsible for many hard rock and Heavy metal music, heavy metal albums. Early life and education Werman was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in Newton, Massachusetts, Newton ...
who, like Hammond, was unsuccessful in shopping the band to labels. While in Atlanta the band secured a management deal with music promoter John Scher, but again, no record label interest, and they parted ways by 1990. Eventually, the grind of the road and the lack of support from the recording industry caused the band to end its full-time status, which the band did at the 1991 N.O. Jazz & Heritage Festival with special guest musicians Anthony Thistlethwaite and Jonno Frishberg.


Reunion

In 2002, Bas Clas reunited with members Donnie and Steve Picou, Ted Cobena, and Geoff Thistlethwaite, with special guests Dickie Landry, Eric Adcock, and Mike Picou, performed and recorded (two songs on the compilation CD "Medicine Show Vol. 3: Gatherings of the Tribe") at Grant Street Dancehall for the annual "Medicine Show" benefit for th
Dr. Tommy Comeaux Endowed Chair in Traditional Music
at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and began a new journey. In August 2011, joined by guest musicians includin
Dickie Landry
Eric Adcock
Roddie Romero
David Greely David Greely is a professional fiddler from south Louisiana. Greely was born of Irish and Cajun ancestry in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on June 12, 1953. Raised in Livingston Parish, he began singing for family and friends at age three and sang in c ...
,
Christine Balfa Christine Balfa is a Cajun musician and founder of the group Balfa Toujours known for performing vocals, guitar, and the triangle. She is the youngest daughter of Dewey Balfa. Balfa created the Cajun band Balfa Toujours in 1992; and her husb ...
, Mitch Reed, Mike Picou, an
Leslie Blackshear Smith
the band spent a week a
Dockside Studio
with engineer David Farrell. A seven-song CD, ''Big Oak Tree'', was released on Serfdom Records in April 2012 and features the first new Bas Clas recordings in more than 20 years; the CD was an OffBeat Magazine "Best of the Beat" nominee for Best Rock Album of 2012. The band performed at
Festival International The Festival International de Louisiane is an annual music and arts festival held in Lafayette, Louisiana celebrating the French heritage of the region and its connection to the Francophone world. The festival was first held in 1987 and has bec ...
in Lafayette, Louisiana in 2012, and in 2013 at th
Art-B-Cue
in Avondale Estates, GA and at th
Midcity Bayou Boogaloo
in New Orleans, along with several other shows at music clubs in Louisiana. In January 2013 Bas Clas was inducted into the Acadiana Chapter of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. A new CD is scheduled for release in the fall of 2013.


Personnel


Current members

* Donnie Picou - Songwriter/Singer/Guitarist/Founder * Steve Picou - Lead Guitar/Backing vocals/Founder * Ted Cobena - Drums * Geoff Thistlethwaite - Bass


Past members

*Pat Gremillion - Guitarist/Singer *Buddy Bowers - Drums/Vocals *Eric B - Guitarist


Selected discography

* ''Chasing a Mad Dog/All in Your Mind ''(1977, Toe Up Records, 45rpm single) * ''Serfin' USA/Physical World ''(1981, Serfdom Records, 45rpm single) * ''She Can't Say No/La Ti Da ''(1985, Serfdom Records, 45rpm single) * ''Volume One: The Early Years 1977-86 ''(2008, Serfdom Records, CD) * ''Big Oak Tree'' (2012, Serfdom Records, CD)


References

{{Reflist Alternative rock groups from Louisiana Indie rock musical groups from Louisiana American southern rock musical groups Musicians from Lafayette, Louisiana