I continue to be grateful to have had so many fine professionals grace the stage with me and play in

 The Trips

  Please say hello to them: 

Mark Fowler and Matthew El D'Orazio at the Preservation Resource Center Holiday Home Tour 2015 next door to me by the pool at Dr. T's Swankienda!!!

Mark, Moi & Dale Latino, Fairgrinds Coffeehouse, 7/17/15

Mark Fowler & Creature, Voodoo on the Bayou, 10/25/14

Mark & Creature, 9/27/14 

Me, Mark Fowler & Charlie Kohlmeyer--at our sound check, Voodoo on the Bayou, 10/26/13

Onstage at  Voodoo on the Bayou, 10/27/12--Mark & I with "Animal" (Andre Bohren) on drums!

& offstage, up-close & personal: Mark Fowler & Animal (aka Mr. Bohren)

 THE FAIRGRINDS COFFEEHOUSE where Robert & Elizabeth first hired us and we were able to stay on when they sold it:

Mark Fowler, guitar & vocals                                   Adriano Piano, drums & vocals



Adriano dressed as me for Voodoo on the Bayou 2011--hysterical!

Mark w/his super seafoam guitar--and Adrian's full-figured look. Pat McDonald Fowler's, Mark's wife magnificent Voodoo on the Bayou poster in the background

"The Texas Queen Snake Shake"

[Photo by Agapita]

Gary Clark, guitar; Johnny Hessel, drums

Our "album cover" shot for our first cassette tape, recorded at Rock Romano's place. The python, Dude Sixx, belonged to Alice Romero's daughter & got a bit "rambunctious" at one point during the photo shoot, squeeeeezing me a bit too hard when everyone left the room.

Our second e.p., recorded once again at Rock Romano's studio:

"We're Having a Hot Tub Party Tonight Y'All (We Want You to Come)!"

Photo by Celia Hutchison

We (Gary, John & I, not the snake) were a band for about six years, '88-'94; then when I evacu-vacationed following Hurricane K (2005), we took up with each other again, playing at our old haunts, Danny E's (Dan Electro's Guitar Bar, originally owned by Dr. Poison Zoomack, The Emperor of the Heights), the Mardi Gras Grill (appropriately enough, run by Pete Little, still an Ole Pal!), The White Oak Bayou Fish-Off (where I got to judge the Best Fish Lips contest thanks again to Pete), Pete Little's B-Day Party, and Lights in the Heights.

Danny Gardner & Rock Romano filled in when Gary was out of town. 

Thanks for everything, Y'All, Always!!!

"Party on the Plaza" (Houston, c.'90) where we traded sets with Omar & The Howlers.  William "Jack" Turner joins us on slide vegetables (only on final tune).  What a blast! 

Please see Amusing Anecdotes Section for a story "Billy Jack" wrote about one of our gigs at the Last Concert Cafe & the "bearded best" from Texas.

Rudyard's Pub, Houston (c.'92):

Gary's playing lap slide on my lap

I am returning the favor

Me, Gary Clark, Raphael Bas & "Dangerous" Detroit Dave (R.I.P.), c.'91

Houston International Festival c.'94 Gary Clark, Skeets, Johnny Hessel, Me & Raphael Bas 

Me & Raphael Bas at the Ale House c.'92 

Raphael Bas & Gary Clark came to re-Trip themselves at the Kerry Irish Pub, New Orleans, New Year's Eve Eve 2004!!!! 

Raphael finally moved to New Orleans the following year!!!!  Has been playing his gypsy jazz to quite acclaim.  I knew he'd do well here!!!

Gary and Raphael played with me when I backed up Sam Andrew in Houston and Austin c. '92-'94. Thanks for all the fun, Y'All!   

Past TRIPS List

NOTE:  PLEASE SEND ME YOUR NAMES & the position you played!  Thanks--can't recall all. And thank you for your participation!!!!

Gave a viewing of a videotape from Austin's Liberty Lunch where we played back in '88.  I sure was good-lookin' back then!

Mark Fowler, guitar & vocals

Robert Burke, drums

Gary Clark, guitar

Johnny Hessel, drums

Ralph "Ace" Gipson, sax, keys & flute

Johnny J., guitar & vocals

Raphael Bas, guitar & vocals

Thomas Walker, guitar, vocals & harmonica

T-Bone Stone, guitar & vocals

Tim "The Great" Ward, drums

Auggie Augustine III, drums

James Clark, drums

Charlie Kohlmeyer, drums

Andre Bohren, drums

Jesse Hall, drums

Keith York, drums

Dale Latino, drums

Eric Stewart, guitar & vocals

Slim Nelson, guitar, harmonica & vocals

Quint Quintiliano, guitar

Tony Serentino, drums

The Creature, drums

Amzie Adams, scratchy-board

Sydney Smith, kazoo

Jack Cole, guitar

"Sweet" Pete Alba, guitar & vocals

R. Skiles Kelly, guitar

Mitch ?, drums

Tommy ?, drums

Jay Steigner, drums

Roberto ?, drums

William Jack Turner, guitar & veggies

Steven B. Miller, drums

Frank "Bird Dog" Jones, bass

Steve Koch, bass

Steve "The Pope," bass

Pierre Pichon, guitar & drums (not at the same time)

Eric Lindquist, guitar

Wendell Skolaski, drums & vocals

Ben ?, drums

Mike ?, bass & vocals

Jimmy ?, piano & vocals

Jerry Hamric, guitar

Little Screamin' Kenny, guitar/vocals

Alan "Dog Man" Miller, guitar/vocals

Rodney R. Rodney, harmonica

Skeets, saxophone

Teri Greene, guitar

Greg Gilleland, drums [see histoire to the right]

Randy ?, drums

R.I.P:

Joyce Bradsher, guitar & vocals

Kirk Carr, bass & vocals

Michael "Doc" Densley, guitar & vocals

"Dangerous Detroit" Dave, drums

Teri "Sticky T" Cranford, drums

Me & "Doc" Densley at Checkpoint's, c.1996--Photo, thanks be to famed Photog Barry Kaiser

T-Bone Stone at Tricoocoo House--he got me the gig there & we played with Tommy, Ben and then Tim The Great on drums, 1997-2001

Drummer James Clark played with us there also when Johnny J joined the band--has to be one of the nicest drummers around--miss hanging out w/him  (this pic taken at Checkpoint's):

Me & James Clark

Sidney Smith, an honorary Trip, singin' & blowin' harp at his backyard bash---T-Bone, guitar; Roberto, drums 

And The CD Version: 

Johnny J, Jesse Hall, Checkpoint's, c.'02

Louisiana Music Factory, 2002:

Our cd "Dance Babys Dance" debut--Roberto filled in on drums for Jesse, Johnny J.=guitar & vocals.  John Sinclair was the emcee that day!  And Michael Hurtt, an employee.  What a day!!!

The Inimitable Matt El D'Orazio and The Superlative Mark Fowler at the Kerry, 2008:

[Played with these two on and off up through Matt's move to Muscle Shoals with "Sweet Melissa" and their own Dirty Rain Revellers.

Jack Cole at the Kerry w/Augie Augustine, III, on drums  The Creature & Jack Cole--Another Super Incarnation of The Trips 

Below: Amzie Adams on scratchy board at Checkpoint Charlie's, 2009--"really got a hold on ya!"

 Amzie getting the Lips Treatment, Checkpoint Charlie's

A FORMER TRIPS' STORY:

Greg Gilleland, Trips Drummer, on June 10, 2013, wrote:

"How I met YOU was in January 1988. Sean Walters was having a Sean Walters' Songwriters' Showcase on a Sunday afternoon at the [late] Red Lion.  Bassist Steve Swain had called me to come over and meet [the late] Joyce Bradsher and Richard Carothers about starting the band, Wild Child. Joyce had been in Lips & The Trips until recently- she got up and did a couple of numbers with y'all. 

A few months later, around March or April, when I started doing one or two songs at a time at the Sunday night Blythe Spirits' Sean Walters Showcases that I got to play a number or two with you. Your drummer at the time, Keith York was playing in several bands, so you called me later that week to do a gig and I stayed on.

When I first came in during June or July of 1988, Alan “Dog Man” Miller was on guitar, with Teri Greene and [the late] Kirk Carr floating in and out as second guitarists.  Then Teri was pretty steady there for four or five months or so. Carr was mostly playing bass at first, then more guitar. Rodney R. Rodney played harmonica.

Then, sometime in the fall of 1988, Frank “Bird Dog” Jones started playing bass, subbing at first and then more regularly.  Teri Greene stopped coming [joined Screamin’ Kenny’s band?] and Kirk was playing guitar.

It went that way until about May of 1988 when I quit to take the bar exam."

Greg is now a Texas Judge--see what playing in my band can do for you???  Thanks for the Reminisce, Your Honor!!!

-Lips