Lou Miami
Lou Miami (1956-1995) was a punk rock musician based in Boston. His group, The Kozmetix, was popular on the local scene and released two EPs. He combined a rough punk sound with a glam-influenced choice of clothing.
As was typical for many punk bands at the time, the Kozmetix regularly played at [[The Rathskeller (the Rat], the Channel, Jonathan Swifts, Cantones, and Spit as well as NYC haunts such as the Peppermint Lounge and the old Living Room in Providence RI.
Lou Miami and the Kosmetix also regularly played the Inn Square Mens Bar in Inman Square, Sommerville. Many Harvard Law students of that era proved to be amomg Lou's biggest fans, including Mike Ermer (later a partner at a major international law firm) and Kevin Johnson, now (surprisingly enough) the dean of a top 30 law school. In 1983, Lou Miami and Kevin Johnson finally met and discussed the music scene in San Francisco. In an encore, Miami blurted out "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE" in the middle of some kind of rendioion of "To Sir With Love." The crowd went wild.
On The Kozmetix, Miami was the lead singer, Jack Rootoo played lead guitar, H.P. (aka Helen Privett) bass, Dolores Paradise organ, and Laural Blanchard drums. [1] [2]
During the band's touring years of 1979-1981 the Kozmetix line up was Lou Miami on vocals, Jack Rootoo guitar, Bill Norcott on bass and Melody Chisholm on drums. Bill and Melody came to the Kozmetix from their previous band Phobia. This lineup of the band had a regular Monday night gig at Cantones for two years as well as appearing at numerous clubs in the Boston area. The group was managed by Joan Martin.
In a clever bit of marketing, their first 45, with "Fascist Lover" on the A side and "To Sir with Love" on the B, was sold not in a typical paper cover but in a white plastic cosmetics bag that mimicked the Lord & Taylor shopping bag. It contained the memorable line "A fascist lover made my mother and then my mother made me!". Their LP Lou Miami & The Kozmetix was produced by Ann Prim and Karen Kirby both from the Boston band November Group.
Videos
His cover of the song "One Years from Today" was done in a [retro]] style, imitating the voice and music of singers from the 1920s.
The Kozmetix' Makeup
On Rituals: Lou, lead singer; Jack Rootoo, lead guitar; H.P., bass guitar; Laurel Blanchard, drums; Toby Ingalls, rhythm guitars. Additional musicians: Chris Spedding,- guitars; Kristi Rose, vocals.
Jack Rootoo (aka Richard "Rick" Galivan) passed away in MA on June 13th, 2008. Lou Miami pre-deceased Jack Rootoo in Los Angeles, 1995.
Equipment
In the Miami/Rootoo/Norcott/Chisholm lineup of the Kozmetix they used the following equipment:
- Jack: 1979 Gibson "The Paul" guitar through a 50 watt Marshall tube combo amp
- Bill: 1978 Ibanez Musician bass through a 1969 Sunn Coliseum bass amp head and a Cerwin Vega 18" cabinet.
- Melody: Ludwig drum kit with Ziljian symbols
Discography
EPs
- Lou Miami & the Cosmetics (1982)
- Rituals (1985)
45s
- "Facsist Lover" and "To Sir With Love"
- "Monster Mash"
- "Dance with Death"
- "Fight Fire with Fire"