The Normals came to being in Jefferson, Louisiana in 1977. Rehearsals began outside my parent's home (which was built over an old pre-World War II racetrack) in a tin roofed garage that had no soundproofing whatsoever. The neighbors hated it - we loved it! We recruited Charlie Hanson (ex-Backstabbers) on vocals/guitar, along with Chris Luckette (an old kindergarden classmate of mine) on drums/vocals. Steve Walters (bass guitar) and myself (David Brewton) on guitar/vocals, had been auditioning musicians earlier on to play this new punk stuff, but never found the real deals until Chris and Charlie came into the fold. Let the volume begin...

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This was one of the few and very rare Normals T-shirts that was drawn by another old kindergarden pal of mine-Sam O'Roarke in 1978. The artist sketched us during a band rehearsal and provided us with a lighter side of being in a garage band.

We shot this initial publicity photo and others that were considered for use on various gig flyers in early 1978. This image was taken underneath the Huey P. Long Bridge that crosses the Mississippi River in Jefferson Parish.

We spent a full day on a cold weekend in 1978 shooting photos for our first 45 release - Almost Ready/Hardcore. This was one of the photos for consideration, but got shelved until now. It was in a back alley behind the Arrow Shopping Center (off Jefferson Hwy), which was just a few blocks from our more permanent rehearsal studio-beneath Charlie's apartment.

"Almost Ready" was the A-side of our one and only 45 single from 1978. It was recorded in an old Gospel studio in downtown New Orleans. We did some vocal and guitar overdubs but it is mostly "live in the studio." On the background harmonies, you can hear the lead singer of the Skinnies (our label bandmates) hitting the high notes. If you own a copy of their 45 "Out of Order," you can hear me singing the lead part on the chorus.

LISTEN TO "ALMOST READY" (RealAudio)

"Hardcore" was also featured on our Electric Eye 2 single release. It is still to this day our set closing rave-up and is one of my faves. Bone crushing guitars, with a tribal wall of drum ritual that can really move ya! When it was mixed onto reel tape, the levels go almost completely "in the red" but no distortion. That was "really" making a record.

LISTEN TO "HARDCORE" (RealAudio)