Updated December 2010
The Deuces Wild (who became the Deuce Is Wilde) performed “You’re All Around Me” with footage from the Catacombs and Love Street in a short 1968 film directed by Charles Burwell, titled Deuce Is Wild.
From people’s comments it seems the band included these members:
Charles Webb – lead guitar
Paul Viviano – rhythm guitar
Harold Bailey – keyboards
Gordon Barnette – bass guitar
Rick Slaydon – drums
One early member of the Deuces Wild was Clark Clem, who also played guitar in the Chancellors Ltd. Charles Burwell contacted me to say that Clark Clem recently told him he’d left the band a year before the film was made.
In December, 2010 James Donnelly, who was in Jim Henley & the Thymes, wrote to me about the band:
I always knew them as the Deuces Wild. I went to high school and played in the HS band with two of the members, drummer Ricky Slayden and bassist Gordon ‘Boo Boo’ Barnett. They also had an guitarist named Charlie Webb. Also Harold Baily (keyboards), I think he left the group in ’68 or ’69 and moved to Las Vegas to become a blackjack dealer! Lost track of them years and years ago, although I know the Gordon passed away in the 70’s.
The Deuces were one of the best cover bands around, and covered everybody from James Brown to Paul Revere and the Raiders to the Music Machine. They played the Catacombs on a regular basis. Boo Boo was the comedian of the group, and the bass he played was almost as big as he was, Ricky was one of the best drummers I ever played with.
Margaret Jackson Graeff commented below with information I’ll repeat here:
The Deuces Wild changed their name to the Deuce Is Wilde around 1967. The rhythm guitar player in the picture, who is also doing vocals, is Paul Viviano. The bass player in the photo is Gordon Barnette. Contrary to what was said previously, Gordon did not die in the 1970s. He died in April, 1992. In the early 1970s, their roadie, Howard Lehman died. He lived down the street from Gordon when they were in their teens. I think that is where the confusion is. I knew the Deuces very well.
Charles Webb was their lead guitar player, but left the band when he was a freshman at Rice University. He now has a PhD and is a professor at California State University at Long Beach. He also goes by the name Charles Harper Webb and is a published author. Charles also played in the Houston based band, Saturnalia. Rick Slaydon played drums. Rick also played drums for the Houston-based band, The Starvation Army Band. James Lucas was the lead singer. Harold Bailey was the keyboard player. Paul Viviano, in 1969, formed the band ICE, with Stacy Sutherland, of the 13th Floor Elevators.
Thanks to Charles Burwell for info on Deuce Is Wild and the frame image from the film, and to James Donnelly for the info about the group.
The Deuces Wild changed their name to the Deuce Is Wilde around 1967. The rhythm guitar player in the picture, who is also doing vocals, is Paul Viviano. The bass player in the photo is Gordon Barnette. Contrary to what was said previously, Gordon did not die in the 1970s. He died in April, 1992. In the early 1970s, their roadie, Howard Lehman died. He lived down the street from Gordon when they were in their teens. I think that is where the confusion is. I knew the Deuces very well. Charles Webb was their lead guitar player, but left the band when he was a freshman at Rice University. He now has a PhD and is a professor at California State University at Long Beach. He also goes by the name Charles Harper Webb and is a published author. Charles also played in the Houston based band, Saturnalia. Rick Slaydon played drums. Rick also played drums for the Houston-based band, The Starvation Army Band. James Lucas was the lead singer. Harold Bailey was the keyboard player. Paul Viviano, in 1969, formed the band ICE, with Stacy Sutherland, of the 13th Floor Elevators.
the film turned up on YouTube recently:
My occasional searching to locate facts and DW band members has turned up some strange findings; When I first began to seek the name of the frontman, I initially was told that he was Clark Clem…then I hear Charlie Webb mentioned. I’m about to settle on the name Paul Viviano. According to Ms Graeff’s post, Paul must be the singer pictured above. My main contact was Harold Bailey,keyboard. I could tell you a lot about my experience with the band and making this film. Another surprise found here is that Paul went on to gig with Stacy Sutherland, of the 13th Floor Elevators. The lead singer in the band I played lead guitar in, The Changing Tymes, was Bill Anduiza. Sometime in 1968/69, Bill set up an important meeting. He & I screened the Deuce is Wild film for Ray Rush, mgr. International Artist Recording. Ray immediately saw the potential of using film; told me he wanted two promo films for the Elevators. I left that meeting with a couple of pre-release 45s (May the Circle Remain Unbroken)and high hopes of producing more film…this time with some ‘professionals’. But what happened next, everybody knows….and so I never filmed the band.
-CB
Charles,
I spoke with you a couple of years ago and got your phone number. Since then my phone crashed and I lost it. I would like to talk to you again. If possible please email me and I will call you.
Thanks.
I finally got back in touch with Deuces Wild member, Harold Bailey. He caught me up-to-date on several questions I had about his band. I also put him in touch with California based author, Vicki Welch Ayo, who is releasing the fourth edition of her book titled, Boys From Houston.
It’s the latest in a series of well researched stories and pictures covering all aspects of the Houston music scene from the 60s. In volume four, there’s more details on the Deuces Wild and several other bands from the same time period. Contact Vicki at boysfromhouston@gmail.com to obtain a copy . It’s a large and in color.
My Group World War III played there with Spirit among others. It was a great venue and I want to thank you for all the memories
My name is marie barnette cantrell and I am the only child of Gordon P barnette. How can I get a copy of the photo? Gordon passed his musical gene to my son Taylor. My mom Barbara almost passed out when I showed her the video.
Marie
Hey Marie, my name is Paul. I was in the band with Boo, deuces wilde. Gordon and I were very close, and was so sad when he passed. We shared much, besides music. Did not know he had a daughter, just finding out. Did u know Gene Fritts? Maybe we could talk more. My email is ptennison12@gmail.com
Hey my dad , louis morello was drummer in 1968, his cousin is paul viviano the lead guitarist.
He was so excited to see the video on the website!
Allison this is James Lucas. I went to school with your dad Louis at St Theresa and at St Thomas. Haven’t seen your dad since our HS graduation in 1967. I remember his dads grocery store and your dad delivering groceries in old black van after school. Hope Louis is fine and well. Would love to see him and catch up.
He Allison, just the year ago post, didn’t know you knew about the Deuce’s. Just saying hi, 2nd cousin Paul
This is James Lucas and I was the lead singer for the Deuces Wilde. Still reside in the Houston area and am retired from a medical device company.
Hey James, good to no ur still out there. Fun days! Still making music, Paul
Good to hear from you Paul. Where are you living?
Somehow I have never seen this web site before, but watching it for the first time brings back a lot of old memories. I was rhythm guitar player for the original Deuces Wild back in about the 1964-1966 time frame. Charles Webb, Rick Slayton, Gordon Barnette, Harold Bailey, and I were all students at Waltrip HS in Houston when the Deuces Wild got a start. We got the opportunity to play at the Catacombs Club several times and it was a great experience. I left the group sometime 1966 to devote full time to getting an engineering degree. Unfortunately I lost contact with all the guys but it is very interesting to see how the Deuces Wild evolved since those days. I was very sad to learn about Gordon’s passing. He was a funny guy to be around and kept us all laughing. I first got to know Gordon in Junior High School when we were both in the school orchestra and he played the upright string bass.
This website brought back a couple of funny old memories from those days. We were fortunate to get to play at Catacombs at a time when the group The Outsiders had a popular hit called “Time Won’t Let Me”. What I mostly remember about that was the lead guitar player’s guitar crapped out and he was in a panic and ended up borrowing my guitar to play their set….those were great times. Another funny memory is of a gig we had to play at the home of then mayor Louie Welch. It was his daughter’s HS graduation party. Mayor Welch was concerned about how loud we were playing and he made several trips to turn down the volume on my amplifier….each time I would turn it back up as soon as he was not looking…..LoL…those were great times. I was also fortunate to make contact with Vicki Welch Ayo during the time she was working on her original her book titled “Boys From Houston”.
Some day I hope to be able to track down Rick Slaydon…if anyone knows an email address for Rick please let me know.