The Souls of the Slain cover two songs by Love on their only 45, released on the Rickshaw label. Besides a great version of “7 and 7 Is”, the flip “Can’t Go On” is their version of “Signed D.C.” with a new title.

“Gigging frequently at the Beaconette on the corner of Napoleon and Claiborne, the Souls of the Slain often squared off against future Radiator Frank Bua’s band and U-Doe recording artists the Palace Guards. Their shining moment was opening for the Blues Magoos at Ched’s on Canal and Claiborne. Jerry would eventually leave the band to be replaced by future Radiator Camille Baudoin, while later members included Richard Rhodes on guitar/sitar and Emile Guest of Roger and the Gypsies fame on guitar.” Quote from the Ponderosa Stomp website.

Carl Flesher wrote to me about the band, listing the original lineup as:

Cornel LeBlanc – lead vocals
Jerry Heinberg – lead guitar
Billy Klause – keyboards
Jim Hutchison- bass
Carl Flesher – drums

The Souls actually started in 1965, our first gig was on Tulane’s campus that year. Three of us, Jerry, Hutch and I were Tulane students. We all dropped out by 1966. Cornel was at LSU and Billy [Klause] was a senior in high school when we started; they were boyhood friends, having lived across the street from one another during their childhood.

Billy was classically trained, I don’t remember if any one else studied music. I did not. Just decided I could teach myself, which I did by watching every drummer in N.O.

The name of the band was Hutch’s decision/recommendation. At the time we decided on the name, Hutch was taking modern poetry in one of his English classes. Our name was the title of a poem he liked.

I left the band in late 67 and returned to New York where my parents lived. I was replaced by Billy Thomason at that time. I returned to N.O. in 68 to get married and finish my degree at Tulane.

The first photo ( a battle of the bands in a downtown hotel ballroom) does depict me; the second could not have been taken in 66 because I was still with the band. I believe that photo was taken in late 67 or early 68. I will search for a photo of the original band. I believe I have an ad depicting us playing at Ched’s on Canal in ’66.

I hate to complicate this but my wife and I remember another recording (45 rpm). I cannot honestly say if a 45 was released, I don’t remember. What I do remember is the muscle fatigue that comes from repetition while in a studio. I did not play on the recording you have pictured, so it must have been recorded after I left, especially since I do not recall covering those songs.

Carl Flesher

Later guitarist Richard Rhode commented below and added some info in an email to me:

I came on after the 45 was released. We made some recordings both locally and at Robin Hood studio in Texas, but none were released. On the local sessions Billy played a great honky-tonk piano part in a song that Hutch wrote called “Minnie, Ms. Minnie”. (It featured a 4-part kazoo middle section. Only in the 60s.) He also played harpsichord on a re-arrangement of the Rolling Stones “Play With Fire”. It had a nice 4-part harmony in the chorus.

It was around that time Billy left the band because during the same set of sessions I played organ, harmonica, acoustic and electric guitar on another song written by Hutch. I don’t remember much about the Robin Hood session, but somewhere around here I might still have a CD (converted from cassettes) of some of the tracks from both sets of sessions. (I say “might” because Hurricane Katrina intervened). The fidelity wasn’t all that good anyway.

I mentioned that after Billy left I doubled on organ and guitar. I have vivid memories of having to play songs like “Light My Fire” and Vanilla Fudge’s version of “You Keep Me Hanging On”. It was like a juggling act. Cornel was a big help during that time because he was a good rhythm guitar player … he should have played more.

I think there’s a tape/CD of Camille and I jamming for about an hour in his parents’ garage. (But again,Katrina). After I quit the SOS, I majored in classical guitar at Loyola University.

I played in other groups before and after SOS: “The Grendels”, “The Glass Can”, and “Oak Alley”. I quit playing cold-turkey about 14 years ago. Guess playing 15 minute versions of “Color My World” 3 or 4 times a week finally took its toll.

In September 2012, Bob Sehlinger wrote to me about the Robin Gibbs Band, a precursor to the Souls of the Slain:

The Souls of the Slain evolved from a group comprised of Tulane students variously call the Robin Gibbs Band or the Hollow Men. The group was formed by bassist Jim Hutchinson and lead guitar Robin Gibbs and also featured Dave Wadler on rhythm guitar, vocals by Randy Fertita, and later Peggy Hewitt, and myself (Bob Sehlinger) on drums.

At Mardi Gras in 1965 the group was playing at the Red Garter Club Patio on Bourbon Street, and had just lost its lead vocalist. Cornell LeBlanc, then a high school student, came to the club and approached the band during a break asking if he could sing a couple songs. He pretty much knocked everyone out and was subsequently asked to join the group. After the spring semester Robin Gibbs left Tulane and the group broke up. Subsequently Jim Hutchinson and Cornell Le Blanc went on to form the Souls.

Bob Sehlinger

Photos below from the Ponderosa Stomp at the Rock ‘n Bowl, on October 1, 2004. Drummer Billy Thomaston wrote: “the only person not playing at Rock-N-Bowl was then organ player Billy Klause, substituted by close & life long friend Sherman Bernard. The other guitar player is Camile Baudoin of the Radiators who joined after Jerry Heinberg left in late 1967.”

Thanks to Billy Thomaston and Carl Flesher for sending in the photos of the band.