The September 25, 2010 Bobby Rex and the Nomads big rock show is almost here.
Back in 1991 I put together a band called the Rustic Nomads and was playing the original songs co-wroten by Given members from back in 1987-89 along with other acoustic songs I was writing at the time. In 1990 when the Given was really no more, I continued writing alone and put together a band with saxophone, keyboards, bass & drums, along with myself on guitars and vocals. We played blues, R&B, and whole bunch of originals and covers that meant something to me at the time, and were fun to play in bars and taverns on the southwest side of Chicago and elsewhere. There were many acoustic shows too during the early nineties. In 1993 we simply called it Bobby Rex and the Nomads. All through 1994 we continued performing and the name Nomads was really apropos as by that time I had quite a few musicians I could choose from when fulfilling a particular gig. I think I used 4 or 5 drummers over those 3 years along with 3 different bass players and 3 different sax players, and 3 different keyboardists. Paul Allodi played bass for most of those rock gigs at the Gallery Caberet, Sylvesters Two, Johnny's Back Room, the Lincoln Tap Room, and the other haunts we used to play in 1992 - 94. Lovey Jr. Fuller played bass on the Brand New Freak 3 song demo in 1992 and played with me from late 1991 - 93.
By the end of 1994 Paul Allodi and I decided to settle for one permanent lineup of players and focus on playing parties and events with high energy and at a little better pay. We began covering more popular and accessible rock and roll classics which had audience participation themes along with some new radio friendly rock and alternative. Original material became less of a focus. In 1995 the band name was coined as Biff and the Waybacks. The late nineties saw our band performing all around Schaumburg, Wheeling, Palatine, Arlington Heights, and other Chicago suburbs. Biff and the Waybacks performed at Navy Pier's beer garden more than 15 times from 1996 to 2006. In 1998 for example Biff and the Waybacks performed over 50 jobs. Biff and the Waybacks still perform in 2010 for special events.
This upcoming September 25th show is really going to be quite a party at 115 Bourbon Street. I am really looking forward to seeing all the many friends from the old Ashburn neighborhood during the reunion from 6:30 to 10:30. Did you know Ashburn got its start as a popular place for Chicagoans to dump their fireplace and furnace ashes during the 1920s and 30s? Most of the homes in our neighborhood were built from 1954 to 1959 during the height of the baby boom when St. Denis Cathoic Grade School had more than 2,000 students per year. We will be going on the main stage in the big room as soon as the reunion is over at 10:30pm. I'll add some other news as we get closer. Hope to see some of you there.
