Locust Street Taxi by Locust Street Taxi

So deep rooted in fact, that it drove them to practice their art in all sorts of exotic places; from an ancient drafty barn in the dead of winter where the pigeons used the drum set for target practice, to a stuffy, one-window machine shop attic where few odors went undetected and few egos were left un-assailed.

The band mates toiled and played. Oftentimes they created musical paradise in those sweaty spaces and shouted with delight. At other times they found themselves in a sort of purgatory where everything they played sounded like a bad version of Elvis backed by a junior-high pep-band.

The band wrote many songs in those early months. Lyrics were written down on whatever was handy; the back of a cardboard video cassette sleeve for the movie, "American Beauty," or a napkin at The Matrix Coffeehouse. The horn parts and chord changes were kept in their heads. Some of those early songs have survived and become LST classics. Others have not been heard from or even obliquely referred to in several years. Perhaps that is a good thing.

Locust Street Taxi began playing public gigs at about two months old. What they lacked in experience and precision they made up for with cow trombone noises, stage leaps and trumpet fireworks. One of their first public appearances occurred at a cute and cozy little venue dubbed, "The Electric Chair." It was basically a glorified concrete coffin with chicken bones hanging from the ceiling and no ventilation or seating. We don't need to tell you how loud it was. A hardcore punk band dressed all in black dedicated a gut-twisting tune to S*#$N (aka: Lord of the Underworld.) Immediately afterwards LST bravely performed the "Cow Song."

Now four years, five states, one hundred fifty shows, many pizzas and Chinese buffets, one guitarist and six drummers later (don't ask) Locust Street Taxi is still alive and rollicking. The band continues to deliver riotous performances with horns and humor to crowds of all ages and backgrounds who desperately need a wholesome kick-in-the-pants. Few bands charm the whiskers off of old men, the diapers off of toddlers and the grim poker faces off of everyone else with as much ease or alacrity as Locust Street Taxi. We heartily welcome you to the show and hope that you enjoy the live rollicking performance on this CD as much as we did and still do.

By Papa Taxi Summer 2005

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