LaTour
Encyclopedia
William LaTour, better known by his stage name LaTour and also known as "Bud" Latour, is an American
singer, songwriter, and voice over artist. His musical genres span electronic, house, glam, rock, dance, punk, and parody.
He is best known for the 1991 Number one Billboard electronic dance hit
"People Are Still Having Sex
." and for his instrumental trance track, "Blue."
"Blue" was featured in the motion picture film Basic Instinct
, as well as being featured on the ABC television series Alias. He was a producer
of house music
when he released his first album
, titled LaTour. He released a second album, Home on the Range, in 1993.
His initial single
climbed to number one
on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart
, and became a Billboard Hot 100
Top 40 hit
(#35). In the UK, the song became a Top 20 hit in the UK Singles Chart
(#15) after he performed on Top Of The Pops
alongside Bette Midler
and Cher
. He has also had other hits on the U.S.
Hot Dance chart, including the songs "Cold," "Hypnomania," "Craziaskowboi," and "E."
, The Metro Chicago
club, Gunther Murphy's, The Chicago Free Fest, and many others. Muzloh released an album in 1997 titled Supersonic Gold on Spoon Records.
from 1990-2002. The original line-up included co-founder Joey Spatafora who is a Chicago-born vocalist and lyricist.
Other band members included Bolander Davis on guitar (Davis passed in 1996 from liver cancer. He was replaced in the line-up by Bob Fesus), Judy Johnson on bass, and Jimmy Vass on drums. The bands more noted line-up changes include the addition of Emery Yost on bass in 1994, Dave Hunt on drums in 1996, and keyboard player Scot Bahry who would sit in for LaTour when he was on tour to promote the LaTour albums. The Squids toured and recorded 5 cassettes, 1 vinyl EP called RUSH 2112, which was released in 1995 from Squid Productions, and a greatest hits CD, which was released in 2000 on Hot Dog Water Records.
singles for the underground house scene. The L&B Project was aptly named for the letters of both artist's last names.
series.
record labels in Chicago during the '90s and musicians including Ralphie Rosario, White Knight
, Terry Baldwin, Frankie Hollywood Rodriguez, DJ International Records, SOS Records
, Underground Construction Records, and Trax Records
.
Radio Show played a large part in showcasing the early talents of LaTour. A parody version of Falco
's "Rock Me Amadeus
" entitled, "Rock Me Jerry Lewis" was credited to Bud Latour and fellow Phoenix, Arizona disc jockey, Mike Elliott. To the dedicated parody community, LaTour is mostly only known as 'Bud LaTour'.
"Rock Me Jerry Lewis" climbed to Number 1 on The Dr. Dememto's Funny Five chart and grew to a notoriety that prompted mentions and airplay on Casey Kasem's
Top 40 Radio Show as well as a call from Jerry Lewis
himself. Furthermore, Jerry Lewis would begin to use the song at his personal appearances and stage shows. While in Phoenix, Arizona for a muscular dystrophy benefit at a bowling alley, Jerry Lewis invited 'Bud' LaTour and Mike Elliott to bowl with him. He was kind enough to sign 500 copies of the 'Rock Me Jerry Lewis' 7" record.
Since most of the recordings were done on cassette tape, many of the releases were thought to be lost but recent digital copies of the parodies have been found on The Mad Music Archive. These include "Wrapping the Bear" (1985 Mike Elliott and Bud LaTour doing a Teddy Ruxpin
parody), "Hit Me Baby" (original), "School's Back" (1986 parody of School's Out by Alice Cooper
), "Nightmare on Sesame St." (1986 original by Mike Elliott and Bud LaTour), "Puka" (1987 parody of Suzanne Vega's
"Luka" by Bud LaTour and Chicago radio deejay Scott Childers), "The Way You Make Me Squeal" (1988 parody of Michael Jackson's
"The Way You Make Me Feel"), and "You Always Poke My Eye" (1989 parody of The Pet Shop Boys "You Are Always On My Mind").
When not creating solo parodies, LaTour often created his work with a tight-knit group of radio personalities and satirists that would include Mike Elliot and Mark Davis to create a group they called 'Tri-5'.
LaTour's radio work began at an early age, spending many hours at Trevor Browne High School's high school radio
station in Phoenix, Arizona. The station was broadcast into the school's lunchroom and quad area. During those high school years, at the age of 16, LaTour became licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) and secured a job at KUPD 97.9 in Phoenix. He joined as their weekend on-air personality from 1979–1983 and would begin to hone his skills as a voice over actor, parody music
songwriter, and musician.
In 1983-1986, LaTour joined KZZP
as their weekend on-air personality on the FM station and did the midday shift on their AM frequency. It was at this station that on-air personality, Chris Shebel coined him William "Bud" LaTour.
After leaving KZZP, LaTour, now known primarily as "Bud" LaTour went on to Mesa, Arizona's KDKB
as their morning show personality while also the station's Production Director. Only there for the year, LaTour moved to Phoenix's KLSX as the evening personality and then joined Chicago's WRXR. Climbing the ranks of radio, LaTour secured a position at a larger station, WBBM-FM
also known as B96 as their weekend personality and Production Director from 1987-1992.
From 1998-1999, LaTour joined WXXY
as their evening personality using the name Bill LaTour. He later moved to one of Chicago's only dance-format radio station, WKIE
otherwise known as Energy 92.7. The station released two full length music CD's due to their popular format. He was their Production Director and midday personality, where he went only by the name LaTour.
When the station changed formats, LaTour joined Chicago's CBS Radio
station WJMK, otherwise known as Jack FM
, and continued as their Production Director. In the middle of 2009, LaTour acted on a lifelong goal to work in the Los Angeles radio market. He resigned from WJMK and moved to Los Angeles in June 2009 to pursue radio and voice acting while still handling voice over spots for WJMK. He is heard in Chicago daily.
In January 2010, LaTour was offered the position of Production Director for KSWD 100.3, The Sound.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, songwriter, and voice over artist. His musical genres span electronic, house, glam, rock, dance, punk, and parody.
He is best known for the 1991 Number one Billboard electronic dance hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
"People Are Still Having Sex
People Are Still Having Sex
"People Are Still Having Sex" is a song written and composed by American musician LaTour and released as the firstsingle from his self-titled debut album LaTour .-Song content:...
." and for his instrumental trance track, "Blue."
"Blue" was featured in the motion picture film Basic Instinct
Basic Instinct
Basic Instinct is a 1992 erotic thriller directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas, and starring Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone....
, as well as being featured on the ABC television series Alias. He was a producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
of house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
when he released his first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, titled LaTour. He released a second album, Home on the Range, in 1993.
His initial single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
climbed to number one
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
, and became a Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
Top 40 hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
(#35). In the UK, the song became a Top 20 hit in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
(#15) after he performed on Top Of The Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
alongside Bette Midler
Bette Midler
Bette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
and Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
. He has also had other hits on the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Hot Dance chart, including the songs "Cold," "Hypnomania," "Craziaskowboi," and "E."
Muzloh
In 1997, LaTour wrote a rock album. He called the band Muzloh and conceived the demos in his home recording studio, Chateau LaTour Studios. He enlisted Squids drummer Dave Hunt, Don Batryn on lead guitar, and Pete Shorner on bass to formally record at Chateau LaTour and play live. In the Chicago area, Muzloh played The House of BluesHouse of Blues
House of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers...
, The Metro Chicago
Metro Chicago
This page is about the concert hall; for the metro region surrounding Chicago, see Chicago metropolitan area.Metro is a concert hall at 3730 N. Clark Street in Chicago, Illinois that plays host to a variety of local, regional and national emerging bands and musicians. The Metro was first opened in...
club, Gunther Murphy's, The Chicago Free Fest, and many others. Muzloh released an album in 1997 titled Supersonic Gold on Spoon Records.
The Squids
LaTour was co-founder, keyboardist, and composer for the Chicago based punk band The SquidsThe Squids
The Squids are a Chicago-based punk band that was created by Chicago born singer/songwriter Joey Spatafora and William LaTour also known as LaTour. The Squids appeared to break up recently though it is never clear when they will resurface. The Squids toured and recorded from 1990 to 2002...
from 1990-2002. The original line-up included co-founder Joey Spatafora who is a Chicago-born vocalist and lyricist.
Other band members included Bolander Davis on guitar (Davis passed in 1996 from liver cancer. He was replaced in the line-up by Bob Fesus), Judy Johnson on bass, and Jimmy Vass on drums. The bands more noted line-up changes include the addition of Emery Yost on bass in 1994, Dave Hunt on drums in 1996, and keyboard player Scot Bahry who would sit in for LaTour when he was on tour to promote the LaTour albums. The Squids toured and recorded 5 cassettes, 1 vinyl EP called RUSH 2112, which was released in 1995 from Squid Productions, and a greatest hits CD, which was released in 2000 on Hot Dog Water Records.
L&B Project
During the 1990s when LaTour was most recognized for creating dance music, he teamed up with fellow house music producer, Terry "Housemaster" Baldwin sometimes only known as Housemaster Baldwin to create a number of Chicago HouseChicago house
Chicago house is a style of house music, a genre of electronic dance music which emerged in Chicago in the mid-1980s. Stylistically, Chicago house has no widely accepted definition, but generally includes the first house music productions by Chicago-based artists throughout the 1980s, and any later...
singles for the underground house scene. The L&B Project was aptly named for the letters of both artist's last names.
The LBM Experience
LaTour collaborated with Mark Mumford of the UK's Mr. Roy and Terry Baldwin to form the aptly titled The LBM Experience under a white labelWhite label
White label records are vinyl records with adhesive plain white labels affixed. Test pressings, usually with Test Pressing written on the label, with catalogue number, artist and recording time or date, are produced in small quantities to evaluate the quality of the disc production...
series.
Studio musician
LaTour performed as a studio musician for many House musicHouse music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
record labels in Chicago during the '90s and musicians including Ralphie Rosario, White Knight
White knight
White knight may refer to:*a literary stock character, see knight *The White Knight Fitzgibbon, an extinct hereditary Anglo-Norman title of nobility used in Ireland-In literature:...
, Terry Baldwin, Frankie Hollywood Rodriguez, DJ International Records, SOS Records
SOS Records
SOS Records is a California-based punk-rock record label.- Bands :*4 Past Midnight*Abrasive Wheels*The Adicts*The Agitators*Bad Manners*Bang Sugar Bang*Blitz*Broken Bones*Conflict*DBD*The Diffs*Drongos for Europe*Exploited*Final Conflict...
, Underground Construction Records, and Trax Records
Trax Records
Trax Records is a house-music record label based in Chicago. It played a major part in the development of house music with records such as Jamie Principle & Frankie Knuckles's "Your Love."...
.
Parody musician
As a child, LaTour found a talent in writing parody songs. He recalls his first parody song being conceived at the age of five. Working at a radio station created the environment to record comedy songs and feature them on the air for skits. Like many parody songwriters, The Dr. DementoDr. Demento
Barret Eugene Hansen , better known as Dr. Demento, is a radio broadcaster and record collector specializing in novelty songs, comedy, and strange or unusual recordings dating from the early days of phonograph records to the present....
Radio Show played a large part in showcasing the early talents of LaTour. A parody version of Falco
Falco (musician)
Johann Hölzel , better known by his stage name Falco, was an Austrian pop and rock musician and rapper. He had several international hits: "Der Kommissar", "Rock Me Amadeus", "Vienna Calling", "Jeanny", "The Sound of Musik", "Coming Home " and posthumously, "Out Of The Dark"...
's "Rock Me Amadeus
Rock Me Amadeus
"Rock Me Amadeus" is a 1985 song by Austrian pop musician Falco from his album Falco 3. It topped the singles charts on both sides of the Atlantic. It was Falco's only number one hit in either the United States or the United Kingdom, despite his popularity in Germany, his native Austria, and much...
" entitled, "Rock Me Jerry Lewis" was credited to Bud Latour and fellow Phoenix, Arizona disc jockey, Mike Elliott. To the dedicated parody community, LaTour is mostly only known as 'Bud LaTour'.
"Rock Me Jerry Lewis" climbed to Number 1 on The Dr. Dememto's Funny Five chart and grew to a notoriety that prompted mentions and airplay on Casey Kasem's
Casey Kasem
Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is an American radio personality and voice actor who is best known for being the host of the nationally syndicated Top 40 countdown show American Top 40, and for voicing Shaggy in the popular Saturday morning cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.Kasem, along with Don Bustany and...
Top 40 Radio Show as well as a call from Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
himself. Furthermore, Jerry Lewis would begin to use the song at his personal appearances and stage shows. While in Phoenix, Arizona for a muscular dystrophy benefit at a bowling alley, Jerry Lewis invited 'Bud' LaTour and Mike Elliott to bowl with him. He was kind enough to sign 500 copies of the 'Rock Me Jerry Lewis' 7" record.
Since most of the recordings were done on cassette tape, many of the releases were thought to be lost but recent digital copies of the parodies have been found on The Mad Music Archive. These include "Wrapping the Bear" (1985 Mike Elliott and Bud LaTour doing a Teddy Ruxpin
Teddy Ruxpin
Teddy Ruxpin is a children's toy talking bear. The bear would move his mouth and eyes while 'reading' stories which were played on an audio tape cassette deck built into his back. It was created by Ken Forsse with later assistance by Larry Larsen and John Davies. Later versions would use a digital...
parody), "Hit Me Baby" (original), "School's Back" (1986 parody of School's Out by Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
), "Nightmare on Sesame St." (1986 original by Mike Elliott and Bud LaTour), "Puka" (1987 parody of Suzanne Vega's
Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Nadine Vega is an American songwriter and singer known for her eclectic folk-inspired music.Two of Vega's songs reached the top 10 of various international chart listings: "Luka" and "Tom's Diner"...
"Luka" by Bud LaTour and Chicago radio deejay Scott Childers), "The Way You Make Me Squeal" (1988 parody of Michael Jackson's
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
"The Way You Make Me Feel"), and "You Always Poke My Eye" (1989 parody of The Pet Shop Boys "You Are Always On My Mind").
When not creating solo parodies, LaTour often created his work with a tight-knit group of radio personalities and satirists that would include Mike Elliot and Mark Davis to create a group they called 'Tri-5'.
Radio career
High school radio
High school radio within the United States is almost as old as radio broadcasting itself. Simply defined as a radio station, with its studios located at a high school and usually operated by its students with faculty supervision, stations fitting this description existed in the mid-1920s...
station in Phoenix, Arizona. The station was broadcast into the school's lunchroom and quad area. During those high school years, at the age of 16, LaTour became licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) and secured a job at KUPD 97.9 in Phoenix. He joined as their weekend on-air personality from 1979–1983 and would begin to hone his skills as a voice over actor, parody music
Parody music
Parody music, or musical parody, involves changing or recycling existing musical ideas or lyrics — or copying the peculiar style of a composer or artist, or even a general style of music. Although the result is often funny, and this is the usual intent — the term "parody" in musical terms also...
songwriter, and musician.
In 1983-1986, LaTour joined KZZP
KZZP
KZZP, 104.7 KISS-FM, is a Top 40 radio outlet serving the Phoenix, Arizona area. The Clear Channel Communications station broadcasts at 104.7 MHz with an Effective radiated power of 100 kW and is licensed in Mesa, Arizona. Due to its 100 kW tower located atop South Mountain, the station can...
as their weekend on-air personality on the FM station and did the midday shift on their AM frequency. It was at this station that on-air personality, Chris Shebel coined him William "Bud" LaTour.
After leaving KZZP, LaTour, now known primarily as "Bud" LaTour went on to Mesa, Arizona's KDKB
KDKB
KDKB is a commercial Rock music formatted radio station located in Phoenix, Arizona. It is owned by Sandusky Radio and licensed to Mesa Radio, Inc...
as their morning show personality while also the station's Production Director. Only there for the year, LaTour moved to Phoenix's KLSX as the evening personality and then joined Chicago's WRXR. Climbing the ranks of radio, LaTour secured a position at a larger station, WBBM-FM
WBBM-FM
WBBM-FM, known on air as "B96", is a Rhythmic Contemporary outlet in Chicago, Illinois with a Rhythmic based playlist. The station is owned by CBS Radio and broadcasts at 96.3 MHz with an ERP of 4.2 kW. WBBM's main competition is WKSC-FM "103.5 Kiss FM", as well as urban rivals WGCI-FM &...
also known as B96 as their weekend personality and Production Director from 1987-1992.
From 1998-1999, LaTour joined WXXY
WVIV-FM
WVIV-FM and WVIX are a Spanish radio simulcast in Chicago, Illinois. They are part of the family of Univisión Radio, a division of Univisión Communications. Studios are located at 625 North Michigan, right in the heart of downtown Chicago.-103.1 and 93.5 FM History:The 103.1 FM frequency was...
as their evening personality using the name Bill LaTour. He later moved to one of Chicago's only dance-format radio station, WKIE
WKIE
WCPT-FM 92.7 FM is a radio station licensed to Arlington Heights, Illinois, and serving the Chicago area. WCPT-FM is part of a trimulcast with WCPT , WCPQ and WCPY. During the daytime, the trimulcast simulcasts WCPT programming from 5 AM - 9 PM, and operates a Dance Hits format at night...
otherwise known as Energy 92.7. The station released two full length music CD's due to their popular format. He was their Production Director and midday personality, where he went only by the name LaTour.
When the station changed formats, LaTour joined Chicago's CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
station WJMK, otherwise known as Jack FM
Jack FM
JACK FM is the alternative name and on-air brand of 60 radio stations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Jack stations play a mix of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles. Jack's slogan "playing what we want" can also be...
, and continued as their Production Director. In the middle of 2009, LaTour acted on a lifelong goal to work in the Los Angeles radio market. He resigned from WJMK and moved to Los Angeles in June 2009 to pursue radio and voice acting while still handling voice over spots for WJMK. He is heard in Chicago daily.
In January 2010, LaTour was offered the position of Production Director for KSWD 100.3, The Sound.
Albums
- 1991: LaTourLaTour (album)LaTour is the debut album by house music songwriter LaTour. Released in 1991, it featured a hit single in the song People Are Still Having Sex, which features a deadpan monologue about people having sex all over the world and nothing being able to stop it. In the album edit of the song, the lyric...
- 1993: Home on the RangeHome on the Range"Home on the Range" is the state song of Kansas, U.S.Home on the Range may also refer to:* Home on the Range , a drama directed by Arthur Jacobson* Home on the Range , a Disney animated feature film...
- 1997: Supersonic Gold Muzloh
- 2000: 4 Floors Of Whores - The Squids Collection The SquidsThe SquidsThe Squids are a Chicago-based punk band that was created by Chicago born singer/songwriter Joey Spatafora and William LaTour also known as LaTour. The Squids appeared to break up recently though it is never clear when they will resurface. The Squids toured and recorded from 1990 to 2002...
Singles
- 1989: "People Are Still Having SexPeople Are Still Having Sex"People Are Still Having Sex" is a song written and composed by American musician LaTour and released as the firstsingle from his self-titled debut album LaTour .-Song content:...
" #1 US Dance Chart; #15 UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
; #17 Australia; #30 New Zealand; #35 US Hot 100 - 1991: "Blue"
- 1991: "Cold" #25 US Dance Chart
- 1991: "Involved"
- 1992: "Blue"
- 1993: "E"
- 1993: "Craziaskowboi"
- 1993: "Hypomania"
See also
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- Music of ChicagoMusic of ChicagoAs the largest non-coastal United States city, Chicago, Illinois is a major center for music in the midwestern United States, especially in the early 1900s, when the "Great Migration" of poor black workers from the South into the industrial cities brought traditional jazz and blues music to...