By STUBASS (206.135.204.2) on Saturday, November 16, 2002 - 12:44 pm:

ANOTHER TALENTED PERFORMER HAS LEFT OUR MIDST. BILLY GUY, BARITONE SINGER AND ORIGINAL MEMBER OF "THE COASTERS" HAS DIED AT AGE 66 IN LAS VEGAS. ACCORDING TO THE L.A. TIMES, GUY DIED OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. BILLY GUY SANG LEAD ON THE COASTERS HIT "SEARCHIN", AND PROVIDED SOME OF THE COMIC MATERIAL WHICH MADE THE GROUP FAMOUS...INCLUDING THAT FUNNY LITTLE "EH EH" IN THE SONG "ALONG CAME JONES". BILLY GUY...R.I.P.

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.35) on Saturday, November 16, 2002 - 01:00 pm:

Stu,
Very bad news indeed,
His material with the Robins/Coasters
second to none,
as well as the huge Rare Soul monster dancer
on Atco called
Crazy Baby.(WHICH HE ALSO WROTE)
yet another great talent leaves us,
R.I.P.
Mr.Billy Guy.
mel(andthensome).

By Ritchie (62.254.0.7) on Saturday, November 16, 2002 - 01:55 pm:

Very sad to hear this. I've always had a soft spot for the Coasters - as my CD collection will verify! Mel said it all, so here's a pic to go with it. (Billy is far right.)

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Saturday, November 16, 2002 - 03:03 pm:

I believe I had mentioned some time ago that as a Sunliner I had done a TV show with the Coasters. After the show I was invited to go play a round of golf with the guy who is on the left in the picture. I don't remember his name. I couldn't make it because of band business. I was pretty disappointed, having been such a huge fan of the Coasters.

By Ritchie (62.254.0.7) on Saturday, November 16, 2002 - 03:51 pm:

Ralph

That'll be Will "Dub" Jones. Recently I acquired a great CD of the Coasters - mostly unissued, alternate versions of the songs we know and love, and all but one in glorious stereo.

As soon as I find it, I'll play it. (So many CDs - so little room!)

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Saturday, November 16, 2002 - 04:01 pm:

Thanks for the information Ritchie. I'm not even sure if I ever knew the guys name.

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 11:38 am:

Here's the address for what must be the ultimate
Coasters website. An amazing piece of work - if you can't find an answer to a Coasters question there you probably won't find it anywhere.

www.angelfire.com/mn/coasters

your hoodlum friend

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 02:07 pm:

Thanks Davie,
Now take in the dog and put out the cat.

By matt (208.130.56.167) on Wednesday, November 20, 2002 - 05:35 pm:

billy also made at least one comedy album and at least one...well, unclassifiable album called "the pearl box revue," where he sits around with four transvestites for the duration of two lp's and jokes and bitches with them...amazing stuff.
matt

By Gabriele (212.171.165.36) on Thursday, November 21, 2002 - 03:37 am:

R.I.P.,Billy.

Gabriele

By Keith Herschell - London (213.122.56.127) on Thursday, November 21, 2002 - 04:00 am:

It would be hard to think of a funnier recording, but with more than a bit of social comentary then
'Shopping for clothes'. The line where the shopkeeper says 'Now take a look in the mirror and, er, dig yourself' makes me smile everytime.
keith
PS Running close in the humour stakes would be'Your cash ain't nothing but trash' - The Clovers and 'First I look at the purse' - The Contours

By Ritchie (62.254.0.8) on Thursday, November 21, 2002 - 06:40 am:

yeah, Keith - Shopping.. is one fine record. Wonderful lyrics, the sartorial equivalent of a Chuck Berry car song. Let's not forget another irreplaceable talent on that disc too - the great King Curtis, who blows a cool solo as mean as the tailor's assistant in the song.

"Ooo-oooh, ooo-ooo, Ooooh!
(Now ain't that nice?)"

By Yan (62.30.112.3) on Wednesday, December 04, 2002 - 10:50 am:

I work in a big chain bookstore, and occasionally get the chance to put CDs on over the shop system when managers aren't paying attention (got away with the "Golden Torch Story" nearly all day yesterday)- I remember once putting on a rocknroll compilation CD with "Young Blood" on it (and cranking the volume up when that song started) and it was taken off soon after for being "unsuitable"! And it was a top 10 pop hit in 1957!! (best year ever for good music??)

I love the whole sound on "Young Blood"...very thrusting, swaggering, sleazy- just great (my 45 is a bit warped in the closing minute which actually works in it's favour!)

R.I.P Billy.