Larry Evilelf (pronounced EVIL ELF not ef-elef)
Where to start? I’ll try from the beginning. I met Larry back when I was in High School. One of my classmates Joe Moss who worked at Burger Chef got a union job at the supermarket chain Almacs, he told me to apply at Burger Chef and I got the job.
On my first day on the job I met Larry. He liked Joe so he took a liking to me and kind of trained me along with the managers.
The classic training moment I remember quite vividly was how to clean the Pay Toilet on the outside of the building. Larry hooked up the water hose and said “Don’t touch anything just spray the water. You don’t want to touch anything it is gross (he pronounced it gaaa-rossssss) ! I have lots of funny stories from those days almost all including Larry. (one of my next blog perhaps).
Larry and I became close friends and we used to meet up after work and head over to my parents house where I had a room in the basement where friends would gather all too frequently. Even on nights I did not work Larry would show up between 11PM and midnight. He got a nickname from that, we called him The Midnight Elf! Me and my buddies used to sit around listening to music and making cassettes of music and us doing skits we mailed to 2 of my pals who joined the Air Force. Man do I wish I had those tapes today, they would really bring back memories!
I do have 2 of them that we made to play for others that stopped by and a few of the skits with Larry made the “Music To Make Your Ears Hurt Trey” CD. Larry was a character for sure. Bright and a great sense of humor. His favorites in music were more folk music like Arlo Guthrie, Harry Chapin but he also liked other stuff we listened to and his pal Roger who sometimes stopped by got him into KISS (me too I guess). I was into Zappa, Captain Beefheart, The Fugs and more of the underground or alternatives to Led Zep and other big bands at that time. Soon Punk rock would alter my tastes.
Fast forward to the 80’s Larry and I were still friends and in 84 Black & Blue Records was begun. It was all me at first then Larry got involved when he came with me to a Music seminar where Larry met John Radcliffe of Northwinds. Larry really liked them and he convinced me to sign them and he ended up as the producer for the Sleep With Evil album.
From there Larry worked with Bloody Mess & The Skabs on 6th Grade Field Trip and produced that album.
From there Larry became “The Voice” for the Black & Blue compilations with the first being “Music To Make Your Ears Hurt” where the first “Elf Talk” appeared.
He also was the voice most often heard on the greetings for the infamous Black & Blue Answering machine. (Wish I kept all those but we erased over and recorded new) I still have a few to be featured on future compilations from the label.
Larry became close to Algae Afterbirth and began booking all the shows for them and booked a lot for The Cedar Street Sluts too.
He also introduced me to the manager of UK band GG Goose (guh guh goose) Philippe Beau and was instrumental in the eventual signing of them but not with that name.
Mick Horgun who was with me the day we got the demo tape. Larry was excited and had us listen to the song “Spider Girl” which was kind of disco. Horgun said “Tell them to change their name to Blue Nouveaux and we will sign them” We laughed and then I told Larry that Mick was right and so Larry told Beau that and sure enough that is how Blue Nouveaux was born.
Mr Beau (originally from France living in FL) came up to RI to meet me to finalize the signing. Larry said let’s take him to a Red Sox game or something. I told Larry “He’s French, best to take him to a Titty Bar” . Well we did and Beau loved it saying over and over how beautiful the dancers were. Larry said that I was right as it sealed the deal.
When Celia Hemken arrived in the USA for the first time to tour and record Larry was one of the first to meet her.
Larry assisted in booking a Northeast US Tour for them supporting the "Darkness In Me" album.
After that concluded he began to produce the 2nd album.
Sadly before the album was completed Larry passed away from a premature heart attack. I am happy to say that the recordings have finally seen the light of day and I hope I did him proud.
Larry met GG only once at the infamous Populus Pudding show in the dressing room before the show. He had seen GG perform a few times before that but never met him. (did I blog on that show??? if not I should)
I miss Larry a lot, think about him often and have become closer to his friends as we sometimes gather to reminisce about the man. He is survived by his 2 daughters and his loving wife. While Larry is gone he lives on forever at Black & Blue, at least as long as I am still involved. Long Live The Midnight Elf!