Who’s who:
Rick Rourke - lead vocals, acoustic guitar, saxophone and harmonica
Larry Clyman - lead guitar
Lucas Ruedy - bass
Doug Kline - drums
Craig Thaler - violin and fiddle
About the band:
Rick Rourke and Lost Wages have been together for roughly a year and a half. Prior to their formation, Rourke served as saxophonist and vocalist for The Out of Control Rhythm & Blues Band for two decades.
Artists such as The Animals, Muddy Waters, Reverend Gary Davis, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Bob Dylan, and Van Morrison have influenced the Saratoga Springs band’s music, which Rourke described as “Roots/Americana with strong references to blues, jazz, and country.”
The group has received airplay on WRPI, WSPN, and WEXT, as well as had one of their songs played on The Today Show. Rick Rourke and Lost Wages are hoping to embark on a tour of the Northeast this summer.
In July 2006, Rick Rourke and Lost Wages put out “Lost Wages.” The band is currently working on their next full length album, and Rourke hopes to release either that record or a live CD by the end of the year.
The band has approximately 24 original tunes, and their sets consist of those songs as well as a number of cover songs including “Norwegian Wood” by The Beatles, “I’m Crying” by The Animals, “I Used to Love Her” by Bobby Womack, and “Please Send Me Someone to Love” by Percy Mayfield. Rick Rourke and Lost Wages know enough material to play for more than three hours.
Rick Rourke and Lost Wages are playing a 21 and over show at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31 at Vapor in Saratoga Springs with Loose Cannon Live! Admission is free. The group also performs at Gaffney’s once every month.
To check out the band, visit www.rickrourke.com or www.myspace.com/lostwagesband.
Quotable Quotes:
“I like the freedom of going where the song takes me,” Rourke said.
“Every time you play, you hope to get it better than the last time. You hope to raise the bar,” Rourke said. “It feels good to give it all every night.”
—Mike Ryan
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