The Palace Guards (Louisiana band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1966 in Metairie, Louisiana, United States |
| Defunct | 1970 |
| Headquarters | Metairie , United States |
| Products | Garage rock music, singles |
The Palace Guards were a garage rock ensemble originating from Metairie, Louisiana, active during the mid to late 1960s. Their musical approach drew heavily from British Invasion groups such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, while also incorporating elements of American folk rock and soul. Drummer Frank Bua eventually became a member of the acclaimed roots rock and funk band, the Radiators.
History
Established in 1966 in Metairie, Louisiana, the founding members consisted of Les Gray (vocals), Glenn Acomb and Jeff Miller (guitars), Richie Faber (bass), and Frank Bua (drums). They emerged as a key local garage band alongside contemporaries like the Gaunga Dyns and Dr. Spec's Optical Illusion. Frequent performers at venues including the Beaconette, they often engaged in competitive battle of the bands events. Later, guitarist Camile Baudoin, formerly with the Souls of the Slain, and drummer Frank Bua joined the Radiators.
Their first single, "Better Things to Do" backed with "Sorry," was issued in 1966 through Frank Udoe's U-DOE Records label and received notable local radio attention. The group released four additional singles on U-DOE. In 1967, their lineup expanded with Ray Morvant (piano/organ) and Doug Davis (12-string guitar), enriching their sound by mixing soul influences with folk rock inspired by the Byrds. That year saw the release of "No Comin' Back" backed with "Barbara" on White Cliffs Records, also owned by Udoe, followed by "Gas Station Boogaloo Downtown" backed with "Looking Everywhere" in 1968. After Faber and Acomb departed in 1968, Bobby Fonseca joined as bassist, while Bua, Morvant, and Miller remained. The band continued performing for more than a year, issuing one last single before dissolving in 1970.
In the late 1970s, both Frank Bua and Camile Baudoin became part of the Radiators, achieving considerable acclaim in roots rock and funk genres. Gear Fab Records assembled all of The Palace Guards' recordings—including their five singles plus previously unreleased material—into a comprehensive collection released on a single disc in 2007.
Membership
- Les Gray (vocals)
- Glenn Acomb (guitar)
- Jeff Miller (guitar)
- Richie Faber (bass)
- Frank Bua (drums)
- Ray Morvant (piano, organ, guitar)
- Doug Davis (12-string guitar)
- Bobby Fonseca (bass)
Discography
- "Sorry" b/w "Better Things to Do" (U-Doe 104, June 1966)
- "No Comin' Back" b/w "Barbara" (White Cliffs 269, August 1967)
- "Gas Station Boogaloo Downtown" b/w "Looking Everywhere" (White Cliffs 286, 1968; Rae 103, 1969)