Early Mink DeVille sideman Fast Floyd (vocals/guitar) fronts this red-hot San Francisco R&B quintet, breathlessly belting out sizzling numbers (most of them covers) like "You Talk Too Much," "Wish You Would" and "Got the Water Boiling." Floyd's punkabilly whoop — like Tav Falco on steroids or Lux Interior minus the punk kitsch — adds gusto to the frenzied atmosphere; Franco St. Andrew blows a horny enough tenor sax to steam up some windows of his own. Capping off this dynamite blast of retro-styled party rock, the nudie cover shot of '50s sex queen Candy Barr nuzzling up to a phonograph perfectly captures the album's goodnatured sleaze.Ripped from vinyl at 320 kbps
Enjoy
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ReplyDeleteLink is dead, could you re-up ?
ReplyDeleteThx a lot for your awesome blog :)
I was in Fast Floyd & the Firebirds, the first lead singer
ReplyDeleteI left because Floyd was very violent and tried to kill me, then stalked me, then held a razor a millimeter from my face. Two months later he slashed Eva Tuffanelli's face with a broken beer bottle at a "dinner party" at Siobhan Lowe's.
He did, however, start Mink deVille and Willie and his psycho-wife, Susan Berman- "Toots" (who was hardly a Basque Apache dancer as she said but was the daughter of a rich Jewish guy who manufactured expensive men's clothing (Palm Beach Clothes) screwed him. When Willie didn't need Susan's money anymore, he screwed her, too. And he screwed Ruben Siguenza, the bass player, and Manfred Jones, the drummer
I believe Willie never got real fame because this karma caught up to him
Floyd was never the same after this happened. He and Willie were childhood friends, robbed houses in Greenwich, CT together until they got caught and lived on the streets of Greenwich Village together for two or three years
Willie hadn't been in band for years when Floyd induced him to come to CA from CT to join Floyd's band, Lazy Ace. Floyd then started Mink deVille and asked Willie to be the lead singer
Floyd was never the same after this
Silke Berlinn
Fast Floyd, aka Robert Henry McKenzie, born October 31, 1950, oldest of six children. Brutally beaten as child by alcoholic father (WW2 Marine Corps vet), IQ testing revealed "genius" level, fought for his life on many levels. Suicided in May 1993, his apartment held floor to ceiling books on history, war, music. Huge collection of vinyl and ancient weapons. Admired and respected musician historian and R&B man. We miss this smart hard rebel.
DeleteIt's not true that Willie never got real fame, but he was far more beloved and preferred to stay in Europe. Nevertheless he sold out huge stadiums in the US for many years. If he was playing smaller venues you had to know someone to get a ticket. Willie was a generous and loving person who even after death is beloved by many.
DeleteFloyd and Willie remained good friends until the day he died. When Willie played N. CA Floyd was always there.
DeleteDelete name Tuffanelli from this site. It was over 30 years ago and should not pop up for all to see in 2009 and still in 2014....disgusted to have the past brought up for this woman.
ReplyDeleteFloyd, Fast Floyd, a hugely talented man who had a tough early life that was reflected in his later years. I knew him well, having met him at Ye Olde Rose and Thistle in San Francisco, we lived together in his basement apartment in San Rafael for several months. This was during the time when his musical career in decline and he was no longer in demand as "Fast Floyd and His Famous Firebirds", one of his last shows was at the "Grant & Green" in the North Beach area of San Francisco.
ReplyDeleteThere are those who were very close to Floyd, yet had no clue who he really was and what he was capable of doing to the women who tried to love him.. I'm pretty sure I was the last. Unfortunately, his last years of life were the kind one would was not want romanticize. Yes, Floyd loved his Japanese Samurai Swords and had a lovely collection of them, but it was pretty sad to go with him to sell his guitars to pay the rent with because I wouldn't support his by becoming a call girl. Every now and then he would drive to one of the local record shops in Marin to send me in to see if they would buy one of his records, "got one already" was the standard answer and said with a sneer. It was a sad life and I felt trapped, he wouldn't let me out of his sight and spoke often of suicide, the night I woke up with him next to me holding a gun, scared me because there was no way I could convince him that his musical life was not over.
I'm not going to give anymore details of my life with Floyd, let it suffice to say I escaped death. The only thing I want to say is the way he ended his life was bad, very bad not only for himself but for the others he hurt and narrowly missed taking with him. Please don't romanticize the man known as Fast Floyd because it just isn't pretty. He may have been very intelligent but Robert Henry McKenzie was not a totally honorable Man.
Floyd and I were very good friends during the last couple of years I was addicted to heroine, in fact when I go out of treatment he was the first person I called to tell him it was possible to get off junk, and stay off. He got that call because he'd always been very generous and kind towards me. I'd heard he had a violent streak but never saw it, mainly because I am sure, I was not emotionally involved with him and more important, was not a low life who ripped him off. He had an unenviable life. RIP Floyd.
ReplyDeleteFloyd shot and killed his pregnant girlfriend before turning the gun on himself. He thougt she had ratted him to the police. He was facing a live sentence for drugs and weapon charges,
ReplyDeleteThe story Rick Norton, his San Francisco best friend, told me was different. He went to go do a drug deal and shot the pregnant woman then her boyfriend then himself, drug deal gone bad. He would know as they were really tight. Don't think any other woman would be stupid enough to be with him much less get pregnant by him because he was really losing it when I managed to get away. He loved his perversions......
DeleteNo one I know would dare steal from Floyd, he believed in payback.
I had lost track of Floyd decades ago. Found this site out of curiosity. When he and Silke were together, I bought black Coupe de Ville from Silke. I had to replace the starter in it while lying down in the street before I could drive it away. One day I was walking by their house in San Rafael. Floyd asked me if I wanted to roadie for them at the Mabuhay, and I said yes. Most amazing decision ever. Completely changed my taste in music. They used to play the Devo 16mm film before every show. That film blew me away. So wonderfully weird. I worked for them a few times, and did some photography and other work. I never got paid, but I didn't care, had a lot of fun, got to see other great acts. I still have negatives, proofs and some other prints. Ought to archive and post them or something. Great memories, never saw Floyd's dark side, first learned of it here. Hi, Silke if you're still out there!
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't a "basement" apartment, it was a ground floor converted garage, and it was my apartment before I let that miserable bastard move in - for the umpteenth time of making up after breaking up. I was the one who drove cross-country with him from NYC, and I moved back in '75, to save my life by going back to where he couldn't follow. What a sick psycho sonuvabitch. I couldn't have been more relieved when I heard he shot himself. It was only a matter of time, and frankly, he lived far too long as it was. He should have never been born at all. Hope there is a hell, because that's where he should be.
ReplyDeleteI loved that little apartment. and can still see every detail of it in my mind's eye 50 years on. And I remember the abuse, and the threats, and I'd dance on his grave if I could be bothered.
I was with him for a while in San Rafael ..he was totally in luv with silke...I was just a kid that met him and dave at the Santa cruz boardwalk..he was into s&m and eva and had a friend named ann
ReplyDeleteI think he had or wanted a black Volkswagen
ReplyDelete