LaTour

William LaTour, better known by his stage names LaTour and Bud LaTour, is an American musician, disc jockey and voice over artist. His musical genres span electronic, house, glam, rock, dance, punk, and parody. LaTour is best known for the 1991 Number 1 Billboard electronic dance hit "People Are Still Having Sex".[1] and for his instrumental deep house track, "Blue".

LaTour
William "Bill" LaTour in 2011
Background information
Birth nameWilliam LaTour
OriginLowell, Massachusetts
GenresElectronica, dance, industrial, pop, punk, parody
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, songwriter, voice over actor, production director, voice over producer and engineer
InstrumentsPiano, keyboard, drums, guitar, bass, programming
Years active1987–present
LabelsPolydor (1989–1993)
Smash Records (1989 – 1996)

Musical career

As a child, LaTour found a talent in writing parody songs.[2] Later, working at a radio station created the environment to record comedy songs and feature them on the air for skits. Like many parody songwriters, The Dr. Demento Radio Show played a large part in showcasing the early talents of LaTour. A parody version of Falco's "Rock Me Amadeus" entitled, "Rock Me Jerry Lewis" was credited to Bud Latour and fellow Phoenix, Arizona disc jockey, Mike Elliott. "Rock Me Jerry Lewis" reached Number 1 on The Dr. Demento's Funny Five chart.

LaTour was a member of Chicago punk band The Squids, formed in Chicago in 1989. He remained a member of the group until 1991, and played his final show with them at the Chicago Metro.[3] Upon leaving the band, he began producing house music, signed with Smash Records and released his first eponymous LaTour album in 1991. "People Are Still Having Sex" reached number one on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, and became a Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 hit (number 35). The song reached number 15 in the UK Singles Chart[4] after he performed on Top of The Pops. "Blue" was featured during the club scene in the film Basic Instinct, and appears on the film's soundtrack release. He released a second album, Home on the Range, in 1993, and had other hits on the U.S. Hot Dance chart, including the songs "Cold," "Hypnomania," "Craziaskowboi," and "E."

During the busiest phase of LaTour's recording career, the 1990s, he joined fellow house music producer, Terry "Housemaster" Baldwin to create a number of Chicago House singles for the underground house scene under the name "The L&B Project". This was named for the letters of both artist's last names.[5]

In 1997, LaTour formed another band, Muzloh.[6] The rest of the band included Chicago musicians Dave Hunt on drums, Don Batryn on lead guitar, and Pete Shorner on bass. Emery "Joe" Yost also played guitar and bass on the Muzloh CD. In the Chicago area, Muzloh played The House of Blues, The Metro Chicago club,[7] Gunther Murphy's, and The Chicago Free Fest. Muzloh released an album in 1997 titled Supersonic Gold on Spoon Records.

LaTour also performed as a studio musician for many House music record labels in Chicago during the '90s and musicians including Ralphie Rosario, White Knight, Terry Baldwin, Frankie Hollywood Rodriguez, DJ International Records, SOS Records, Underground Construction Records, and Trax Records.

Radio career

LaTour's radio work began at an early age, spending many hours at Trevor Browne High School's high school radio station in Phoenix, Arizona. The station was broadcast into the school's lunchroom and quad area. During those high school years, at the age of 16, LaTour became licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and secured a job at KUPD 97.9 in Phoenix. He joined as their weekend on-air personality from 1979–1983 and would begin to hone his skills as a voice over actor,[8] parody music songwriter,[9] and musician.

In 1983–1986, LaTour joined KZZP as their weekend on-air personality on the FM station and did the midday shift on their AM frequency. It was at this station that on-air personality, Chris Shebel[10] coined him William "Bud" LaTour.

After leaving KZZP, LaTour, now known primarily as "Bud" LaTour went on to Mesa, Arizona's KDKB as their morning show personality while also the station's Production Director. Only there for the year, LaTour moved to Phoenix's KSLX as the evening personality and then joined Chicago's WRXR. Climbing the ranks of radio, LaTour secured a position at a larger station, WBBM-FM also known as B96 as their weekend personality and Production Director from 1987–1992.

From 1998–1999, LaTour joined WXXY as their evening personality using the name Bill LaTour. He later moved to one of Chicago's only dance-format radio station, WKIE otherwise known as Energy 92.7.[11] The station released two full-length music CD's due to their popular format. He was their Production Director and midday personality, where he went only by the name LaTour.

When the station changed formats, LaTour joined Chicago's CBS Radio station WJMK, otherwise known as Jack FM, and continued as their Production Director. In the middle of 2009, Witchblade writer Christina Z contacted LaTour and encouraged him to act on a lifelong goal to work in the Los Angeles market. He resigned from WJMK and moved to Los Angeles in June 2009 to pursue radio and voice acting while still handling voice over spots for WJMK. He is heard in Chicago daily.

In January 2010, LaTour was offered the position of Production Director for KSWD 100.3, The Sound.

Discography

Albums
  • 1991: LaTour
  • 1993: Home on the Range
  • 1997: Supersonic Gold Muzloh

EPs
  • 1996: The Project E.P.

Singles
  • 1991: "People Are Still Having Sex" No. 1 US Dance Chart; No. 15 UK;[4] No. 17 Australia; No. 30 New Zealand; No. 35 US Hot 100
  • 1991: "Blue"
  • 1991: "Cold" No. 25 US Dance Chart
  • 1991: "Involved"
  • 1992: "Blue"
  • 1993: "E"
  • 1993: "Craziaskowboi"
  • 1993: "Hypomania"

See also

References
  1. "People Are Still Having Sex: Chart Listings". Billboard. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
  2. Gcast.com
  3. Mark, Caro (March 8, 1991). "3 more Chicago performers sign with Smash". Chuicago Tribune. p. N.
  4. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 314. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  5. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  6. Centerstage Media, LLC. "Centerstagechicago.com". Centerstagechicago.com. Archived from the original on April 15, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  7. Centerstage Media, LLC (February 24, 1998). "Centerstagechicago.com". Centerstagechicago.com. Archived from the original on February 29, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  8. "Mich.ideatown.com". Mich.ideatown.com. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  9. "DRdemento.com". DRdemento.com. December 28, 1986. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  10. "Energychicago.com". Energychicago.com. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  11. "Energychicago.com". Energychicago.com. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2012.

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