Lost In Tyme Blog

Lone Cowboys evolved out of the band New Toys, when singer/songwriter/guitarist Doug Tyler left the band in late 1983 (continued on as a three-piece until early 1984). This brought about a dramatic change in the sound of the band, now having lost their "pop" sound, they would become an edgy, hard-driving "alternative" 3-piece. There new sound would eventually get them noticed by Caroline Records after they charted number 20 on Sweden's independent music chart with a remake of the Debbie Boone classic, "You Light Up My Life." In 1986 they recorded Voodoo Dolls & Cadillac Fins on the Caroline label and prepared to launch a European tour. However, the tour was cancelled when Caroline was sued for parallel importing. What would have been tour support money was used instead on legal fees.

In December 1986, they returned to being a 4-piece with the addition of former Dirty Looks (former Stiff Recording Artists) bassist Marco Sin. But this ensemble would last less than a year. Marco would leave the group in October 1987 to become the bassist for The Waterboys. Later bassist Peter Cain would leave the band. The two K brothers decided in August of 1988 that a hiatus was needed, so they choose to take their leave in Buffalo, NY to relax and work on new material. While in Buffalo Alan and Kevin formed a new, but temporary, Lone Cowboys with old friends Charlie Petit (bass) and Joe DiPasquali (guitar). In a three month span they played six shows at Buffalo's famed punk/alternative club The Continental, selling out the 500 capacity venue for each performance.
On December 31, 1989 Lone Cowboys played their last show. Upon returning to New York City they re-united with former bassist Peter Cain, but decided that Lone Cowboys had gone as far as it could. The band reinvent itself as the Road Vultures ~ Ted Sterns, 13th Street Entertainment

A fine, but totally neglegted New York group (in fact from Buffalo, N.Y), formed by the K. borthers. In their carrier (under several band names) they connected with the cream of NY punk rock scene, like Johhny Thunders, Cheetah Chrome, Jerry Nolan, they opened for the Ramones, Romantics, Squeeze, Dead Boys, and played regularely in CBGB's, Gildersleeves and Zappa's. As we read in their site, one of Alan K.'s heros was Johnny Thunders and this is more or less obvious in "Voodoo Dolls...". We can also think of another band that was active in the N.Y. scene at those years, Band of Outsiders and the Jet Blackberries. What you get here is some very well played songs, imaginatevly presented, always with strong melody lines (don't forget that Lone Cowboys' roots were deep in New York's '70s punk) and always with genuine rock attitude. Several songs have dark/horror/odd lyrics while other are in the more straight rock tradition.

"Voodoo Dolls And Cadillac Fins" was the last release of Lone Cowboys - they have laso released a 7' - You Light Up My Life/Skulls Have Eyes (1985) and a cassette Streets of Poison (1985), all hopelessly out of print (although a few copies of the 7' were found recently and are available from their site)
Alan K. passed away in 1996. Both him and his brother were active from the late 70s - Kevin K. continues until today.

Side 1
1.A Scary Place/2.The Cornfield Song/3.Easy Targets/4.Crash/5.It's Not Fun/6.Nothing I Can Do/7.You Light Up My Life

Side 2
1.Hide And Seek/2.Girl Around Town/3.Buffy's Dead/4.All The Time In The World

Performers
Alan K : Guitar, Vocals
Kevin K : Drums, Vocals
Peter Cain : Bass, Vocals