The Souls of the Slain

The Souls of the Slain in a New Orleans cemetery, August 1966, left to right: Billy Klause, Carl Flesher, Jim Hutchison, Jerry Heinberg, and Cornel LeBlanc.
The Souls of the Slain in a New Orleans cemetery, August 1966, left to right: Billy Klause, Carl Flesher, Jim Hutchison, Jerry Heinberg, and Cornel LeBlanc.

Souls of the Slain Rickshaw 45 7 And 7 IsThe Souls of the Slain cover two songs by Love on their only 45, released on the Rickshaw label. Besides a great version of “7 and 7 Is”, the flip “Can’t Go On” is their version of “Signed D.C.” with a new title.

“Gigging frequently at the Beaconette on the corner of Napoleon and Claiborne, the Souls of the Slain often squared off against future Radiator Frank Bua’s band and U-Doe recording artists the Palace Guards. Their shining moment was opening for the Blues Magoos at Ched’s on Canal and Claiborne. Jerry would eventually leave the band to be replaced by future Radiator Camille Baudoin, while later members included Richard Rhodes on guitar/sitar and Emile Guest of Roger and the Gypsies fame on guitar.” Quote from the Ponderosa Stomp website.

Carl Flesher wrote to me about the band, listing the original lineup as:

Cornel LeBlanc – lead vocals
Jerry Heinberg – lead guitar
Billy Klause – keyboards
Jim Hutchison- bass
Carl Flesher – drums

The Souls actually started in 1965, our first gig was on Tulane’s campus that year. Three of us, Jerry, Hutch and I were Tulane students. We all dropped out by 1966. Cornel was at LSU and Billy [Klause] was a senior in high school when we started; they were boyhood friends, having lived across the street from one another during their childhood.

Billy was classically trained, I don’t remember if any one else studied music. I did not. Just decided I could teach myself, which I did by watching every drummer in N.O.

The name of the band was Hutch’s decision/recommendation. At the time we decided on the name, Hutch was taking modern poetry in one of his English classes. Our name was the title of a poem he liked.

I left the band in late 67 and returned to New York where my parents lived. I was replaced by Billy Thomason at that time. I returned to N.O. in 68 to get married and finish my degree at Tulane.

The first photo ( a battle of the bands in a downtown hotel ballroom) does depict me; the second could not have been taken in 66 because I was still with the band. I believe that photo was taken in late 67 or early 68. I will search for a photo of the original band. I believe I have an ad depicting us playing at Ched’s on Canal in ’66.

I hate to complicate this but my wife and I remember another recording (45 rpm). I cannot honestly say if a 45 was released, I don’t remember. What I do remember is the muscle fatigue that comes from repetition while in a studio. I did not play on the recording you have pictured, so it must have been recorded after I left, especially since I do not recall covering those songs.

Carl Flesher

Souls of the Slain at the WTIX New Orleans Teen Fair, 1966
Souls of the Slain at the WTIX New Orleans Teen Fair, 1966

Later guitarist Richard Rhode commented below and added some info in an email to me:

I came on after the 45 was released. We made some recordings both locally and at Robin Hood studio in Texas, but none were released. On the local sessions Billy played a great honky-tonk piano part in a song that Hutch wrote called “Minnie, Ms. Minnie”. (It featured a 4-part kazoo middle section. Only in the 60s.) He also played harpsichord on a re-arrangement of the Rolling Stones “Play With Fire”. It had a nice 4-part harmony in the chorus.

It was around that time Billy left the band because during the same set of sessions I played organ, harmonica, acoustic and electric guitar on another song written by Hutch. I don’t remember much about the Robin Hood session, but somewhere around here I might still have a CD (converted from cassettes) of some of the tracks from both sets of sessions. (I say “might” because Hurricane Katrina intervened). The fidelity wasn’t all that good anyway.

I mentioned that after Billy left I doubled on organ and guitar. I have vivid memories of having to play songs like “Light My Fire” and Vanilla Fudge’s version of “You Keep Me Hanging On”. It was like a juggling act. Cornel was a big help during that time because he was a good rhythm guitar player … he should have played more.

I think there’s a tape/CD of Camille and I jamming for about an hour in his parents’ garage. (But again,Katrina). After I quit the SOS, I majored in classical guitar at Loyola University.

I played in other groups before and after SOS: “The Grendels”, “The Glass Can”, and “Oak Alley”. I quit playing cold-turkey about 14 years ago. Guess playing 15 minute versions of “Color My World” 3 or 4 times a week finally took its toll.

In September 2012, Bob Sehlinger wrote to me about the Robin Gibbs Band, a precursor to the Souls of the Slain:

The Souls of the Slain evolved from a group comprised of Tulane students variously call the Robin Gibbs Band or the Hollow Men. The group was formed by bassist Jim Hutchinson and lead guitar Robin Gibbs and also featured Dave Wadler on rhythm guitar, vocals by Randy Fertita, and later Peggy Hewitt, and myself (Bob Sehlinger) on drums.

At Mardi Gras in 1965 the group was playing at the Red Garter Club Patio on Bourbon Street, and had just lost its lead vocalist. Cornell LeBlanc, then a high school student, came to the club and approached the band during a break asking if he could sing a couple songs. He pretty much knocked everyone out and was subsequently asked to join the group. After the spring semester Robin Gibbs left Tulane and the group broke up. Subsequently Jim Hutchinson and Cornell Le Blanc went on to form the Souls.

Bob Sehlinger

Promo photo, 1966, l-r (corrected, but may still be wrong): Jim Hutchison, Billy Thomaston, Cornel LeBlanc (in front), Jerry Heinberg and Billy Klause.
Promo photo, 1966, l-r (corrected, but may still be wrong): Jim Hutchison, Billy Thomaston, Cornel LeBlanc (in front), Jerry Heinberg and Billy Klause.

Photos below from the Ponderosa Stomp at the Rock ‘n Bowl, on October 1, 2004. Drummer Billy Thomaston wrote: “the only person not playing at Rock-N-Bowl was then organ player Billy Klause, substituted by close & life long friend Sherman Bernard. The other guitar player is Camile Baudoin of the Radiators who joined after Jerry Heinberg left in late 1967.”

Thanks to Billy Thomaston and Carl Flesher for sending in the photos of the band.

Souls of the Slain at the Ponderosa Stomp, 2004

Souls of the Slain at the Ponderosa Stomp, 2004

Souls of the Slain at the Ponderosa Stomp, 2004

Souls of the Slain at the Ponderosa Stomp, 2004

14 thoughts on “The Souls of the Slain”

  1. Now living in Ft Lauderdale Fl moved here fron New Orleans late 1996 Most recent Oct 1 2004 did a show at Rock N Bowl thanks to Camile Baudoin (RADITORS GUIARIST ) only one night to reherse thought we pulled it off OK Thanks to K-board Sherman Bernard (Sound and Equipt Supplier ) N O Jazz Fest etc. who played for original key board and friend Billy Klause (original K Board ) who was unable to play . also on the line up was “SEEDS pushing to HARD and Question Mark & the Mysterians (96 Tears ) and Slidell’s Back Roads ” A real Killer Band .

  2. In the Promo picture with us wearing check suits ,Carl Fletcher was not in that picture I Billy Thomaston with the blonde hair is me please make that correction .On our record it was 7&7 Is and Can’t Go On was Jim Hutchison (BASS & Vibes ) Jerry Heinberg (vocals and lead guitar ) Billy Klause (Keyboard ) Cornel Leblanc (lead vocal and guitar)and Billy Thomaston (Drums).It was nice to see Carl’s comment. would like to have his e-mail address .
    Any questions please e-mail Thanks Billy Thomaston

  3. Jerry also played flute on “Can’t Go On”. Great web site. Hi to Carl, and certainly to Hutch, Cornell, Billy, and to Bill.

  4. My name is Joel Klause, I am Billy’s nephew. Billy’s brother, Brian, married my mother, Patricia Blancaneaux,Brian adopted me and my two brothers when we were young. As a kid I watched my dad and Uncle Billy play the keys and although I wasn’t blood related, what I felt was thier connection to my soul. My wife and I live in Billy’s house in Nine Mile Point. I still have his piano and harpsichord (spelling?). I also have my dad’s hammond C3/leslie from when he played with Skor. My dad still plays music with the church (he’s a deacon) and has a recording studio in Crown Point. Sadly enough, Billy has lossed touch with reality and has moved to a hospital in Connecticut after Katrina where my Uncle John Klause lives. He and I would talk about music, science,philosophy, ect. Sitting here in the same room I watched hin play Classical in awe, I remember him listening to the Animal’s “It’s My Life and I’ll Do What I Want” and talking about Souls of the Slain. Thanks for having this site. I play the keys and always tell Billy what’s going on in the area. Joel Klause

    1. Joel, came across this site while investigating The Ponderosa Stomp. Just had to write about your uncles John and Billy.
      I had John as my teacher senior year at East Jefferson High 1968-69 for British Literature. Set the pace the first day with the introduction to the class “I’m not afraid to hit you” as well as telling the thugs in the back row they can sleep their way thru the course if they just stay quiet.
      He was strict with assignments, but turned out to be the “coolest” teacher I ever had in high school and walked away with some knowledge to boot.
      It also helped I was quite an Anglophile then too.
      He would tell us some of the films he caught over the weekends(“Yellow Submarine ” & “I Love You Alice B. Toklas” with Peter Sellers. One of his jokes I remember that you hear from him involves headaches and castration. I still repeat it sometimes.
      Which leads me to Billy. He told the class he had a brother in “The Souls of the Slain”. A band I always wanted to see in high school.
      In 1973 I was in Werlein’s Canal Street checking out Leslies for my Dad’s
      B-3. The salesman business card said he was Billy Klause. Asked him if his brother was John. “Yes, he moved to California”. I told him how impressed I was with John as a teacher. Billy played I beleive, “Air on a G String” tempoed up “Ala Keith Emerson” on a Hammond console. I was blown away! Sorry to get so winded on this reply Joel, but give my best to both of them if you get the chance. (Have John tell you that joke as well)
      Gary Phelan

  5. I went to Tulane in 1963 on a football scholarship and one of my teammates was Jim Hutchison.He was such a nice guy. For many years a number of my teammates and I have been trying to locate Jim but all to no avail. If anyone knows how to contact him, please email his contact information at lawurz1950@hotmail.com. Mack Brabham, Tulane 1967

    1. Mack

      Jim Hutchinson suffered a stroke last week and is in Gulfport Care Center assisted living . He lives in Diamondhead Ms

      Michael Prestia
      Nance Cunard brother

      1. I was wondering if he is the same Jim Hutchinson (Hutch),who was my teacher, at”The New School ” on City Park Avenue…
        If so ,he was a fantastic teacher as well as an amazing musician.

  6. I replaced Jerry on guitar. When Billy left the band, I doubled on guitar and keyboards. After a while that got a bit tiresome, so we started looking for another guitarist. Camille and I lived three blocks from one another… and the Beaconette, and would often irritate his neighbors when we jammed in his parents’ garage. (Two SGs thru his Dual Showman). Since he was between bands, I asked him if he’d like to join. I suddenly left the group a short while after that (Sorry, Hutch). Emile joined soon after.

    Yeah, I did bring the sitar to a couple of jobs, but I don’t know what song(s), if any, I played it on.

  7. Joel, Billy Klause, Linda Bernard & I all road the same school bus in high school. He to Shaw, we to Archbishop Blenk. He was such a kick. His band played at our high school dance. They could sing 96 tears to perfection. I went from time to time with him to colleges for gigs. We were just friends but he convinced me to let him teach me how to kiss. He was an excellent teacher, his instructional skills served me well when I got a little older I was only a sophomore in highs chool at the time though. I have to admit my boyfriend was suspicious as to how I got so good all of a sudden. I was so gulleble. And there was the time when the Beatles were popular and I could do the English accent very well and he & I convinced Cornel that I was my cousin visiting from England. Cornel went nuts but alas my cousin was wisked along to visit other family and return to England before Cornel could take her out for a night on the town. On a more serious note he was the first person I confided in when I sensed that my mother was dying. He was so sweet. Lost track of him after we decided to actually have a date and a dump truck hit us from behind and gave me whip lash. So many memories came back when I saw the pictures above. I forgot how cute he’d been.

    Tell him hello for me would you. He may remember some of this and get another laugh.

  8. Kathy, its joel klause. I am working in alexandria. I was having a beer with a couple when “house of the rising sun” came on. I just happened to mention that the animals remind me of my dad’ s (brian klause) band, Skor, but mainly my uncle billy’s band, Souls of the Slain. The girl lifted her head up and said “did u say souls of the slain?”. I told her i live in n.o. and that was a new orl band from the60’s. She asked me who my uncle was and when i said “billy” she was in disbelief. When she said her das was cornel leblanc, i thought i was in the twilight zone. She said her dad talks about Billy all the time. She said it was only last saturday that her dad brought him up. His birthday was saturday! I talked to him that day! I have been out of work for a year, living in the nine mile point house with my parents (brian and patricia); their house was flooded from isaac. I get a call about a month ago for work in alexandria. After 3 weeks here, to have an encounter between two complete strangers from different cities and the name “souls of the slain” is mentioned and she knew who i was talking about, her dad was the lead singer and was talking to her about my uncle billy on saturday (his birthday!) is a 1 in a billion chance. I gave her my card so i can meet with cornel (he is an eye doc here) and we can share some stories about my family and the westwego old timers. I am going buy lottery tickets tomorrow!

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