Tenderloin, both the band and their debut album, seem pretty accurately named: Tenderloin is thick, fleshy meat that you can sink your teeth into and gnaw on for awhile. These boys -- lead singer Ernie Locke, bassist Big John Cutler, drummer Taz Bentley and guitarist Kirk St. James -- sure like to bust it up and party it down. Since Locke also blows some mouth harp and the band seems intent on whipping blues-based rock into hurricane-strength frenzy, there's some temptation to compare Tenderloin to bands like Blues Traveler and ripoffs of the Rolling Stones. But there's a primal urgency to the riffing and to Locke's vocals (which, in places such as "Lights Out," sound so out of control that you wonder if Tenderloin might just be the 1990s version of the legendary 1960s mind-warp The Crazy World of Arthur Brown) that from beginning to end, this debut packs a mighty wallop. ~ Chris Slawecki, All Music Guide
Stuart Sullivan (Engineer), Tenderloin (Producer), Tenderloin (Main Performer), Jesse Dayton (Guitar), Ed Rose (Vocals (Background)), Ed Rose (Producer), Ed Rose (Engineer), Kirk St. James (Guitar), Lance Mercer (Photography), Gavin Lurssen (Mastering), Jolie Clemens (Design), Cindy Hardy (Photography)
Representative Albums: "Tenderloin", "Bullseye", "Let It Leak
Biography
A hearty slab of Middle American boogie-down blues, Tenderloin featured steer-sized lead singer/harmonica player Ernie Locke, fresh from time in another Lawrence, KA, institution, the Sin City Disciples. In 1993, Locke hooked up with brothers Gray and Brock Ginther (on guitar and bass, respectively) and drummer Guy Stephens to record the band's debut, Let It Leak, which was picked up by Warner Bros. But the band splintered and Locke recruited three new members for their Warner follow-up, including Reverend Horton Heat drummer Patrick "Taz" Bentley; the Rev's guitar tech, Kirk St. James on guitar; and bassist John Cutler. With Locke's butt-crack and Buddha-belly baring stage show leading a furious roadhouse rock attack, the band supported their 1995 second album, Bullseye, touring with kindred spirits the Supersuckers. However, Warner dropped them the next year. They hooked up with indie Time Bomb for their self-titled swan song in 1997, officially breaking up the following year. Locke and Cutler went on to form a new Lawrence-area band, Parlay. ~ Chris Parker, All Music Guide
Tony Award nominations went to Evans for Best Actor in a Musical, Husmann for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, and Cecil Beaton for his costume design, and Husmann won the Theatre World Award for his performance.
Reverend Brock, a single-minded 1890s social reformer works to sanitize the Tenderloin, a red-light neighborhood in western Manhattan. He is foiled by everyone associated with the district, including the corrupt politicians and police who are taking their cut from the earnings of the prostitutes who work the streets there. Tommy Howatt, a writer for the local scandal sheet Tatler, infiltrates the minister's church and proceeds to play one side against the other, eventually framing Brock by revealing to the authorities his plan to raid the brothels, but ultimately saving him by siding with him at his trial. As a result, the Tenderloin is shut down and Brock, asked to resign from his church, heads for Detroit with the hope of succeeding there as well.
Songs
Act I
Bless This Land - Chorus
Little Old New York - Nita, Gertie, Girls, All
Dr. Brock - Brock
Artificial Flowers - Tommy, Jessica, All
What's in it for You? - Tommy, Brock
Reform - Girls
Tommy, Tommy - Laura
The Picture of Happiness - Tommy, Margie, Chorus
My Miss Mary - Company
Dear Friend - Brock, Group
The Army of The Just - Martin, Tommy, Brock, Men
How the Money Changes Hands - Company
Act II
Good Clean Fun - Brock, Chorus
My Miss Mary
My Gentle Young Johnny - Nita
The Trial -Company
The Tenderloin Celebration
Reform (Reprise)
Tommy, Tommy (Reprise)
Little Old New York (Reprise) -Company
Characters
Reverend Brock - an idealistic old preacher
Tommy Howatt - An ambitious young reporter
Laura Crosbie - a society girl who falls for Tommy
Ellington Dupont Smythe II - Laura’s elegant young suitor
Purdy - Laura’s wealthy uncle
Bridget - Purdy’s maid
Frye - a detective
Gertie - a vivacious young prostitute
Joe Kovack - a farmer who discovered coal on his land
Nita - escapes prostitution when she falls in love with Joe
Margie - One of the girls Tommy shares an act with
Jessica Havemeyer - clerk at the church Parish House
Martin - a prudish church choirmaster
Mrs. Barker -a church lady and friend of Rev. Brock
Chairman - officiates over the trial of the Tenderloin
Deacon - an old man who Tommy hires to take pictures
Rooney - a police officer
Sergeant - collects the money all the derelicts give the police
Schmidt - a corrupt police lieutenant
Derelicts; Prostitutes at Clark’s tavern (Pearl, Maggie, Nellie, Liz)
