The Cold - Three Chord City

Us/1980
The Cold was a five piece New Wave/Power Pop group that formed in late 1979 from the ashes of another New Orleans band called Totally Cold (a group who later reformed as the Tea Sea). With an energetic stage show and shared male and female vocals, The Cold was one of the most diverse and popular groups in the area. They built a large local following over a three year period of activity while self-releasing four singles and playing many shows in their hometown and throughout the south east.
The band called it quits in mid 1982 only to reformed for a brief stint two years later and release another single and their first LP, which was a culmination of their early material. After the band's second split they played several acclaimed reunion shows in New Orleans between 1987 and 2001. They've also continued to put out records containing live and unreleased material, as well as a DVD.
The Cold's first two singles (this one and "Mesmerized" b/w "Wake Up") will appeal to power pop collectors while their sound after that became much more mainstream/new wave (think Blondie). The first pressing of "Three Chord City" had a blue ink sleeve. The pressing that followed had a different sleeve design that was black and white. Both are pictured above.
Bass - Vance DeGeneres
Drums - Chris Luckette
Guitar - Bert Smith
Guitar, Vocals - Kevin Radecker
Keyboards, Vocals - Barbara Menendez
www.threechordc...

[@davidlevy281]

I saw them MANY times. They played at Jimmy's a bunch and I would even go alone if I couldn't get others to join me. Many years later I was in New Orleans with my kids. We were at a bookstore and I saw a CD of their music (2006ish). My little guy loved the band (he was five at that time) and we still listen to them today. I'm surprised that they never became a big national band!

[@Perejil1319]

Their reunion concert at the Mapleleaf Bar in about 1989 was epic

[@marymistretta6906]

Saw them many times in my hometown in New Orleans!! Love them!!! 🔥🔥💕🔥🔥

[@patysavage1398]

I used to go see them in BR when I was a student at LSU. They were so much fun!! Listening to this was a fun walk down memory lane.

[@markspell]

Great song from a great Nawlins band!

[@anneamerican]

Yep! They were so much fun! We saw them at the Warehouse, Jimmy's & Tipitina's (& a BR club) Nothing like live music, the Cold could bring the house down! Especially if you had a good spot! 🎸🎤🥁🎹

[@lionheartroar3104]

Great little song. The Cold were THE local band when I was in university in New Orleans!

[@anneamerican]

Lionheart Roar, is that your real name, hah! 😅🙃

[@Perejil1319]

Such a shame this band didn’t make it big, they were right in line with the new Wave explosion and great for New Orleans. Same for the Back Beats which featured the Cold’s bassist Vance Degeneres.

[@P00katube]

Michael Shelley's Number One Hits brought me here🙂

[@lakeviewviking]

Saw them a lot when I was 14, and Ellen Degeneres was "Vance's sister".

[@petset77]

You are correct. Vance got her to do an opening set for "The Backbeats" a little while later, at Jimmy's. ...she was great, of course, as is Vance. ...he played guitar and keyboards for us at the time. He's an amazing musician, and helped me actually pay attention and learn nuances of bass. I could flat out play, but he (without spelling it out) taught me touch. Brilliant man. I owe him that to this day, even though I'm retired. ...on another front, he still owes me a buck on a one dollar bet. That's worth so much more than collecting!