The mysterious Lazer Dudes
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Possibly more trips to Cahokia Mounds are on the itinerary. But for now Benoit did a fine job of song title selection, adding beauties such as, “Hard Particles,” “Clean and Serene,” “Rub Some Dirt On It,” “Love Club” and “Stripping Glitter.” Keyboardist Davis contributed the dance floor hit “Ride the White Pony” and sings the lead vocal which includes the memorable line, “Guitar licks like a tongue in your ear,” among other bits of lyrical sweetmeats. No particularly poetic masterpieces among these songs, but then again, they aren’t meant to be.

Remember the definition of a Lazer Dude, then stack up these songs against any by glam-rock groups like Kiss or the New York Dolls or even classic rockers AC/DC or Poison and it all makes perfectly silly sense.

Unusual for most bands professing to express the sentiments of the 1980s, our guys concentrate on writing songs instead of performing classics of the era. Broomby, who also performs with Damwell Betters lead guitarist Joe Caladrino (who played a few bits on Sexorcism, but is not quite a full-fledged Lazer Dude) as half of Live Jukebox with Mark and Joe, knows an extraordinary number of 80s cover tunes. The Dudes though are firmly entrenched in developing an original and contemporary style using the overblown and internalized emotions of the decadent 1980s as a blueprint for aggressive and licentious self-expression.

“We just did our first cover last Saturday at the Brewhaus Prom of Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Holding out for a Hero,’” said Broomby in his crisp Liverpudlian accent. “It was between that and Richard Marx for the 80s theme of the Prom night. We could do more tunes from other bands, but our songs are what we do.”

Another thing they do is tattoos, matching tattoos. The inside cover beneath the CD itself holds a photo of a hot dog-looking shape that forms a contiguous “L” and “D” with various bright colors emanating in a starlike pattern on a background of ash-black from behind the LD logo. Around the design is a flesh-colored area that looks like it might just be someone’s skin.

“That’s a picture of my arm with the Lazer Dudes tattoo,” said Broomby proudly. “Josh and Jay have them too. On their butt cheeks. Rory is not totally committed yet, but we may have to hold him down.”

“I already have plenty of other tattoos,” said Laier, raising his art-covered arms for all to see the proof. “I’m out of room.”

On the cover of Sexorcism is a hand wearing a fingerless black leather glove, another secret symbol of the Lazer Dudes apparently, put a possibly pointless one.

“That’s my hand with the leather glove I wear at all the Lazer Dudes’ shows. The gloves don’t come off,” said Catalano. “I’m looking