"Sweet Rachel" by Beau Coup

Song#:  3316
Date:  10/31/1987
Debut:  88
Peak:  80
Weeks:  6
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  This Cleveland band was headed up by brothers Tommy and Frank Amato along with keyboardist/songwriter Dennis Lewin and Bassist Bill March. They started to come together in 1983 when Tommy Amato was working on some tracks in a studio and a few other folks like Lewin dropped by to hear what he was working on. Lewin offered to write a couple of songs for the project and it wasn't long before a band began to form. While seeking a formal name, the group went by the title Pop Opera and proceeded to record an EP of songs. Eventually they settled on the name Beau Coup and released their self-titled EP in 1984 on the indie Agora Records label. Thanks to local radio supporting their songs, the EP sold well and that led to them getting picked up by the Scotti Bros. imprint Rock 'n' Roll Records. A single was released, but it seemed the label was dragging their feet on the band. Finally, they decided to take off and sign up with Amherst Records. Three years after their initial EP, the band was finally able to release a full-length debut album titled Born & Raised (On Rock & Roll). This first single was released and it got a little bit of attention, but not enough to help it get out of the basement of the Pop chart. In turn, the album failed to chart. The band stuck together for a while, but basically dissolved in the early 90s. However, they still occasionally get together and perform in the Cleveland area.

ReduxReview:  This is pretty much pure midwest pop/rock and much like their fellow Cleveland-area native Michael Stanley, it played much better in their home region that it did nationally. It was a good pop/rock song with a solid hook that kind of got them near Journey territory. Where it lacked was in production and arrangement. The cheezy synths cheapened the track and the guitars seemed to be in their own world. However, the vocals were solid and helped the song along. For indie midwest rock, it's not bad, but it was missing that spark that might have made it more appealing to a larger audience.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  This band went through several drummers along the way, but their first one went on to greater fame with a legendary rock band. Cleveland-born Eric Singer got one of his first professional gigs as the drummer for the band that would become Beau Coup. Singer would leave the group to take a touring job with hard rock singer Lita Ford in 1984. Other work followed including a stint in Black Sabbath with whom he recorded a couple of album. But it was a spot in Kiss' Paul Stanley's solo touring band that led to Singer's most high profile job. Late in 1991, Kiss drummer Eric Carr died from heart cancer. The band needed a new drummer and thanks to the Paul Stanley connection, Singer got the job. He would stay with the band until 1996, but would rejoin them for a year in 2001, and then again in 2004. As of this posting, he is still the drummer for Kiss.

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