Welcome to LousTunes.com
Hello and thank you for visiting my site. My name is Lou Fracassi. I was born and raised in Mount Prospect Illinois, a North West Suburb of Chicago. I created this site to showcase the music I have written for the past 47 years. Just to be clear, I am not here to claim I’m some Amadeus or Bernie Taupin. I have a small library of songs that I have put together, along with the descriptions of each, to share with you that I hope you enjoy.
One of the reasons I am doing this is because once I am gone, no one will have ever heard most of these songs. So it has become a goal of mine to share my art with the world, or at least close friends and people who know me or want to know me. And with that I want to say that these recordings are not of a professional level. They still have the raw and honest intent for the listener to appreciate the music and lyrics. At some point I would like to professionally record some of them but for now this is what I have.
My introduction to music, as far as I can remember, was in a rocking chair being held by my 2nd oldest sister listening to the Beatles. My oldest sister had Elvis records. My older brother, being a musician himself, had Sandy Nelson records. My records were the Dave Clark 5 and Beach Boys.
My brother began playing drums at a young age and of course like copycat younger brothers do, I wanted in on the action. I used to fiddle around on my older sister’s acoustic guitar, which had broken strings, and never really knew how to play, but with determination, I kept my thirst for playing music someday, a priority.
My first guitar was a Teisco, which I still own. The first song I learned how to play was House of the rising sun. My brother’s friend taught it to me and I was hooked. Never taking lessons and without help from the internet to show you how to learn a song, it was a tedious task to learn a song by setting the needle down on an album, listen to the part, pick up the arm, try and mimic the sound and repeat and repeat and repeat! And when you finally got it you were on top of the world and couldn't wait to show a friend, "hey look what I can do"!
Then I was introduced to the bands that made the 70" such a great time to be alive! Black Sabbath, Led Zepplin, Alice Cooper, Jimi Hendrix. The list goes on, but for me the guitarists of that era is what I gravitated to. Montrose, and others began my venture to play leads like that. Then I became a study of the most emotional guitarist, for me at the time, Michael Schenker from a band called U.F.O. from England. Not only did he look cool, crouched over his flying V as he ripped the solo's out from heaven, but his talent to sing with his instrument brought tears to my eyes on several occasions. This is what I want to be and sound like.
During that time around 1973 I acquired my second guitar. An Ibanez Les Paul. Then a friend sold me his Gibson SG and was the perfect fit because I was deep into playing Black Sabbath at the time.
So in 1977 WKQX, a Chicago radio station, was taking song submissions for an album of local talent. At that time, I had hooked up with my brother on drums, James Faklaris on bass and Chris Ciesiel on vocals, a really good singer and we started a band called "IZZY FUNERAL". That’s correct, no type O’s there. Sounded cool at the time, and as funny as it may sound people still say, “Remember Izzy Funeral man?”
We had done an outside show, our first and last, that summer and boy was that fun. At the same time, I had written my first serious song called “LOVE LORN". We hooked up with a local friend Gary Lingner, who had a Teac 4 track reel to reel recorder and did an incredible job producing and engineering the song. We then sent the song to the radio station. The song was never selected for the album but hey it was a pretty cool experience at 17 years old.
The band didn't last as most bands don't. It just so happened that our engineer friend sold me the 4 track reel to reel recorder and off I went!
The chance to lay down tracks of bass, rhythm guitars, vocals and then solo over them was time well spent. Sitting for hours upon hours recording, listening to the play backs was heaven. Of course, I made a bunch of funny recordings like the "Endless Pee" which Adam Sandler came out with one years later and I am able to say, mine was the original!
I played with many talented musicians after that time. Trying to put a band together is tedious. Played with a couple great guys from the city. Didn’t really go anywhere. Then I formed a band with some great guys when I was living in Carpentersville. We were called “BLUE STEEL”. John Frano on drums, Tony Mok on bass, who has a great RUSH tribute band he’s in. I was a machinist at the time and when the lathe would turn off these scalding hot curls of steel they were blue. That’s how I came up with that name. And I loved that name. We had a lot of fun and a couple gigs. One was taped in my basement at the time. I am going to release it on my You Tube channel, Lou’s Tunes at some point.
Busy with a full-time job to support myself, being a musician was a bit harder to do from the days of High school with no responsibilities. Plus, I was also in the market to find a sole mate, and fortunately I did. During our courtship I had auditioned for a band who went by the name of “TERRA NOVA". Jackie Settapani, on Bass and vocals, Cindi Inden, on Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards and percussion, and Jim Costello on Drums. Jackie and Cindi still play out with their band Leaving Scarlett, great shows, I highly recommend them.
With the first drummer we had we recorded at a studio and made a cassette tape that had 4 songs on it. One of them being mine called “FOREVER TOGETHER". A song about thoughts and feelings of my wife to be.
We then replaced the drummer with Scott Toth, and had another go in the studio. I had 2 songs on it. “BORN TO ROCK" and “IN MY EYES". We had lots of fun and a good run. Played out a lot on the Chicago land circuit. But as time progressed, I became a father. The pressure of owning a construction company, being in a band and fatherhood, soon took it’s toll and something had to give. It was not easy but I had made the decision to leave the band.
So I was back home, in the practice room, writing and recording my music as we raised 2 wonderful boys. Lots of attention is required to be a good parent, and I took pride in trying the best I could. Even though my music suffered the attention it needed, I don't regret having a family and the time it took raising my boys. It's a beautiful God given gift to have a child. One thing we have been blessed with and are grateful for.
From the mid 90’s into mid 2000’s I was pre occupied and didn’t write much, though I still practiced playing my instruments. That’s the beauty of music, like may things we all love to do, it never leaves your soul and is internally imbedded in your heart. In fact I believe it has gotten better for me as I have gotten older. Sound and emotion has been my blessing and the love I can share with you.
I wish that your blessings, what ever they may be, are filled with love and that you can share a bit of yourself with the people around you and maybe the world. Remember, we are all blessed with the human experience alone, spread your LOVE!
I hope you enjoy the songs and content on this Website. Please share with your family and friends.
Lots of Love and ROCK ON!
Sincerely,
Lou Fracassi
