Group evolved from members of the Loose Shoes Rhythm Band: Neil Wolfson (guitar, vocals), Bob Friedman (bass, keyboards, vocals), H. Leo McLaughlin (guitar ex-Downstairs Band), and Henry P. ‘Hoppy’ Hopkins (drums ex-Da Moronics).
The group doubled as Eight Ball featuring Mike Kraus (guitar) in place of Wolfson. Eight Ball played on Monday nights at the Marble Bar (1978-79). Rude Shoes performed at the Eight by Ten on Cross Street where they opened for Los Lobos and others.
Bob Friedman, with Neil Wolfson, and Pete Narron founded the Gun Recording Company studios in 1979. Due to the controversial name the studio was renamed to use only the initials GRC. Herb Shawker was the first engineer at the studio, followed by H. Leo McLaughlin – who had previously worked at Blue Seas. In 1991 GRC became known as 1137 Recording.
Friedman, Hopkins, and McLaughlin went on to form the Self-Righteous Brothers. The group also included Jimmy Owens (vocals), Dan Dorfler (vocals), Dave Carrera (guitar ex-Both Worlds, Downstairs Band), and Dave Marsch who alternated with Hopkins on drums. The group played a handful of gigs at the Eight by Ten club in the early ‘80s including opening for Los Lobos, Marti Jones, and Don Dixon.
Friedman, Owens, Dorfler, with Tom Chalkley (ex-The Reason) formed an acapella group called the 4heads who performed regularly at Jean Claude’s in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
From the Loose Shoes / Rude Shoes circle of musicians also came the Shameless Mooks (1982-’00s).
Mambo Combo, another offshoot of LSRB / Rude Shoes, was formed in 1983 to perform at the first Ad Hoc Fiasco, an alternative arts festival in Wyman Park. The calypso, cha-cha, samba, Caribbean style group has also continued for over twenty years. Formed by Friedman and Hopkins, other members included Andrew Hartzell (keyboards, accordion), Steve Hargrove (congas, percussion), Cathy Maslen (keyboards), and Bob Gray (bongos).
