Members of the Back Alley Bandits Band?

Answer 1

In the early 1970's, the Back Alley Bandits band was formed.

Larry Bowie helped organize the band. He was from the Candymen band that backed Roy Orbitson for a few years. Penelope Web and David Roberts were a musical couple from the northwestern part of the USA and Vancover, Canada. Penny played percussion instruments in the band at first until one of the members encouraged her to sing. Penny had a soft, "whiskey" voice although she did not drink that much really. She and Theatis Seally, the other female member, added a certain energy that helped complete the band. Thetis was one of the songwriters and rythmn guitar players, as well as lending the fullness of her voice to the band. With the projection of an opera singer, Thetis would sing out one of her original songs and mesmerize the audience.

David Roberts played bass guitar and was part of the sticky glue that keeps a band together. Skinny Dennis Anderson played full percussions and was one of the first drummers to test electronic drums. Chris Light rounded out the original band.

As the band progressed they added a keyboard player that arranged music for several bands and the Grammy's Show one year. This was pre-1978 era with the band.

I was involved with them on a friendship/manager/booking agent basis for a short portion of their development into a cohesive band in the early '70s. I knew that someone needed to get them out on the road to hone their music. They were playing local clubs in and around Atlanta, jamming with the Atlanta Rythmn Section and members of the Alman Brothers Band but I knew they had to get out on the road and play to different audiences in order to develop their style. I took on that responsibility kind of spontaneously since no one else seemed to be making jestures in that direction. I got them gigs in Atlanta , Texas and Oklahoma to get them out of the Atlanta area.

Our first gig out of town was in Redland, Texas at the Redland Club. I booked that one so we could begin making money to help pay for the trip and pay the band some money. We walked into that club, took a look around and wanted to run back out as fast as we could. It was one of those clubs that Willy Nelson talked about where the people got so drunk they would begin throwing beer bottles and other things around, and some of them toward the band! There was evidence of a net screen that could be used to protect the band if necessary.

The owner was expecting a typical cover band playing Hank Williams, Buck Owens and others that were Country Music legends and we were a creative country rock band with mostly original music in our play list. The band played as many popular cover songs as they knew, repeating some throughout the evening as the crowd got drunker, and stuck in a few originals now and then.

Since I was not sure how the owner was going to react at the end of the night, I had the band break down and get the equipment stowed in the vehicles before I met with the owner to get paid. They had the motors running as I came out the door but it turned out to be unnessary as the owner was thrilled with the band and asked them back for a future date.

The next gig and the rest of the trip went well and my job of keeping them out of trouble between gigs became much easier. They were the featured band at a club called Whiskey River in Dallas, TX which was owned by Willy Nelson. Another gig was opening for David Allen Coe and the Tennessee Hat Band at the Lonestar Saloon in Oklahoma City. Following that gig they were the featured band at a small club in Norman, OK, where the college crowd loved their southern sound. An offer to open for the Eagles in Oklahoma rounded out that trip but the Eagles concert was a month or so in the future and the band was chasing a record contract in another direction.

Larry Bowie called in all of his connections in the music business to get a deal with Old Man Productions to produce an album for the band. They ended with a London Record Album, played a few gigs on the road after that, I heard they played on Saturday Night Live but ultimately disappeared from the music world.

In my opinion they were not marketed properly by CBS or London Records. Their album did not sell well and in-fighting among the members due to ego issues caused the ultimate destruction of the band. Not many sightings of the members has been made since that time.

Knowing how music was such a passion for Larry Bowie, he probably has something to do with the business to this day.(2008)

//2010 update// Larry opened a recording studio in Waycross, Georgia where he grew up after the band broke up. No information has come forth about that venture and who recorded at the studio.

Theatis Seally wrote such beautiful lyrics and sang so well she must have gone on to sing and perform with a band or on her own. It would be such a waste of talent if not. I can picture Skinny and Chris playing with other bands or in the studios around the Atlanta area. As a matter of fact, a Skinny sighting was made in the early 2000's. He was playing drums for a house band in a "country" themed club near Atlanta. When that club closed we have not had a sighting since.

Chris Light was a great lead guitar player and was not happy with much else in his life. Music was Chris and vice versa. He must be making a guitar sing in some band. Dave and Penny went back west and stayed in the USA for a while before migrating back to Penny's hometown Vancover. That was the last sighting of them.

In this forum, where the band is highlighted and some information about the members resides, the name David Roberts is underlined and highlighted to signify a link for David Roberts. The link goes to a jazz piano and horn player and not the David Roberts from the Back Alley Bandits band. They are not the same David Roberts. That link is a David Roberts from Louisiana who composes jazz music.

I figured while I was clearing up the mistaken identity tag about David Roberts of the Backalley Bandits band, I would also fill in some information about the band in it's early days.

2011 Update - Penny and David have been sighted living in Oregon. David Roberts has a Facebook presence and anyone can go visit him and Penny there. There is update information on Thetis there as well.

2013 Update- Penny Web Roberts and David Roberts live in Alabama. They retired from music shortly after the BackAlley Bandits were history and pursued life, liberty and happiness. Skinny Dennis Anderson is living in north Georgia, retired from music full time and enjoys the benefits of a wonderful family life. Chris Light passed away from natural causes and is playing his guitar in a heavenly band we assume. According to information from the group, Thetis is living happily in France but not part of the music scene any longer.