Steve
Contris ~ Keyboards
Brad
Halstead ~ Guitar
Steve
Wasmundt ~ Bass
Bruce
Whitney ~ Bass
Bob
Hart ~ Guitar
Mark
Bean ~ Drums
Occasional
Guest Singer
George
Barner
We started the current incarnation of the band in 2001. Our home base is still Olympia, but we have played gigs in Tacoma, but mostly in Olympia.We play the 4th Ave Tav, Tugboat Annie’s, The Eagle’s Ballroom in Olympia. We played in Tacoma at Art on the Ave (6th Ave near Jazzbones) during the art festival in July 2007. We have also played at Club Vertigo in Tacoma (the old Steve’s Gay Nineties building on South Tacoma Way).
Three of us (Contris, Hart and Bean) grew up on Olympia’s Westside near Mike Moore’s house. He was a colleague of the Wailer’s and played with the Bootmen. Mike still plays in Olympia as a solo jazz piano act and also in Obrador, a latin-jazz group.
The Westside was a spawning ground of garage bands in the 1960’s. That’s where we started, in a garage, like most of you.
In the above photo are original Rooks members (right to left): Steve Contris (keyboards), Bob Hart (guitar) and Mark Bean (drums). Other Chrome Betty members: Brad Halstead (guitar) and Steve Wasmundt (bass).
Mark Bean, April 2008
Some of the other Pacific Northwest music groups represented in members of this group include: The Rooks, Sounds Within, No Toy Boys, Salvation Navy, and many other NW bands.
