Theryl DeClouet (September 17, 1951 – July 15, 2018)

Theryl DeClouet (September 17, 1951 – July 15, 2018), also known as House Man, was an American soul/R&B singer, best known as the one-time lead vocalist of the musical group Galactic.

Born in Hollygrove, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, he appeared on Galactic's first four studio albums as well as a live release and a compilation before health concerns forced his departure from the band and its heavy tour schedule. His independent solo release The Truth Iz Out featured support from longtime friend Ivan Neville and guitarist June Yamagishi of Papa Grows Funk. He also appeared on Charlie Hunter Quintet's 2001 album Songs from the Analog Playground, Hunter's first to feature vocals. DeClouet sang on versions of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Mighty Mighty" and the Willie Dixon standard "Spoonful."

In 2005, DeClouet also briefly appeared as Judge Locke Randolph in The Dukes of Hazzard.

On July 15, 2018, DeClouet died at the age of 66.

Galactic double LP Coolin' Off [Tipitina's Record Club – TRC-0103, June 2021] has scribed on the Side A runout:

 THERYL "THE HOUSEMAN" DECLOUET (1951-2018)

 

Steve King of Pye Records on Outsight Radio Hours #44 08-Feb-04

 

It was a great pleasure to speak with someone who had direct experience in the process when I interviewed Steve King of quality control at Pye Records, Lyntone, etc. on Outsight Radio Hours #44 08-Feb-04. The original audio for this interview is archived as selection #382 at archive.org and a transcription is going to be part of an anthology of interviews, etc. that I am compiling covering a quarter century of music journalism. 

He confessed to some individual record marking on the UK edition of the eponymous album George Thorogood And The Destroyers [Sonet SNTF 760, 1978].

SK: Yeah. And I actually did inscribe records. Not masters or positives, but I actually inscribed a number of records individually myself, saying “George is thoroughly good.” 

Really? 

SK: Really, yeah. And if you've got one of those out there, then you're very lucky, ‘cause there's probably only about four or five out there in total.

[...]

Was there many other records you or other quality people did that with or was that highly irregular?

SK: That was highly irregular. Yeah.

Then that was an incredible vote of confidence. 

SK: It was, yeah. I did it with one other record. I don't know if you've heard of Van Der Graaf Generator. 

Oh yes. 

SK: Yeah, well there was an offshoot group in the years when the Van Der Graaf Generator was inactive and it was called The Long Hello and I sort of wrote “hell”, and then sort of dash, “low”. And then in brackets, “was that long enough?” I did that on a few.

If you see one of these, let me know!