Purple Haze - the Band
Terry
In the Fall of 1976, Terry Rieker was a Senior from Lancaster PA, majoring in art at Lock Haven State College.
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Gear: Terry played a Rogers double-bass drum set. Each kick drum measured 26." Yes, it was a loud set.
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Contact: [tmrieker] [at] [hotmail dot com]
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Today: In 2022, Terry retired from teaching at North Hagerstown High School in Maryland. He lives with his wife in Greencastle PA. For forty years, he taught CAD, web design, technology, digital photography, and drafting. As of 2024, he is, once again, an artist specializing in oil paintings.
Terry in 1976
Terry and Frank in 2024
Frank
In September 1976, Frank Leister was a freshmen from Harrisburg PA, majoring in math and computer science at Lock Haven State College.
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Gear: Frank played a sunburst 1974 Fender Stratocaster hardtail guitar through a Peavey Standard amplifier and homemade 2x12 cabinet. His effect pedals included a "talk box" (for Peter Frampton's "Show Me The Way," and Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Way"), a Dan Armstrong Blue Clipper for distortion, and a Mu Tron Phase Shifter. You can see the talk-box tube taped to the microphone in the picture to the right.
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Contact: Frank can be contacted via email: [mapleguitar] [at] [Mac dot com].
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Today: Frank's music can be perused here. He has released several albums over the years, including solo-piano and nylon-string guitar. In 2022 Frank retired from a career as a software entrepreneur.
Frank in 1976
Jimi
In 1976, Jimi Harris (aka James Harris, Jim Harris, Jimmy Harris) was a Junior from Pittsburgh PA, majoring in social work at Lock Haven State College. Before attending Lock Haven, Jim graduated from Homestead high school, just east of Pittsburgh PA. Jim's father worked in the steel mills. Jim was born on March 20, 1958. He had no siblings, and eventually had two daughters.
Jim died unexpectedly on February 10, 2023.
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Rest In Peace, James Lowell Harris Jr., bass player of Purple Haze.
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Gear: Jim played an early 1970's Fender Precision bass with black tape-wound strings. He had no case for the bass and he borrowed a Sunn 200-S bass amplifier and 2x15 cabinet from fellow student David Lepley.
Jimi in 1976
Frank and Jimi in 1980
Frank and Jimi in 2014
Ted
In 1976, Ted Andlauer was a Freshmen at Lock Haven State College, originally from Livingston, NJ. He left Lock Haven after his Freshman year. None of the Purple Haze band members ever heard from him again.
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In mid-2007, we were contacted by Doug Moldawsky, one of Ted's high-school friends who discovered this web page. According to Doug, Ted returned to Livingston and later moved to Colorado Springs in 1979, eventually working in a bar on Colfax Avenue in Denver. According to another account from a mutual friend, Ted had passed away. I searched the Social Security Death Index and it shows that Ted died on February 5, 1998. No other details were known until 2008, when we received correspondence from another of Ted's friends (see below).
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Rest In Peace, Theodore J. Andlauer, lead singer of Purple Haze.​
Ted (b.1958 - d.1998)
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Gear: For gigs, the band rented a PA system or borrowed one from the college. During rehearsals, the mics were plugged into Frank's guitar amp, which had two channels, each with two inputs.
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Contact: If anybody has more information about Ted, or pictures from the late '70s, please contact Frank at this email address: [ mapleguitar ] [ at ] [ Mac dot com ]
2022 Update — New videos of Ted have been discovered...
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Click here to see a video featuring Ted singing with a band called Cinema, at a gig at PJ Goodvibes in Denver CO. (Originally posted on Facebook by Doug Knowlton, in the Facebook group "Denver's Rock Bands of the 80's.")
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Click here to see a video recorded in December 1993 featuring footage of Ted singing in a studio for a Christmas fundraiser project "Denver Rock United." Ted sings at 2:39. (This was originally posted on Facebook by Ric Cabo Podmore.)
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Click here to see a YouTube video "memorial tribute" to musicians from Denver. A description of the video says that Ted performed in 3 Denver-based bands: The Maxx, Moxy, and First Glance. A commenter noted that Ted appears in a publicity photo of Hard Luck Kids at 0:36 into the video.
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Click here to read a blog post regarding the early 1990's music scene in Denver. Includes nice comments about Ted.
2011 Correspondence from Ricky Trippy, Ted's friend and roommate
In May 2011, we received the following eulogy and recollection from a friend of Ted's...
"I met Ted in 1991 at a huge metal bar, in Glendale Colorado, called Bangles. He was a dj; I was an intern at 105.9 KBPI-FM, one of the biggest rock radio stations this side of the mountains. He was also singing in a band called Hard Luck Kid. I was between bands and was getting voice lessons -- because if you heard Ted and his voice you knew, if you were gonna sing in any band, you better figure out your sound. Teddy did that for me and more.
Much more than a big brother to me he was my Obi Wan Kenobi to my Evel Knievel. We both got a job at a strip club, less than upscale to this day. We made it work. We did a Friday show called "Rick and Teds Excellent Adventure" -- a happy hour show designed to keep biz pumped for Friday nights. He always had a way of trying to kill me with his clever yet so kindergarten sense of humor. We were very loud together.
I moved in with him in 1997 after we both were girl-less. We both had dreams that few can understand -- he was that few for me and I for him. We had a blast that Fall using my season tix to the Denver Broncos and, at the end of the season, had to split for the Superbowl. I went to see Kiss at halftime and, yes, what we all knew would be John Elway's first [Superbowl victory].
Ted shocked me when I told him to come with me and, instead, he wanted to use this special time to go to Vegas with Debbie who he missed so much, knowing he may only get one chance to win her back. I told him to go and return at peace with this. Well, we won the Superbowl. I got home two hours after he did. We laughed and toasted our team. He told me... no matter what, for me not to let life just fly by... to be alert... to be all I can... that this world is full of great things. He was right.
On February 3rd, at 2 AM, I came home after a crazy night out. I found Ted on the bathroom floor with his inhaler in hand as he lay almost in peaceful rest, dead. My life was never to be the same for good and bad; but, I'll never forget "Ted Shredd," my best pal ever.
In closing: Ted was not murdered. He suffered a massive attack with complications. He died on February 3 1998. GOD DO I MISS HIM!!!!!
Thank you
- Ricky Trippy, lead singer for FLOOD OF SOULS
PS. Here's a picture of my tattoo I got in honor of Ted..."
Ricky's tattoo, in honor of Ted.
2008 Correspondence from Bob Bauer, a childhood friend of Ted
In September 2008, we received the following email from a childhood friend of Ted (reproduced with permission)...
"I grew up with Ted (Teddy) Andlauer in Livingston, NJ. I was pleased to find your web site about the band Teddy participated with in the mid-seventies. Teddy and I grew up in a wonderful neighborhood with lots of kids to play with. Teddy was two years older than me and had a brother Frederick (Fritzy), and an older sister Elizabeth (Beth). We had great times playing in the Andlauer's long back yard and house on Woodcrest Dr. (before they moved across the Northfield Ave. to Medowbrook). Teddy had a tough time with his asthma, but never complained and fully participated in everything we did. He had a great laugh and some classic mannerisms. He was always positive and upbeat.
I was sad to hear of his passing and only recently learned this from my oldest sister. I did a goggle search for him and discovered your web site about Purple Haze. What is especially tough, is that I was in Denver in late 1997 and early 1998 working for a company near the area Teddy bartended. Boy, how I wish I ran into him at the bar he worked. The last time I got to see him was a fluke, in Beach Haven, NJ around 1980 (?), I was pumping gas at this station when a van pulled in for gas. As I was filling the tank, I heard his distinctive voice coming from the back of the van. We got to share a quick, fleeting hello - and off he went with his friends. I never saw him again.
Regards, Bob Bauer, Bedford, TX
Bob can be reached at: [ Bbauersea ] [ at ] [ aol dot com ]
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2018 Correspondence from Joel Parker, a friend of Ted
In April 2018, we received an email from a friend of Ted
Joel said, "I performed in a production of the musical 'Hair' with Ted (he had the part of Berger) in 1989 at the Boulder Theater."