“Rockaway Summer Music Spotlight” is a series by The Rockaway Times highlighting the movers and shakers behind the local music scene. In this installation, meet Rockaway’s own Proteus, Lou Pastina.
From avid basketball player in high school; New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) vice president; Rockaway Times columnist; member of the nonprofit league of local philanthropic men, The Graybeards; and founder of numerous bands, including the GrayRiders, GrayTrippers, Poppa Lou & the Baba Lou’s, (even a band called, The Upticks, while he was at the NYSE),—Lou Pastina indeed is the reincarnation of the Greek god, Proteus. He changes shape and talents so easily, yet three qualities always remain constant—he’s versatile, loves playing music, and even more significantly, his wife, Kathleen Pastina, a.k.a. “The Mermaid,” forever remains his muse. In the following Q&A, learn how the Greenpoint, Brooklyn native, and over four-decade Rockaway resident, has made the local music scene his mainstay.
RT: How did you land in Rockaway and make it your forever home?
LP: I met a girl, Kathleen, my wife of over 42 years. Today, we’re blessed with three kids and four grandchildren. I’m originally from Greenpoint, Brooklyn, which still fits into all the musicians I know and play with today. When I was a kid, my family had a bungalow on Beach 87th Street, where we spent our summers. And then when I was a teenager, I wound up in the bungalows on Beach 100th Street. That’s where I met my wife, Kathleen.
RT: When you think of the NYSE in the 1980s, movies like “Trading Places,” come to mind. How did a music lover land on Wall Street?
LP: It started when I was in college. I majored in accounting and didn’t like it, so I switched to education. I wanted to be a teacher, plus, I’ve always enjoyed writing. My father told me that I’d never be able to support a family as a teacher, so I should switch back to accounting. So, I wound up going into accounting and failed the CPA exam several times. When I finally passed, I decided that I didn’t want to be an accountant. The company I was working for left New York, so, I probably sent out 200 to 300 resumes in search of a job. The NYSE answered and offered me a job. I worked for the NYSE from 1983 to 2014. When the new CEO came in, he asked, “Is there anybody who has a plan to automate trading on the exchange?” I raised my hand, and said, “I do.” So, for over about three or four years, we automated everything that you see today at the NYSE. I then became executive vice president in charge of all operations and development and basically ran the Exchange for about seven years.
RT: So when did Lou go from being this mastermind with the NYSE to a musician?
LP: I always loved music. And my first love was basketball, which I played in high school at St. Francis Prep. But, I always got hurt. There was an afterschool program at my high school that was teaching students how to play guitar. I’m still friends with those people who I played guitar with back in Greenpoint in those early days. When I went to the NYSE, we actually had a band called the Upticks. We played on the NYSE floor. It was a lot of fun.
RT: So, how did the live gigs in Rockaway begin?
LP: I didn’t know anybody playing music in Rockaway. However, as luck would have it, I played basketball with The Graybeard league started by Kevin Boyle and Steve Stathis. It was a league for old-timers over 40. I got to meet so many people, including Joe Kenel, who became my musical soulmate. Joe and I would just get lost in the clouds playing music for hours and hours. I was blessed to have him as a friend. He passed away last year. One day, Joe asked, “Why don’t we put together a band? There weren’t many bands here in Rockaway back in the early 2000s. For years, bars had closed, restaurants didn’t have live music. And so, we pulled together a group of people. One fellow was Solshyne’s bass player, Dan Klohe. Also, Kevin Boyle’s brother, Mark; Bugsy Goldberg; and Gerry Mancini, who was the drummer for Solshyne. And that was our first band. I never forget one of our first gigs, the person who booked us said, “Fifty dollars a man.” I said, “I’m not paying $50 to play here.” Kenel said, “No, they’re paying us.”
RT: So, how do you see how Rockaway’s music landscape has changed for not just bands, but music lovers?
LP: It has definitely changed especially with the number of venues for musicians and music lovers. In the 2010 timeframe, more places were opening, like Caracas and what was then known as Low Tide on the boardwalk. Also, Robert Kaskel of Thai Rock, God bless his soul, was really trying to bring back live music in Rockaway. And we had a ball, but then COVID put a big dent. So, putting a big band together wasn’t that much fun anymore. So myself, Joe and our bass player at the time, John McNamee, started to play at Whit’s. So. we skinnied the band down to three. We used to have a four-piece horn section. Our band used to be up to 11 people. But we adapted. Most people play not for the money, but just the love of playing music. As musicians, we’re blessed today because we have so many restaurants and bars that appreciate live music now. And, and it’s not just the restaurants and the bars, it’s the people who frequent them.
RT: And what would you say to young people and even those older, who want to break into the local music scene?
LP: Go to the open mic nights. Get a couple of songs that you feel confident in. Get up and play them live because it’s very different when you’re playing in front of someone as opposed to playing at your kitchen table. For example, Squid’s open mic night on Tuesdays at Connolly’s is a great platform.
Mark your calendars! Tomorrow, Friday, July 31, starting at 6 p.m., don’t miss Bryan Fraser and John Simonelli playing with Lou Pastina a.k.a. Papa Lou at Postcard Brewing (111-30 Beach Channel Drive). For more info, including upcoming shows, visit: lou_pastina on Instagram.
