Rufus Rockhead Street

CartLegger: 8th May 2007 - 07:45 GMT

Glad to see you are using google maps, EG. Maybe now I can learn more about Nunavut, too.

Cinic: 8th May 2007 - 12:26 GMT

Thanks for the history lesson on rufus-rockhead. I always like hearing about street name origins. You know what I think could be a nice shot, on top of the superC looking at westmount at night, I should try to find a way up there.

EvilGentleman: 8th May 2007 - 14:27 GMT

Still getting the hang of it, CartLegger. If you also are party of the Google Earth Community, I have added a few placemarks there under the name of Arcticmohawk.

No problem, Cinic. As far as the Westmount shot goes, I think it will look too dark, since most everyone has a tree in their yard that blocks the light. But the foreground of that shot, looking up Atwater past Notre-Dame and the Lionel-Groulx metro station, with the towers of downtown above, might still make it worthwhile. Try it and see what happens. I know for a fact there is little security at the Super C (the back of which is visible on the right side of picture 3), cuz I spent over an hour in the middle of their parking lot one night last year having fun with a pretty lady, and no security showed up to kick us out, even though we were noisy as hell.

Donald Rockhead: 8th Jun 2007 - 18:34 GMT

Thanks for putting up info on my family history! I am so glad to see this. Its good to see something postive attached to our last name.

sientelo: 29th Sep 2007 - 06:32 GMT

this message is to donald rockhesd; turns out we have a connection, rufus rockhead and my great grandfather were first cousins. i would like to share/get some information. write me please at sientelo@hotmail.com.

c.

Sean A. Rockhead: 10th Oct 2007 - 01:42 GMT

Wow. Looks like this man had to be a distant relative. A worhty honor indeed based on his story. Thanks and I'll be doing a bit more formal research about him.

Fiona Lambert: 13th Apr 2008 - 13:55 GMT

Who the Hell is Rufus Rockhead, sounds like a characture from the Flinstones., but an interesting name for a street, only in good old Montreal.

Robert Lajoie: 14th Apr 2008 - 04:25 GMT

Fiona,

One can safely assume you're a younger lass. Rufus Rockhead was the owner of Rockhead's Paradise, arguably the best night club ever in Montreal. As a young man, I spent several wonderful evenings (and nights)there.

It was located at the corner of Mountain Street and Craig (later Saint-Antoine).

Ah, the memories...

+

Fiona Lambert: 15th Apr 2008 - 20:05 GMT

Robert:

I'm actually 41 years old, I just thought that rue Rufus Rockhead was an unusual name for a street.
My boyfriend used to live in Montreal (Pointe St. Charles) to be exact, he told me about a street of that name up there.
I'm sure Rufus Rockhead was a prominent member of Montreal society at one time to have a street named in his honor.

EvilGentleman: 17th Jun 2008 - 04:41 GMT

This was one of the more educational posts that I have done, at least in the sense that I learned a lot from doing this post.

When I initially shot the photos, I was focused on how funny the name sounded to my ears. I had assumed that it was named after a character of some sort that had been created or portrayed by a Montrealer. How little I knew.

I often google the subjects of my posts, in order to better understand what I am posting, and to give me more information to share with the public. When I researched this one, I suddenly realized that the focus of this post was no longer humour, but music.

I was quite impressed by what I learned of Rufus Rockhead, and I wish I knew more of the old history. Hopefully, someone will post some old photos of Rockhead's Paradise, so that we may see what it was really like.

I now know enough about this to say:

How little I know.

zagg: 17th Jun 2008 - 10:20 GMT

It is time to change it to Rufus Wainwright, I say!

hope: 22nd Jul 2008 - 02:05 GMT

Where are his three children now?
Jackie, Kenny and Rvela?

Lexxi: 13th Sep 2008 - 19:34 GMT

Great to know that the legend of Mr. Rufus Rockhead lives on with the naming of the street near Atwater Market, unfortunately most Montrealers have no idea of the history associated with this brilliant man and what his place of business represented in the 'club scene' years ago.

Spent my early years as a young child running through that club which both my parents as well as a few other relatives were employed, I will always remember him as a kind soul and never forget the red leather doors and beaded entrance to his office lol.

Met alot of famous acts, lyrical divas and extraordinary musicians! Rockheads Paradise was truly the place to be back in the day, no other establishment has ever topped out the Montreal Nitelife ever since!

RIP Rufus, and Thank You for your contribution to Montreal's club scene, you shall live long in the heart and soul of many!!

Malcolm: 11th Nov 2008 - 05:38 GMT

Enjoyed many evenings at Rockheads. He handed out roses to the ladies. If my memory serves me rightly he was targeted by the Catholic church because he was a Jehovah Witness. They shut him down by removing his license. I believe he fought and finally won a victory of some sorts at great cost.I am not religious and believe he was done a great injustice by the powers that be in Quebec.
Cheers
Malcolm

Brian Dring: 19th Aug 2009 - 21:43 GMT

As a youg man back in 1976, I used to go down to Rockhead's to see the great soul bands in the upstairs cabaret...and yes, he always did have a rose for the ladies. The bands were usually from Philly or New Jersey and would come to Rockhead's on the soul circuit from Atlantic City casinos....really top notch bands complete with 3 singers in sequined suits.

Downstairs, there was a jazz trio featuring Ivan Simons trio. My wife was a black woman who had come to Montreal from New Jersey. I was 22 at the time but looked about 18...so we would get some looks....nothing bad though.

She would introduce me to a lot of the people there. Ivan was a car mechanic who moonlighted with the music thing for extra bucks. My wife also had a jazz singer girlfriend she'd met from Denver named Martha Mitchell who had come to Montreal. She used to occasionally play with bassist Charlie Biddles who would later open his own jazz club Biddles. At the time, there was a small community of black musicians from the States who had come up to Montreal to find work.
Those definitely were the good old days. I live in the U.S. now and was sorry to learn about the place closing....it was such a Montreal landmark.