at numerous area clubs but their gigs at one place in particular gained attention. Starting around August 1981, they had a residency playing "Blue Mondays" every Monday night at the Cathay de Grande nightclub at the corner of Argyle and Selma in Hollywood, California. They became an important part of the Los Angeles rock scene. Live, the lineup usually consisted of: Top Jimmy (James Paul Koncek): vocals Carlos Guitarlos (Carlos Ayala): lead guitar and vocals Gil T. (Gilbert Isais): bass and vocals Dig The Pig (Richard "Dick" Aeilts): rhythm guitar Joey Morales: drums Steve Berlin: saxophone. (Tom Fabre, another saxophonist, also played with the group.) Top Jimmy & The Rhythm Pigs concerts often featured guest appearances by such artists as Tom Waits and Stevie Ray Vaughan. According to the Waits biography Lowside of the Road, Waits was influenced by the L.A. roots-rock scene but particularly loved the Pigs. He also formed a personal connection with Jimmy. Also joining at various times were Albert Collins, Bonnie Bramlett, and Percy Mayfield. In addition, the club included members of the aforementioned scene stalwarts, most notably X and The Blasters. Chris Morris described the "Blue Mondays" as "an infernal scene" that drew a hard-drinking crowd, and the band matched the audience's consumption. Fisticuffs were common, especially with the short-tempered Carlos Guitarlos. Yet the shows were mainly about dancing and having a good time. Another admirer and Cathay guest star was David Lee Roth of Van Halen. Thanks to Diamond Dave, the band and its frontman in particular were saluted in the song "Top Jimmy" on the album 1984. Roth frequented the Zero Zero club, where Jimmy tended bar. According to Jimmy, he and Roth had discussed working on an album of country tunes together, but that idea appears never to have gone anywhere. Dissolution The residency at the Cathay ended when proprietor Michael Brennan shut down the club in 1985. Top Jimmy & The Rhythm Pigs remained visible for a time at another L.A. club, Raji's. They also continued to play dates at other spots in the area, such as the Palomino Club, as seen in the fall of 1987. By that time, Steve Berlin was long gone. Gil T. had joined Dave Alvin's band in 1986. The "increasingly erratic" Carlos Guitarlos left for the Bay Area in 1988. The band never went beyond local-hero status for several reasons: internal volatility, absence of discipline,