Rudolph joined the Band in 1958 and ascended to its leadership in 1961, a position he held until his untimely death in 1985. He, it is fair to say, more than anyone shaped the character of the modern Desperadoes. The Band was an extension of his life and epitomized his indomitable spirit. The following are examples of this spirit:
On a 1970 tour of New York, the Band still carried the name "Gay Desperadoes" and Rudolph sought to correct once and for all the misconceptions of the city's gay community. During a performance at Central Park he went to the sound system and promptly dispelled any unfounded notions the gay community may have been harbouring. From that day onward the Band has simply been called Desperadoes.
During the preliminary phase of the 1982 Panorama competition, the Band played a Clive Bradley composition "Party tonight" but was not selected by the judges to advance to the next round. An examination of the score sheets much to Rudolph's dismay, revealed that one of the judges recorded the Desperadoes piece as "Boogie Down" He promptly filed an injunction in the High Court, claiming that the judge could not adjudicate fairly if he was unaware of the selection which he was adjudicating. Desperadoes won the injunction, and were admitted to the finals at which they mesmerized the audience with a scintillating rendition of their chosen piece. Rudolph as is typical of all great leaders, demonstrated his magnanimity by electing not to accept the costs awarded by the court.
from Desperadoes
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