It was "You" by the Cold, the band that dominated the New Orleans rock scene in the early 1980s.  "You always said it never was meant to last a millions years / So I just took every day for what it was," Barbara Menendez sang, ostensibly to a boy, but also unwittingly, to her bandmates.  "I didn't mind the way it was / Anyways, you were always there for me."

After three minutes of exuberant pop, the song crashed to a halt.  The musicians exchanged smiles.  "Not bad for the first time in 10 years," said bassist Vance DeGeneres.

Not bad at all.  The five original members of The Cold - Menendez, DeGeneres, rhythm guitarist Bert Smith, lead guitarist Kevin Radecker and drummer Chris Luckette - are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the founding of the band with reunion shows tonight and Saturday at the Howlin' Wolf.

A generation of local music fans came of age with The Cold.   During its initial three year run from 1979 to 1982, the quintet rode the crest of New Wave.  With three lead vocalists, multiple songwriters, energy to burn and undeniable chemistry, they clicked with local audiences and were soon filling Jimmy's, Ole Man River's and the Riverboad President.  Fans scooped up 45 rpm releases of "You," "Three Chord City," "Mesmerized" and other three-minute Cold pop gems.

"It was a case of ignorance is bliss," Menendez said.  "We didn't know what we were doing.  we completely honest, we had all the energy in the world, we were all young.  There were no rules." "People liked us because we had fun onstage and we weren't afraid to show it," Radecker said.  "When we got onstage, we just couldn't hold back the energy, especially Barbara."

They couldn't sustain that level of energy forever, not without graduating to the next level of success.  Menendez, especially, grew weary of the routine, and announced she was leaving in 1982.  Some 2300 fans filled the President for The Cold's farewell concert.

In 1984, they regrouped to take one more shot at the big time, but it wasn't the same.  Crowds weren't as large or enthusiastic; the bandmembers wince at the memory of the lone fan who came to see them at the Purple Peacock in Eunice.  After a year, they called it quits for good and went their separate ways.

In 1980, they reunited for a 10-year anniversary concert.   Two years ago, they revived their old Top Pop Records label to issue "Three Chord City," a 26-song anthology of studio recordings.  Now, Top Pop has issued another Cold storage collection, "Cold Sweat," a compendium of live recordings from the band's 1980-82 heyday, including originals and covers such as the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black."

But many people still harbor fond memories of The Cold, including the bandmembers.  A year ago, DeGeneres suggested they reunite for their 20th anniversary.  Last Saturday's rehearsal was the first time the five have been together in years, but their camaraderie was instantaneous.  "I consider this maybe my greatest success of anything I've done," DeGeneres said.   "It certainly was the most fun.  I love hanging out with these guys; we had some of the best times."

Looking back, they have no regrets that The Cold never moved beyond the local ranks.  "the fact that we weren't signed," Smith said, "Isn't a great disappointment to me."  "In any city around the country, there is a band that's popular," Radecker said.  "But what percentage of those popular bands in Chicago or Des Moines are going to get signed?   I always looked at the big picture like it would be great if we got signed, but ithat's a longshot.  We sent out our (independent) records to national labels and we always heard that they didn't hear (potential).  Well, that was our music.  If they don't hear it, well, there it is."

"I think of The Cold as a success.  I think we were a great local band.  So you weren't elected president, but you're the governor.   Everybody says, "Well what about the fact that you broke up?"  My answer is every band breaks up, except the Rolling Stones and the Radiators.  They're the only local band that started when we did that's still together."

"It may have been blessing in disguise, when you start thinking about the reality of if we'd made it," Menendez said.  "Then it becomes a business, and it's no fun anymore.  Everybody's trying to squeeze a little money out of you.  I'd rather have it like this than have gone through all of that, because you don't know where you'd end up.  The way it happened is very cool.  I had enough success."

For the reunion shows, they've relearned 42 of their old songs, and were thrilled by how they came across in rehearsals.  "I think it sounds better than it ever did," Luckette said.  "When you're playing all the time, you get locked into this certain thing, and if you try to do anything different, you're like a bumbling idiot.  Now it's so much more relaxed.  I've been playing a lot longer.  I've played a ton of shows since then, and I feel a lot better about it.  We've simplified it even more; I can lock in a lot better."

"What's so great about doing this older is that back then, my brain hadn't kicked in yet," Menendez said.  "Now, when I sing, my brain is all connected and I know how to sing.  I feel a lot more confident."

"I can't believe the people who are actually going to these (reunion) shows, both nights," Menendez said.  "They're all young again.  They're rooting for us, which is the greatest compliment.  They're very excited; they can go back in time for one weekend."