Salty Jane - The Radiators - Live at The Civic Theatre in New Orleans - October 13, 2021

The Radiators - Live at The Civic Theatre in New Orleans - October 2021

-- Jazzfest didn't happen this year, but luckily the Civic concert did !!! --

The Radiators, also known as the New Orleans Radiators, were born during a transitional decade in the history of New Orleans music. The Meters, the premier funk band, had disbanded, the Neville Brothers formed, and in 1980 Professor Longhair, the father of New Orleans R&B and spiritual embodiment of Crescent City Soul had passed on. This decade would prove to be the fertile period of development when a unique blend of rhythms and sounds came together and “Fish Head” music was born. The Radiators, an extremely eclectic group of musicians, rely on a myriad of musical influences to create their own sound – “Fish Head Music”. At a Radiators show it is not uncommon to hear blues, R&B, jazz, country, Zydeco, soul, swing, and even gospel filtering through their original New Orleans Rock N’ Roll.

The band formed in January 1978 in Keyboardist Ed Volker’s garage. Ed, Frank Bua, and Camille Baudoin were performing in one band together, with Dave Malone and Reggie Scanlan in another. “Ed invited us to come over to his house and jam; Dave and I figured we’d have a few beers together and play a couple of blues tunes,” remembers Scanlan, “instead, we jammed for five hours straight, then all quit our old bands the next day.”

This group could only come from New Orleans. Since its earliest settlement, the city developed a rich musical heritage that gave birth to 20th century American music. Musicians from this region were the first to incorporate African rhythms with Western melody. Beginning with culture-blending jam sessions at Congo Square, this musical tableau unfurled in the hands of artists such as Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, Allen Toussaint, Earl King, The Meters, Dr. John and others too numerous to mention. These acts provided great inspiration for the Radiators.

Their reputation has been further augmented by a sizable body of recorded work – eleven albums released on labels including Epic/C.B.S. and Croaker Records. Aside from backing up such New Orleans legends as Dr. John, Professor Longhair and Earl King, the Radiators have appeared with the Allman Brothers, Little Feat, B.B. King, Robert Cray, The Band, Los Lobos and Taj Mahal to name a few. They are also a featured mainstay of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival every year, owning the coveted closing spot on one of the main stages and playing to an audience approaching 30,000.

From the earliest days, The Radiators have used fish and fish-related themes in their iconography. They refer to their music as “Fish Head Music” and their fans call themselves “Fishheads” (similar to the term “Deadheads” used for fans of the Grateful Dead, not to be confused with “Phish Heads”). Their first self-owned label was “Croaker”, named for the common variety of fish. Their album covers, album and song names, and lyrics are full of fishy references.

Band Members Include:

Ed Volker - keyboards, vocals
Dave Malone - guitar, vocals
Camile Baudoin - guitar
Reggie Scanlan - bass guitar
Frank Bua - drums, percussion

(Write courtesy of 'TPMarcus' from YouTube)