Now I realize that a few of you reading my previous statement have NO CLUE as to what I just described. However I also know that quita a few of you know EXACTLY what I meant!
That’s how the Meters sound!……….. “Gut Bucket SWAMP FUNK”
These badd boys were the creators of the ultimate party music, totally instrumental, somehow ghetto/country at the same time.
But what am I really talking about, eh????
A few of you out there STILL have no idea what I’m talking about, some may think I should have this keyboard taken away from me,some of you will NEVER get it.
The Meters are one of the GREAT tragedies of FUNK……they coulda/shoulda been the BIGGEST FUNK STARS in the Universe!
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That’s right…..I said it…..Maybe I’m crazy?
Think again……if you were on the scene in say 1971 and someone mentioned the term FUNK to you you would have thought of the music of the Meters as being “generic funk”
Indeed the definition of it. Hell they managed to do all that without ever having any hit records outside of Black radio, they didn’t wear any funny costumes, have any freaked out/wigged out drug induced lyrics, spacey album covers filled with cartoon art, dammit……they hardly had any
lyrics at all to speak of, just a bunch of “vooodoo chants, field hollars and chicken sounds”.
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I’m soooooo glad you brought these guys up, it’s easy to forget about them, but they are also true originators.
They are in the same category of Miles, Jimi, James, etc.
It’s a shame they never became the stars…….they deserved to be.
A few of you still don’t know just who or what the hell I’m rambling about.
“Who Are The Meters”?
Well I gotta tell ya…..there isn’t much to be said about them ya gotta listen to the music and “feel the funk”.
They have NO PERSONALITY to speak of, yet in many ways they DEFINE it all for me.
OK……some of you are thinking that I am wacked out at this point “Who Are The Meters”?….”What Are Their Essential Albums”? “@What Do The Critics Say”? ….”Which Web Sites Should I Go To”?, “Are They Still Around”?,”Where Can I Hear Their Music, “What The hell Is The Big Deal Bob”?
Just do me a favor, humor me for a moment and click on the “Go To” menu, http://pages.prodigy.com/funk/cissy.wav” and listen to a brief 34 second .wav of the song “Cissy Strut” and then come back and lets all talk about the FUNKY METERS….stone cold NAWINS FUNK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Bob Davis
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Bob: that’s a great, all time funny word! <g>.It’s frustrating (sorta) when such a long lasting, American band like the meters ,doesn’t seem to get the praise that they so deserve. They are an institution to me!
Bob: very well said re: the Meters.Their personality is New Orleans. Which is a very broad personality ;indeed.
I cant think of a better explanation for da funk !!!!! I knows exactly what kinda funk that is !!!
he is articulate,isn’t he? -Jim
I enjoy Neville. Are the Funky Meters the exact same Meters as -Rejuvination/Reprise 1974″?
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THA METERS YA’LL!!!
One of my all time favorite groups is the Meters, an aggregation of some of the finest musicians on the planet.
Allen Toussaint, Leo Nocentelli, Art Neville, Joesph “Zigaboo” Modeliste, and George Porter Jr., brought the sounds of the Cresent City and the bayou country to the world!!! This is sho nuff Funk at it’s finest. Remember this LP? What are your favorite Meters jams? Cissy Strut? Hey Pocky A-Way?
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REJUVENATION – 1974 Reprise Records
People Say
Love Is For Me
Just Kissed My Baby
What’cha Say
Jungle Man
Hey Pocky A-Way
It Ain’t No Use
Loving You is On My Mind
Africa
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The Meters to me are: Art Neville, brothers aaron, Charles, guitarist: Nocentelli, drummer Zigaboo Modeliste, and bassist George Porter. Is that the current line up for “the Funky Meters”? I’m also a fan of Toussaint. I saw him live 2 years ago. He was solo, played piano and sung. It was intimate at yoshi’s /Oakland. He’s great. enjoy. –
Meters, never really got into them, but I do have a tape of the Neville Brothers opening for The Grateful Dead on New Years Eve 87. They only aired a couple songs during the broadcast (which actually began just as the Nevilles were wrapping up their set, the songs were broadcast later during the intermissions before the Dead came on and between the Dead’s two sets), and then later, during the Dead’s encore jam, the Nevilles came out onstage and jammed with them for a good 20 minutes or so. Bob, I gotta say, in a strange kinda fashion, I think I DO understand the description you gave for The Meters music. I maybe not be as knowledgeable about the funk or about R&B music as most of the people around here, but I do know a few things about Southern Cutlure (being that my dad is from Mississippi, and we’ve gone down there a few times to visit our relatives there).
My introduction to the Meters was via hip hop, since everyone and their mother was sampling “Cissy Strut”. When I looked into their history, I realized that there was a Neville in the band. In the last 10 years, the mainstream has heard of the Neville Brothers, who are an institution in the New Orleans music scene. But only true funk fans have heard of the Meters. I had heard of them before, but as some of you know, their albums (especially their first two) are/were impossible to find. I have one album of theirs on Warner Bros., called “FIRE ON THE BAYOU”, and like the cover art, it is hot. It is definitely unique to the Nawlins sound, and I love it. I have yet to pick up the compilation Rhino Records put together a year or two ago, but it’s a 2CD comp and considered to be a good look at their early music.
I think it’s safe to say that the Meters are to New Orleans what Sly & The Family Stone were to the Bay Area. I think much of the Meters music is untapped, and sometimes after being zoned out on P-Funk (which isn’t a bad thing), some good ol’ Meters music just hits the spot like fresh lemonade on a hot summer day.
I’ve lived in the pan handle(Florida) Milton,Fla. which is very close to Pensacola as a teenager.We lived there for 2 years. The south has its charm. I enjoyed it. What’s that have to do w/ music? not much I suppose.I do understand southern culture, that is very real!
They are also an institution to me as well. Although many people who remember them will mention the album “Rejuvenation”, I remember them mostly as a group that put out a lotta party 45’s that were played (both sides) at neighborhood parties.
Ahhhhhhhh…..the Neville Brothers, this is really part 2 of the tragedy I was discussing earlier. And there is a connection. After the Meters broke up Art Neville hooked up with his brothers including Aaron (who had a big hit record in 1966 “Tell It Like It Is”) to form the Neville Bros.
The group became a big hit with “rock critics” who for some reason saw the Neville Bros. as playing “authentic roots music. Now you know as well as I do that is the FIRST sign of trouble…….lol
As the Neville Bros. began to receive more and more adjuration from the “rock establishment” their sound changed. And as their sound changed they began to lose much of their “core audience” that they have now reached the point where in something like our trivia contest, when their name is mentioned most people in the chat room say they never heard of them!
Now, being a sellout is ok as long as you can make money doing it, but in the case of the Neville Bros. (the white people weren’t buying their stuff either). Seems like the ONLY people buying their records were these “rock critics” who continuiosly praise the work of the Neville Bros. as they are unable to get any airplay on either Black or White radio. Thus they are something of a cult band. In my opinion they should have just stuck with the FUNKY Meters sound.
Next time you go to the store, see if they have any of the Meters stuff marked down to $9.99 & take a chance. I think that you might just like them! If you do, let us know what you think?
Here is another thing that I can say about the Meters….for people who haven’t heard of them. If I were to play some stuff by the Meters right now people who had said that they never heard of em would say: “damn, I’ve heard that song before but I never knew who it was by…”
>>The south has its charm. I enjoyed it. What’s that have to do w/ music?<<
It has everything to do with music! IMHO
Cool neighbor hood parties! yes, damn that’s the days way before crack,people were free and easy. Hanging out at the local park. the Meters as party music, I can go for that.<g>. enjoy. –
Interesting point about Neville Bros and the Meters. I didn’t realize that. the Neville Bros only in New Orleans could sell ice to an eskimo. Dr. John has made music w/ the Meters
Sh*t man, if you get down to it Elvis Presley’s (persona..and what a great money making persona it was) foundation was built on the fact that he oozed southern charm. Col. Parker took that “southern charm” to the bank;baby! James Brown is from the south. He could live any place in the world! the Allman Brothers(even though they hate the term) created “southern” rock.the south has alot o do w/ the SOUTH. And my man, little richard, and Jerry Lee lewis first..fricken tore it up ,down south! Hey, let’s market and create a new niche ..how about “Southern” Funk? Any ideas?Any potential band/candidates?
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/apache rose gotta rockin’ peacock/
/hottest a** on the god d*mn block/
/rockin’ to the beat of the funky a** meters/
/she has one of those built in heaters/
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..”blood sugar sex magik”..’apache rose peacock’..
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..red hot chili peppers..(of course) :>
yes, “she has one of those built in heaters”…..i like it, I like it ….The Meters qualify as “southern funk…I reckon?
