The meters

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The meters
The Funky Meters live 2011
The Funky Meters live 2011
General information
origin New Orleans , Louisiana
Genre (s) Funk , rhythm and blues
founding 1965, 1989
resolution 1977
Website http://www.funkymeters.com
Founding members
Vocals, keyboard
Kind Neville
Vocals, bass
George Porter Jr.
guitar
Leo Nocentelli
Drums
Zigaboo fashion list
Current occupation
Vocals, keyboard
Art Neville (1965–1977, 1989–)
Vocals, bass
George Porter Jr. (1965–1977, 1989–)
guitar
Leo Nocentelli (1965–1977, 1989–1994, 2000–)
Drums
Zigaboo fashion list (1965–1977, 2000–)
former members
Singing, percussion
Cyril Neville (1970-1977)
Keyboard
David Batiste, Sr. (1977-1980)
singing
Willie West (1977-1980)

The Meters was an American funk band from New Orleans , best known for their instrumental titles. The Funky Meters have existed in parallel since 1994 and consist of Art Neville, George Porter Jr., Brian Stoltz and Russell Batiste. The Meters , founded in 1965, are considered to be instrumental pioneers of funk.

history

The band was founded in 1965 by the keyboardist Art Neville (born December 17, 1937 in New Orleans ; later Neville Brothers ). Other founding members were the bassist George Porter Jr. (born December 26, 1947 in New Orleans), Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste (drums; born December 28, 1948 in New Orleans) and Leo Nocentelli (guitar; born June 15, 1946 in New Orleans).

The funk band, discovered by Allen Toussaint , first played as a backing band in live and studio performances by Fats Domino , Lee Dorsey , Chris Kenner , Earl King or Betty Harris and other performers from the New Orleans scene, before they signed their own record deal with Josie Records received.

Meters - Sophisticated Cissy

The initially unreleased LP Sunday Under Covers With The Meters was recorded in the Jazz City recording studio by Cosimo Matassa in January 1968. In November 1968 the typical, heavily syncopated “funky” instrumental sound was released with the single Sophisticated Cissy , which the band hardly varied from then on. While the R&B charts put him at number 7, the unusual sound only brought it to number 34 in the pop charts. Cissy Strut even made it to number 7 R&B (number 23 pop) as the follow-up single in March 1969. The song construction was a successful, earthy mixture of the rustic soul of Booker T. & the MG's with stylistic elements from the hits of Sly & the Family Stone .

In May 1969 it was time for the first official LP The Meters , which presented a further consolidation of the funk sound. This included Ease Back , which was released as a single in July 1969. In December 1969 the second LP was released under the title Look-Ka Py Py . It was now clear that the Meters were specializing in an LP band, especially since their singles no longer made it into the top 10 of the R&B charts. Their third LP, Struttin ' , was released in June 1970, recorded by Cosimo Matassa and produced by Allen Toussaint, like all its predecessors.

The Meters also appeared on Dr. John , Robert Palmer ( Sneakin 'Sally Through The Alley ), King Biscuit Boy , Lee Dorsey , Allen Toussaint and Paul McCartney and Wings with. Their style-defining sound is clearly noticeable here. Especially with Dr. John's success In the Right Place (March 1973) reflects the collaboration between Mac Rebennack , Toussaint and the Meters.

In 1972 they moved to Warner Brothers, from 1974 they were with Reprise. Here, in July 1975, Fire on the Bayou - again produced by Toussaint - was their most successful album.

The band officially broke up in 1977, and from 1989 onwards there were various reunion concerts. In 2013 Trombone Shorty brought all the musicians into the studio to record the classic "Be My Lady" with them for his album Say This to Say That . The Meters enjoy cult status among music lovers today.

Discography

Albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes)
Remarks
US US
1969 The meters US108 (15 weeks)
US
Josie 4010
Look-Ka Py Py US198 (2 weeks)
US
Josie 4011
1970 Struttin ' US200 (2 weeks)
US
Josie 4012

More albums

  • 1972: Cabbage Alley (reprise)
  • 1972: The Meters Jam (Rounder)
  • 1974: Rejuvenation (reprise)
  • 1974: Cissy Strut (Iceland)
  • 1975: Fire on The Bayou (reprise)
  • 1975: Best of The Meters (Josie)
  • 1976: Trickbag (recapitulation)
  • 1977: New Directions (Warner)
  • 1979: Good Old Funky Music (Pye)
  • 1980: Second Line Strut (Charly)
  • 1992: Live on the Queen Mary
  • 1992: Uptown Rulers (Live 1975) (Rhino)
  • 1992: The Original Funkmasters (Charly)
  • 1994: Fundamentally Funky (Charly)
  • 1994: Crescent City Groove
  • 1994: Fundemantally Funk
  • 1995: Funkify Your Life (Rhino)
  • Kickback
  • 2002: Funky Good Time: Live at Moonwalker, Vol. 1
  • Fiyo at the Fillmore, Vol. 1 (Live)
  • 2004: Message from The Meters
  • Here Come The Metermen
  • The Meters At Rozy’s (RGA)
  • Funky Miracle (Charly)

Singles

year Title
album
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements
(Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)
Remarks
US US
1969 Sophisticated Cissy US34 (8 weeks)
US
Josie 1001
Cissy Strut US23 (11 weeks)
US
Josie 1005
Ease back US61 (6 weeks)
US
Josie 1008
Look-Ka Py Py US56 (10 weeks)
US
Josie 1015
1970 Chicken Strut US50 (8 weeks)
US
Josie 1018
Hand clapping song US89 (4 weeks)
US
Josie 1021
1977 Be my lady US78 (2 weeks)
US

More singles

  • 1969: Dry Spell ( Josie 1013)
  • 1970: A Message From The Meters (Josie 1021)
  • 1970: Stretch Your Rubber Band (Josie 1026)
  • 1971: Doodle Oop (Josie 1029)
  • 1971: Good Old Funky Music (Josie 1031)
  • 1974: Africa (reprise 1307)
  • 1975: They All Ask'd For You (Reprise 1338)
  • 1976: Mardi Gras Mambo (Sansu 1015)

literature

  • Stambler, Irwin: The Encyclopedia Of Pop, Rock And Soul . 3rd revised edition, New York City, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989, pp. 462f - ISBN 0-312-02573-4 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Trombone Shorty's funk (en) sparkling third stroke of genius (JazzEcho)
  2. a b Chart sources: US