The Radiators

Long before the noodle-ocity of Phish reigned supreme, there was the Fish Head music of the Radiators. In the tradition of the Funky Meters, Little Feat, Allen Toussaint, Earl King and numerous other talented veterans of the Big Easy scene, the Radz emerged from the bayou in 1978 and have...

By Nick Hutchinson

December 9, 2004

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Long before the noodle-ocity of Phish reigned supreme, there was the Fish Head music of the Radiators. In the tradition of the Funky Meters, Little Feat, Allen Toussaint, Earl King and numerous other talented veterans of the Big Easy scene, the Radz emerged from the bayou in 1978 and have been serving up a simmering jambalaya of eclectic, Creole-spiced party grooves ever since. Their swampy blend of blues, R&B, jazz, country, zydeco, swing, soul and even gospel-inflected fare (their repertoire includes more than 300 original tunes, as well as a variety of well-chosen covers) has continued to retain the unmistakable flavor of the Crescent City while reeling in new generations of head-bobbing, maniacally devoted aquatic fans.

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Nick Hutchinson is the author of the books Channeling Jerry: How the Music Plays His Fans and High on a Mountain: An Oral History of Jamgrass in Colorado. Nick enjoys playing his guitar when he's not writing about music.

Contact: Nick Hutchinson

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Twitter: @Hutchmun