Issue Articles — Cover Story
Royal Southern Brotherhood’s Royal Families
On the afternoon of February 25, just four days after Mardi Gras, the Louisiana Music Factory celebrated its 20th anniversary with a day-long in store concert. Kermit Ruffins, John Boutte, […]
Dee-1: Good Clean Living
The third season premiere of Snoop Dogg’s web series GGN opens with the West Coast rapper—as a character named Nemo Hoes—smoking weed, bantering with pimp Archbishop Don Juan about if […]
O. Perry Walker’s Marchers
The walls of the band director’s office at O. Perry Walker High School are plastered with newspaper clippings. One, from The Times-Picayune of February 12, 2010, features a photograph of […]
Best of the Beat Lifetime Achievement in Music Award: George Porter, Jr.
In George Porter, Jr.’s attic studio, he has a laminated, yellowed page from the 1970s with a story on the Meters from a British music magazine hanging on his wall. […]
Ratty Scurvics’ Star Time
Despite living and performing in New Orleans most of his life, composer, pianist and singer Ratty Scurvics refuses to skip to second base by mentioning the city every 16 bars. […]
GIVERS Remain in Light
I’m going for the drugged-out look because we’re a pop band.” Tiffany Lamson is leaning against a door frame in Dockside Studio’s control room looking wan and disaffected as she […]
Kenny Wayne Shepherd: His Fathers’ Son
Shreveport may be at the opposite end of Louisiana from New Orleans, but both cities play a part in the state’s rich musical heritage. The great blues singer/songwriter/guitarist Leadbelly was […]
Meschiya Lake: Worms, Light Bulbs, Champagne!
She’s the picture of self-possession. It’s Tuesday night and Meschiya Lake is standing to the left of her band, the Little Big Horns, with perfect posture, her hands squarely on […]
The Hot 8 Brass Band: Home in My Horn
The indelible image of the Hot 8 Brass Band at a Sunday afternoon second line parade is that of sousaphone player Bennie Pete and bass drummer Harry “Swamp Thing” Cook. […]
Big Freedia: Do Azz I Say
The last time I met with bounce rapper Big Freedia, in 2009, I’d picked up her and DJ Rusty Lazer (Jay Pennington) at the airport after their second-ever string […]
