Issue Articles — Features
Father & Son: Walter and Nicholas Payton
Both Walter Payton, a longtime New Orleans journeyman bassist, and his son Nicholas, a fast-rising trumpet powerhouse, were assigned to the tuba while in grade school bands. In Walter’s case, […]
Zydeco’s Thorny Crown
Should the late Rockin’ Dopsie be the last to hold the disputed title “King of Zydeco”? The zydeco crown doesn’t confer many powers. You still pay taxes. You don’t […]
An OffBeat Interview: Terrance Simien
The review from a northeastern newspaper, circa 1989, refers to the “wild-haired, barefoot man playing accordion, wearing a sleeveless Guardian Angels T-shirt and beat-up jeans.” Terrance Simien must have been […]
The Secret Life of Kristi Guillory
It was bad enough that she was a freshman. Because everyone always looks down on freshmen. And even her friends call her a hippy, because she’d rather read a book […]
Nathan Williams: Keeps It In The Family
Zydeco’s Chicken Man is only the most visible member of a clan that includes entrepreneur Sid, guitarist, artist and spiritualist Dennis, and rubboard player of the future Nat Jr. […]
The Timeless Allure of Tattoos: Urban Primitives and the Culture of Body Modification
Tattoos have always been with us. There is nothing new about indelible images incised in the skin—tattoos are older than the hills. Of late, however, there seem to be a […]
James Hall Rising
With musical prowess, a natural flair for the dramatic and an intriguing first album, Hall and his band are the most promising unit on the local alternative scene. The singer […]
Jerry Lee’s Legacy
The Lewis family has opened a museum in their Ferriday home. Within it live the stories and spirits that forged rock’s Killer. He’s back in the news. Rock & […]
John Campbell Remembered
John Campbell, the Shreveport-born slide guitarist and self-professed hoodoo man, hated going to sleep, for fear he would not wake up. “He didn’t like the day to end,” remembers his […]
Daniel Lanois’ Dilemma
Sometime New Orleans resident Daniel Lanois is one of the world’s most sought after producers—so busy, in fact, that he rarely finds time to work at his French Quarter studio. […]
