PILLAR TALK
Congratulations to OffBeat for giving Cosimo Matassa the first ever [Business] Lifetime Achievement Award! Although Mr. Matassa is not classified as a musician, he was definitely the pillar on which New Orleans Rock ‘n’ Roll & R&B was built.
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Matassa at his grocery store five years ago and he was so humble about the part he had played in the New Orleans recording scene. He signed my Fats Domino Bear Family box set and chatted with my wife and I. He found it hard to believe that I had sought him out.
I believe it’s a travesty that he has not been brought into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as yet. If anyone in the non-musician field deserves to be in the hall, it’s Cosimo Matassa.
–John Donabie, CFRB Radio, Toronto, Canada
LADIES FIRST
Thanks so much for your article on Irma Thomas in the December issue. She is indeed New Orleans first lady of soul, or simply New Orleans’ first lady.
–Bil Jenko, Winston-Salem, NC
CRUSH ON KRUSH
I just wanted to write and tell you about a great local band that you tend to overlook. Krush UK is an extremely talented band (not to mention good-looking). The band consists of five members. Benny Bruce and Jeff Lane take the spotlight with unbelievable vocals and Benny is also the best keyboard player in the city–in my opinion. Please check the band out. You won’t regret it. I go to almost every show and they never let me down. For information about upcoming shows the band has a hotline: 504-364-5503.
–Courtney, via email
OFFBEATITUDE
I read other magazines and other music magazines, but OffBeat is the best! Most of my other magazines come out every other month or four times a year. However, OffBeat comes monthly and I start to miss you in advance and can’t wait for OffBeat to arrive! Please don’t ever go! You would leave a huge void in my life! I like the new paper, however, if you ever have financial trouble and may lose the magazine (heaven forbid!) don’t hesitate to go back to the old newsprint paper for the magazine. Save money and save the publication!
“I love American music!” (A song lyric or title.) The best of it all is New Orleans and South Louisiana music. All of the oldest of the old through most of the new! May it all live forever!!
–Mary Ann Piekenton, Albuquerque NM
ROCKET SCIENCE
I’m so glad that you give your readers a chance to voice their choices for great Louisiana music. I agree with the majority of the readers that voted. The Delta Rockets are extremely talented. Taking Up Space shows us why they are a great group. These musicians take the blues and blend, weave and stroke in a little rock, country, soul and funk to produce a CD that almost everyone likes. If someone out there hasn’t heard it, you need to. I can’t wait to see what their next CD will sound like! A fan for life.
–Kathy Young, via email
SOME ENCHANTED EVENING
Great party last night. I really want to thank you for having me, and for the award (which is a really cool design). It was an awesome evening. Thanks again to you and your staff.
–Rockin’ Jake
NEW AND UNFAIR?
Shame on you guys! You really shouldn’t nominate bands for the “Best New” categories that have been in the New Orleans music scene for more than five years! That is unfair for those bands who really are NEW and who haven’t had the advantage of having their name out for so long. Wah-Waaaah……
–Whitney G. Glover, via email
Well, Whitney, here’s the deal. WE (OffBeat) do not nominate ANYONE. We send ballots to local musicians and music businesses and THEY nominate the bands. So if anybody’s to blame, blame the musicians. Maybe they vote for bands they feel deserve recognition. We’ve learned a lesson this year, and in the future, we’ll invalidate nominations which do not really fit the category. Fair enough?–Ed.
NOISE CONTROL
I have been reading recently in OffBeat about the problems some uptown music clubs are experiencing in relation to “complaints” about the “noise” (great music) coming from such establishments. In support of all the uptown clubs especially the Maple Leaf, I find it incredulous that some of the neighborhood are complaining. I don’t know how long the Leaf has stood there, and also had music playing but I would suggest it’s probably longer than some of the complainants have been belly aching, wining, moaning, etc. I think it’s about time these people put the money where their mouths are, and if they have a real problem with contemporary New Orleans music. May I suggest one of several things: 1.) Move to Chechnya, and experience real noise, then complain. 2.) When you hear the offending noise, get out of bed, go down to the source of the “noise”, have a drink and relax and enjoy the party. 3.) Buy some ear defenders 4.) Go to Blockbuster, buy some Walter CDs or Cleary, Mooney, ReBirth and get with the programme mate!! 5.) Move to Alaska! 6.) Move to Middlesbrough, England UK. If you complain about anything there, you’re dead! The bars there are like something out of Star Wars, but weirder and rougher. 7.) Donate your ears to a medicine, as you have no need for them. No, but seriously, what’s with the “witchhunt” on the places like the Maple Leaf and why any NOPD interest or any other law enforcement or government agency, haven’t they got real crime to deal with? Also New Orleans was founded on qualities like liberty, freedom of expression, Art and Music. If uptown clubs are restricted, it will effect attendance, livelihoods, tourism, etc, something which effects everyone in the City including the moaning minnies who originated the “complaint” so come on, lobby your councillors, speak to the City. And for anyone who knows one of these miserable SOB’s tell ’em if you don’t like it, get the F@$%% Out! And let’s leave Uncle Hank alone please. He’s doing a good job. Otherwise I will bring some of the boys over, and my Uncle Gary. See you all April 2000. Anyway Hanky boy, turn the music up mate, I may be able to here it over hear on a Saturday night.
–Alan Bevington, Billingshurst,West Sussex, UK
BUSTED–ONLY IN NEW ORLEANS
Just when you think that it’s safe to go back out in the streets:
For some time now, we have been trying to find out who is in charge of getting the barricades up on Royal St. for the Pedestrian Mall times (11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday regardless of holidays). A lot of the barricades have been missing for some time, some were destroyed by accidents. Several of the merchants have called the police and the streets and garbage departments. Everyone says the other is responsible and no one does anything.
Last Sunday, January 16, 2000, at approximately 5:00 p.m., Wally Kay was playing bass on Royal Street at St. Louis with David and Roselyn. An ice cream vendor had been at the corner of Royal and Toulouse most of the day and so no cars had come through, but when he left around 4:30/5:00 p.m. cars began coming up the road. They pulled up in front of Wally and demanded that he move. He had his eyes closed playing his bass and ignored them. Someone got his attention and he moved out of the street for one car and then another. Someone got the bright idea of asking the cars for a toll of a dollar or a quarter which they threw into our tip box. Then, as we were all playing, and another car had driven up, the cops arrived.
They told Wally to put down his bass which he promptly did. The cop then grabbed his arm and jerked Wally around and they both fell to the ground stumbling over the bass which fortunately was not broken and into Wally’s bike which also was fortunately not broken. Roselyn jumped up and grabbed the bass and demanded to know why the cop was hassling Wally. The cop handcuffed Wally and said he was under arrest for resisting arrest. When asked why he was under arrest in the first place, the cop said for blocking traffic. Roselyn asked how he could be arrested for blocking traffic in a pedestrian mall and the cop said the drivers didn’t know it was a pedestrian mall because there were no barricades. What happened to the principal of ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law?
One of the owners of Katz Antique Store came out to inform the officer that Wally was a decent law abiding citizen and that the cars were not supposed to be on Royal and that everyone had been trying to get the barricades returned. At this point the cop removed Wally’s handcuffs and we discovered his finger was bloody. The next day his hand was swollen almost to baseball glove size.
Our questions are many: Why try to arrest Wally in the first place? He was in the right, the cars were in the wrong. If Wally was under arrest, why not tell him so? Grabbing his arm and jerking him around was unnecessary roughness, a blatant example of police brutality. He certainly was not going to run away and leave a bass worth over a thousand dollars laying in the middle of the street. If the charge of blocking the street had any validity at all, which it did not, is that not something one is ticketed for, not handcuffed and arrested for?
Why not talk to Wally? He had complied with the order to put the bass down, he was not being belligerent. He’s a nice guy. Why treat people so mean if there is no reason to? Cops cause problems and then there is no redress for grievances. Cops should be liable for suits as well as cities. They don’t have to hire a lawyer and they don’t have to pay. If they knew they were likely to lose their home for being nasty, they might be nicer.
If you know of examples of police brutality, stupidity, and just plain meanness, please let us know. It’s not funny any more. We just laughed off our arrest several years ago and the charges were dropped, but then we weren’t hurt and Wally was. We’re thinking crusade here. Help!
–Mr. and Mrs. David and Roselyn Leonard, New Orleans, LA
