The Radiators Home Page
The Radiators could only come from New Orleans. Since
it's earliest settlement, the city developed a rich musical heritage
that gave birth to 20th century American music. Musicians from
this region were the first to incorporate African rhythms with
Western melody. Beginning with culture-blending jam sessions at
Congo Square, this musical tableau unfurledin the hands of artists
such as JellyRoll Morton, Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, Allen
Toussaint, Earl King, The Meters, Dr. John and others too numerous
to mention.
These acts provided great inspiration for the Radiators.During
their early years, the band members were able to watch and even
playlive with many of these local heroes. They combined their
influences with the rising spirit of sixties rock and R&B
to form a new, rhythm intensiveblend of rock and roll. (After
all, if you're going to the party, you might as well bring something
new, right?)
The band formed in 1978 in Keyboardist Ed Volker's
garage.Ed, Frank Bua, and Camile Baudoin were performing in one
band together,with Dave Malone and Reggie Scanlan in another.
"Ed invited us to comeover to his house and jam; Dave and
I figured we'd have a few beers together and play a couple of
blues tunes," remembers Scanlan, "instead, we jammed
for five hours straight, then all quit our old bands the next
day.
The Radiators quickly became one of New Orleans' hottest
musical acts, then rose to national prominence as their fans spread
the word across the country. In New York City, crowds that started
with transplanted Tulane graduates dancing at the Lone Star Cafe
steadily grew; today, thousands of young and old fans fill The
Roseland Ballroom for each visit. This story has been echoed by
similar ground swells rippling across the country.
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