The Meters, a New Orleans-based funk band, were founded by Art Neville (later of The Neville Brothers, in fact The Meters at one time had three of the Nevilles in the group) in 1965. The one time house band for Allen Toussaints Sansu Enterprises label, the group had some R&B chart success whilst recording for the Jubilee subsidiary, Josie. They hit in 1969 with Sophisticated Cissy and Cissy Strut and in 1970 with Look-ka Py Py and Chicken Strut. Chart success dwindled after a move to the Reprise label but in 1975, their 3rd studio album for Reprise, Fire on the Bayou peaked at #41 on the R&B album chart and wormed its way into the Billboard 200 at #179. Although none of the songs on the album charted as singles, the tune They All Askd for You was a regional hit around south and east Texas and in Louisiana. They never achieved lasting mainstream success but worked as a backing group for the likes of Lee Dorsey, Dr. John, Robert Palmer, Paul McCartney and LaBelle and are considered a major influence by most funk artists. The group broke up around 1979, then reformed with Art Neville and a mostly new lineup, calling themselves The Funky Meters. There are currently at least 4 groups, with members of The Meters/Funky Meters performing as The Original Meters, The Funky Meters, The Meter Experience and The Meters. The Meters were nominated for the Rock and Roll HOF in October of 2013.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Dec 2014 18:16:50 +0000
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