The 500 - #139 - Rejuvenation - The Meters

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by New York-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

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Album: #139
Album Title: Rejuvenation
Artist: The Meters
Genre: Funk, Swamp Rock
Recorded: Sea Saint Studios, New Orleans, Louisiana
Released: July, 1974
My age at release: 9
How familiar was I with it before this week: Not at all
Is it on the 2020 list? No
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: It Ain't No Use

In 1967, after decades of service as a luxury transatlantic ocean liner and a World War II troopship, the Queen Mary was retired due to declining demand for ocean travel in the era of jet airplanes. The City of Long Beach purchased the ship with the vision of transforming it into a floating hotel, museum, and event space. The ship made its final voyage from Southampton to Long Beach, California that same year. It became a tourist attraction, offering historical tours, restaurants, convention rental space and overnight accommodation in the original staterooms.

I visited the pier where it was docked when on a trip to California and Nevada with my dad and my "Aunt" Jean in 1980. At the time, I was only marginally impressed by the 310-meter long boat. I wish I would have known more about its history. Built during the Great Depression, it is bigger than the Titanic, boasting Art Deco interiors, five dining rooms, two swimming pools, a library and a hospital. During World War II, it was nicknamed "The Grey Ghost" and transported more than 800,000 troops. It even set a maritime record when 16,683 passengers were on a single trip. Post war, it became a symbol of glamour and prestige, hosting stars who included Elizabeth Taylor, Clark Gable, Audrey Hepburn and Charlie Chaplin. 

Elizabeth Taylor on the deck of the Queen Mary.

As a teen, standing on that sun-warmed Californian pier, squinting at the grandeur of the Queen Mary with the kind of angsty detachment only a fifteen-year-old can muster, I had no idea about the history of this legendary ship. Indeed, the burgeoning rock fan in me had no idea that just five years earlier, Paul McCartney had thrown one of the most legendary parties in rock history aboard this historic vessel. It was March 24, 1975, and the former Beatles was fresh off recording his fourth studio record Venus and Mars with his new band Wings. To celebrate the recording, McCartney transformed the retired ocean liner's main ballroom into a floating fandango of music and star-studded excess.

Paul McCartney's fourth record with Wings, Venus And Mars.

In attendance was a who's who of music and pop culture including  Bob Dylan, Mick Jaggar, Joni Mitchell, Marvin Gaye, Cher, The Jackson Five, Dean Martin, Tony Curtis and George Harrison, in his first post-Beatles public appearance with Paul.

Entertainment news article celebrating the McCartney shindig.

McCartney had laid down much of Venus and Mars at Sea-Saint Studios in New Orleans, soaking in the city’s humid, music-infused magic. Immersed in the local scene, he discovered two electrifying acts: the legendary piano wizard Professor Longhair (whose New Orleans Piano sits at #222 on The 500) and a lean, locked-in five-piece funk machine called The Meters. Blown away by their groove, McCartney invited both to perform at his now-mythic Queen Mary bash. The impact? Seismic. So much so that Mick Jagger, in full rock god mode, declared The Meters “the best motherf*king band in the world” and immediately tapped them to open for The Rolling Stones’ 1975 World Tour. From the bayou to the ballroom, the funk had officially gone global.

A German poster promoting the Rolling Stones Tour (1975) with The Meters.

Rejuvenation was the fifth studio record by The Meters. It blended swampy grooves, syncopated rhythms, and sly vocals into a record that’s both laid-back and electrifying. Tracks such as Just Kissed My Baby and People Say are in a masterclass of funk minimalism and energetic fun. The eleven minute bluesy jam It Ain't No Use is a track I couldn't get enough of and was an easy pick for my The 500 Spotify Playlist.

In 1974, The Meters comprised Art Neville (keyboards, vocals); Leo Nocentelli (guitar); George Porter Jr. (bass); Zigaboo Modeliste (drums); and Cyril Neville (percussions, vocals). I was not familiar with this amazing funk band until discovering them in March, 2024 when I first heard their second studio record, Look-Ka Py Py (#214 on The 500). This record was even more exciting when it dominated my wife's and my background playlist this Thanksgiving weekend. 

Look-Ka Py Py album cover from The Meters.

Now, decades later, I find myself writing this from our cottage in the quiet lakeside hamlet of Port Burwell, Ontario, where history has a way of surfacing in unexpected forms. In 2012, my small town made its own bold maritime move, acquiring the decommissioned HMCS Ojibwa, an Oberon-Class submarine. The Ojibwa was built in 1965 by the Royal Canadian Navy. For more than 30 years, it prowled the depths of the Arctic Ocean during the Cold War, a silent sentinel in NATO operations. Fittingly, it too earned the nickname “The Grey Ghost”, echoing the Queen Mary’s wartime moniker. Now resting on dry land just down the road from where I am, the Ojibwa stands as a steel-clad reminder of Canada’s naval legacy...its cold corridors and sonar rooms whispering stories of stealth, tension, and resilience

Two vessels, worlds apart in purpose and design, yet united by history, mystery and the enduring power of human ingenuity. I imagine some teen standing outside this steel leviathan, squinting and muttering, “What even is this?” The teacher in me hopes that one day, he’ll look back and think, “Turns out, it was a story waiting to be heard.”

The 500 - #220 - Look-Ka Py Py - The Meters

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: #220
Album Title: Look-Ka Py Py 
Artist: The Meters
Genre: Funk
Recorded: Le Fevre Studios, Atlanta, Georgia

Released:  December, 1969 
My age at release: 4
How familiar was I with it before this week: Not at all

Is it on the 2020 list? Yes, moving down 195 places to position 415
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Look-Ka Py Py

Initially, I thought  The Meters’ second studio record, Look-Ka Py Py, would be a new discovery. In many ways, it was. It turns out, I have heard songs by The Meters before – their distinct instrumental brand of New Orleans Funk making it an immediate reminder. Some rudimentary research showed their music has been featured in several commercials and on television programs and movies which I was aware of.

An example was The Meters’ biggest hit, Cissy Strut, which was featured humorously in the 2020 Danish black comedy Druk (labelled Another Round for English releases) that my wife and I watched during the height of the pandemic. The film stars Mads Mikkelsen, who had already secured success in Hollywood as the Bond villain Le Chiffre in Casino Royale (2006) and as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the television series Hannibal (2013-15).

Danish movie poster for Druk (2020)

Druk/Another Round tells the story of four high-school teachers who commiserate about their careers and mid-life malaise. They struggle to motivate their students and feel their lives have become routine and boring. At a dinner celebrating a 40th birthday, the foursome discuss a ‘theory’ from Norwegian psychiatrist Finn Skårderud.  Skårderud (sort of) postulated that humans are born with a deficiency in their blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05%. It didn’t take long for the characters to conjecture that elevating one's BAC to a positive 0.05% would improve relaxation and creativity. By way of comparison, 0.05% is achieved by most adults knocking back two standard drinks.

Mikkelsen on the poster for the 
English release of Another Round.

The group decides to embark on an experiment, punctuating each day with enough alcohol to maintain this slightly positive BAC. At first, things go swimmingly and this emboldens the quartet to up the ante, often drinking to excess in the evening and on weekends. During one scene featuring a robust session of imbibing, the song Cissy Strut from The Meters is played on a turntable. The montage that follows captures the delightful bacchanalian excess that an evening of intoxicated celebration with friends can bring. Predictably, the darkly funny film also addresses the short and long term effects of boozy celebration. I won't spoil it as the Academy Award winning flick is worth your time watching.

Slightly intoxicated is a good way to describe how listening to The Meters makes me feel. The music features light, infectiously melodic grooves, punctuated by punchy, fun bass riffs and a danceable drum beat. Much like the characters in Druk/Another Round, it triggers an impulse to dance on the furniture. Formed in 1965 in New Orleans, The Meters comprise Zigaboo Modeliste (drums), George Porter Jones Jr. (bass), Leo Nocentelli (guitar) and Art Neville (keyboards). Look-Ka Py Py is the group's second release and the title track, along with Cissy Strut from their debut albums, are considered funk classics.

The Meters - clockwise from left: Zigaboo Modeliste,
Art Neville, George Porter Jr. and Leo Nocentelli

The group did not experience much mainstream success but are highly-regarded by critics. Along with James Brown, they are recognized as the originators of the funk genre. They also served as back-up band for multiple artists, including Leo Dorsey, Robert Palmer, Allen Toussaint and Dr. John. Coming across this bit of trivia reminded me I had also seen the band perform on Saturday Night Live when I was twelve-years-old. It was in 1977, when SNL was  routine viewing for me. That performance can be seen here.

Dr. John's sixth album, In The Right Place, which features
The Meters as his backing band.

We will revisit The Meters in 81 weeks when we reach album #139,  Rejuvenation, on The 500 list. However, I suspect I will listen to it well before the November, 2025 date. The Meters is a band  I was thrilled to re-discover after unknowingly being locked up in my head for more than 40 years.