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The Radiators: Time-Tested Swamp-Rock

The Radiators.
The Radiators.

The Radiators' nearly three decades of prolific performing have made the New Orleans band a bona fide institution. With its fusion of blues, R&B, funk, soul and rock, the group has attracted a stable of dedicated fans — known as "fish heads" — both in its hometown and nationwide.

The Radiators' first studio album, 1981's Heat Generation, was warmly received, and subsequent discs fared similarly well. But the band's primary focus remains on its enthusiastic, hours-long live shows — and on its generous catalog, which includes more than 300 original songs and 1,000+ covers from a variety of artists. In 2004, to celebrate its 25th anniversary, The Radiators performed a serious of live concerts at New Orleans' infamous Tipitina's.

Last year's Dreaming Out Loud marks The Radiators' first venture into the studio in more than five years, and the band sounds more energized than it has in years, breathing new life into its own peculiar, time-tested brand of swamp-rock.

Copyright 2007 XPN

David Dye is a longtime Philadelphia radio personality whose music enthusiasm has captivated listeners of World Cafe® since 1991. World Cafe is produced by WXPN, the public radio service of the University of Pennsylvania.