Search - Radiators :: Work Done on Premises

Gotta Have It

04/05/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you have surfed this far--it's for a reason. The Rads are truly the band that has best kept the New Orleans funk true to form. It's now classic. This is their original album, recorded live. All original tunes... the first, and still the best. The Rads seem to be descended from Professor Longhair, via The Original Meters (Art Neville, Zigaboo Modeliste, George Porter, and Leo Nocentelli). If you are familiar with these names from the past (some still very much alive and well), then you know the Rads roots. The Rads are the tightest group I've ever heard, they play as if they are a single person. Many people could testify. Listen for yourself... and if the Rads ever visit your hometown, don't miss them."

Good beginning for the Rads

StatMan89 | 08/26/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album goes back to the Radiators' early days when their regular haunts were Luigi's (a long-gone pizza joint near the University of New Orleans), and Tipitina's, then a neighborhood bar purchased by a group of students and music fans as a venue for Professor Longhair. The Rads followed their vinyl debut (the two-part 45 "Suck Da Heads and Squeeze Da Tips!") with this double LP recorded live at Tip's in May 1980. Many of these tunes remain staples in the Fish Head repertoire, with "Hard Core" and "Red Dress" later given the full studio treatment by Epic.



The Rads followed up in 1981 with their first studio album, "Heat Generation." When those albums were released on CD, two songs from "Work" were moved to "Heat Generation" because of the space limitations on early CD's. If you have both collections, you can re-create the original "Work" double LP. Just insert "If Your Heart Ain't In It" following "Hard Core" and "Hard to Tell" after "Light Up My Pipe."



I recently had the chance to see the Rads again in Londonderry, New Hampshire. After the show I was chatting up a lady in the unisex bathroom line and mentioned that the band had been together for over 30 years. When she asked how many members were originals, I replied "All of them!" As Vance DeGeneres once said, every band eventually breaks up--except The Rolling Stones and The Radiators."

Fish Head Heaven!!

Randy Thompson | 08/21/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So, I was lookin' through some stuff as I listed some CDs for sale and I happened across Work Done On Premises. Saw it had no reviews. Man this cannot stand. So here I am to tell you this is the Good Gumbo from De Boyz Wit De Noize. This is indispensable early Rads. Not a bad cut to be found and Funky. Oh my!

"Work" is a live set from Tipitinas in 1980. Starts off with "Hard Core", and it doesn't get much harder, moves into "Cannibal Girls", "those N'Awlins ladies ain't no ladies at all!" then to "Light Up My Pipe", "My dealer's on the phone, he's tryin, tryin to turn me on", and the absolute funk masterpiece "Red Dress", "Tight like that". I went right out and bought a tight red dress for my lady friend! I'll leave the rest for you to discover.

This CD shows why these guys (and The Nevilles) close out the Jazz Fest every year. They ARE White New Orleans Funk Rock and Roll!

They have a Cult like loyal following all over the USA so if they come swimmin into your town do yourself a favor and get on down. As Ed says "Fish Head Music is still good".

Twin guitar attack from Dave Malone (older bro of subdude Tommy Malone) and Camille "The Virtuoso" Baudoin, great keyboards from Ed the Head, the great Reggie Scanlon on bass, and Frank Bua on drums. Prepare for about 3 hours of monster rock and roll. They have a song list in the hundreds so you never know what you might hear. Just get there and hear it for yourself! Nice fellas too! Highly Recommended!!

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