Phil Anselmo has hailed the jazz and funk influence on New Orleans metal bands in the latest episode of a series exploring the area's heavy music scene.
NOLA: Life, Death & Heavy Blues From The Bayou is a seven-part series looking at the history of Pantera, Corrosion Of Conformity, Down, Goatwhore, Acid Bath and others as they cemented a heavy metal genre from the culture of New Orleans.
In episode four, the Down and former Pantera frontman hails New Orleans drummers and the way they embrace jazz and funk influences of bands like The Meters.
Anslemo says: “I think that there’s a certain groove here. Homegrown drummers specifically have that behind the beat feel. Like The Meters, the funky, funky Meters. If you look at the funk and groove within that genre, if you pull it off in heavy metal – boom, it’s super effective. It’s showstopper, it’s badass.”
Crowbar frontman Kirk Windstein agrees that the diversity of the area’s music scene makes its metal acts unique.
He says: “We grew up on a plethora of different styles of music. Like the jazz stuff – stuff that you couldn’t help going to your grandparents’ house and they’re listening to, like Dr John records. People would be jamming on the albums at barbecues. It’s the only city I’ve been to that has this kind of vibe.”
