11.
The Meters- Look Ka Py Py
For instrumental funk and groove it’s just a seminal album. It’s obviously been sampled innumerable times. It’s an extraordinary thing, what those dudes managed to accomplish. The first three records I think are on this label called Josie, which I think was a local Louisiana label, and that represents all of their primarily instrumental work. Then I think they signed to a major and ultimately started singing a lot more, which is not good for anybody. And it led to the frat-rock crowd falling in love with their song ‘Africa’, which is a bit of a bummer. In fact the only time I’ve ever seen an iteration of The Meters live it was filled with white jocks! It was the fucking weirdest feeling! They didn’t play a great deal of their instrumental music, and there were all these white dudes singing along, and I was like this is not right! It is not a good look! Anyway, I digress. This record is I believe their first. It’s so tightly produced. The drumming is unbelievable. The guitar work is really specific, sonically, to them. It’s a record I’ve listened to over and over again. Just simple instrumental funk played so expertly; it’s an incredible record.
