Galactic Hits Terra Firma

Hailing from one of America's most culturally rich cities - with or without Katrina - it only made sense that Robert Mercurio, Jeff Raines, Richard Vogel, Stanton Moore and Ben Ellman would eventually put together an album that embodies the diversity that surrounds them. Sprouting musical roots in New Orleans that began in 1994, the boys of Galactic have fused and blended musical genres to create their own instrumental sound all the while collaborating with other artists to release seven records thus far.

The band is now on the verge of releasing yet another album, Ya-Ka-May, through Anti- records. This album, in stores Feb. 9, features established legends and younger artists that contribute to New Orleans’ eclectic music scene. From funk and jazz to hip-hop and bounce, Galactic has given up its vintage reserve and rose from the corner to the block to feature the new and old of its beloved city with Ya-Ka-May. Here, Mercurio answers some of FILTER’s questions about the new album, collaborations and, of course, New Orleans:

Some of you were already musicians when you came to New Orleans for college, what was it about NOLA that gave you that final thrust into forming a funk band? What about the New Orleans music scene interested and inspired you? 

Robert Mercurio: It is in the water here; you can’t get away from the funk. The music scene here is very encouraging—the wise elders give advice and education to the younger generation. It is a very healthy environment, where people freely exchange their knowledge. It is not competitive; it is more of a we-are-all-in-this-together vibe.

Tell us about the new album, Ya-Ka-May. Can you explain more about what you guys are trying to do on this album: mixing the old and new of New Orleans?  

We set out to make our New Orleans album. We are very passionate about our city and wanted to connect the dots between the generations. We wanted to make an album that sees the connection between Allen Toussaint and Katey Red—one flowing idea. New Orleans is not Disneyland, it is an alive, vibrant city: You don’t just go to Preservation Hall and that’s it! There is a lot more going on down here.

Can you tell us a little about the collaborations on your new album? How do you find local talent and how do you decide who to collaborate with?

We made a wish list of who we wanted—who makes the most sense and who will make a good representation of New Orleans. We started going through our song demos and decided who would work the best with each track. Some of the people we collaborated with took a little bit of investigative work to track them down; others were friends that just took a phone call.

Was it a surprise when Cyril Neville agreed to jump on board with your new album and tour? How did that partnership develop? Will anyone else be joining you on tour?

We had done a few shows with Cyril in the past. One was a performance at the Outside Lands festival in San Francisco. He has been popping up at our shows for years now, so it was not a huge surprise when he agreed to tour with us. It is something that we are very excited about—it will really give us a chance to work some stuff out together—a chance to play and create new music. We will also bring the baddest trombone player in the world, Corey Henry (Boe Money), from the Rebirth Brass Band!

You’ve worked with some pretty notable MC’s in the past and there are some on Ya-Ka-May as well. What is the hip-hop scene like in New Orleans now and in the past? What is “bounce” and how have you incorporated this genre into your music?  

The hip-hop scene in New Orleans is two-sided: You have the big hit makers—Lil’ Wayne, Juvenile and the other Cash Money guys; then we have the smaller, highly regional folks rocking the clubs every night—Sissy Nobby, Big Freedia and Katey Red. The scene is very vibrant—the club scene is just as happening as it ever has been. 

Bounce is characterized by a call-and-response-style party and Mardi Gras Indian chants and dance call-outs that are frequently hypersexual. These chants and call-outs are typically sung over the “Triggerman Beat,” which is sampled from the song “Drag Rap” by the Showboys, or “Brown Beat,” which is sampled from Derek B’s “Rock The Beat.”

We wanted to do something new and different—so we didn’t use either of these beats, we made up our own beat and style for the bounce artists to work with. So, you hear their vocals in a different context—a Galactic context.

How has blending other genres and collaborating shaped your music and the group as a whole?

Blending other genres and collaborating has made the band grow a lot faster. With hip-hop, we were immersed in the music of our collaborators. We learned a lot of their stuff and performed a lot of it with them. Take for example, Juvenile: When he asked us to perform as his band on Jimmy Kimmel Live, we had to learn two of his songs. These are songs that were not recorded by a live band—they were probably made on a keyboard/drum machine. Stanton, our drummer, had to learn how to play a programmed beat and make it feel right. It forced him to think outside his normal comfort zone and play in a different way—the same is true for the whole band.

In the recording studio versus when you're on tour, how much is improvised and how much is rehearsed?

Almost everything on tour is rehearsed—we have spaces in most of the songs for an improvisational solo, but most of the rest of the song is planned. In contrast, when we are in the studio it is all about improvisation. We are all about experimenting and trying to find something new and exciting.

Who’s been your most memorable collaboration as of yet? Is there an artist you still dream of collaborating with, and why so?

Katey Red was probably the most memorable collaboration. She is a 6’2” transvestite and she is “onstage” all the time. When we recorded with her, she was very funny and very frank. She kicked out some of the best lyrics I have ever heard—right there on the spot! She left a lasting impression on our studio.

Galactic on MySpace

Galactic on Anti-