It took about fifty years, but Leo Nocentelli‘s solo LP Another Side finally arrived in 2021, via Light In the Attic Records. Surely longtime Meters fans, and even newbees just discovering the New Orleans funk originators, must know that this is a whole different trip for the Meters’ guitarist. It’s a genuine roots rock treasure – yes, roots rock – of nine stripped-down, acoustic originals (and one sweet, sweet Elton John cover) featuring a few NOLA badasses stepping in to play, including Allen Toussaint and jazz drummer extraordinaire James Black. Another Side is a gem from another era, but because of extenuating circumstances, it almost didn’t happen.
The story in a nutshell: Nocentelli shelved the album to continue playing with The Meters, and the masters were kept at Toussaint’s Sea-Saint Studios (sold to label publisher Bill Valenziano in 1995). Ten years later, after Hurricane Katrina destroyed most of Sea-Saint’s musical library, Nocentelli’s recordings and any other surviving material went to a storage space in California, then to another facility that was eventually foreclosed. From there, the masters wound up at a swap meet, and hardcore crate digger Mike Nishita took them home. Imagine realizing that you just found an entire album that was thought to be long gone…
Leo Nocentelli is in the ATX for a performance tonight, Saturday June 25, at Antone’s, as part of Antone’s 47th Anniversary celebration. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the music kicks off at 8 p.m. with mighty soul warriors Ms. Mack and The Daddies.
