00:16 Cyril Neville is introduced 00:58 Inerviewer discusses experierence of listening to “More Professor Longhair” on WWOZ for the first time 02:40 Discusses his birth in 1948 and living in the Calliope Projects. 03:05 Interviewer mentions other notable artists out of the Calliope Projects such as Willie Tee, Earl Turbinton – Cyril credits them as influences 03:17 Discusses his move to Valence Street in the Uptown area where he spent most of his life. Other influences such as Deacon John, Warner Williams, Louisiana Purchase are mentioned also from the Valence Street area. 04:00 Cyril is the youngest Neville brother. In terms of birth order, Art is the oldest then Charles then Aaron and finally Cyril. Cyril mentions that his older brothers have close to 10 years of age on him and did not really grow up together in a sense. 04:26 Cyril mentions the early careers of his older brothers. The Hawketts, one of Art’s early bands famous for the song “Mardi Gras Mambo” used to rehearse in the living room of the Valence Street house. 05:18 Cyril credits George Davis and Harold Battiste’ AFO Organization as an example for him to start his own record lable. 06:00 Interviewer mentions George Davis’ musical career 06:37 Cyril talks about going to school and Samuel James Green Jr. High and Cohen Highschool 06:50 He learns about music not really at school but mostly at his home. His Uncle, Big Chief Jolly, and his father both played piano and sang. There were always musicians around his house. James Booker is mentioned. 07:45 Cyril’s early music career consisted of sometimes going to gigs with his older brothers that were going professional at the time. Cyril was still in school and would occasionally enter talent shows. 08:17 Glorious Living Room is discussed, a club where older musicans, Willie Tee and Ellis Marsalis are mentioned, would sometimes take Cyril. Cyril’s main instrument is the drums and he talks about feeling blessed to have those older guys take a liking to him and getting to soak up all the music around him especially at this club. 09:10 The Neville Brothers did not officially form until a little later in the brother’s careers. Art Neville and the Neville Sounds is an early combination of the Neville family. Out of this band, The Meters were formed. They would all play at a club called The Nite Cap at Louisiana and Carodonlet. 10:00 Some discussion on the early career of The Meters. They were session musicans that Allen Toussaint would use when he was recording stuff. Inbetween takes they would record some instrumental stuff with their first hit being “Cissy Strut.” The record was an unexpected smash. 11:15 Cyril joins The Meters around 1972. The first gigs he played with them was a three month tour with The Rolling Stones all over America and Europe 13:04 Demonstration: “Genocide” 16:03 Discussion of New Orleans Musicans Organized. Formed in 1984 to help teach New Orleans musicians the music business and help them get introduced to the industry. 19:00 George Landry also known as Big Chief Jolly, Cyril’s Uncle are discussed. Big Chief Jolly and The Wild Tchoupitoulas release an album. The Neville brothers and the Meters were heavily involved on the album. It was recorded in 1976 and the Neville Brothers formally formed a year later. The Wild Tchoupitoulas went on tour a bit. Some discussion on the tribe and the Indians. 22:45 Demonstration: “Ayati” 24:40 Demonstration: “More Professor Longhair” 27:22 Cloud Eagle and Brother Rodger are introduced. Cyril talks about his uncle’s dream of having the Mardi Gras Indians and Native Americans interact. Cloud Eagle and Brother Rodger talk about the White Buffalo Day Foundation which aims get both groups to interact through the arts.
