ZEBRA

        Zebra is a band of legendary proportions, being one of a kind with two hometowns, one in New Orleans and one in Long Island , NY. Unfortunatley Zebra has not received the respect and honor it deserves from the music industry. That respect and honor comes from their most loyal and dedicated fans.
          To those who are unfamiliar with Zebra, they are a power trio consisting of Randy Jackson on lead guitar and lead vocals (sings and looks like Plant, plays like Page), Felix Hanemann on bass, keyboards and backing vocals, and Guy Gelso on drums and backing vocals. The main influences of the band come from Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Moody Blues, and Rush.
          After playing together in different bands, Randy, Felix ,and Guy formed Zebra. The name for the band came about over a few pitchers of beer. There was a picture of a girl riding a zebra on the wall where they were sitting, so they decided Zebra would be a good name for the band.
          Based in New Orleans, Zebra developed a large following and reputation in the local clubs and high schools. It was basically a cover band, but little by little, original material was used in the shows, much to the delight of the fans. Zebra was looking for more exposure when it was suggested that the club scene on Long Island in NY would be a great experience. The suggestion was taken and the rest is history.
          Zebra traveled back and forth between NY and New Orleans for several years, building quite a following. They recorded some tapes which were played on some radio stations in New Orleans and on Long Island. This led to a record deal with Atlantic Records. Their debut album became the fastest selling debut album in Atlantic Records history, outselling label mates Led Zeppelin, Foreigner, AC/DC, and Yes. Zebra had made it to the big time!
          Zebra toured with many top bands including Kiss, Journey, and Aerosmith. One particular show is worth mentioning. After opening for Aerosmith one year, the crowd couldnt get enough of Zebra. Aerosmith refused to go on until the frenzied crowd calmed down. Unfortunately for Aerosmith, this idea didn't work. After an hour and a half they took the stage to chants of "ZEBRA, ZEBRA". The crowd just about booed them off the stage!
          After the release of their first album, Zebra looked like they would take the music industry by storm. Unfortunately, this was not to happen. Their subsequent releases did not fair as well and Atlantic dropped them.
This would have been the end for some bands, but Zebra continued to stand out as the undisputed live rock band in Louisiana as well as Long Island.
          After several years without a recording, Zebra was approached by Atlantic to do a live album. This was considered one of the best live performances ever recorded by any band.
          In recent years, Felix and Randy have ventured ito solo projects. Felix has released an excellent solo work titled Rock Candy and plays locally with the band of the same name as well as a Led Zeppelin tribute band called Hindenburg. Randy has had several solo projects including China Rain and most recently The Sign. He is a perfomaholic, playing most every weekend in local clubs. It has been noted that Guy has started a blues band in New Orleans.
          I never heard of Zebra until a few years ago, which is a story in itself. About two and a half years ago, October 25,1998 too be exact, I was almost killed by a drunk driver. While in the hospital one night, I was listening to the radio when a listener called in and requested to hear "Take Your Fingers From My Hair". I immediately fell in love with the song and requested it every night that I remained in the hospital. I finally got to see Zebra live the following summer and haven't missed any of their local shows since. You can usually find me hangin up by the stage at their shows.
          Zebra is an extremely talented trio and deserves more than playing clubs and bars. Hopefully when their new CD is released, they will be filling stadiums and arenas around the world!