The 500 with Josh Adam Meyers — Episode 139

The Meters – Rejuvenation

Guest: Jonathan "Boogie" Long
Release Date: October 8th, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The 500 podcast dives deep into Rejuvenation, the fifth studio album from New Orleans funk titans The Meters, ranked #139 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums. Host Josh Adam Meyers is joined by celebrated blues guitarist and singer Jonathan "Boogie" Long, whose own New Orleans roots and vibrant musical career give unique perspective to the album’s legacy. Together, they explore the record’s influence on funk, modern music, and their own artistic journeys.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Boogie Long’s Musical Origins and New Album

• Boogie discusses his new record, Courage in the Chaos, out Nov 14th:
  • Features a mix of blues, rock, and Americana influences.
  • Collaborative effort produced by friends and industry veterans, including Jim Odom and the Foo Fighters' mixer.
  • “I don't really know who it's for, but that's what I'm… it’s a lot of blues, rock influence, a lot of Americana. And we're just hoping to find my audience…” (05:56)
• Social Media Growth:
  • Uses Instagram & TikTok live sessions for exposure, improvising guitar solos on user requests, regardless of genre.
  • “What I do that’s different… is improv solo to anything…I just kind of dial in and roll with it.” (06:33)

2. Growing Up in the Southern Music Scene

• Boogie's Early Start:
  • Born and raised in Baton Rouge; began playing music at age 6-7, immersed in gospel and church traditions.
  • At 14, dropped out of school and started touring nightclubs with a reggae band, thanks to parents’ support and a mentor figure.
  • “My parents signed partial custody of me over to a black man named Henry Turner Jr. so that I could tour and play nightclubs… I was 14.” (10:23)
• Musical Influences:
  • Emphasis on learning by ear, having a personal style, and fitting the context of the music.
  • “Whatever style of music you’re playing, that’s how you’re supposed to think, like mentally, you know.” (07:03)

3. The New Orleans Connection

• The Meter’s Influence:
  • Boogie’s connections with George Porter Jr. and having played with multiple Meter members over his career.
  • Insider perspective on the Meters’ “Southern Funk” and role as progenitors of the genre alongside James Brown, P-Funk, and the Neville Brothers.
  • “They were all about space, man. It wasn't about how many notes you could play… it was about each instrument adding to the sound and creating the space.” (18:43)
• Regional ‘Rite of Passage’ Songs:
  • ‘Sissy Strut’ and ‘Hey Pocky Way’ as benchmarks for New Orleans musicians.
  • “If you go to a jam and somebody calls Sissy Strut and you can't play the strut...get out of here.” (23:40)
  • “Hey Pocky Way… It's a New Orleans hymnal that always brings the spirit… almost like our Mary Had a Little Lamb.” (64:01)

4. The Meter’s Legacy: Innovation & Sampling

• Game-Changing Approach:
  • The band’s mastery of groove and “leaving space” laid the foundation for sampling in hip hop and funk.
  • Notable sample-ers: LL Cool J, Queen Latifah, N.W.A., A Tribe Called Quest, Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers (covered “Africa”), Primus, and more.
  • “It was almost like the Meters were like, hey man, in about 20 years, there's going to be this music called hip hop…and let's let the music breathe.” (56:51)
• Enduring Influence:
  • Impact on contemporary blues and funk musicians, including Boogie himself, who’s incorporated Meters tunes into his setlists for decades.
  • “You don't write funky lines in a tune without reaching back for inspiration from like the Meters, you know…” (56:18)

5. Career Stories & Life Lessons

• Tales from the Road:
  • From sleeping on couches in Austin at age 16 to playing shows with B.B. King (and being told by King, “Boy, you sure can play guitar. I stole some of your licks.” (44:04)), Boogie recounts a musician’s hustle, setbacks, and personal growth.
• Navigating Industry Challenges:
  • String of “shitty record deals” and being sometimes pushed aside for being “too fire.”
  • “We were bringing the fire… the next thing you know, I'm put on acoustic… It took all my fire away…” (49:01)
• Performance Philosophy:
  • “It's not about being the best, but it's about just being a part of the picture…what you have is special too.” (45:47)
  • On sharing the stage: “I'd rather swing trying than just half-assing a show.” (48:44)

6. Meter’s Album Breakdown

• Comparing albums:
  • Rejuvenation as a leap from earlier works—more groove, structure, and experimentation.
  • Alan Toussaint’s production, inclusion of horns, and new vocal elements.
• Favorite Tracks:
  • “Just Kiss My Baby”—Boogie’s all-time most played song, “4 minutes and 43 seconds of just deliciousness.” (60:36-69:30)
  • “Hey Pocky Way”—An essential, celebratory New Orleans anthem.
• No-Skip Record:
  • Both agree Rejuvenation is a front-to-back listen, despite the nearly 12-minute “It Ain’t No Use.” (69:38)
  • “It grooves so hard…they needed almost 12 minutes of it.” (69:51)
• The Meters in Context:
  • Not just background music—translates to dancing, joy, and community.
  • “This is a joyful, happy record…it promotes good times.” (73:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On “feel” in music:
  “If you have that feel… you don't read music, you just gotta understand where the one is… and be able to match that sound.”
  —Josh Adam Meyers (15:21)

• On the Meters’ sound:
  “They were all about space, man… it's each instrument adding to the sound and creating the space.”
  —Jonathan “Boogie” Long (18:45)

• Why “Hey Pocky Way” matters:
  “It's almost like a New Orleans hymnal that always brings the spirit… they know it… it's our Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
  —Jonathan “Boogie” Long (64:01)

• On playing with B.B. King:
  "B.B. King called me up… he said, boy, you sure can play guitar… I said, that’s okay, I stole all of your licks.”
  —Jonathan “Boogie” Long (44:04)

• Industry Realities:
  “If you play to win… you can’t, you gotta… you’re not just going to hold back, which is tough…and take that as a compliment, man.”
  —Josh Adam Meyers (48:04)

• Music as a communal force:
  "It's not about being the best, but it's about being a part of the picture."
  —Jonathan “Boogie” Long (45:47)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 04:02 — Boogie wears tie-dye in homage to George Porter Jr.
• 05:56 — Boogie unpacks Courage in the Chaos (his new album)
• 10:23 — Teenaged Boogie’s start—quitting school and going on tour
• 18:45 — The Meters’ innovation: using “space” to make funk unique
• 23:40 — “Sissy Strut” as a New Orleans musician’s rite of passage
• 44:04 — Playing with B.B. King and sharing licks
• 56:51 — Impact of the Meters on hip hop via sampling
• 60:36 — Breakdowns of “Just Kiss My Baby” and groove philosophy
• 64:01 — “Hey Pocky Way” and New Orleans second-line tradition
• 69:30 — Favorite tracks and “no skip” album verdict
• 73:07 — Elevator pitch for getting into the Meters: “If you want to dance…”

Final Takeaways & Tone

The episode is equal parts celebration and insider masterclass. Both Josh and Boogie share an irreverent, humorous, but deeply respectful love for the material, with plenty of stories from the trenches (both musical and personal). Boogie's warmth, humility, and grit shine throughout. The conversation honors Rejuvenation as a timeless, party-starting, and musically essential album.

Boogie’s final summary for the uninitiated:

“If you want to dance, if you want to move, if you just want to feel loose and happy…this is a joyful, happy record…It promotes good times, you know?” (73:07)

Links and Plugs

• Jonathan "Boogie" Long's new album: Courage in the Chaos
  Releases Nov 14th — boogielong.com
  Check out the single “A Fool Can See” (music video on YouTube)
• Follow Boogie:
  • Instagram: @boogielongblues
  • TikTok: @boogielong
• See Boogie live: Jazz Fest, tours, and Skank Fest
• Next episode: #138 — Dr. Dre’s The Chronic

Listen to the full episode at the500podcast.com or wherever you get your pods.