The Radiators, who are also known as the New Orleans Radiators, formed in 1978 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The core lineup of Ed Volker (keyboards, vocals), Dave Malone (guitar, vocals), Camile Baudoin (guitar), Reggie Scanlan (bass), and Frank Bua (drums) has stayed the same since the group's inception. In the early '80s, the group enlisted the services of percussionist/back-up singer Glenn Sears, who left the band in the early '90s. Volker does most of the songwriting, but the entire group helps arrange the songs and bring them to life. Though they have a large catalog of originals, they also are known for their cover songs, mostly of famous New Orleans artists like Dr. John and Fats Domino, though they are also known to cover songs by blues (Howling' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins, etc.) and rock (Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, etc.) artists.
They quickly gained local notoriety for their energetic live shows that encouraged crowd participation. They became known as one of the best bar bands in New Orleans, and as they gained more fans, they never lost the ethos of their early career. Though they have released studio albums, their first being 1980's Work Done on Premises, they will always be a live band at their core, evidenced by the fact that they allow their fans to freely record and release their shows for free consumption. Many of their best-known originals never made it to records, instead gaining popularity from bootlegs.
The Radiators continue to tour and release new music. Their most recent release, 2006's Dreaming Out Loud, came out shortly after Hurricane Katrina decimated the band's home city. With the core lineup intact, the quintet soldiers on, continuously recruiting new fans and captivating old ones.