A New Orleans street band playing in the early 1990s. Augie Rodola Jr. guitar, vocals, Johnny Duff guitar, Andy Kaufman bass, Jerry Barbarin Anderson on drums, Bobby Lewis harmonica, Butch Trivette squeezebox,  Norman Lee Shepperd washboard, Lissa Driscoll washboard. Digitized and mastered by Mark Bingham. Recorded by Norman Shepperd.

Augie Jr & the Big Mess live on the street 1992 (Jackson Sq or Royal St)

The Big Mess Blues Band was playing on the streets of New Orleans from the early 80s to the mid 2000s (sometimes under alternate band names). It centered around Augie Rodola Jr but in his absence was often led by other members, who were an ever-changing group totaling around 50 musicians over the years. Notables included “Washboard” Lissa Driscoll, Pablo Winfrey, Jeff Zima, Butch Trivette, Steve Lewins, Andy Kaufman, Manny Renov, Jerry Barbarin Anderson, Paul Kemnitz, Randy Torgerson, Mickey Bones, Tommy Oliver, Alan Rigg, Tommy Ray, Sarabeth “Wildflower” Peters, Corey Harris, Kenny Holladay, Scott Kirby, Bobby Lewis, John Duff and Jeremy Lyons. Augie died of cirrhosis of the liver in (or around) 2012. Lissa and Kenny have also since passed, as well as several other members. With few exceptions over the years the Big Mess played exclusively on the streets of New Orleans’ French Quarter. Whether this was entirely by their choice or by happenstance is perhaps up to the debate, but the band had a strict philosophy of doing whatever the hell they felt like at the moment. So. Perhaps not completely house trained. This is a tribute account.