We lost another BIG Saints' fan yesterday - Carlo Nuccio (1 Viewer)

[Cincy Saint]

Carlo Nuccio, the co-writer and visionary behind the original Who Dat? song recording, drummer extraordinaire, and former regular at the Sports Harbor in Los Angeles during the '90s has passed away according to what I've been told by a close personal friend of the family. There are already numerous tributes on Facebook from locals in the New Orleans music scene.

In 1983, the New Orleans Saints were facing what could be their first year in the playoffs, and Nuccio, a lifelong, hardcore, thick-and-thin Saints fan, was 22. He saw his opportunity. He and his friend Steve Monistere, a musician and producer, decided to take the “Who dat” chant, heard at the time from the St. Augustine High School marching band, and put it to a song.

Once the skeleton of the song had come together, Nuccio says he felt committed to continue. He called pianist Dave Torkanowsky, whom he enlisted to get the rest of the musicians together. To fill out the song, Nuccio, a Hawkettes fan, decided on Art Neville. Neville told Nuccio it might be more his brother Aaron’s style. Aaron agreed.

Carlo was a great musician with great spirit. For those of us who gathered at Sports Harbor Sunday morning after Sunday morning to watch our Saints' in hostile L.A., Carlo was one of the ringleaders. My favorite moment with Carlo is when we chartered a bus from the bar to Anaheim to see the Saints play the Rams in '93 and Carlo brought a snare drum on the bus. Before long, he was banging that drum and leading us all in singing "Hey Pocky A-Way", "Who Dat?", and various other New Orleans songs. (Saints won the game to go 5-0 but in typical Saints' style nosedived to finish 8-8 and miss the playoffs.)

Carlo had a lengthy career in the music business playing, writing, and producing with the likes of Tori Amos, Pat McLaughlin, Circle Jerks, Continental Drifters, Anders Osborne, and Emmylou Harris. I'm proud to say I played in one session with Carlo for a friend I was co-writing with. It's the best thing I ever recorded.

RIP Carlo.

LINK TO STORY ABOUT WHO DAT? SONG ORIGINAL RECORDING

 

[nolaswede]

RIP Sir!

 

[ndcc]

Per your comments, here’s a tribute to him:

May he R.I.P.

 

[B_doggman47]

Sad to hear this, my condolences.

 

[LouieD]

Sorry to hear another long time Saints fan has gone on to visit Saint Peter.


I too was at that game in 1993 at the Big A. If memory serves me right the Saints were beset with several significant injuries and went 3-8 the rest of the year.


This was the time before Direct TV and the Sunday Ticket so we had to hit the sports bars at 1000 for game time.



Being away from Louisiana for six years the Saints were not televised regularly so I subscribed to the Saints Digest, no longer in publication, for the latest Saints news. Of course when I was overseas I received the Digest two week late. Sacrifices must be made……. Who Dat!!!!

 

[Big_L]

Sorry to hear another long time Saints fan has gone on to visit Saint Peter.


I too was at that game in 1993 at the Big A. If memory serves me right the Saints were beset with several significant injuries and went 3-8 the rest of the year.


This was the time before Direct TV and the Sunday Ticket so we had to hit the sports bars at 1000 for game time.



Being away from Louisiana for six years the Saints were not televised regularly so I subscribed to the Saints Digest, no longer in publication, for the latest Saints news. Of course when I was overseas I received the Digest two week late. Sacrifices must be made……. Who Dat!!!!

I remembering having to find the Stars and Stripes to get the Saints score.

 

[TOM OZ]

Great guy. Knew him from the N.O. music scene late 70's early 80's when I was drumming for a variety of punk bands.
Got to know him better when he moved to LA and would see him on Sundays for Saint games at the Backstage, Sports Harbour. He later showed games at Raji's in Hollywood where he worked.
We are losing too many good folks to cancer.

 

[RaginCajun83]

Sorry to hear this, may he Rest In Peace

 

[longtime lurker]

What a great Whodat. You will be missed, Carlo Nuccio. WHODAT

 

[BlackandGoldXLIV]

When ever I hear the drums on the intro to Hey Pocky A-Way or the marching band in Who Dat?, I'm able to disconnect from reality for about 5-10 seconds.

 

[SaintRay]

Carlo played my annual “In Da Ridge Christmas Party” on many occasions along with Benny Grunch. One of the nicest people you’d ever meet. And a terrific drummer who truly loved what he did. And unfortunately Alpo, the lead guitarist passed away just 2 years ago from cancer.
He’ll be missed.
RIP Carlo

 

[Cincy Saint]

In case you missed it, here's the feature story on Carlo on NOLA.com

NOLA

 

[Cincy Saint]

Sorry to hear another long time Saints fan has gone on to visit Saint Peter.


I too was at that game in 1993 at the Big A. If memory serves me right the Saints were beset with several significant injuries and went 3-8 the rest of the year.


This was the time before Direct TV and the Sunday Ticket so we had to hit the sports bars at 1000 for game time.



Being away from Louisiana for six years the Saints were not televised regularly so I subscribed to the Saints Digest, no longer in publication, for the latest Saints news. Of course when I was overseas I received the Digest two week late. Sacrifices must be made……. Who Dat!!!!

Yeah I lived in Hollywood at the time. I'd drive the 30 minutes to Sports Harbor to arrive by 9:30am to make sure I got a seat! Those were great days. One day someone brought in a pound or two of frozen crawfish tails and we got the cook to make everyone crawfish omelette. A little bit of home...

And I too remember Saints Digest. There was little Saints' news for out of towners before the internet.