“Allthe labels said, ‘You’re dated.’ If weweren’t doing so well, it would have beencrushing, but we were playing tosold-out crowds”: How forgotten ’80s heroes Zebra earned their stripes as the people’s power-trio

Randy Jackson of Zebra plays his white B.C. Rich electric guitar onstage in 1983; the guitarist says the band are working on a new album.

By the early ’80s, Zebra had their ground game covered. Since forming in 1975, the hard rock trio comprised of singer-guitarist Randy Jackson, bassist Felix Hanneman and drummer Guy Gelso spent the better part of a decade playing the concert halls of their home base in New Orleans and in their adopted home of Long Island.

In the days before the internet could turn artists into overnight online stars, the hard-gigging band had amassed a significant and loyal following the old-fashioned way, playing shows three, four and sometimes five nights a week. And things were paying off.