History doesn’t stand still. It impacts, influences and inspires the ebb and flow of the future by informing the present.

Galactic draws on 25 years together in order to progress with each performance and record. With 10 albums, 2,000 gigs and tens of millions of streams, the proud New Orleans group has kept the torch burning through five U.S. presidential regimes, the turn of the century, Hurricane Katrina and a global pandemic. Through all of it, Galactic keeps moving forward as they add more chapters to their incredible history. Most recently, the band released a brand-new EP called Tchompitoulas.

Galactic’s bassist and founding member Robert Mercurio joined us in the Gumbo Kitchen for a conversation.