By: David Schultz


Haynes’ status as the hardest working man in rock and roll has turned Gov’t Mule into an eminently reliable live attraction. Taking their cues from Cream and Led Zeppelin, Mule’s shows offer up large doses of electrified blues and ample helpings of improvisational classic rock. The allure is the band itself, mainly Haynes, who’s a mainstay on any listing of the modern era’s greatest guitarists. Without really reaching beyond the classic rock/jamband fan base, Gov’t Mule has come a long way since the mid-Nineties when the power trio of Haynes, drummer Matt Abts and founding bassist Allen Woody would pack people into Tramps. On the strength of their reputation alone, Haynes & Gov’t Mule can not only sell out the Beacon amidst stiff competition, they attract hordes of fans up to Hunter Mountain each year for an annual Mountain Jam.

Mule’s night before NYE show was a relatively straightforward affair, receiving its change of pace from guest spots as opposed to segues of their own devising. Steely Dan’s Jon Herrington and saxophonist Bill Evans spiced up the first set, moving Mule from heavy blues into jazzy terrain. After a brisk run through “Devil Likes It Slow,” Haynes, Evans and Herrington passed riffs right on down the line on a fantastic tear through “Sco-Mule.” During the second set, David Hidalgo, in town for Los Lobos’ own NYE gig at City Winery, joined in on a fine rendition of the blues standard “Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home” before pairing up with Haynes for a scorching take on Traffic’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy.”

If you needed to level criticisms, you could point out that the portions of the show centered on material from By A Thread plodded along, take note of the fact that the tone of Danny Louis’ organ never seemed to mesh with the rest of the band and question why Abts took such a long drum solo if he was going to need to pause so often. If these would be sticking points, then Mule probably wouldn’t be the band for you anyway.

IN SUNDAY"S NEW YORK TIMES, Ben Sisario wrote a great article on the trend of splintering music into an endless number of genres and sub-genres and whether it's helping or hindering the artists getting categorized.

The downside isn’t hard to see. What was once always on the brink of something bigger has become Balkanized, and the process of genre subdivision has hidden away bands in ever tinier and more obscure pigeonholes, affecting even the best and most widely known among them. Dirty Projectors, for example, has had about as much acclaim as any indie-rock band could hope for in 2009, even landing on the cover of New York magazine, and yet sales of their latest album, “Bitte Orca” (Domino), are only about 50,000 copies, less than Lady Gaga sells in a week.

Read the rest of the article here.

Labels: Gov't Mule

By: David Schultz

Twenty years ago, an uninspired and jaded Generation X pondered their future while staring at a bleak job market, the trickle down economics of Reagan era failing to bring about feelings of prosperity or any sense of hope in America’s youth. At the same time, a disenfranchised demographic moved their interest from the boy bands and formulaic pop that flourish during economic upswings to the flannel-draped hordes flooding out of the Pacific Northwest. Capturing the zeitgeist, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice & Chains and the rest of their brethren turned self-loathing, insecurity and good old-fashioned rage into grunge rock, possibly saving rock and roll in the process. In contrast to the moody cynicism of the grunge rockers, Lenny Kravitz unleashed Let Love Rule, a psychedelic-drenched, flower-power collection that espoused a message of peace, love and harmony, owing as much to the peacenik nature of the Beatles as it did to Jimi Hendrix’ incendiary interpretation of the blues.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Two decades later, we face a floundering economy, a job market sitting at its nadir and Lenny Kravitz’ eternally optimistic and live-affirming attitude is as necessary and gloriously anachronistic to the times as it was back then. To celebrate the milestone of his debut album’s release, Kravitz has devoted his set list to reviving healthy portions of Let Love Rule, still his finest effort. Last week, Kravitz (finally) finished up his five night New York City residency at The Fillmore at Irving Plaza. Originally scheduled to take place two weeks ago, Kravitz postponed the show, not wanting to turn in a subpar performance after his voice gave out on him.

Declaring the evening family night, Kravitz played with his daughter Zoe, who opened the show, perched atop one of the speakers along the side of the stage. Instead of playing Let Love Rule in its entirety, as has become the fashion, Kravitz used selected songs as a framework to resurrect the feeling and mood of the album. The steamroller guitar riffs of “Freedom Train” and “Mr. Cab Driver” remained tight and concise but on “Flower Child” and “Blues For Sister Someone,” Kravitz led the band through extended jams that flowed through organ leads and solos from the horn section. Stretching the songs out also let Kravitz show off his versatility, permitting him to show off the keyboards and jump behind the drum kit.

The free flow of the opening half of the show gave way to a run through Kravitz’ post-Let Love Rule greatest hits. More apropos for stadiums and amphitheaters, Kravitz’ proven arena-rockers like “Always On The Run” and “American Woman” blew the roof off The Fillmore and the ultra-funky elastic spring of the bass line of “Fly Away” got the tightly-packed throng to ignore the overcrowded dance floor. (When large acts come to Irving Plaza, the sound board and extra equipment take up to eight times as much room than that of the bands that usually play the venue; it hardly seems as if the venue adjust admission accordingly).

After an acoustic solo rendition of “Stillness Of Heart,” Kravitz closed the night with a lengthy version of “Let Love Rule,” urging the crowd to sing along until the message became ingrained in their psyche and fostering the communal spirit by jumping down from the stage to mingle with the masses. The Fillmore at Irving Plaza bears a fleeting, exceedingly corporate relationship to Bill Graham’s original venue. For five shows though, Kravitz’ heady vibe came closer to reconnecting with the ghosts of the Fillmore’s past than any number of posters and branding could ever accomplish.

HALLOWEEN 2009 WAS ALL ABOUT THE ROLLING STONES. After weeks of speculation, Phish chose to cover Exile On Main Street for Halloween at Festival 8 in Indio, California and Gov't Mule's first set on October 31 consisted solely of Stones classics. Even Mick Jagger himself took to the stage, albeit on Halloween eve, popping up on stage at Madison Square Garden during U2's Friday night set at the Rock & Roll Fame concerts to sing "Gimme Shelter" with Bono and The Black-Eyed Peas (Yes, that sentence is factually accurate).

Labels: Gov't Mule, Lenny Kravitz, Phish, The Rolling Stones

By: David Schultz

In 1994, Phish played The White Album in its entirety as part of its Halloween show at the Glens Falls Civic Center and began a tradition of donning a musical costume for the holiday’s that has grown beyond the crunchy Vermont foursome. When Phish takes the stage on October 31, to play one of their many sets as part of their Festival 8 in Indio, California, they will reclaim their Halloween legacy when the revive their ritual. What they will play though remains the object of intense speculation. They’ve been killing off albums in a gruesome fashion on their Web site, promising to play the last one standing. A campgrounds map with sites named Kid A, Electric Ladyland, Exile On Main Street, Hunky Dory, Purple Rain, Larks Tongues In Aspic and The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway has found its way onto the Internet, so you would have to think those are the odds-on favorites.

Warren Haynes and Gov’t Mule also like to get into the Halloween spirit and like Phish, they like keep their “costume” a mystery until show time. In the past, the Mule have covered Houses Of The Holy and engaged in a little Dark Side of the Mule with a set of Floyd covers. This year’s show at the Tower Theater in Philadelphia, PA will receive ab assist from Jackie Greene, who along with Haynes has a lot of experience playing with the catalog of the Grateful Dead. Too easy, though. It won’t happen.

Not every band is keeping their Halloween costume under wraps. Alt-country rockers Deer Tick will pull a complete 180 at the Brooklyn Bowl. After an opening band to be named later offers up a set of Sonic Youth, Deer Tick will become The Sex Pistols for a night. This is pretty much the equivalent of Marilyn Manson dressing up as Michael Jackson for the night. If you show up in costume, admission is free. Otherwise, it’ll cost you $5.

Last year, Leroy Justice literally and figuratively dressed up as The Beatles at the Bitter End for a fun romp through Let It Be. This year they will return to the legendary haunt along with guest guitarist Scott Metzger for two sets that will include selections from The Steve Miller Band’s Greatest Hits.

Labels: Deer Tick, Gov't Mule, Leroy Justice, Phish

By: David Schultz

Twas the night before New Year and all through the Big Apple
There was but one question with which we did grapple
We’ve already passed through the holiday of Yule
Was it worth it this night to see Gov’t Mule?

All stops would be pulled for next evening’s show
Pearl Jam, Nirvana, grunge rock, you know
No reason to think thoughts of all doom and gloom
It’s still Warren Haynes at the Hammerstein Ballroom

“Blind Man In The Dark” started the set
And with Warren and Co., you know what you get
Some well-chosen covers and a couple guest spots
High octane boogie and blues by the lots

In tribute to Hubbard, some jazz they did play
Offering a fine version of Freddie’s “Red Clay”
Jeff Young and Vivino gave Mule a hand
As did Marc Quinones from the Allman Brothers Band

They covered the Zeppelin encased in Led
They played “Tomorrow Never Knows” out of “She Said, She Said”
Haynes’ gruffly toned voice and licks never simplistic
Gave a weathered dimension to “Into The Mystic”

Obama in 09, “Yes We Can,” Heaven Sakes!
A little righteous glee to “When The Levee Breaks”
It was a stellar show but not one to make news
Even if it ended with a great “32/20 Blues”

In 2009, Haynes star will be streakin’
Reunion with The Dead and a residency at the Beacon
But in 2008, for one final date
The Mule were not sublime but they were pretty great

Labels: Gov't Mule

Ray LaMontagne is doing a short run of mostly West Coast dates in support of his Gossip in the Grain release, that includes a fun ode to the lovely Meg White. Can a Jack White retort be far behind? If the gossip pages wrote about substantive artists, this would be front page "news"!

Beyond the new stuff, you can also catch Ray with some friends in Gov't Mule doing the Dylan classic "Masters of War" from a Red Rocks show back in 2004. If you buy the track, proceeds benefit HeadCount.org. Upcoming dates:

Nov 2 2008 Wiltern Theatre Los Angeles, California
Nov 3 2008 Paramount Theatre Oakland, California
Nov 5 2008 Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Portland, Oregon
Nov 6 2008 McDonald Theater Eugene, Oregon
Nov 8 2008 Vogue Theatre Vancouver, British Columbia
Nov 9 2008 Marion Oliver McCaw Hall Seattle, Washington

If you haven't seen Ray LaMontagne yet and live near one of these venues be sure to get out and check him out so you can see why he gets such rave reviews.

Labels: Charitable Compilations, Gov't Mule, Ray LaMontagne, Tour Dates

By: David Schultz

For many years now, Warren Haynes has deservedly earned the title of "The Hardest Working Man In Rock 'N' Roll." One of the world's more ubiquitous guitarists, Haynes has recently been aligned with The Allman Brothers Band, The Dead, Phil Lesh & Friends in addition to fronting his own band, Gov't Mule. In fact, given his other affiliations and frequent guest appearances with other artists, it's altogether too easy to write off Gov't Mule as Warren Haynes' side project. While Haynes' other groups have garnered him a bit more mainstream attention, Gov't Mule, a power trio formed with his then Allman Brothers brother Allen Woody and drummer Matt Abts, has always been his first love; he and Woody leaving the seminal southern rock band in 1997 to devote their full energies to The Mule.

Once a weighty blues power trio, the band restructured after Woody's untimely death in 2000. Adding keyboardist Danny Louis and bassist Andy Hess, Mule sallied forth, becoming a stalwart touring attraction. On High & Mighty, Gov't Mule has finally hit their stride as a foursome; offering their strongest studio effort yet. Without succumbing to any dreary, plodding extremes, Mule resurrects their signature hard-driving southern blues, adding a few new rhythms and expanding upon their customary style. Haynes' encyclopedic knowledge of nearly all forms of 20th century music manifests itself the razor sharp guitar riffs found throughout High & Mighty. While Abts and Hess provide their typically powerful rhythm, it's Louis' surgically precise organ riffs, creating a gospel-like counterpoint, that flushes out Mule’s heavy blues giving them a fuller, more polished sound.

A portion of High & Mighty expertly treads familiar ground, the stellar weighty blues that listeners expect from any Gov't Mule project. On "Brand New Angel" and "Streamline Woman," featuring Haynes' laying greasy licks over Abts and Hess' relentless beat, they mine gold. Unfortunately, the same doesn't hold true on "Like Flies," which stews blandly in its own juices. The album soars to exciting heights when Mule bravely goes outside their typical comfort zone: on "Unring The Bell," they skillfully and subtly intertwine a reggae beat and guitar effects into a bluesy melody; on "3 String George" a wonderfully funky bonus track, they go old school, channeling Booker T & The MGs.

Anyone familiar with Haynes' 2004 release Live At Bonnaroo knows that Haynes excels at burning smoldering blues, his voice a perfect blend of world weary resignation and fiery righteous passion. When High & Mighty goes this route, it truly matches its title; "So Weak, So Strong" and "Child Of The Earth" achieving the same passion and beauty as Haynes' underrated classic "Soulshine." Mule finishes High & Mighty by bringing their slow simmer to a boil; their yearning blues fitting Mule much better than their attempts at boogie shuffles. "Million Miles From Yesterday" with its gospel choir, "Brighter Days" and "Endless Parade" hit the same soulful high marks as early era Black Crowes, closing the album with restrained yet powerful beauty.

In recording High & Mighty, Mule opened the door to the studio, inviting their fans to drop by their web site and glimpse their creative process at work. The openness of the process spread to the music, infusing it with a rewarding intimacy. A modern southern rock masterpiece, High & Mighty marks an extraordinary leap forward for the band. In challenging the limits of their perceived boundaries, Mule has possibly created the classic rock album of the year.

Gov't Mule will celebrate High & Mighty’s release with a Monday evening appearance (August 21) at New York City's Virgin Megastore in Union Square. The band will be present to sign copies of the album, which goes on sale at 11:00 p.m., and then perform live for all in attendance. On August 28, they'll repeat the effort at the Virgin Megastore in Chicago, IL.

Labels: Gov't Mule, Warren Haynes

Government Mule's new record High and Mighty on ATCO records hits stores August 22nd. On making the new record, Mule's Warren Haynes says: "Our goal was to capture the chemistry and the spirit of the band, which has progressed into something beyond what it was for the last record. The last record was the first with the new lineup, and this being the second one I feel that the chemistry is that much stronger. We took the interplay that happens on stage and utilized it to create something magical in the studio."

Get a listen on how things turned out by streaming the first single, "Mr. High and Mighty":

Windows Media (High / Low)

Quicktime (High / Low)

Labels: Gov't Mule, Warren Haynes

Gov't Mule has begun the second phase of the recording of their upcoming album High & Mighty, returning to the studio in Hoboken, NJ with producer Gordie Johnson. Like they did for their Austin, TX sessions, the Mule is documenting the album's progress on their web site, providing a daily blog, photos and video footage. The "fly-on-the-wall" access to the band began yesterday. Gov't Mule should be working quickly as their summer tour kicks off on next week at The Wanee Festival in Florida and will see Warren Haynes, Matt Abts, Danny Louis and Andy Hess play numerous American dates, jetting off to Europe in July for a brief run of shows.

If all goes according to schedule, High & Mighty should be released on August 22.

Labels: Gov't Mule, Warren Haynes

The hardest working man in rock and roll Warren Haynes will be returning to the studio this week with Gov't Mule to record the follow up to 2004's Deja Voodoo. In an almost unprecedented move, the band will post daily updates on their web site with streaming video, still photos and, of course, a blog. The mule.net/inthestudio site will launch on January 18, coinciding with Mule's commencement of rehearsals. The plans are for the site to remain live, throughout the entire recording of the album providing intimate access to the bands creative process.

Haynes will be able to devote his full attention to the Mule project until mid-March. At which point, he will rejoin the Allman Brothers Band for their annual March residency at New York City's Beacon Theater. At the venue that has become as familiar to them as Royal Albert Hall is to Eric Clapton, the Allmans will play 13 shows from March 9 through March 25.

Labels: Gov't Mule, Warren Haynes