Gov't Mule

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Gov't Mule" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Gov't Mule (pronounced Government Mule) is a Southern rock jam band formed in 1994 as an Allman Brothers Band side project by Warren Haynes and Allen Woody. They released their debut album Gov't Mule in 1995. Gov't Mule has become a staple act at music festivals across North America, with both its members and frequent guests boasting members from other notable bands, adding various funk and blues rock elements to the band's sound.

This section needs expansion with: 1990s, more info on critical reception. You can help by adding to it. (January 2011)

When The Allman Brothers Band reformed in 1989 in response to the popularity of their Dreams box set, Warren Haynes was added on lead guitar and Allen Woody joined on bass guitar. The two shared a love for 1960s power trios like Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience and the James Gang.^[1][2] Haynes, Woody, and former Dickey Betts drummer Matt Abts came together as Gov't Mule during Allman Brothers breaks. They released their debut album Gov't Mule in 1995, which was followed by Live from Roseland Ballroom, released in 1996.

When The Allman Brothers Band were not forthcoming with any new material, Haynes and Woody left to concentrate full-time on Gov't Mule in 1997. Dose, their second studio effort, was released in early 1998. They were joined by featured members of the Allman Brothers, the Black Crowes, and Parliament/Funkadelic for their 1998 New Year's Eve concert, released both in a two and four CD version as Live... With a Little Help from Our Friends. The performances exposed some of the bands' influences, covering Neil Young, Free, Traffic, Jimi Hendrix, Little Feat, Black Sabbath, and Mongo Santamaría (via John Coltrane).

In February, 2000, the band released Life Before Insanity, to critical praise,^[3] and although the band had already experienced previous successes, they anticipated a greater commercial success with this album. Unfortunately, Allen Woody was found dead in New York City in August of that year.^[4] On September 21, 2000 a benefit concert was organized called "One for Woody",^[5] with the proceeds going to Woody's daughter, Savannah Woody, intended for her education. The Allman Brothers, The Black Crowes, Phil Lesh and Friends, Jimmy Herring, Edwin McCain and several more of Woody's friends also performed at the concert. Haynes and Abts continued to do limited touring in the Fall of 2000 supporting Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals as an homage to Woody. Their subsequent "Smile at Half Mast Tour" that followed was named in reference to a poem Haynes wrote for Woody's funeral.

At the "One for Woody" performance and subsequently at other shows, Haynes began appearing with The Allman Brothers Band again. With Dickey Betts' departure from the Allmans, Haynes came back full time to the band at the beginning of 2001^[6] and has continued splitting his time between the Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule and for a period Phil Lesh and Friends and other re-formed Grateful Dead bands.

The next year, Haynes and Abts began to record a tribute album.^[7] using some of Woody's favorite bass players. These sessions resulted in two CDs The Deep End, Volume 1 (2001) and The Deep End, Volume 2 (2002). A documentary of the recording sessions was also made by Phish bassist Mike Gordon called Rising Low. Bass contributions to the CDs came from Jack Bruce, formerly of the "supergroup" Cream, John Entwistle of The Who, Mike Watt of Minutemen, Les Claypool of Primus, Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Chris Squire of Yes among others.

Haynes and Abts used a revolving door of keyboardists and bassists to fulfill touring engagements in support of the Deep End recordings. Keyboardists included Chuck Leavell, Rob Barraco, Page McConnell and Danny Louis. Bassists included, among others, Dave Schools of Widespread Panic, Oteil Burbridge who had filled Woody's former place in The Allman Brothers, Les Claypool of Primus, Victor Wooten of the Flecktones, George Porter, Jr. of The Meters, Jason Newsted formerly of Metallica, Greg Rzab formerly of The Black Crowes and the Buddy Guy Band, and Andy Hess, also formerly of The Black Crowes. Louis and Hess were eventually named as permanent members^[8][9] of Gov't Mule.

The first CD with Louis and Hess, Deja Voodoo, was released in September 2004, and additional material from those sessions was released in 2005 as Mo' Voodoo. The new lineup's second full release, High & Mighty, was released on August 22, 2006, and it was followed in 2007 by a dub/reggae album called Mighty High - including versions of covers and original songs with special guest appearances by Michael Franti, Toots Hibbert, and Willi Williams.

Gov't Mule continues to tour extensively and has become a staple act at many music festivals including Bonnaroo, Wakarusa, Mountain Jam, Vegoose, All Good, and their annual New Orleans Jazzfest night show (where they filmed and recorded the last show of the Deepest End tours, with 17 guest musicians in a six-hour show).

Every year since 1989, Warren Haynes hosts the Annual Christmas Jam in his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina.^[10] The concert usually takes place the weekend before Christmas at the Asheville Civic Center, as a fundraiser for Habitat For Humanity. Many artists who play at the Christmas Jam also perform separate gigs in various Asheville clubs, usually the day before the Jam proper. The Pre-Jam, as it is called, features many of the same artists, in a smaller club. The 19th edition of the Jam took place on December 15, 2007^[11] with performances by Kevn Kinney, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Shelly Colvin, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Jackson Browne, G. Love, Bruce Hornsby and Peter Frampton among others. Gov't Mule headlined.

On June 28, 2008, Gov't Mule performed as a power trio^[12] for the first time since 2000, this time with its regular bassist Andy Hess. The band titled their set "Old School Mule" and ran through some of their older songs such as "Wandering Child" and "Thorazine Shuffle."

On September 15, 2008, Haynes' wife, Stefani Scamardo ^[13] announced on her Sirius radio show^[14] that Andy Hess would be leaving the band and a new bassist would be in place for the fall tour. Hess was subsequently replaced by Jorgen Carlsson,^[15] who had been rehearsing with the band for six months.

On August 17, 2009, it was announced on the band's official website that Gov't Mule's eighth studio album, entitled By a Thread,^[16] was on schedule for release on October 27, 2009.^[17]
On the same date, the first track of the new album, called "Broke Down On The Brazos" (featuring Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top), was made available for listening on the website.^[18]

On October 31, 2009, Gov't Mule gave a special Halloween concert at the Tower Theater in Philadelphia. From the Gov't Mule web site: "Following in the tradition of 2007's "Holy Haunted House" and last year's Pink Floyd spectacular, the band, once again, has something very special planned for the occasion." ^[19] This third in their series of Halloween shows featured a first set, which lasted over two hours, and was composed entirely of Rolling Stones covers. The previous sold-out shows had featured covers of Led Zeppelin's Houses of the Holy and an assortment of Pink Floyd compositions.

Gov't Mule played at the "Island Exodus" in Negril, Jamaica in January 2010, at the inclusive resort The Grand Lido Negril. The First Island Exodus consisted of three Gov't Mule shows and a Warren Haynes solo show. Also appearing at this event were Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Ron Holloway, and DJ Logic.^[20]

Gov't Mule also played at the Hangout Music festival on Saturday, May 15, 2010 and at the Azkena Rock Festival (Gasteiz/Vitoria), June 24, 2010. Gov't Mule also opened up for the Dave Matthews Band on Friday, July 30, 2010 at Cruzan Amphitheater West Palm Beach Fl.

Following is a listing of Gov't Mule's major releases. Note that nearly every concert that Gov't Mule plays is recorded and made available for on-line purchase in both high and low resolution .mp3 format, and in a lossless .flac format.^[21]

• Gov't Mule, 1995
• Live from Roseland Ballroom, 1996
• Dose, 1998
• Live... With a Little Help from Our Friends, 1999
• Life Before Insanity, 2000
• The Deep End, Volume 1, 2001
• The Deep End, Volume 2, 2002
• The Deepest End, Live in Concert, 2003
• Deja Voodoo, 2004
• Mo' Voodoo (EP), 2005
• High & Mighty, 2006
• Mighty High, 2007
• By a Thread, 2009
• Mulennium, 2010

• Matt Abts - drums, percussion, vocals (1994–present)
• Warren Haynes - guitar, vocals (1994–present)
• Jorgen Carlsson - bass (2008–present)
• Danny Louis - keyboards, guitar, trumpet, vocals (2002–present)
• Allen Woody - bass, mandolin, vocals (1994–2000)
• Andy Hess - bass (2003–2008)

• Official Gov't Mule site
• Official Warren Haynes site
• Official Concert Recordings
• Mule Skinner Blues, Warren Haynes, The Gibson Interview
• Warren Haynes micro-site with excellent video interview segments
• Interview with Warren Haynes on Trilogy Rock (Spain)
• Live Footage of Gov't Mule from 2008-2010 @ iclips.net