And Don't You Forget It!I'm not a big "Jam Band" fan but when Phish called it quits it seems like my own private little secret Widespread Panic took up some of the slack. I first came across this album Space Wrangler back in the late '80s while looking for used punk cd's Widespread Panic sounded punk enough so I bought it and boy was I surprised and I really liked it too! One day when I was listing to this in my dorm room I get a knock on the door and it's these two hippies from down the hall who were like "Wow, you know these guys?" and I explained how I just bought it and blah, blah, blah. So about a week later Ben and Margie (the two hippies) came by and said that I should come out with them that weekend Widespread was in town and they were playing a small little bar in the east village. Sure enough Ben and Margie knew the guys from Widespread because they were all from the same area around Athens Georgia. The band they played with that night turned out to be Blues Traveler years before they gained a name for themselves. Me and the hippies hung around with the guys from Widespread drinking pitchers of bear and watching Blues Traveler play. Years later I'm doing security for some concert venues around the city and I happen to work a night when Widespread were back in town, with a much bigger following, and sure enough as soon as the guys saw me they remembered me and we stood around talking for awhile, great guys. I saw them a few years after that (around 95, 96) and this time I was in the audience and once again they saw me from the stage and got me back to talk after the show. As their albums went on I thought their sound got a little too hippie-dippie for me, but what a great group of guys. If you don't know the band please hit the red dot and give the song a listen. Here's another Athens band from the good ol' early days.h3. REM - Driver 8
Jules09 says
Whoa, cool story. I know them, but only from what my freshman year chem teacher gave me, haha. I like it, but I think the REM is more up my alley.
dachmo says
I'm sort of new to driving most of my "adult" life was spent in NYC but now that I'm out in the suburbs I had to buy a car and with buying a car comes way to many expenses, but it's opened a whole new world to me, not like I'm hitting the NASCAR circuit but more like "Oh, I see how that works". If I had a car when I was 14 I probably would've taken it apart in my backyard just to see how everything went back together.
**Anna** I've been on a DM kick lately as well.
**Dale** from the days when our gov't was upfront with the propaganda, however bizarre some of it was.
**Jules** R.E.M. from the '80s are when they were at their best as for WP their first 2 albums have a different feel than their later stuff I don't know what your chem teacher gave to you but you should check out the first two albums if you get the chance.
Jules09 says
Yeah, the earliest thing I have from REM is Document. I should probably get a move on getting Murmur and such pretty soon...i'll be checking out more WP too, thanks.
mocha louder says
y'know - i hate to say it... but the only thing i really know about widespread panic is that for the first few seasons of buffy the vampire slayer - there were a helluvalotta widespread panic posters around - in the high school, in the college, in the dorm rooms, in the library, in the cafe.... that was some widespread panic..... i always wondered why...
Bartleby says
I'm always amazed by your musical encounters, Dach'. The way you tell them make me all starry-eyed and dreamy. I've never heard of Widespread Panic but the track you've offered makes a perfect travel companion.
If I may, I'll go with these Swede hearthrobs ;)
goodmusiconly says
I've only heard WP a couple times, my aversion to the jam band thang has kept me away but admittedly the one you posted isn't bad.
There seems to be some R.E.M. in the air lately ... :) Here's a nice 'lil driving song for you, courtesy Echo & the Bunnymen.
scotfree says
Great story Dach. First I heard of these guys was a recent Austin City Limit gig. Was surprised at how long they've been around. "Hippy-Dippy"? That's funny.
Looks like ya got a ghost in the machine up there.
Groon says
Good story, Dach. WP has never been a favorite of mine, but bein' a Southerner and all I have to at least pretend I like them when they come around to play. Which is about every other sunday, it seems.
That's a great poster. I wonder if they make prints of them for purchasing? I wonder if Hitler chips in for gas?
Lizziegreeneyes says
How does one drink ??*"bears"*?? exactly ?!? ;)
Love the tales you tell... good times good times for sure !!!
I was fortunate enough to see Wasabi (side project of John Popper & some of the other members of Blues Traveler) at CBGBs back when I was in college... an AMAZING night !!!
dachmo says
That's how beer should be spelled but some loser thought differently and gave it two E's.
(I'm watching you Lizzie! you better have your spell check on 24/7) :^)
And Don't You Forget It!I'm not a big "Jam Band" fan but when Phish called it quits it seems like my own private little secret Widespread Panic took up some of the slack. I first came across this album Space Wrangler back in the late '80s while looking for used punk cd's Widespread Panic sounded punk enough so I bought it and boy was I surprised and I really liked it too! One day when I was listing to this in my dorm room I get a knock on the door and it's these two hippies from down the hall who were like "Wow, you know these guys?" and I explained how I just bought it and blah, blah, blah. So about a week later Ben and Margie (the two hippies) came by and said that I should come out with them that weekend Widespread was in town and they were playing a small little bar in the east village. Sure enough Ben and Margie knew the guys from Widespread because they were all from the same area around Athens Georgia. The band they played with that night turned out to be Blues Traveler years before they gained a name for themselves. Me and the hippies hung around with the guys from Widespread drinking pitchers of bear and watching Blues Traveler play. Years later I'm doing security for some concert venues around the city and I happen to work a night when Widespread were back in town, with a much bigger following, and sure enough as soon as the guys saw me they remembered me and we stood around talking for awhile, great guys. I saw them a few years after that (around 95, 96) and this time I was in the audience and once again they saw me from the stage and got me back to talk after the show. As their albums went on I thought their sound got a little too hippie-dippie for me, but what a great group of guys. If you don't know the band please hit the red dot and give the song a listen. Here's another Athens band from the good ol' early days.h3. REM - Driver 8
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