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MoonTimeDweller

I'm not sure if anyone has ever heard of these guys, but I sing their praises day in and day out, whether it be on this forum even my every day life.

Widespread Panic is a band that I've compared to the Grateful Dead a lot. I know what some of you are thinking, "Grateful Dead is definately much bigger that Widespread and forever will be". I agree with you. But, my comparision is how long they've played, how much they love their hometown of Athens, Georgia, and how most of the band members have stayed alive, all but one throughout their 21 year tenure. I think that they are the Grateful Dead of our generation. This generation of kids born in the early to mid 80's and the ones that grew up in the early to mid 90's...and kids that would really get into their music once they got to about the age of 16 or so. That's exactly what happened with the generation before us with the Dead. They were kids born in the early 50's, that started in 1965 (excluding Jerry being by himself) and those kids were just old enough to understand and be around their type of music.

Today, I think Widespread Panic is doing the same thing for people our age that like them. They just jam out, make up songs while they go some times, cover many a songs from various artists all the time (maybe 1 or 2 a show), and otherwise just jam in and out from song to song and just melt pretty much their entire set together...but a true fan knows where the songs end and begin.

Now, about Widespread themselves. They really started as a duet between two guys who went to the University of Georgia, John Bell and Michael Houser. They played duets a little around Athens' bars and what not and then soon officially became Widespread Panic in 1986...as ironically...a Grateful Dead cover band. I actually have a set from them in 1988 in Greenville, South Carolina with them playing pretty much an entire Grateful Dead set, covering some from the Band, and then playing about 3 of their original songs (if you care, it was Fire on the Mountain, Franklin's Tower, Samson and Delilah were the Dead songs, then they played Ophelia by the Band, and then played Chilly Water, Sleepy Monkey, and Coconuts as their originals).

Michael Houser and John Bell joined up with Todd Nance on the drums with Bell being the singer and a guitarist and Houser being on guitar as well. They wen around Georgia for a few years and met up with Domingo Ortiz and Dave Schools while they eventually started travelling to Texas and even to North Carolina and to good ol' Richmond, Virginia. Funny to say that, because David Schools is from the Northern Neck of Viriginia, where I went to high school and one of my reletives actually taught him English. He told me that Schools loved the Beatles a lot in school, and one time, his influence made the teacher (my relative) do a section of poetry through Beatles' lyrics. Thought that was really cool.

So, then they had a good 5 man squad with a man by the name of John Keane helping them out here and there with CD's mixing and some playing of shows on the keyboard and a few other things. Widespread Panic then became nationally known as they began coming up with more original songs, having a good 20 by about 1991 or 1992 (sorry, doing this off the top of my head), when they released their first album, which was just self titled. Just after that album, I think this guy named JoJo joined the band on keyboard full-time, but I can never remember his last name. Great name though, huh?

Widespread Panic began catching on as they kept releasing new studio albums and even 2 live albums, one with a band called the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, a souther group of brass players that happen to be black and extremely talented. Fast forward to 2002, where tradgedy happens. Michael Houser, one of the founding members had had pancriatic cancer for a good 2 years I believe, and finally lost the battle in that summer. It was a real sad time for many a Widespread Fan, especially Panic themselves, and most especially John Bell, the only original Panic member now, technically. Good thing that a good friend to the band in George McConnell joined up with them and took over for Michael's duties. Houser had the battle for a good while and actually went from standing while playing for years all the way to sitting down and leaning forward the whole time as he played (drugged and pain killered out of his mind) with his long curly hair covering his face the entire show. He really seemed to be the backbone of Panic, and when he died, it seemed like Widespread was going to die with it.

Panic was really depressed and actually went off tour for the better part of a year and a half while realeasing either one or two nearly piss poor albums that had a good bit of sad songs that are now thought of today as "Houser Songs". Widespread finally came back on tour during my Junior year in high school, which was spring of 2004. That's when I first got to see them in Richmond, Virginia that summer with a band called the String Cheese Incident and a bluegrass group called the Yonder Mountain String Band, all for $25! Great deal!

Moving on, since 2004, George McConnell stepped down from his temporary position and "moved on to bigger and better things" according to the Widespread website when I read it in I believe late 2006. Right after that though, a member from the band that came about after the Grateful Dead consisting of 2 original Grateful Dead members and a few new members, they were just referred to as the Dead. And one of those members was Jimmy Herring, and he joined up with Widespread just after McConnell left the band, making the band have almost a whole new feel to while keeping a certain old school feel to it. Herring blended in perfectly in Houser's old spot and has since learned just about every song Widespread has by now.

Widespread has gotten back into their element of jamming out and spreading good moods all over the place to everyone. They have well over 125 songs by now, and I actually am coming up with a poster right now that is very similar to a 100 Dead Songs poster with illustrated versions of the songs on the poster, with 100 of them hidden within the poster.

Overall, I'm what people would call a 'Spread Head. I love Widespread Panic, I love all of their music (except for one song called "Mercy"...haha) and I love how they tour nearly non-stop only to spend about 3 or 4 months off tour.

Oh, before I forget, I've got a great website for anyone who is interested in seeing more about Widepsread Panic and trying to listen to them for free. Go to a site called www.panicstream.com. It will take you to a place that's similar to 4w with wrestling, it gives all Widespread news, has a forum for members and a place to buy tickets for shows, and a vault of all old shows.

These shows go from 1987 to most of the 2006 tour. There are more and more as the years get closer and closer to 2007, but that's definately expected. Anyway, to wrap up this dedication topic to Widespread Panic, here are some pictures of the band...

John Bell - Lead Vocalist/Guitar


Dave Schools - Bass


Domingo Ortiz (Sonny) - Drums/Percussion/Bongos:


JoJo - Keyboard/Piano (I think):


Jimmy Herring - Guitar Support:


George McConnell - Guitar Support:


Michael Houser - Guitar Support - R.I.P.:


Also, just to leave you with a bit more Widespread Panic knowledge, I'm leaving a list of some really good songs with some really meaningful lyrics, some are just instramental, but I'll mark them.

Action Man (Intstramental)
Blue Indian
Pickin' Up The Pieces
I'm Not Alone
May Your Glass Be Filled
Porch Song (My All-Time Favorite Song)
Postcard
Chilly Water
A'int Life Grand?
Driving Song (mostly Instramental)
Party At Your Mama's House (Instramental)
Tall Boy
Coconuts
Don't Tell The Band
Love Tractor
Sleepy Monkey
Makes Sense to Me
Climb to Safety
Ride Me High
Airplane (a song that only sounds normal with Houser singing it)
Henry Parsons Died
Big Wooly Mammoth
Disco (Instramental)
Surprise Valley

Not to mention just a few songs that they cover on a regular basis:
Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
Aunt Avis by some Louisiana Artist I can't remember the name of
And It Stoned Me by Van Morrison
Dancing In The Moonlight by Van Morrison
Fire On The Mountain (very rarely, I think) by Grateful Dead
I Walk On Guilded Splinters by ???
Come Together by The Beatles
Riders On The Storm by The Doors

Well, that's about all I've got for Widespread Panic for you. Hope you enjoyed reading a little history about a real in-depth band that just gives energy off in tons at every show, they pour they're heart and soul into every show they have ever done in my mind and I plan to tour around the southern United States with them this spring and summer just because I know this is an oppurtunity that I may not have for very much longer, considering they've already been around for 21+ years! Have a good one guys and don't forget to visit that site I mentioned earlier, I'll try to do a link to it, but I'm not too computer saavy, here goes nothing:

www.panicstream.com

Edit - yay! It worked both times, weird... :P

 

NattyOne

Sir, I didn't read your post yet, but I would like to compliment it.

Widespread Panic is the most complete and intensive Rock n Roll band touring today. With the addition of Jimmy Herring coming on board Dead Head's and Allman fans are quickly jumping on the Panic bandwagon.

I implore all of you to spend some time on panicstream.com. Check out the Halloween shows for starters, then quickly pick and choose shows from their fall 2006 run.

They sold out Warner Theater, Washington DC in 7 minutes total (includes 2 releases, presale / ticketmaster). (I had to scramble for tickets) They are headlining this year's Bonnaroo and Langerado. They were honored this NYE at the Philips Arena for selling out 15 consecutive shows in a row. 5X more than Prince, Madonna, the Stones, and U2. Philips Arena put up a banner commemorating this accomplishment that now permanently hangs in the arena.

There's no end in sight.

"Ain't no preacha just-a happy to meetcha."

Second Skin
You Should Be Glad
Going Out West (cover)
Blackout Blues
Pilgrims
Life During War Time (cover)
Bust It Big
Let's Get the Show on The Road
Driving Song
Bear's Gone Fishing
Mercy
Diner
Let's Get Down To Business

Simply put, it would be easier to list songs that aren't good. Which are few and far between.

B - Unit

Wow, ive only heard OF them, never heard them, ill defiantly have to check them out thanks for the great information. I agree with you, that sounds like a grateful dead band of our generation, we need some good bands for our generation anyways... maybe times have changed, but ill defiantly check out their music. Thanks

NattyOne

As well you should. These guys are a 110% blazable band to listen to...as most of their fans imbibe in a variety of party favors.

Enjoy and let us know what you think!

MoonTimeDweller

yeah, definately. Thanks for the kind words y'all. I just love these guys so much and I'm planning on touring with them for a good bit of the spring (still not sure on Bonnaroo and/or Languerado, but probably that other festi that they are headlining in Kansas either just before or just after Bonnaroo. I'll probably go to that one because of the ticket price probably being less...c'mon, its Kansas!

I was so pumped for them hearing about all of the sold out shows in a row, I didn't know they beat out all of those other bands and people that are obviously "bigger" than them in kayfabe. Honestly, I agree with you NattyOne, there are very few Widespread Songs I don't like, one is Mercy and the only other one I can really think about that comes to mind is Thin Air (smells like Mississippi). Otherwise, I hated their version of "Hot in Herre" by Nelly...it was awful...its on their Jackassolantern CD which is full of all their good covers, and trust me that one is not a good one.

 

thaaster

I've never heard of this band, but a Dead for our generation would be tight.

bigripper22

hold on for a second here they would not be considered the dead of our generation. That award would go to phish even though they are not together anymore. Dweller is a friend of mine so he is used to my bashing of WSP. Now they are a good band im just into the style of there play, but it seems alot of people who have not heard of WSP probably havent heard of Moe.. If you like spread then you will most defiently like moe. HAHAHAHA

But thanks for the history insite dweller it was nice to read nothing about the band.....one again HAHAHAHA

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Zaireeka

Widespread Panic blows the roof off wherever they go. They are absolutely incredible!! Jimmy Herring is the perfect lead guitarist for them, I'm so happy they chose him to play for them. Their show at Bonnaroo this past summer blew my mind, it was one of the best performances I've ever seen. Definitely keep an eye out for these guys, if they play ANYWHERE near you, go see them!