Gov't Mule

[helliott***]

Is this next for Warren Haynes now that his solo tour is wrapping up?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-Ke5IM6moc

[Tig***]

That was one of his encore songs on his recent tour. It sounded great with the ES-335 and PRS amps.

[Spudman***]

That's a song from 2001. If 'next' you mean more Govt. Mule? I hope so. That's a killer song from the Deep End Volume 1.

[deeaa*]

Mule is one of those bands I've really tried to like, and it sounds really good, great tunes, impeccable musicianship and all...and that makes it really boring. Even their live albums are so meticulously crafted and perfect it just makes me yawn. Where's the rock? Where's the small imperfections that make it fresh? It's just too good! Another band that's much the same was Racing Slab...back in the day I copied their CD onto cassette and listened to it from a boombox, and it was much better that way. On CD it sounded way too sterile and neat.

I dunno, I just prefer raunchier stuff and looser playing and all...too neatly done, and it ain't rock'n'roll no more.

[oldguy]

Mule is one of those bands I've really tried to like, and it sounds really good, great tunes, impeccable musicianship and all...and that makes it really boring. Even their live albums are so meticulously crafted and perfect it just makes me yawn. Where's the rock? Where's the small imperfections that make it fresh? It's just too good! Another band that's much the same was Racing Slab...back in the day I copied their CD onto cassette and listened to it from a boombox, and it was much better that way. On CD it sounded way too sterile and neat.

I dunno, I just prefer raunchier stuff and looser playing and all...too neatly done, and it ain't rock'n'roll no more.

You'd probably like "Rockin' in the free world" and that type stuff then.

I do, but I also like Warren.

[R_of_G]

Mule is one of those bands I've really tried to like, and it sounds really good, great tunes, impeccable musicianship and all...and that makes it really boring. Even their live albums are so meticulously crafted and perfect it just makes me yawn. Where's the rock? Where's the small imperfections that make it fresh? It's just too good! Another band that's much the same was Racing Slab...back in the day I copied their CD onto cassette and listened to it from a boombox, and it was much better that way. On CD it sounded way too sterile and neat.

I dunno, I just prefer raunchier stuff and looser playing and all...too neatly done, and it ain't rock'n'roll no more.

This is why I strongly prefer the original lineup of the Mule to any incarnations that came after. I don't begrudge Warren and Matt from trying to keep a project they like going, but the rawness and power of their sound in the Woody era is something they've not (to my ears) replicated in the years since his death. They've tried other bass players. They've tried going to a quartet set up with a keyboardist. It just doesn't work for me. Like Dee said, it sounds too polished and arranged.

[NWBasser]

This is why I strongly prefer the original lineup of the Mule to any incarnations that came after. I don't begrudge Warren and Matt from trying to keep a project they like going, but the rawness and power of their sound in the Woody era is something they've not (to my ears) replicated in the years since his death. They've tried other bass players. They've tried going to a quartet set up with a keyboardist. It just doesn't work for me. Like Dee said, it sounds too polished and arranged.

Do you mean to say that the bass player makes a big difference?

[R_of_G]

Do you mean to say that the bass player makes a big difference?

Well certainly when it's Allen Woody it does.

However, my actual point was that it seems to me that what once seemed like a true band, a cohesive expression of all three members now seems more a vehicle to provide rhythm tracks over which Warren can jam and sing. The spontaneity of the original Mule seems long gone.

[Tig***]

Well certainly when it's Allen Woody it does.

However, my actual point was that it seems to me that what once seemed like a true band, a cohesive expression of all three members now seems more a vehicle to provide rhythm tracks over which Warren can jam and sing. The spontaneity of the original Mule seems long gone.

That sounds very close.

Warren's Man In Motion album and tour was a much needed and appreciated direction into R & B.

[deeaa*]

Is that so? Which early album(s) would you recommend, then? Because it's always been a band I wanted to like, just never got excited about it when I've tried. Maybe some albums would better suit my tastes?

[R_of_G]

Is that so? Which early album(s) would you recommend, then? Because it's always been a band I wanted to like, just never got excited about it when I've tried. Maybe some albums would better suit my tastes?

To be honest, for me the Mule was never really a studio-album band. I'd seen them several times live and began accumulating some live shows on CD and that was the vast majority of their stuff that I listened to. If you can find a copy of the June 7, 1996 show from Chicago, that to me is the sound of "classic Mule." Not sure if you can find that specific show, but they've always allowed taping, so finding shows from that era shouldn't be too difficult.

[Commodore 64***]

I dunno. I love some of their cover stuff, like this one of Cortez the Killer.


Another version:

[R_of_G]

I dunno. I love some of their cover stuff, like this one of Cortez the Killer.


Another version:

Not at all saying I don't like the way they play covers, just prefer them live to anything they've done in the studio. That said, I cannot stand when they play "War Pigs" because as good a drummer as Matt Abst is, he NEVER EVER gets that intro right and without the drumming in the intro of "War Pigs" what's the point?

[NWBasser]

I'm a big fan of Mule. Even the studio work.

Now I have to check out more their live material.