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WIDESPREAD PANIC W I D E - O P E N C R E A T I V I T Y

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WIDESPREAD PANIC W I D E - O P E N C R E A T I V I T Y

by Katherine Yeske Taylor Clarita, California. “I can’t wait continues. “We’ve been around the start, because “it made it met in the dorms at the The number of live albums to go back there and do this. for over 30 years, so there’s actually easier on ourselves University of Georgia. Athens that seminal jam band Obviously, there’s a lot of rock plenty of material, plenty of because none of us really knew was, Schools recalls, “a great Widespread Panic have done and roll history [there]. We don’t crowd-pleasers, plenty of how to play, academically [when town to be a student artist—it varies depending on which tour that much anymore, so five surprises, covers, and things the band began]. We learned is a magical place. It was source is consulted, but the nights there is awesome. Five that we do for ourselves. We’ve as a group. Learning how to play Mayberry on acid!” he says with general consensus seems to nights can be a challenge, but pretty much, barring the X-factor, as a group creates a unique a laugh. “It was so cheap to live fix it at around 40 official when you parcel things out just learned how to definitely keep sound, no matter what level there in the mid-eighties. You releases. According to bassist the right way and leave plenty things interesting.” of playing you’re at. And in order could get this huge old beautiful and founding member Dave of room for spontaneity to Doing things in this free-form to learn how to play together, Southern home with columns Schools, that astonishingly high happen onstage, it all works out way, Schools says, “was always you have to listen. That’s the on the porch, and a whole band number actually sounds about great. more of a selfish decision, I key element of improvisation, could live there. There could be right. “It’s definitely possibly a whole scene around that true,” he says with a laugh, then house, with several bands.” adds that soon, there will be It was a fortuitous time to live one more. “We learned as a group. Learning how to in Athens, which was then the “There’s a new one coming epicenter of one of the most out on Record Store Day in April, play as a group creates a unique sound, vibrant music scenes in the it’s called Sunday Show , no matter what level of playing you’re at. world, thanks to hometown acts recorded at the Capitol Theatre like R.E.M., the B-52s, and in Port Chester, [New York] last And in order to learn how to play together, Pylon. But at first, the members spring. It was a pretty special of Widespread Panic didn’t night. The band’s pretty cookin’ you have to listen. That’s the key element of seriously believe that they’d join now, and the crowd was on our that list of successful Athenian side.” improvisation, being able to listen and respond.” artists. In fact, as Schools Winning over audiences has recalls, “I didn’t bring my bass never seemed to be a problem guitar when I moved there to for Widespread Panic, and they’ll “Changing up the set list and think, in hindsight. If anyone being able to listen and go to school for journalism.” He prove this once again when they always being free to explore had to do any activity the same respond.” also admits that even after he play five sold-out nights within the framework of a song way, it would make things an Widespread Panic formed in got an instrument, he was (February 27 through March 2) are the two main sonically assembly line, and I think you’d 1986 in Athens, Georgia, after unprepared for the realities of at the prestigious Beacon noticeable ways that we keep either get mental carpal tunnel Schools and the other founding actually being a band member. Theatre in New York City. “I love ourselves from going slowly syndrome or go slowly insane.” members (singer/guitarist John “I was a super uptight kid. I have the Beacon,” Schools says, insane over the course of doing He says that they’ve used this Bell, guitarist Michael Houser, siblings, but I didn’t grow up with calling from his home in Santa 250 shows a year,” Schools improvisational style right from and drummer Todd Nance) first them, so no one ever kicked my

WIDESPREAD PANIC WILL PLAY THE BEACON THEATRE IN NEW YORK CITY FROM FEBRUARY 27 THROUGH MARCH 2.

14 ARTS WEEKLY FEBRUARY 26, 2020 www.theaquarian.com ass. You wanna get your ass kicked, start a really great time when we go to the studio.” currently consists of Schools, Bell, guitarist band!” he says with a laugh. Still, Schools admits that recording isn’t Jimmy Herring (original guitarist Michael But Schools stuck with the group, and always easy, even for a veteran act like Houser passed away from pancreatic cancer they soon set themselves apart from their they’ve be come. “It can be very clinical. You in 2002), drummer Duane Trucks (original more jangle rock peers in the scene, have to work hard sometimes to make it drummer Todd Nance left the band in 2016), preferring to follow in the Grateful Dead’s not seem like the surgery ward of a hospital, keyboardist John Hermann, and jam band footsteps instead, as demonstrated especially with the digital recording percussionist Domingo “Sunny” Ortiz. on their 1988 debut album, the trippy, techniques, where you can just put In keeping with band members’ laid-back freewheeling Space Wrangler . They’ve something together from a bunch of random style, Schools says there are no clear plans * Fri Feb 28th - doors 7:30pm remained resistant to jumping on current noise. You are under a microscope, that’s yet for what direction they’ll take with this musical trends for all twelve studio albums the nature of a studio, but you don’t want next recording session—or even how they’ll TOMBS (RELAPSE RECORDS) that they’ve released so far, which pleases to feel like people are wearing latex gloves go about writing songs in the first place. SPECIAL GUEST HOT BLOOD • COFFIN VOID Schools: “It makes me really happy that we or white jackets around you!” he says with “Sometimes they’re more developed. GREEN INFERNO • PUTRASCENSION haven’t become this band that kowtows to a laugh. Sometimes it’s a spark that collides with * Sat Feb 29th - doors 8pm the expectations of what we’re supposed Schools has learned enough about how the spark another person had, and results to do.” to successfully navigate recording sessions in a glorious explosion of a song. But really, Schools adds that this refusal to conform that he now owns his own studio in California, the thing is never saying no. Just to create THE X-MEN (FEAT. MEMS OF SECRET SYDE/CHRONIC SICK/THE BEAST/KOJAK MOMENT) to expectations has actually resulted in where he often teaches new bands not to a place where songs can be born and evolve, JON CASPI & THE FIRST GUN ( far more creative freedom in the long run. fret too much. “I think there’s a point in the and sometimes it happens in the studio, FEAT. DEZ CADENA OF BLACK FLAG/MISFITS) “No one has ever sat around the studio process of learning how to work in the studio sometimes it h appens on the road. It’s really FETAL RAGE • TIKI TORTURE going, ‘Gosh, I don’t know if this sounds like where you might over-perfect things, take anything goes, and any idea is welcome. It Sun March 1st - doors 7pm Widespread Panic.’ We allowed ourselves the grit out of it. That’s something to be might not work in the end, but we’re going to do heavy rock. We allowed ourselves to aware of. Every young band is like, ‘This is to try it.” THE DAN WEEKS QUARTET experiment in country and classic songwriting, our chance!’ It’s natural to want to get it Ultimately, Schools says it is this deliberate WITH GREG GRISPART - NICK ESPOSITO and short songs and long songs, and right, but some ‘getting it right’ sacrifices choice to be open and respectful toward MIKE NOORDZY - DAN WEEKS complicated songs and simple songs. We the rock and roll vibe, or the raucousness each other that has allowed Widespread Mon March 2nd - doors 7:30pm COMEDY OPEN MIC NITE HOSTED BY ANGELO GINGERELLI FREE ADMISSION - 21 & OLDER ONLY Tues March 3rd - doors 7pm ACI ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS... PATTERNIST • MALIBU (FR. LONG BRANCH) IN LOVING MEMORY VICTORIA • GOOD LUCK BROTHER Up-Coming Shows • BLACK WATER RISING 3/6 • NEGATIVE SKY 3/28 • CORKY LAING/RICHIE SCARLETT 4/4 121 Brighton Ave, Long Branch, NJ 732-229-9676 www.brightonbar.com Free Parking & Free WIFI * Advanced tix available at

BANNERS STREET TEAMING FLAGS SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING PRINTING GRAPHIC DESIGN STEP & REPEATS LAMINATES/CREDENTIALS BANNERS T-SHIRTS STEP & REPEATS FLYERING HAND TO HAND FLYERING BANNERS MALL DISTROS COLLEGE FLYERING RETAIL STORE DROPS TOWN DISTROS BANNERS STREET TEAMING FLAGS PHOTOS BY JOSHUA TIMMERMANS/NOBLE VISIONS PHOTOGRAPHY SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING PRINTING just wanted to play what made us happy. and the feel of the song.” Panic to last for a few decades now. “We GRAPHIC DESIGN STEP & REPEATS And I think that’s paid off for us, as far as When it comes time for Widespread Panic treat each other fairly, we treat our crew BANNERS LAMINATES/CREDENTIALS this wide-open creative playing field that we to record their next album—as they plan to fairly, and we treat the fans fairly,” he says have.” do in May—it won’t be in Schools’ studio, firmly. “We’ve grown up around each other. T-SHIRTS STEP & REPEATS FLYERING Besides their music, Widespread Panic however, but back in Athens with legendary That means a lot. We are truly a family. It’s BANNERS HAND TO HAND FLYERING also became beloved thanks to their producer and recording engineer John cool!” COLLEGE FLYERING MALL DISTROS benevolent treatment toward their fans. Keane, as they’ve done starting with Space Beyond becoming like a family to him, RETAIL STORE DROPS TOWN DISTROS “We’ve always tried to keep ticket prices Wrangler and many albums since. “He’s Schools says that being in Widespread BANNERS STREETWe Will TEAMING FLAGS low and make things available. We’ve had been our mentor since we were pups,” Panic has also fulfilled his fondest childhood SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING PRINTING to do end runs around weird ticketing Schools says of Keane, who has also worked dream. “I’ve always loved music. I’ve got GRAPHICDesign, DESIGN STEP Print, & REPEATS practices, and we do the best we can to everyone from R.E.M. to Indigo Girls and pictures of me on my mom’s lap, playing LAMINATES/CREDENTIALS BANNERS make it easy for people to come see us. Matthew Sweet. Keane’s engineering work the piano with my baby fists.” But the real T-SHIRTS STEP & REPEATS FLYERING Music is a helpful and medicinal thing for on Widespread Panic’s 2011 album, Dirty turning point came in his pre-teens, when And Market people. Dancing is recreational, and Side Down , proved skillful enough to receive he recalls seeing the Led Zeppelin movie HAND TO HAND FLYERING BANNERS sometimes it’s a luxury, and maybe not every a Grammy nomination. The Song Remains the Same . “I was 11 or COLLEGE FLYERING MALL DISTROS luxury should be expensive.” As a result “Going to John’s place in Athens is literally 12 [years-old], and I saw it in the theater in RETAIL STORESo You DROPS CanTOWN DISTROS of this philosophy, Widespread Panic quickly like returning to the nest. There’s a dynamic Richmond, Virginia where I grew up. I looked BANNERS STREET TEAMING FLAGS became one of the most popular bands there and a level of respect that goes both at Jimmy Page, and he was wearing those SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING PRINTING on the national touring circuit. ways, and it’s funny and fun and he can call dragon pants, and I was like, ‘Holy cow, that GRAPHIC Succeed.DESIGN STEP & REPEATS While Widespread Panic shows have bullshit on us and we don’t take it personally. guy gets to go to work in his pajamas! That’s LAMINATES/CREDENTIALS BANNERS become one of the most important aspects That’s the role of a producer. The sound he the gig for me!’” T-SHIRTS STEP & REPEATS FLYERING of the band’s success (hence the 40+ live gets is fantastic, so we’ve always had a Now that becoming a professional HAND TO HAND FLYERING BANNERS albums), that’s not to say that their studio really great time when we go to the studio.” musician has been a reality for Schools for MALL DISTROS COLLEGE FLYERING output hasn’t also been crucial. Their twelve Schools says that he’s also happy to almost 35 years, he says he couldn’t be studio albums have all sold well; their latest return to Athens because, although he and happier with how his life has turned out. RETAIL STORE DROPS TOWN DISTROS one, Street Dogs , came out in 2015. “I just some of the other members have moved “I’m grateful. It’s not like I have a job where BANNERS STREET TEAMING FLAGS love the studio. It’s my favorite place on elsewhere, it remains the headquarters I have to go do the same thing every day. SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING PRINTING Call earth,” Schools says. “We’ve always had a and spiritual home base for the band, which How cool is that? BANNERS ChrisLAMINATES/CREDENTIALS 973.812.6766 T-SHIRTS STEP & REPEATS FLYERING BANNERS HAND TO HAND FLYERING www.theaquarian.com ARTS WEEKLY FEBRUARY 26, 2020 15