Umphrey’s McGee — Mantis
Umphrey’s McGee new album, Mantis will hit stores on January 20th, 2009. Umphrey’s has yet to premiere any of the tracks in concert, so look forward to extensive workouts of the tracks in ’09. Click here for more info on the new album and to check out their ultra cool website for Mantis.
Atlanta Pop Festival (1969-1970)
Spanning the fourth of July celebrations of 1969 and 1970, the Atlanta Pop Festival, predated Woodstock and was an astounding collection of musical acts and personalities from a very different time. Some noteworthy performers were: Janis Joplin, Canned Heat, Led Zeppelin, Allman Brothers Band, Jimi Hendrix, Jethro Tull, BB King, Johnny Winter, Spirit, Grand Funk Railroad. Click here to go to this comprehensive site that chronicles the weekend through photos and stories of this legendary festival.
Jimi Hendrix at the festival performing “Stone Free” and “The Star Spangled Banner” on July 4, 1970 amidst festival fireworks:
Musical Stew Daily’s 1,000th Post!
Hooray! Yeah for us! Anyway, it’s been a pleasure… Now get back to work. Oh yeah… Sign up for our newsletter by clicking here.
Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)
First written and recorded by Bob Dylan in 1967 during his Basement Tapes sessions, this song has become a band and fan favorite in its 40+ years of existence. Wiki:
The song is a tale with vaguely psychedelic lyrics. The subject of the song is the arrival of the mighty Quinn (an eskimo), who changes despair into joy and chaos into rest, and attracts attention from the animals. The metaphorical lyrics have prompted suggestions that Quinn is God, a drug dealer, or simply a village elder. Dylan himself has said that the title character refers to actor Anthony Quinn’s role as an Eskimo in the 1959 movie The Savage Innocents. Dylan has also been quoted as saying that the song was nothing more than a “simple nursery rhyme”.
The Black Crowes (7/1/2008):
Phish (12/28/1998):
Manfred Mann (1974):
Bob Weir & Ratdog:
Merl Saunders & The Rainforest Band — San Rafael, CA (8/18/1996)
In honor of Merl’s passing, we are posting this show from the Marin Summer Music Festival.
Statement from the Saunders family:
Merl Saunders stood for music and love – his smile alone told you that. We loved him very much – and we know that you, his fans, did too. Sad as we are to lose him, we’re very aware of being comforted by the affection coming from all those touched by that smile and that wonderful music. He was a special man, a beautiful companion, father, grandfather, and family patriarch, and the proof of that spirit is in the way you’ve reached out to us at his passing. From our hearts, thank you. And we know Merl thanks you too.
Keep on keepin’ on, The Saunders Family
Led Zeppelin — Jonesy Speaks…
After months of speculation, John Paul Jones has publicly commented on the possibility of a Led Zeppelin reunion. When asked about another Led Zeppelin show during a Q & A session at the Mansons Guitar Show, the bassist said the following:
As you probably know, Jimmy [Page], Jason [Bonham] and I are actually rehearsing and we’ve had the odd singer come in and have a bash. And as soon as we know—which we don’t—we will let you know. But, we really hope that something is going to happen soon because we really want to do it and we’re having a lot of fun, actually, just rehearsing. Jason is actually tremendous…he’s really taking changes. He is a very brave man…every other drummer in the world was watching him thinking [at the reunion show] that could have been me. He’s creative and really fun.
We really want to do something and Robert [Plant] doesn’t want to do this sort of thing, at least for the moment. I don’t really know what his plans are. He is touring with Allison [Krauss] as you know. He really doesn’t want to make loud music anymore, as we do. I mean, I love acoustic music, but it doesn’t stop me from turning something up. And what we’ve done so far sounds absolutely fantastic. When it does come, it will come, and you’ll know about it.
Plant has spent the past year touring with Krauss in support of their roots-inspired hit, Raising Sand. After wrapping up his tour with the bluegrass singer, he plans to take a few years off from touring. “It’s both frustrating and ridiculous for this story to continue to rear its head when all the musicians that surround the story are keen to get on with their individual projects and move forward,” he recently said in a statement. “I wish Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham nothing but success with any future projects.”
33 Years Ago Today…
Bruce Springsteen appears on the cover of both Newsweek and Time simultaneously, helping to propel his current album, Born To Run, in to the top three.
35 Years Ago Today…
Gladys Knight and The Pips had the #1 song in the land, “Midnight Train To Georgia”. This, coincidentally, is my wife’s favorite song of all-time. Apparently she’d “act out” the lyrics as child with her sister. “Oh–He’s leavin’“!
