VH1 Storytellers!!!

[BH]

Can you guys say where this was now?    For my records...  (name of theatre/studio or whatever...)

[Crispy]

Well I didn't spill too much!! That information could be found on the forums, on google, or even on Wikipedia.

Right, and I indicated the same thing -- wasn't really intending to call you out, I's just sayin'.  :-X

[Ruckus]

I say spill all the beans if you want to. :)  No one needs to read this thread if they don't want to learn too much and it's ridiculous to set arbitrary lines as to how much to divulge.

Great stuff!  Also sooo awesome that Bluesky got in!  Hooray Val!

[TSarge]

Can you guys say where this was now?    For my records...  (name of theatre/studio or whatever...)

Metropolis Studios - 106th & Park

[lasvegas]

posted this over in the other thread too.

http://www.jambands.com/news/2011/02/25/my-morning-jacket-tapes-storytellers-in-new-york

[e_wind]

I say spill all the beans if you want to. :)  No one needs to read this thread if they don't want to learn too much and it's ridiculous to set arbitrary lines as to how much to divulge.

Great stuff!  Also sooo awesome that Bluesky got in!  Hooray Val!

I agree, I want all the details. I want to know the stories behind all the songs. Don't hold back.

[Ghosts_on_TV]

this sounds so awesome. can't wait to see this. hope nothing ends up on the cutting room floor!!

what is the story behind dondante? was this mentioned in an earlier interview?

It will be cut. They'll probably televise 4-5 songs and then show random clips coming back in from commercials.

[rats21]

People who worked for VH1 and the casting company told me the following:

They selected 30 entries (60 people total) out of "a few thousand responses" they received during the first twelve hours

The episode is scheduled to air on June 3rd.

They filmed interviews with the band before they let us in to the studio where they asked some of the questions submitted by the 30 winning entries.

[doughty]

Can I please submit a heartfelt request -- no, more like an anguished PLEA -- for all of the details?  The show that airs will only be 40 minutes long.  The taping was several hours.  All of those precious details that won't show up on air are, right now, leaking out of your lovely brains.  They'll be lost forever. 

Surely, people who don't want spoilers can just steer clear of this thread, and then after the show they can check in and see what went on at the taping that didn't make it on air. It's a perfect solution.

I tried and prayed and made ritual sacrifices to get tickets to this show, to no avail.  Please, please -- if you could find it in your heart to detail everything you remember as an offering to those of who didn't get in, I'd really really appreciate it.

In particular, I'd love to hear anything / everything about the new song.  Do you remember any lyrics? A general tone? I don't know a country waltz -- is that upbeat? sad? What's the funniest thing you remember? What are random odd details that you remember?

Really, I'll take anything.  And I sincerely hope I'm not coming off as pushy -- I don't mean to be. I'm just full of regret and jealousy :) ;)

Thanks y'all

[DaFunkyPrecedent]

This is my Gmail Convo with Mr. Reid Wilkof who was front and center at the taping last night. Enjoy.

Reid: I am trying to find words to describe last night to you one of the most powerful music experiences of my life

me: im reading the forum now..
what did they talk about?
did they tell the stories of their songs...?
what the fuck is Dondante about?

Reid: about their friend
  and that changed the mood for the rest of the night
  he was in tears
Patrick was in tears
whole room weeping
the stories were not really stories as they were these tangents of thought
  and belief
  very spiritual

me: kinda spiritual?
9:20 AM
Reid: but not preachy or religious

me: totally

Reid: just openness
 
of life
 
and caring
 
compassion
 
honestly if this guy started a cult I would be there

me: he has started a cult...JOIN THE FORUM!

Reid: we sat next to two girls who are two frorum heads

me: Penny?

Reid: Casey, we were 4 feet from them. there wasnt a stage it was studio so we were on the floor with them

definitely got a lot of air time

me: did you look nice?

Reid: casual
 
so hot
 
if I took my sweater off it would have been bad news came home pits were soaking

me: hahahaha

how was that new song "moving away?'

Reid: ohh man they had to do it twice

me: i heard...why?

Reid: something happened with the taping one of the computers fucked up or something they did it
 
he fucking killed it
 
after that song production manager comes up and was like we got to do it again
 
Jim is like I cant I cant do that again
 
he poured it out on this take
 
on the first one
 
they did it again at the end
 
the other new song

is AWESOME

me: the one the had to do again, what did that one sound like?

Reid: slow ballad

I wanted to leave during its about leaving a loved one and trying to have a long distance relationsip
 
and it not working
 
shit I just cant hear right now
 
whole time I was thinking about that fucking girl
 
even dreamt about her last night

me: nice, Jim tappin into your psyche

Reid: really has
 
I feel different after last night
 
made me think of culture and our reasons for even being on this planet
 
the world is shit
 
people treat each other like shit

from day to day to our government
 
to traditions about faith how those traditions treat people
 
makes you want to get away from everything and forget about it
I guess the whole band went to Lady Gaga the other night at MSG hilarious tweet pic of them

me: nice.
 
brb
 
got to shower

END CONVO

[Penny Lane]

This is my Gmail Convo with Mr. Reid Wilkof who was front and center at the taping last night. Enjoy.

Reid: I am trying to find words to describe last night to you one of the most powerful music experiences of my life

me: im reading the forum now..
what did they talk about?
did they tell the stories of their songs...?
what the fuck is Dondante about?

Reid: about their friend
  and that changed the mood for the rest of the night
  he was in tears
Patrick was in tears
whole room weeping
the stories were not really stories as they were these tangents of thought
  and belief
  very spiritual

me: kinda spiritual?
9:20 AM
Reid: but not preachy or religious

me: totally

Reid: just openness
 
of life
 
and caring
 
compassion
 
honestly if this guy started a cult I would be there

me: he has started a cult...JOIN THE FORUM!

Reid: we sat next to two girls who are two frorum heads

me: Penny?

Reid: Casey, we were 4 feet from them. there wasnt a stage it was studio so we were on the floor with them

definitely got a lot of air time

me: did you look nice?

Reid: casual
 
so hot
 
if I took my sweater off it would have been bad news came home pits were soaking

me: hahahaha

how was that new song "moving away?'

Reid: ohh man they had to do it twice

me: i heard...why?

Reid: something happened with the taping one of the computers fucked up or something they did it
 
he fucking killed it
 
after that song production manager comes up and was like we got to do it again
 
Jim is like I cant I cant do that again
 
he poured it out on this take
 
on the first one
 
they did it again at the end
 
the other new song

is AWESOME

me: the one the had to do again, what did that one sound like?

Reid: slow ballad

I wanted to leave during its about leaving a loved one and trying to have a long distance relationsip
 
and it not working
 
shit I just cant hear right now
 
whole time I was thinking about that fucking girl
 
even dreamt about her last night

me: nice, Jim tappin into your psyche

Reid: really has
 
I feel different after last night
 
made me think of culture and our reasons for even being on this planet
 
the world is shit
 
people treat each other like shit

from day to day to our government
 
to traditions about faith how those traditions treat people
 
makes you want to get away from everything and forget about it
I guess the whole band went to Lady Gaga the other night at MSG hilarious tweet pic of them

me: nice.
 
brb
 
got to shower

END CONVO

beautiful..

[wolof7]

The episode is scheduled to air on June 3rd.

They filmed interviews with the band before they let us in to the studio where they asked some of the questions submitted by the 30 winning entries.

I am willing to bet that the June 3rd airing date will coincide with the release of the new album. Either week before, week of or week after its release.

[johnnYYac]

People who worked for VH1 and the casting company told me the following:

They selected 30 entries (60 people total) out of "a few thousand responses" they received during the first twelve hours

The episode is scheduled to air on June 3rd.
They filmed interviews with the band before they let us in to the studio where they asked some of the questions submitted by the 30 winning entries.

Hmmm.  Some of us will be otherwise engaged on June 3rd- Wakarusa and Mountain Jam.

[BigBossMan]

I know when Springsteen did Storytellers a few years back, they also released a DVD of the whole session later in the year after it aired.  Not saying they will definitely do this for MMJ, but there's a precedent.

[Ruckus]

Thanks Funky

[buymycar]

For those who want to hear all the details of last night's taping, the simple solution is to create a brand new thread with the subject VH1 Storytellers SPOILERS.  All the juicy details can be put in there, and then people who don't want to be spoiled can stay away from it.

[br00ke]

ok some details/WARNING SPOILERS? .. fragmented memories and obviously i can't quote what the man said b/c i wasn't aloud to record it and b/c we were up front i couldn't sit there with a notepad like i had hoped though i'm glad as hell i was sitting where i was ;)

some e.mails i sent a friend this morning below .. this one RE: dodante

.. it was a very emotional moment. jim said he didn't want to tell that story but that it was kind of unavoidable. after every time they play dodante jim always disappears backstage for a few moments .. this is to go say hi to his friend that's gone. he said there was a happy ending though, that he had this dream where they all went to heaven and his friend was there helping them get checked in, showing them the ropes and all .. it was quite humorous, the way he told it was (trying to lift the moment back up maybe). anyway .. he said he believes that we go on after we die and that his friend is doing well. that he believes if we have a tough go of it on this earth there is somewhere else for us to go and be happy, taken care of, etc..

In A Dream I Saw You Walkin - Like A Kid Alive And Talkin - That Was You.
On The Streets You Were Policing- In The Classroom You Were Teaching- That Was You.
To The One I Now Know Most - I Will Tell Them Of Your Ghost Like A Thing -
That Never, Ever Was.
And All That Ever Mattered Will Some Day Turn Back To Batter Like A Joke.
Behind Thin Walls You Hid Your Feelins - Take Four Legs To Make A Ceilin Like A Thing.
In A Dream I Saw You Walkin, With Your Friends Alive And Talking - That Was You.
Well I Saw It In Your Movement - And Even Though You Never Knew It -
Well, I Knew, Just How Sweet It Could Be - If You'd Never Left These Streets.
You Had Me Worried! So Worried - That This Would Last...
But Now I'm Learning - Learning That This Will Pass...

there were so many things .. it was so amazing. the things he said about the songs. alot of them made so much sense, feelings and thoughts the songs had given me and then for him to reiterate it.

and RE: OBO

that was another neat thing .. what OBH is about. when they were starting out they would send demo's/packages out and they would try to make them look really wacky so they'd get noticed. jim talked about the package he sent to darla records and how he pretended darla was a girl and he was writing a love letter (to the record label). talking about how it worked and they got the call from california .. from darla records. and talked about the beastie boys .. "no sleep till brooklyn" .. when they were young they were like yeah i just want life to be one big holiday. fun times all the time .. sex, partying, rock n' roll, bustling down the highway in rosie (the band's van from early days)

Wakin up feelin good and limber
When the telephone it ring
Was a bad man from california
Tellin of a stone he'd bring
And of better days
From this town, we'd escape
If we holler loud and make our way
We'd all live one big holiday
So we listened and up the river
And recorded all the sounds
Was some shakin and some record playin
All the leather kids were loud

also RE: doing something you love / something that puts you in that zone .. talking about how he knows people his age that have no interests .. people saying "gah we're so old" .. this coming after mention about how fast things are these days .. everyone on their iphones .. people becoming so absorbed that they don't have things they love .. they don't have things that put them in that zone (i.e. when he's raging on stage .. i.e. when i'm raging at a show) or they don't have hobbies or learn how to do things (play tennis well .. play the guitar well .. etc.). and how he knows people that are in their 70's and so young .. living life. this is where Wonderful was played.

It matters to me
Took a long time to get here
If it would have been easy
I would not have cared

Like a tropical forest
Like a cop on the beat
When all is in order
You get lost in the heat

I feel so wonderful, wonderful,
Wonderful the way I feel
I feel so wonderful, wonderful,
Wonderful the way I feel

Doesn't matter to me
I could take it or leave it
I can learn from way back when
And still live right now

With the sun on my shoulders
And the wind at my back
I will never grow older
At least not in my mind

I feel so wonderful, wonderful,
Wonderful the way I feel
I feel so wonderful, wonderful,
Wonderful the way I feel

So wonderful
Wonderful the way I feel
I feel so wonderful, wonderful,
Wonderful the way I feel


I'm going where there ain't no fear
I'm going where the spirit is real
I'm going where the living is easy and the people are kind
A new state of mind

I'm going where there ain't no police
I'm going where there ain't no disease
I'm going where there ain't no need to escape from what is
Only spirits at ease

this was so special to me (and to everyone else i'm sure) .. a moment where that is what i got from the song ever since the 1st time i heard it and to hear him say yes .. this is what it's about (more or less). love love love !!!

i could go on and on and on and on forever but i really haven't done any work today b/c i'm still just in this cloud of awesomeness. i'll be back though .. gotta talk about GIDEON !!!

[Jon T.]

Cool transcript.  I love Jim's reply of "I can't do that again".  That sums their live shows up in a nutshell!

I also reallly love your "did you look nice?" question.   ;D  That reminds of the scene from Swingers when the pizza guy is at the door and VV is asking, "is he clean, is he clean - is he brown".    ;D

[the_wizzard]

Thanks Brooke!  I for one am happy to get all the details, since the show will be edited and all.  And this really just confirms a lot of what I always guessed JJ and the boys (and the songs) stood for. 
Which brings me to the set list showdown, wtf?  ;D ;D
Sounds like the Chelsea Handler wanna-be that tried to steal my spot on the balcony rail at T5.  So rude.  But I guess karma got her in the end.  I do think that Jim's mama (or someone close to him) should have that set list, but that is just me.

[subinai]

man. this really has my psyched on this year and the new album. best band ever.