how would you or MMJ try and keep your band

[oxfordtown]

How would you or MMJ try and keep from being catorgized as a "JAM BAND" because even if the fans on hear feel different and I hate to say it but they are picking up a lot of the jam band fans, I FEAR THE DAY someone calls them a JAM BAND! I say stay away from Bonaroo.  

[aMillionDreams]

i think that the band is more concerned with "southern rock" label at this point.  I know that Jim HATES labels and categories when it comes to his music.  But I think that they should stop trying to not be categorized and just continue doing what they do best, no matter what anyone calls it.

I guess if they wanted to tackle the 'jam band' label, they could make their next album a collection of songs that are no longer two minutes a piece. ;)

[yieldgirl]

just call it good ole rock and roll

[JacketGal]

I guess if they wanted to tackle the 'jam band' label, they could make their next album a collection of songs that are no longer two minutes a piece. ;)

a la the Ramones! :)

I just think there are too many 'boutique' labels to music these days. Just play and if it feels good well, play some more!

[realdeal]

How would you or MMJ try and keep from being catorgized as a "JAM BAND" because even if the fans on hear feel different and I hate to say it but they are picking up a lot of the jam band fans, I FEAR THE DAY someone calls them a JAM BAND! I say stay away from Bonaroo.  

 I say stay away from Bonaroo.

Amen. Bonnaroo is nothing more than a hippie-fest with "jam bands" and dave matthews dorks.

[collinwood]

Obviously you haven't been to Bonnaroo or at least taken the time to look at the entire list of artists.  I was there this last year and it was fantastic.  DMB and the jam bands give us time to nap for the other great music:

MMJ, M. Ward, John Prine, De La Soul, RJD2, Bela Fleck Trio

[ycartrob]

Who cares? I mean, my brother calls MMJ a SELL OUT band b/c they gave their music to a beer conglomerate for a commercial. My brother-in-law doesn't even consider MMJ b/c he is a jazz pianist and plays complicated, "high brow" music. I for one am hoping to see 2 MMJ shows this tour and could give a zippity-doo-dah what anyone calls MMJ. I just know that they bring up those good old feelings I had when I first heard rock and roll, way back when... But, they do J A M and they are a B A N D; don't get caught up in labels! Get caught up in the magic of the music! See ya at the shows!! ;D ;D

[realdeal]

well, im makin' the trip to Nashville. holler.

[Angry Ewok]

I went to Bonnaroo this year, with all of the other hippies and dorks (::)), and I have no problem saying that I was impressed with DMB's performance. I've even been listing that performance as one of the best I've seen this year... It was a good show, and I didn't stop to worry about who else was digging it, or what other people would think of me for enjoying it - I just let myself enjoy it because it was good.

As far as keeping MMJ from being a "Jam Band" goes - despite the fact that that label has been forever tainted in my mind by the two godawful boring performances that WSP put on... I hope MMJ never restricts itself by keeping "in" or "out" of anything.

[sweatboard]

Dave Matthews is an amazing singer/songwritter with a great band.  Lets face that fact.  Bonnaroo is everyones own experience.  If you can't enjoy being there that's your own fault.  There is to much good to outway the BAD, i.e. Widespread Panic ;).  So much Love, Smiling and Amazing Music I wish everday was a Bonnaroo day.  

[Angry Ewok]

I'll be going back to Bonnaroo next year, and I sure hope MMJ does, too...

Obligatory 'Here's what you missed out on bv not going to Bonnaroo' photo... 8)



 :P

[Half]

as long as the music stays basically the same, they should avoid tha label.  it might pop up every now and then but as time goes by i believe that people will put MMJ into their own class- that is, until the MMJ wannabes start popping up.

[HorkoLad]

as long as the music stays basically the same, they should avoid tha label.  it might pop up every now and then but as time goes by i believe that people will put MMJ into their own class- that is, until the MMJ wannabes start popping up.

who are you?

[Half]

who are you?

what have i done now?

[HorkoLad]

what have i done now?

I'm in the CIA :(

[EC]

Lets face that fact.  Bonnaroo is everyones own experience.  If you can't enjoy being there that's your own fault.  There is to much good to outway the BAD, i.e. Widespread Panic ;).  So much Love, Smiling and Amazing Music I wish everday was a Bonnaroo day.  

;D Word.

[easy way]

From the Darla recordings to ISM and now Z, Jacket is Jacket and no label will ever compromise that.  I have been big on the jam scene for 10 years and MMJ blows it all out of the water.  Truly the fire.

[EC]

Somebody called them a southern rock jam band to my face tonight.  (Not in a mean way at all.)

I set them straight. ;)

Except, if I'm talking about them to somebody who hasn't heard of them before, I find it difficult to explain (in the same way I kind of find any music difficult to "explain")

I usualy say:  "Well, it's kind of rock sometimes, and sometimes it's kind of quiet, some songs were recorded in the lead singer's basement on his four track, and some were in a silo, and they like to say that they sound like they're from outer space, and that's kind of true..."  But mostly I just end up telling them that they need to listen, and I tell them to go here or to myspace to check out mp3s.

What do you guys say if people ask you to describe their "sound"?  (I seriously hate when people ask that question, although, I guess it's a necessary question.)

[dragonboy]

When I rip a CD onto my PC with the intention of putting it into my MP3 if someone has already ripped that CD it comes up with that person's settings, which is useful regarding song titles but I sometimes I don't agree with the genre they have chosen.
For example, when I put in Bob Dylan (depending upon the CD & who got there first) he comes up under folk or folk/rock or general rock etc.
Anyway, when ripping my MMJ CDs, one came up under "unknown" & another under "general unclassifiable" & I remember thinking 'what's that all about?!!'
Who would start a genre in their MP3 player under such a title? BUT regarding MMJ maybe they have a point!
How do you classify a band that covers so many genres & makes up a few new ones whilst they're at it?

Take Off the Record for example (I heard the studio version for the first time today on myspace)
What the fuck is it? It starts out as a pop song (catchy with a sing-along chorus) but wait, there's some reggae in there, right? Reggae certainly isn't everyones cup of tea! And then look what happens, the guitars kick in midway & then it falls apart & becomes a stoners wet dream come true! So what is it?!!
It's f**king brilliant, that's what it is!

It's brilliant because it sounds like the best of everything & yet like nothing you've ever heard before & that's why you really can't describe MMJ because there is no other band that even comes close to what they're doing.
So going back to the question at hand, how do you classify MMJ? You can't I don't think.
How do you describe them? I guess that depends upon how extensive your vocab is, how much time you have and, in my case, how drunk you are! :)

[aMillionDreams]

thost categories are frunked on my player.  I made a comp cd of Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks and out of the 12 songs I used it came up with at least seven different categories of music, for the SAME BAND, from alternative to Lounge to Country.  

Speaking to your deeper point, I think that the categorizing music in general is lazy and unintelligent.  How do you really describe an artist's work with one word?  You can't.