Gov't Mule Going Strong After 30 Years

It is not unusual for musicians to engage in side projects, musical ventures outside the confines of their “regular” band. Generally speaking, these endeavors are designed to scratch a musical itch that can’t be assuaged as part of their day job.

Such is the case with Gov’t Mule, a band formed by guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody when they were both playing in the Allman Brothers Band. It is not unreasonable, though, to wonder what it was they couldn’t accomplish in the Allman Brothers, an outfit known for its frequent flights of improvisation and lots of solos. The rub, I suppose, is that while the band loved to jam, both Haynes and Woody were expected to sound like, well, Allman Brothers.

The Mule announced itself to the world in 1994 as a hard-rocking power trio, with Haynes and Woody joined by drummer Matt Abts. Fast forward many years, and Gov’t Mule is still around, celebrating its 30th anniversary with a tour that will conclude in Houston at the Bayou Music Center on Sunday, February 25.

Three decades have led to some changes, though. Gov’t Mule is now augmented by keyboard player Danny Louis, with Kevin Scott, formerly of Colonel Bruce Hampton’s band, in the bass slot. Scott is the latest bass player in the band, following Andy Hess and Jorgen Carlsson, each of whom held down the bottom end for many years following Woody’s passing in 2000.

What began as a side project has morphed into a major concert attraction, with a fiercely dedicated fan base following the Mule’s tours. Speaking from the road, Haynes says, “We never expected to last more than a year. We weren’t planning on doing anything beyond one album and one tour. It just kind of grew on its own, so anything more than that has been a surprise.”

“I think the hardest thing for a lot of bands is just maintaining some sort of kinship and camaraderie, to the point where you still want to be doing it 30 years later with the same people.”

It seems that the Mule’s 30th anniversary tour might be something of a bittersweet experience, particularly for original members Haynes and Abts, since Woody is not around to be a part of it. Are they thinking of him as the band achieves this milestone? “Yeah,” Haynes says, “You know, we think of him all the time anyway, but his presence looms large right now.”

In addition to Gov’t Mule and the Allman Brothers, Haynes has played with The Dead (a Grateful Dead reunion band), Phil Lesh and Friends, the Dickey Betts Band and David Allen Coe, not to mention appearing frequently as a solo act. Since anniversaries lend themselves to retrospection, what are the biggest lessons that Haynes has learned in over 40 years on the road, playing with a variety of artists?

“I always wanted to do this for the love of the music, and I always wanted to create music that I would – in the old days – go to the store and buy. But now, no one goes to the store anymore,” he says with a chuckle. “I always wanted to make music that I would buy, that I would support as a fan. I never wanted to stray far from that.

“You know, there are so many lessons learned on the road,” he continues. “Sometimes, it’s being able to adapt to the situation at hand and being able to keep a unit together. I think the hardest thing for a lot of bands is just maintaining some sort of kinship and camaraderie, to the point where you still want to be doing it 30 years later with the same people. We’re really lucky. We’ve been through a lot of changes, but Gov’t Mule still enjoys being around each other and being on stage together and hanging offstage. That’s a rarity these days.”

Gov’t Mule is a band fond of jamming and having other musicians sit in at its shows. This mindset extends to recording as well, with Ruthie Foster, Ivan Neville, Billy Bob Thornton and Billy Gibbons all making contributions to the most recent Mule album, Peace…Like a River. Does the song come first, followed by the selection of a guest musician to play on it, or is the other way around, with the song being written for a certain artist?

“Usually, it’s the song that dictates [what happens]. In the case of “Shake Our Way Out,” when I wrote that song, it instantly started taking on some ZZ Top influence, and I thought it would be cool to involve Billy. He and I have been doing a lot of things together these last few years,” Haynes says.

“Peace I Need,” a song on Peace…Like a River, contains the line, “Can’t let your journey takе you away from who you are.” How well does Haynes think he has followed that advice over the past 30 years? “Being a bit introspective is never a bad thing,” he says, “and trying to achieve some self-awareness is always healthy. I feel that I’ve stayed pretty true to my initial path. We can’t know a thousand per cent, as human beings, whether we’ve achieved that or not. But I think I’ve done pretty well with it.”

Gov’t Mule will perform at 8 p.m. on Sunday, February 25, at the Bayou Music Center, 520 Texas. For more information, call 713-230-1666 or visit LiveNation.com. $53-$97.50.