Tuesday August 1, 4:03 pm Eastern Time
Press Release
Bob Weir and RatDog's Evening Moods: Well Worth the Wait
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NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Aug. 1, 2000--Bob Weir and RatDog's Evening Moods, out September 26,
2000, is his first non-Grateful Dead studio effort since the early 80's. Of course, he's been kinda busy. Fortunately, having a
band as good as RatDog rekindled his desire to write new music. In 1999, the band holed up at Weir's home studio, ``Ace's,''
and in a few weeks generated the tunes you have here. They emerged organically, evolving out of jams, so that each band
member was able to contribute. Early this year the band went to the Coast studio in San Francisco, and in a live, jazz-like
manner, recorded the tracks. It's real, and it's RatDog. Evening Moods will please their old fans and earn them new ones. RatDog is a superb band, and
each band member makes a solid contribution. Jay Lane (drums) and Rob Wasserman (bass) keep it swinging. Mark Karan's guitar work transformed
the band, and pianist Jeff Chimenti is simply a jewel.
The Songs...
``Bury Me Standing'' explores Robert Johnson territory at a crossroads, and it's definitely spooky enough.
``Lucky Enough'' is classic Barlow, wounded yet hopeful: ``No, there ain't no saints here/ And all that kind 'o stuff/ But you may find grace/ If you're
lucky enough.''
There are plenty of future favorites, but crowd reaction at recent shows makes it clear that ``Odessa,'' a rowdy, up-tempo celebration of a ``big-leg
woman,'' is in the early lead.
``Ashes and Glass,'' a philosophical take on the current world situation, echoes Weir's earlier ``Throwing Stones'' in the best of ways, adapting a
children's song to serious issues - ``If that big old moon go bust/ Ashes, ashes, dust to dust/ maybe time for one last rave/ Keep on dancin' on our own
graves.''
Sweet yet tempered, ``Welcome to the World,'' which we can assume is for Weir's young daughter, is ``a rose for the innocent/ Fully knowing roses
fail.''
``Two Djinn'' is an account of an encounter with prophet genies, love, and life in West Marin, and it rocks, with a chorus that will stick in your head
and make you dance -- ``night come sudden, dawn be soon/ Bide my time by the dark of the moon/ My strange heroes lead me on/ When I get there
they'll be gone...''
A rip-snorting version of a tune Weir did with the Dead, a more recent collaboration with Robert Hunter, ``Corrina,'' proves that RatDog can hold its
own with any other outfit.
``October Queen'' slinks and sleazes its bluesy way over a New Orleans stomp, as Weir describes an evening's entertainment with a Queen -- what sort,
you decide.
``The Deep End'' is an instrumental stretch out.
``Even So'' was written in the `dark midnight of the soul.' In it, there is a garden that's ``never seen the light of day.'' Dark garden indeed.
Musicians on this album include:
Bob Weir -- vocals, guitars
Rob Wasserman -- bass
Jay Lane -- vocals, drums
Jeff Chimenti -- vocals, keyboards
Mark Karan -- vocals, guitars
Eric Crystal -- saxophones
Matthew Kelly -- vocals, harmonica
Lyrics:
Each song, Bob Weir, and
1 "Bury Me Standing" Gerrit Graham
2 "Lucky Enough" John Barlow
3 "Odessa" Gerrit Graham and Russ Ellis
4 "Ashes & Glass" Andre Pessis
5 "Welcome to the World" John Barlow & Andre Pessis
6 "Two Djinn" Gerrit Graham
7 "Corrina" Robert Hunter
8 "October Queen" Andre Pessis
9 "The Deep End" Instrumental
10 "Even So" Gerrit Graham
Robert Hunter was the primary lyricist of the Grateful Dead for thirty years.
John Perry Barlow joined forces with Bob Weir in high school, and became his primary lyricist in 1971. Barlow was for many years the owner and
chief errand boy of the Bar Cross Ranch of Cora, Wyoming, and in the past decade has been an internet civil rights advocate, ``the Cicero of
Cyberspace.''
Gerrit Graham began working with Bob Weir on lyrics in the early 1980's. He has been a professional actor for thirty years, appearing in more than
fifty films, including ``Used Cars'' and ``One True Thing,'' and most recently was a regular on the CBS series ``Now and Again.''
Andre Pessis has written lyrics for Huey Lewis (``Walking on a Thin Line''), Bonnie Raitt, Journey, and Waylon Jennings. These are his first songs with
Weir.
Russ Ellis is the retired Vice-Chancellor of the University of California at Berkeley.
Contact:
Dennis McNally
415/648-4832
or
Arista Records
Stacy Carr, 212/830-2314 |
