Formed as an Allman Brothers side project, Gov't Mule are one of the great jam bands, but these are their 10 greatest studio tracks. Formed by Allman Brothers Band guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody in 1994 as an offshoot of their man band, Gov’t Mule – or just Mule to their fans – quickly took on a life of their own. Establishing themselves as part of the jam band scene that included the Grateful Dead, Phish and Dave Matthews Band, Gov’t Mule took pains to ensure no two gigs are the same – an ethos that remains today.

From the outside looking in, theirs is a complex world, full of special guests and punctuated by albums of other people’s material, but should you wish to take a day trip with a view to making a larger commitment, these are the 10 essential songs Mule you need to hear.

10. Funny Little Tragedy (2013)

When Warren Haynes wrote this infectious pop song it reminded him of Elvis Costello & The Attractions, so he asked Costello to guest on it. “Elvis more conscious of our world than I had expected, he’s a huge fan of the Grateful Dead,” Haynes said. Two versions of this song appear on Mule’s 2013 album, Shout! – the first starring Costello, its companion sung by Warren. 9. Beautifully Broken (2001)

Haynes is revered as a guitar player, and quite rightly so, though the flipside of is that his voice tends to be overlooked. This lovely mid-paced number is built around a forceful yet emotive delivery, which often lends itself to the band veering off into When Doves Cry by Prince when played live.

8. Rocking Horse (1995)

Later recorded by The Allman Brothers Band when Haynes re-joined the group for the album Hittin’ The Note, this is one of Gov’t Mule’s oldest and best loved tunes, dating back to their self-titled debut. The pumping contribution of Allen Woody, the co-founding bassist who died five years later, is among the many selling points of a belting little blues-rock tune. 7. Bad Little Doggie (2000)

The spirit of ZZ Top drips from this tough, propulsive boogie number from the band’s third album, Life Before Insanity. Onstage it really comes to life, and it’s become a firm crowd favorite.

6. Captured (2013)

Another song that showcases Haynes’ ability as a lead singer. He submerges himself in the dark claustrophobia of its lyrics – ‘Now I got that sinking feeling/Though I try to brace myself/I can feel me start to surrender, sweet surrender’. An alternate version exists that features Jim James of My Morning Jacket on vocals. It isn’t a patch on the way Warren sings it.

5. Blind Man In The Dark (1998)

After Haynes and bassist Woody opted against returning to The Allman Brothers Band, making the Mule their main focus, the group noticeably upped their game on a second album, Dose. Blind Man In The Dark is its hugely popular opening track, built upon a decent sized hook but with enough gaps for the band to really kick out the jams onstage.

4. Mule (1995)

Another of the band’s earliest tunes, Mule stands as a good example of their modus operandi. On the debut album the song was a little over five minutes long but onstage, fueled by Haynes’ wonderful fluid slide playing and the group’s quick-change interaction, Mule can stretch out to more than twice as long, but doing so without sounding forced or premeditated.

3. Broke Down On The Brazos (2009)

The unmistakable sound of ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons dominates this excellent hard rocking funk workout from the album By A Thread. It’s spicy stuff, and no mistake. Haynes and Gibbons exchange solos at length during its closing stages. Indeed, it’s frustrating when the song finally fades out after more than six sizzling minutes.

2. Soulshine (1994)

Strictly speaking, given that this Haynes-penned track first appeared on the Allman Brothers Band’s 1994 album Where It All Begins, Soulshine is an Allmans song. But it’s also a live favorite at shows by the Mule, and rightly so – an uplifting, summery track fashioned around Haynes’ plaintive sing-song guitar melody.

1. Thorazine Shuffle (1998)

Despite the plaudits showered on Haynes, Gov’t Mule is most definitely a band. A staple of their repertoire since Dose, Thorazine Shuffle allows the entire line-up to excel, drummer Matt Abts revealing deft percussive versatility in tandem with a funky walking bass line and some delicious electric piano work. You can almost feel the rippling of the song’s power, though the control of the players is pretty staggering.

CREDITS: By Dave Ling (Classic Rock)

The Black Crowes have released Brothers Of A Feather, a new documentary film that celebrates the Robinson brothers' 2020 reunion.

The film dropped on the Coda Collection, Amazon Primes streaming video channel. The documentary was named after last years Black Crowes acoustic trek, which saw brothers Chris and Rich Robinson reuniting for a series of intimate club dates.

Brothers of a Feather documents the duos March 6, 2020, gig at the Chapel in San Francisco. The film features performances of hits like Jealous Again, Thorn in My Pride, and Remedy.

Along with the new concert film, the Coda Collection is also streaming three other Black Crowes films-- Live at Landgraaf 1990, Live at Landgraaf 1993 and the Amsterdam Sessions.

By RTTNews Staff Writer

Electric guitar legend George Lynch has been a busy man as of late. From recent gear collaborations with Two Notes Audio Engineering and Legendary Tones to off-the-cuff live Eddie Van Halen tributes, Lynch has certainly been making the most of his 2021 so far.

Now, there's been another, even more exciting development in Lynch's world: the announcement of his first-ever all-instrumental solo album, Seamless.

Set for an August 20 release via Rat Pak Records, the album features Jimmy D’Anda on drums and Eric Loiselle on bass and was produced by Lynch himself.

By Jackson Maxwell – Guitar World

Nine-minute film The Day The Music Came Back documents Foo Fighters return to Madison Square Garden in June

“For the last year I’ve had this recurring dream that I would walk onstage, and we would look at each other for the first time, and it would take a couple of minutes, and we’d just look at each other, like, ‘Thank God we got here tonight’.”

So says Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl in the opening minute of The Day The Music Came Back, a short documentary film detailing the LA sextet’s June 20, 2021, show at New York’s storied Madison Square Garden.

A synopsis for the nine-minute feature reads: “On June 20, 2021, after 466 days without live music, Foo Fighters reopened Madison Square Garden to a sold-out crowd, marking the first full capacity concert in a New York arena since the start of the pandemic. The Day The Music Came Back highlights the cathartic and highly anticipated experience that our city, whose heart beats to the sound of live music, had long been waiting for.”

The film features interviews with some of the unsung heroes who helped make the show happen, from bar staff to merch stall vendors. The band dedicated the gig to the memory of their long-time stage manager, Andy Pollard, who passed away two days before the show.

By Louder