Umphrey's McGee
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Umphrey's McGee is a progressive rock / jam band from Chicago, Illinois whose music is often referred to as "progressive improvisation." In July 2004, the band was declared by Rolling Stone Magazine to "have become odds-on favorites in the next-Phish sweepstakes."[1]
Though the band's approach to their live performances has much in common with Phish and the Grateful Dead (ever-changing setlists, constant improvisation, two sets per night, open-taping policy), they are much more influenced musically by progressive rock bands such as Yes, King Crimson, Dream Theater, and Genesis, as well as heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden. The band also "identifies The Beatles and Led Zeppelin as primary influences with a reverence the members describe as 'Biblical.'" [2] However, there really isn't a style of popular music that Umphrey's does not cover. Artists covered in concert by Umphrey's range from Lionel Richie to Metallica to Toto to Snoop Dogg.
History
Formed at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana in December 1997 by guitarist/vocalist Brendan Bayliss, bassist Ryan Stasik, keyboardist Joel Cummins, and drummer Mike Mirro, Umphrey's McGee combined members of Tashi Station and Stomper Bob, two popular Notre Dame rock bands. Early concerts consisted of both originals and cover songs, including Guns N' Roses's "Patience" and Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts theme "Linus and Lucy."
In mid-1998, after only 8 months together, the band released their debut album complete with a tongue-in-cheek title, Greatest Hits Vol. III. The group decided to record an album immediately because it was easier to get live gigs with an official CD. Long out of print, the album contains many of Umphrey's future concert warhorses, such as "Divisions" and "All in Time."
Shortly after the release of the album, the band added a fifth member, percussionist Andy Farag. Farag's father became the band's agent, and a second pressing of Greatest Hits Vol. III featured Farag in the album's inner sleeve and credits. By the end of the year, Umphrey's McGee, along with peers Ali Baba's Tahini, were one of the most popular bands in the South Bend/Notre Dame area. They began performing outside of the area at colleges and house parties, allowing listeners to tape and trade their music freely. By 1999, the band had gained notoriety outside of Indiana, especially with the release of the live album Songs for Older Women, which featured live tracks recorded over a two-night stand in November 1998.
The addition of Jake Cinninger in September 2000 helped bring the band's musical dynamic to a new level. Cinninger, an accomplished guitarist, brought a distinct heaviness to the Umphrey's sound, as well a large repertoire of original music, much of which comprised the bulk of the catalog from his previous band, Ali Baba's Tahini. The band also adopted several songs written by Ali Baba's Tahini frontman Karl Engelmann (who now fronts Asheville-based rock band Mother Vinegar). Shortly after Cinninger's arrival, the band released another live album, One Fat Sucka, which contained live performances recorded in the summer and fall of 2000.
| (1997-1998) | |
|---|---|
| (1998-2000) | |
| (2000-2002) | |
| (2003-present) |
Around 2001, the band began practicing intense improvisational exercises. One of their first productive jam sessions took place in a hotel in the "Jimmy Stewart Ballroom" during the wedding of fan/website designer Jeremy Welsh. Therefore, the band began to call their onstage improvisational excursions "Jimmy Stewart." This form of improvisation differs in approach from the methods utilized by many of their jam band peers and has been extensively outlined by "McL" in the ["Jimmy Stewart writeup"] on the fan message board known as "The Bort" at www.umphreaks.com.
Jake Cinninger and Joel Cummins released solo albums in 2001 and 2002, respectively.
2002 saw the release of the band's first proper recording, Local Band Does OK. That summer, the first annual Bonnaroo Festival took place in rural Manchester, TN, and featured over 30 bands performing in front of nearly 100,000 people. Umphrey's played to their largest audience to date. Surprisingly, the band sold more CDs than any other artist on a bill that included Widespread Panic, Trey Anastasio, and Norah Jones.
The band almost ended in late 2002 when drummer Mike Mirro announced he was leaving the band to attend medical school. After hundreds of tapes were reviewed by percussionist Andy Farag, the band settled on Kick the Cat drummer Kris Myers, who has a masters degree in jazz drumming from DePaul University.
Most of 2003 saw Umphrey's on the road. In 2004, the band released the critically acclaimed Anchor Drops, recorded in several different studios throughout the Chicago area. Shortly before the release of the album, the band scored a distribution deal for both Anchor Drops and Local Band Does OK, and for the first time, Umphrey's McGee music was available in stores all over the country. The album received rave reviews from several high-profile magazines. Once again, Umphrey's headed to Bonnaroo, but this time they were headlining a late night spot opposite Vida Blue (featuring members of Phish, The Meters, and Aquarium Rescue Unit). The band performed to over 20,000 people, many of whom had never heard the band before.
On April 4th, 2006, Umphrey's released their fourth studio effort, Safety In Numbers. They are touring to support the album and will be playing in the "Late Night Tent" with The Disco Biscuits at Bonnaroo in June. On May 18, 2006 the band appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live alongside Huey Lewis.
Discography
1. Greatest Hits Vol. III (1998) (Bayliss/Cummins/Stasik/Mirro)
2. Songs for Older Women (1999, recorded live in 1998) (Bayliss/Cummins/Stasik/Mirro/Farag)
3. One Fat Sucka (2000, recorded live) (Bayliss/Cinninger/Cummins/Stasik/Mirro/Farag)
4. Local Band Does OK (2002) (Bayliss/Cinninger/Cummins/Stasik/Mirro/Farag)
5. Local Band Does OKlahoma (2003, recorded live) (Bayliss/Cinninger/Cummins/Stasik/Myers/Farag)
6. Anchor Drops (2004) (Bayliss/Cinninger/Cummins/Stasik/Myers/Farag)
7. Safety In Numbers (2006) (Bayliss/Cinninger/Cummins/Stasik/Myers/Farag)
DVD releases
1. Live from the Lake Coast (2002)
2. Wrapped Around Chicago - New Year's Eve at the Riviera (2005)
External links
- [Umphrey's Mcgee Official Website]
- [Umphreaks fan site]
- [Phantasy Tour: Umphrey's McGee]
- [Umphrey's McGee at the Live Music Archive]
- ["The Jimmy Stewart Writeup"] by McL
References
- ↑ [Hot Phish: Umphrey's McGee] by David Fricke, Jul 28, 2004.
- ↑ [Official Band History]
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