- Ray LaMontagne's record Trouble is by far the best record we've heard this year. The songs are amazing and he has one of those truly gifted and identifiable voices that only comes along once in a while. There's also a connection and respect shared between the two of us (Ray and Blue Merle) that's based upon a sincere interest in writing, making and recording truly honest music that can stand on its own.
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| Favorite Live Performance of 2004 |
- Before a sound check this summer in Atlanta, some of us got to see The Ahmad Jamal Trio playing at the Atlanta Jazz Festival in Piedmont Park. He closed his set with a song called Poinciana which is the tightest track off of his Cross Country Tour 1958-1961 Live double disc album. Also, the My Morning Jacket set at Bonnaroo played as the great thunder storm of 2004 rolled in was off the handle. Those guys have the best live show out there right now.
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| Favorite On-Stage Moment/Show of 2004 |
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Playing Farm Aid this September in Seattle, Washington surrounded by such incredible musicians, farmers, activists and friends.
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| Classic Album or Artist You Rediscovered This Year |
- I think the whole band listened to a lot of Motown, soul and roots music this year, recorded when artists, writers and rhythm sections were turning out incredible tracks one after another.
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| Artist You Are Most Excited About in 2005 |
- We're just really excited about the number of young bands that are going to continue to lay it out a mile wide in 2005, all of who will end up touring the whole year through. We are stoked to be a part of that family that's working hard and giving it all to make humble, high energy, real music. My Morning Jacket, Ray LaMontagne, Old Crow Medicine Show are just a few.
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| Best New Gadget You Can't Live Without |
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We don't really have a lot of gadgets, but I am addicted to road cases, so now that we've got a trailer full of them, I'm cool. And maybe it'd be good to get another laptop going in the van so that we could edit all the film we say we're going to shoot on tour and keep the new lyrics a bit more organized...
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| New Hobby Discovered This Year |
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Well our producer Stephen Harris got a second computer screen brought into the A-Room where we made most of our record so that we could use the main terminal screen to play playstation Soccer while the rest of us overdubbed vocals and such. We also played way to much Texas Hold Em out at the DMB band house where we were staying every Sunday night. Yoga and trail running are awesome too.
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| Guilty Pleasure of the Year |
- I think we read way too much and ate way too much Sushi this year, which isn't such a bad thing on it's own, but becomes one once you start feeding that addiction in super middle of nowhere places, where raw fish has no business being there one bit what so ever.
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| The Retro Comeback You're Hoping for in 2005? |
- I hope that everybody will start listening to the source music that all popular modern music is based upon, so people will recognize more of the subtleties in new bands which I think would heighten their respect and open mindedness about new music being made. I also think that everyone should read a brief history of Louis and Clark which will get them hooked on canoeing. Then they'll have to check out my dad's hand built canvas canoes and Adirondack guide boats, which would make it possible for him to come be our guitar tech on the road and build instruments for us full time.
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| Selection for Person of the Year |
- Our manager's new baby, Maude Tetzeli. Kids that are born into grounded, nurturing and loving families will become the individuals that will turn this whole thing around someday.
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| A Memorable Moment From the Road in 2004 |
- We we're starting off a crazy ass long drive through the Midwest when something not to cool happened inside the van, someone then rolled down the front windows and all the Mapquest directions got blown out. It then took us another 2 hours to realize we were driving in the wrong direction before we had to turn around. Tour....
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