Full Show Friday: Remembering Michael Houser
Today marks 10 years since we lost Widespread Panic guitarist and namesake Michael Houser after a battle with Pancreatic Cancer. Houser’s style was an acquired taste that people seemed to either love or hate. The term “generic” gets thrown around a lot when discussing music and that’s one word that was never thrown Houser’s way. He had a fluid style that was unlike anyone whoever played guitar before and likely ever will that was dependent on his inventive use of the volume pedal and the seemingly endless run of notes that came from his Telecaster Deluxe Plus.
My last experience watching Houser was amazing and I’m so thankful for it. On November 10, 2001 Widespread Panic’s Fall Tour pulled into the intimate Conventional Hall in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The venue looked like a high school gym and despite its small size was barely half full. I parked myself right in front of Mikey’s rig and looked on as the guitarist slayed a fantastic mix of covers and originals with his mates. The usually uncharismatic guitarist was feeling it on this night as he leaned into every riff with soul-stirring emotion written all over his face. When the sad news came down in early 2002 that Houser had contracted the fatal disease, it was hard to take. How had this guy who showed his soul to me just two months prior been given a death sentence? It still doesn’t seem fair.
Back in July we posted a B List containing 10 amazing clips that showcased Houser. Each of those videos featured just one song. For today’s launch of Full Show Friday, we’ve put together a playlist of 10 complete shows from Mikey’s time with panic for your viewing and listening pleasure…
[Above Embed Contains All 10 Videos]
- Elsewhere: Stream or Download Earliest Widespread Panic Recordings, In Remembrance of Michael Houser and Dave Schools Remembers Michael Houser
Here’s a listing of the shows and setlists included…
1. 06/07/90 Cotton Club, Atlanta, GA
Love Tractor, It Ain’t No Use — Heaven, Space Wrangler, Barstools and Dreamers, Genesis — Chilly Water
2. 04/01/91 Georgia Theatre, Athens, GA
1: Makes Sense To Me, Weight Of The World, Pigeons, Travelin’ Light, I’m Not Alone, Space Wrangler, Fishwater, Walkin’ (For Your Love), Love Tractor
2: Rock, C. Brown, Worry, Just Kissed My Baby > Drums > I Walk On Guilded Splinters > Mercy > Chilly Water
[First 'Makes Sense To Me', First 'Mercy'; T. Lavitz's first show; White Buffalo opened]
3. 03/13/92 Georgia Theatre, Athens, GA
1: Wondering, Makes Sense To Me, Hatfield, Mr. Soul, Stop-Go, Fishwater, The Take Out, Porch Song, Proving Ground
Pickin’ Up The Pieces, Contentment Blues, Jam, Drums, Jam, Mercy*, Just Kissed My Baby*, Weight Of The World*, Diner, Dream Song
E1: Benefactor, Flat Foot Flewzy
E2: Pigeons
* with Samantha Woods on vocals
[First 'Dream Song'; JoJo's first show; 'Benefactor' JB and Sunny; 'It's Too Funky In Here' rap, 'Rock Steady' rap, and 'Cissy Strut' jam during 'Just Kissed My Baby'; White Buffalo opened]
4. 12/31/93 Georgia Theatre, Athens, GA
1: Let’s Get The Show On The Road, Wondering, Ain’t Life Grand, Can’t Get High, Mercy > L.a. > Who Do You Belong To?, Heaven, Porch Song
2: Fishwater, Papa’s Home, Hatfield, Holden Oversoul, Jack, Travelin’ Light, Heroes, Better Off, Machine, Worry > Just Kissed My Baby, Junior, Proving Ground
E1: Jam*, Postcard > Stop-Go, Bowlegged Woman
E2: Can’t Find My Way Home
* with Roosevelt
[Unknown Professor Longhair tune jam by JoJo before 'Fishwater'; 'Think, It Ain't Illegal Yet' rap by Dave during 'Fishwater']
5. 11/30/94 National Guard Armory, Chattanooga, TN
1: Let’s Get Down To Business > Machine > Barstools and Dreamers > Wondering, Junior, Henry Parsons Died, Weight Of The World, Jack > Chilly Water
2: A of D, Heroes, Send Your Mind > And It Stoned Me > Stop-Go > Hatfield > C. Brown, Porch Song*, Diner, Bowlegged Woman
E: Can’t Get High, Blackout Blues
* with Simon Horrocks on percussion, Tally Fisher on percussion
6. 08/01/95 Ranch Bowl, Omaha, NE
2: Let’s Get Down To Business, Space Wrangler > Walkin’ (For Your Love), Diner > Driving Song, L.a., Driving Song > Pilgrims > Coconut > Makes Sense To Me
E: Tacos > Mr. Soul
[First 'Tacos']
7. 02/09/96 Ogden Theater, Denver, CO
1: Little Kin > Pleas > Stop-Go, Travelin’ Light, Smoke And Burn > Happy > Chunk Of Coal*, And It Stoned Me*, Vacation*, Blackout Blues*
2: A of D > Glory > Diner > Pilgrims > Solace, Help Me Somebody > Makes Sense To Me > Airplane* > Jam* > Sleeping Man*, Driving Song* > City of Dreams* > Driving Song* > Breathing Slow* > Love Tractor*
E: Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys*
* with David Blackmon on fiddle
[Sit & Ski Tour]
8. 06/21/98 Loreley Open Air Stage, Koblenz, GM
0: Travelin’ Light, Pigeons, Makes Sense To Me, Dyin’ Man, Porch Song, Hope In A Hopeless World, Ain’t Life Grand, Fishwater, Blackout Blues
[Rockplast Open Air Festival; Santana, Meredith Brooks, The Dave Matthews Band, and others also appeared]
9. 12/30/00 Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
1: One Arm Steve > Thought Sausage > Barstools and Dreamers, Wondering > Little Lilly > Driving Song > Arleen > Driving Song > Climb To Safety
2: Give > Pigeons, Space Wrangler > Greta > Stop Breakin’ Down Blues*, Flat Foot Flewzy* > Drums** > This Part Of Town*** > Fishwater**** > Chilly Water****
E: Blue Indian*****, Tall Boy
* with Tinsley Ellis on guitar
** with Charlie Pruet on percussion, Count Mbutu on percussion, Dr. Arvin Scott on drums, Roy Wooten on percussion
*** with Count Mbutu on percussion, Dr. Arvin Scott on percussion, John Keane on pedal steel
**** with Count Mbutu on percussion, Dr. Arvin Scott on percussion
***** with John Keane on pedal steel
['Satisfied' rap during 'Barstools and Dreamers']
10. 06/28/02 Red Rocks, Morrison, CO
1: Let’s Get Down To Business, Pleas > Barstools and Dreamers, Little Lilly, C. Brown, Tie Your Shoes > The Waker > Contentment Blues > Imitation Leather Shoes
2: Weight Of The World > Pusherman > Coconut, Doreatha*, Bayou Lena*, It Ain’t No Use** > Jam** > Drums*** > Rebirtha > Low Rider > Proving Ground
E: Casa Del Grillo > Mr. Soul
* with George McConnell on guitar/vocals, Randall Bramblett on saxophone
** with Randall Bramblett on saxophone
*** with Cecil Daniels on drums
['Boris the Spider' tease before 'Weight Of The World'; 'Dirty Laundry' tease by JoJo before 'Drums'; 'Sparks' and '5:15' teases by Dave after 'Drums'; Last 'Doreatha' - 05/13/95, 730 shows]
[All Setlist Thanks to EverydayCompanion.com]
Tune in tonight to a webcast at Couch-Tour.com of special tribute to Houser called We Miss You, Mikey originating from Athens’ Georgia Theatre featuring John Bell (of Widespread Panic), John Keane and Friends; Outformation; The Heap with Sunny Ortiz (of Widespread Panic) ; Romper Stompers; and Dangfly. The show will conclude with a tribute jam
Scott Bernstein
Scott Bernstein co-founded Hidden Track in October 2006 and was managing editor until taking over as EiC in January 2008. Scotty also writes for Relix Magazine and curates YEMblog.com.
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Thanks Scotty. Nice reading about your thoughts on Mikey.
My last time seeing Houser was at Bonnaroo in ’02. WSP played a 2 night headlining run back when they were capable of not only anchoring, but dominating the festival (including an appearance with Tennessee – via UK – resident Steve Winwood).
In my mind, Houser wasn’t in Widespread Panic. He was Widespread Panic. John Bell’s unique growl is interesting, no doubt, and Sonny’s percussion was the “pepper” to the WSP steak. But Mike’s deceptively simple tone was the signature that was the “Jerry” heartbeat of the band. For me, despite the talent that would rotate into the Mikey “stool”, the band would never be the same. So glad to see the scene honoring him. Makes sense to me.