God Street Wine will celebrate the 25th anniversary of their first show (Dec 13th, 1988 at Nightingale Bar at Second Ave and E. 13th Street in Manhattan) with a pair of performances at New York’s Gramercy Theatre on December 20th and 21st. In conjunction with the anniversary shows, the band will release their first new recordings since 2000 on the planned box set All The Way To Here, which includes six audio CDs (featuring plenty of previously unreleased material) and a DVD with a documentary film about the band along with live performance footage.
Here is whats in the set, straight from the band’s website:
DISC 1: BAG Our first indie CD, originally released in 1992, remixed in 2012 by original recording engineer Joe Rogers. Includes “Borderline,” “Hellfire,” “Waiting For the Tide,” and 9 other fan faves.”“
DISC 2: WHO’S DRIVING: LIVE FROM EAST WEST AND IN-BETWEEN The live album we recorded in 1993 in exchange for a new van. Contains the best of our earliest, wildest, most roadworthy material including “Driving West,” “Imogene” and “Feel The Pressure.” Remastered for this release.”“
DISCS 3 & 4: $1.99 ROMANCES: RECORDED LIVE AT TRI STUDIOS AUGUST 2012. When we were invited to do a live broadcast from Bob Weir’s Tamalpais Research Institute in the summer of 2012 we knew we had to do something special, so we re-created our fans’ favorite GSW album. $1.99 was originally recorded for Geffen in 1994, and included “Molly,” “Thirsty,” “Ballroom,” “Into The Sea,” and 11 other tracks. This double-disc performance also includes bonus tracks with Bob Weir and Shana Morrison.”
DISCS 5 & 6: GOTS TO REWIND This double-CD compilation features a full 29 never before released studio tracks, from the band’s first demo, recorded in October 1988, to demos recorded in preparation for a 1998 album that was never released. Some of these cuts will be familiar to Winos, like “Epiphany,” “Electrocute,” and “Straight Line,” while others like “Don’t Say Goodbye” and “Where The Days Go” have never been heard before live or otherwise.”“DISC 7: All The Way To HERE DVD – A 90-minute documentary directed by longtime Wino and TV Producer Lynn Kestenbaum. The DVD also includes a juicy selection of live HD video performances.
In celebration of this upcoming anniversary, we will be giving away to one lucky winner two tickets to each show on December 20th and 21st — and to another lucky winner a signed copy of the box set All The Way To Here. To win, simply tell us what three God Street Wine songs are truly most musically challenging and captivating — ones that can go head-to-head with the best from other improv-influenced rock bands. We will pick the winners Friday a.m.
18 Responses
Definitely “Waiting for the Tide” “Imogene” and “Stupid Hat”
Those still sound good today as they did in the 90s…
Mantaloking Town, Epiphany, and Waiting For The Tide. Three of the best jamband (or any really) songs ever written!
Crazy Head, Wendy, Electrocute and Imogene represent GSW at its best.
Epiphany, Mantaloking Town and Waiting for the Tide. All fantastic pieces of music!
Stupid Hat, Waiting for the Tide, and Wendy
Light My Candles, Home Again, & Thirsty for me, 3 very different tunes (hard to choose just 3!) but each shows how eclectic this band really is and in true form these songs stand the test of time if they came out today they would still grab your ear
For me it was always Imogene. I love the way the tune feels like a riff on Steely Dan’s “Black Cow”. Complex yet simple at the same time. I know it’s not their biggest of most danceable tune, but I always enjoy that one!
Sorry I only got through one song and forgot to post the other two. Epiphany was #2 for me because I think it does such a great job of building over the course of the entire tune and then just exploding at the end. Love those sort of constant build tunes. And #3 is “Get on the Train”. Mostly just because ever since it came out and I see a train rolling by or someone tells me they have to catch a train, I start singing it! 😉
WOOHOO!
http://youtu.be/kHPQg8Mpbj4
1. Weird Dream: yes, the “jam” section AMaj, GMaj, and DMaj is simplictic, the opening chords and the pre-chorus are of the greatest display of their thoughtful inversions. One of the most captivating and often seen displays of musicianship their songs impose. And, it ends on the last chord progression of the chorus. An eerie yet intriguing sonic wave that leaves one’s senses to hear what else they are ready to offer. By far my favorite GSW song. 2. Into the Sea: from the first notes of this song you are drawn in instead of pushed away. The most unique sounding of all GSW songs. Breaking away and venturing to what sounds to be a natural transition into a different genre becomes seamless as their formula remains intact. While the first first 4 chords of the song are also simplistic the nature of the the song creates a life of it’s own. The guitars are some of the cleanest well executed I’ve heard from them. From the soaring harmonies overlayed on top of a gorgeous organ sound the band begins a to what appears to be a (long story) is summed up quickly and gets right to the point. This coupled with the triumphant double guitar lines at the end ties this beautiful dynamic together. Again, the last chord of this song evoke emotion. Anyone who’s seen this live or listened to Good to the Last Drop would concur. 3. Mantoloking Town: I will save all the “musical conversation, chord changes, etc” out of this and simplify it in my opinion. The song starts on what the untrained ear would call a “weird melody”, it’s anothe undo able beauty. There are two things that are a strong force and apparent in GSW’s music: 1. The are always on point. 2. This happens effortlessly. I digress. The song structure is in many odd timings and really starts to become it’s own vehicle all the while this band is very orchestrated when it comes to writing. Note for note hands down the most challenging arrangements I’ve heard them do.
Going head to “head to head with other improv-influenced bands”. This unit is an ultimate force to be reckoned with. If there is another band after 25 years that still outshines themselves is certainly like to see it.
Oh yes, an additional song 4: Stupid Hat. An excersize of scales turned catchy and unique instrumental. Enough said. 🙂
Into The Sea, Drive West, and Hello Stranger. Would be on the soundtrack to my life! Thanks guys, for all of your music! Glad to have you back.
1. Princess Henrietta
2. Waiting for the tide
3. Mantallikin Town
Why? These songs will always force my body to move no matter the time or place. They all build and build into epic crescendos that never dissapoint. When these songs are played my knees bounce a little higher and my body never tires. These songs will not only bring back amazing memories from years past but also bring me excitement and anticipation of when I will see them performed next!
Maybe not my three favorite, but if I had to pick three GSW songs to ‘represent’ them against other jambands, I’d pick:
Goodnight Gretchen as it rocks hard every time. That bass followed by guitar intro is just plain badass.
Stupid Hat is instrumentally one of their most complex compositions, and sounds like it would be right at home alongside most of Phish’s more complex pieces.
Finally, as much as I want to list Weird Dream or Montaockling for their insturmental sections and jams, Wendy, Molly, or RU4Real for the ‘classic GSW sound’ or Borderline Waiting for the Tide or Epiphany for their beauty, or Get On The Train as their bluegrass-influenced rockers, I’d be remiss to not include their most epic-sounding composition, the song that blows listeners away every time… Into The Sea. It’s just a perfect song.
“I remember the sun’s clear light…”
I apologize for any iPhone typos including my own e-mail.
Mantaloking Town: Epic song incorporating different sounds with interesting transitions. The care-free body of the song contrasts with the imposing intro. Often performed with a solo featuring accompanying scat by Aaron, which is something lots of other jam bands do (think O’Teil Burbridge, old school Slip track, “You Might Say.)
Waiting For The Tide: The song all GSW fans use to introduce their favorite band to their friends. Not just because it’s the most appeasing to people who listen to different kinds of music but because it is a beautiful, amazing track with a built in chorus chant, a jammy staple (Weekapaug Groove)
Snake Eyes: I’ve long thought this is GSW’s least appreciated song. It’s a screaming, rip the skin off your face rock tune straight from the dual guitar licks of the head right through to the end…when we revisit those sick licks!
I am going to go more with captivating/fun in a live setting…
I would have to say:
1. Feel The Pressure – I just love that bassline at the beginning of the song!
2. Borderline – It was the first GSW tune I heard (since it was the first song on Bag) and it got me immediately hooked, still one of the most fun songs to hear live by any band!
3. Wendy – Simply for the line “We’re going down to see GSW, don’t expect me home ’till late”.
I’ll also go with:
Stupid Hat-just super complicated but awesome. Love hearing the band hit each note so tightly!
Into The Sea-Lots of great parts, complicated vocal harmonies, and the best crescendo.
I’ll Still Like You>Water-since I got into GSW kind of late, this was always one of my favorites. I’ll Still Like You has the hook of a great pop song, and Water is just an amazing vehicle for jamming. Love the sit in at the “final” show from 1999 when Oteil Burbridge sat in, but my favorite version is from earlier in 1999 or 1998 when Lo started changing the words from “Whaddaya say Bob Dole, let’s go into the swimming hole” to “Whaddaya say Bob Pants, let’s go into the Monkey Pants”, then calling out “I am Monkey Pants!” as the rest of the band sung. It was almost a Coltrane-esque deconstruction of the song as the band played off each other vocally and instrumentally, until somehow they finally figured out how to end it!
Did I win?