A few weeks back we announced a series of posts that will feature the premiere of video from GSW’s reunion shows in 2010, lovingly shot and put together by our pal Mike Wren. Today, we’ll add a new wrinkle as God Street Wine guitarist Lo Faber will tell the story behind each song moving forward. Here’s Lo’s take on Weird Dream as well as the video of GSW performing the tune on July 9, 2010.
A God Street Wine oldie from 1989 I think, and one of the favorite tunes of the late Paul Ducharme, whose tragic death in 2009 brought the band together after nine years of inactivity. Playing it always makes me think of Paul, and it also one of my favorite songs to hear Jon Bevo play a B3 solo on.
[Photo by Mike Wren]
I know I wrote this while attending Manhattan School of Music, because I also arranged it for big band. It was one of two full-scale big band arrangements I wrote that semester, the other one being for Miles Davis “All Blues”. For the Miles arrangement I earned an A; for “Weird Dream” I got a B and the instructor’s comment was “not Weird enough.” He felt I played it safe with the arrangement which was probably true enough.
The jazz school influence can really be heard in the intro, which is reminiscent of the kind of chords found on early Pat Metheney albums especially the classic “Bright Size Life.” Playing that intro has always been a tricky spot for GSW and it has led to several train wrecks over the years, especially in the ninth and tenth measures. As far as our fans go the favorite part seems to be the high-energy jam which is just a straight out rocking jam in A.
Lyrically the tune is one of my many attempts to think my way into the head of some character, in this case a young aspiring gangster, in a summer, hazy urban landscape, with a threat of violence and a promise of sex, but all overlaid with a color-saturated, almost nostalgic lazy indifference and slightly intoxicated confusion.
Upcoming God Street Wine Shows:
August 9 – TRI Studios (Free Webcast)
August 10 & 11 – Sweetwater Music Hall, Mill Valley CA
August 16, 17 & 18 – Gramercy Theatre, NYC NY
Thanks to Lo for sharing the story behind the tune.
