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Widespread Panic records live in the studio
By John Benson
For a group whose identity is tied directly to its concert experience, it’s odd that Widespread Panic never recorded an album live on the floor in the studio.
That all changed with its 12th studio effort, “Street Dogs,” which was released last month.
“We were really looking hard for material that was different, that would really showcase the strength of the band,” said Widespread Panic bassist Dave Schools, calling from Sonoma County, Calif. “With the advent of digital music, there’s a real rabbit hole you can go down as so much as getting it right. Sometimes you get it so right you can’t play it live.
“We’ve just had a lot of experience in the studio, so eventually you get back to an appreciation of how do we get what we’re known for doing in concert? We just don’t want to go into the studio and make a super-polished sounding live record. It takes a while to come to terms with those aspects, and I think we really managed to capture it on this ‘Street Dogs’ record.”
Even though the album was recorded live, the material had been road-tested for years. Schools said Widespread Panic has been playing album covers such as Alan Price’s “Sell Sell,” Willie Dixon’s “Taildragger” and Murray McLauchlan’s “Honky Red” for years.
Speaking of the latter track, Schools said when he first heard the tune it seemed perfect for the band’s singer-guitarist John “JB” Bell, a former Northeast Ohio resident and 1980 University School graduate.
Via email, Bell said he can’t wait to return home for Widespread Panic’s show on Tuesday at Akron Civic Theatre. Apparently you can take the boy out of Northeast Ohio but not vice versa considering Bell and his bandmates often cover Michael Stanley’s “Let’s Get the Show On the Road.”
“Mr. Stanley was a big factor in my musical upbringing,” Bell said. “I probably saw the Michael Stanley Band for the first time in 1975 playing a private party. And then not long after they set the Blossom Music Center attendance record, which still stands.”
Regarding playing the Stanley cover in concert, Schools added that the track “is just such a beautiful piece of music. It really gives us pause to think. It could be about heartbreak, life on the road or the arc of someone’s career: an ascension and a fall down.
“We use it sometimes as a low-key show opener and sometimes it’s a kiss goodnight as an encore. Everybody loves the song. There’s something amazing about the simplicity of a great melody, great set of chords and lyrics that resonate with people.”
Invariably, that description fits not only the Stanley song but also Widespread Panic’s catalog, which includes a 30-year run during with a dozen studio efforts and 43 live albums that have sold more than 3 million copies. When pressed to talk about the group’s legacy, Schools instead digresses into the power of being a musician.
“We want to be heard and want to have some impact,” Schools said. “We’re not looking to change the world. We’re not looking to heal all of the world’s problems or tell anyone how to live their life, but if the music has positive impact on someone, that’s great.
“And if that someone happens to be a musician that takes that impact and then renders it into what they’re doing, then I personally feel like I’ve accomplished more than most people do in their whole life.”