I don't care for Danny Louis....

Posted in Gov't Mule Band Info over 3 years ago, 24 replies

I think I'm done with the Mule. I've been an avid fan since the early days 1994-1995. I saw them at Sloss Furnace in Birmingham last week and I'm done. I saw them at Bonnarroo too. While I will agree that the new bass player is a WAY better fit than Andy Hess but Danny Louis brings it all down. I miss the old Mule and while I know it'll never be the same since Woody is gone, IMHO, Louis gets on my last nerve. I'd love to hear Thorazine Shuffle without all the BS on the organ/clavinette or whatever the hell else he's playing. I know he'll probably never leave the band because he's writing songs now and apparently he and Warren click but I can't take it anymore. I miss the aggresive, kick you in the ass Mule of the old days. At least I can say I saw them more times that I can count before Woody left this world. Sorry , just had to rant.
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Jorgen is a good fit. Louis is talented and brings alot to the band (more versatile), but I'll agree on some old Mule staples (Thorazine, Blind Man, Mule, etc.) keyboards don't belong.
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I like hearing the old tunes with danny layin down his mark but, would not mind if they did the old tunes as a trio sometimes. i feel a lot of old school fans would not only love it but appreciate it!!
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I always liked Danny, but I see the point on the POWER of the 3 piece. Louis is obviously VERY talented. It all started with Chuck after woody died.

The 8/31/09 show was NOT very keyboard orientated. It kind of seemed like they were phasing out the keys on the older material. I think Danny played guitar on at least 3 tunes and you could not really hear much keys on other tunes. He can bring the cover tunes to new highs.
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2 points Danny has played with Warren since the Wetlands days and 2- Danny creates an amazing amount of texture into both old and new material as a person who has seen Warren sice DAC days to now I for 1 say hats off to Danny Peace out!
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Nathan, no offense but you are wrong re: Danny. Longing for what was and ignoring what will be is the reason I left the south 11 years ago. The Mule, the music, and Warren and Matt's commitment and work ethic in the face of personal and business adversity make your point moot. Danny doesn't bring it down he provides space for Warren to rip. If ya don't like it don't go. Negativity ain't gonna help anybody. The Mule rocks without keys, but with 'em the boys roll. Just saw them on 9-13 Danny, Jorgen, Matt, and Warren are on top of the game.
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Opinions are like a-holes. Everyone has one and that's fine. Your stereotype of the south is not necessary. It has nothing to do with my comment. I actually take offense to it but I'm not a PC nancyboy so I'll get over it.
Danny Louis is talented but doesn't fit IMO. For those of us who actually saw and loved the Mule before 8/26/00, you know what I'm talking about. You know, when you could feel that thundering bass deep in your chest! It'd take your breath away, literally. Todays Gov't Mule is like "Mule Lite".
It just sounds flat and watered down. I prefer the "Mule Heavy" version.
And while I'm at it. Why wouldn't Warren and the Mule and Woody's wife not release more old Mule content? I read somewhere that Warren said just about every show was recorded and they have tons of video also. I'd purchase such things in a heartbeat, especially video. I want a concert video with Woody.
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Man, that thundering bass that you feel in your chest cavity, burning your insides. You know where I felt it too? Rumbling like thunder under your feet. You could feel the floor just absolutely roll under you.
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I have to chime in, I like the old stuff but I didn't get started with Mule until after Woody had passed. I love playing with a great kbd player, and the "Deepest End" live concert has some of the best Danny on it, I just love it. But, I also love the first Gov't mule album, those 2 are my top two albums I listen to. So I guess this is kind of an ambiguous reply, but I love Danny in the mule.
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i have heard the arguments regarding danny and the sound of the mule and felt the need to comment. my first mule show was 6/8/95 and i have followed them as avidly as possible considering my location and socioeconomic status. the mule with warren, allen, and matt was great! it was heavy! and it hit you hard! but unfortunately allen woody passed away and the band went into a frenzy trying to keep it all together. with the substitution of bass players and the addition of keyboards as a staple is the evolution of the music. the original mule sound was great, but cannot and will not be recreated. they are what they are and what they have chosen to be. that sadi, if the music doesn't make you fell like you want to feel, don't listen to it.
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Right on my friend...reading all this...I appreciate opinions, and they are key to quality...but the Mule hasn't compromised quality - HA - they have just evolved. I saw them every chance I could back in the '90s...Saw Woody all the time LOVED HIM...but he is NOT here anymore. Sadly. Do you expect the same music now? Did you expect the same music from ABB after Duane died? I could go on...? ...but to think a band would be the same after they lose a key player...??? It takes away fron the person you are missing.
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I'm definitely digging Jorgen over Andy on bass. Andy plays fine, but Jorgen is a better fit. I could do without Danny, though. The times when the keys are unneeded or even annoying far outnumber the times when they add to the music. I found the Mule after Allen passed, so I'm a late-comer, but I'll always give them a listen no matter who's in the band. Unless they add an accordian, that is. I'll have to bail if they bring one of those in. Or bagpipes...
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I have to say the Melody Tent show in Hyannis 7/18/08 was out of this world. They tore it up more than I've ever seen them. Danny was unbelievable and only showed his real stuff during the overlapping jams like mule-workin so hard. I saw one of the first Jorgen shows at the Orpheum Halloween show which was unreal. I'm a huge Danny Louis fan and saw him play with Stockholm Syndrome a lot last year too. However, on the 7/31/09 show they bled out keys and had guitar and bass cranked. No problem, but Jorgen seemed to be holding back as was Danny until the last few songs. Warren and Matt will always have the edge of the Mule because they are the originators. You can't go back and compare to old Mule, that's what makes old Mule so great. It's definitely an evolution, but the chemistry between Warren and Danny is amazing, they can play hard off each other. I was upset with the 7/31/09 show, it's Mule 3.0 now and they have great potential, I just want to see some consistency among the players, chemistry, and not-so-ackward setlists. I was used to Andy on bass, he was more laidback most of the time which was OK but left Danny and Warren in the front (once again-something new to get used to), and even though Jorgen's been here for a bit, they still need to find their places amongst themselves musically.
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I saw them in Houston last month. And to me, band was very hard driving, kick you in the gut powerful! All bands evolve, especially when losing a key member. I like the way they sounded yrs ago, and I also like the way they sound now.
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Hey Nathan, Sorry you feel that way about Danny. I think he is so talented. I have seen him play keyboard, trumpet, guitar. I love what he adds to the group. The truth is, this is Govt Mule of today. I hear what you're saying. There's no going back. Hey, I'd LOVE to see Alan Woody again, and Duane and Hendrix too, but it ain't gonna happen.
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I was thinking the same thing. There seems to be too many sounds, like concerts used to sound in the old old days in basketball arenas, when the keyboards are going. It seemed to be a "cleaner" sound without the keyboards. Still love em though. Maybe cut out the boards for T'zine, Mule, Blind Man, and other stuff as someone else mentioned.
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Gotta love the mule
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Danny Louis is just fine for the new Mule to move on.

The older songs, maybe he can play some backup guitar, but the new music is great with keyboards. Warren is not an ego maniac as he learned from the Allman Brothers. They have a 3 man percussion section, keyboards, 2 lead guitars, and sometimes more. Sorry that Allen Woody passed, but they moved on. Duane Allman passed once also, and the Allman Brothers had to move on.

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble didn't need Reese Wynans either, they wanted him to add to their sound and make new songs, not just the old stuff. Stevie Ray wanted Reese in the band, that is the only way Reese would do it.
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I loved Woody, but I think Danny brings a lot to the band and wouldn't want it any other way now! He is a great keyboard player and Deja Voodoo was a great album. My Separate Reality wouldn't be the great song that it is without Danny on those keys. I sure wish they would play that song more often at shows.
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Things change, people change. The universe is in a constant state of flux. I first saw Govt Mule in december 1995 @ the state theater New Brunswick NJ. I was blown away by the raw power and drive of these 3 guys. I've seen them close 2 100 times now. So i've seen every combination of bass players and with without Danny. I remember when Danny was a guest @ the Roseland september 1999 show. They did Low spark, and Creep. I was impressed. It added more depth to the mix. Nothing could truly compare to the sound of Woody on bass. So that was then and this is now. Last years new years eve show was the most amazing show I have ever seen. I've seen a lot of great bands over the years but none that pour it out like GMule. Sorry 2 hear of ur toils Nathan. Peace and happy Holidaze
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I'm a relative newcomer to Mule, but as a musician myself I really have an appreciation for what can be applied texturally to tracks by guys like Danny and Kofi Burbridge, who know how to use old-school keys like the B3, Clavinet, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, etc. But then I've always been a sucker for a B3.

I listen to the old stuff and I hear holes. Danny is a great player and I love hearing him support Warren, and add some tasty licks when he gets to go head-to-head with Warren.
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SUBJ1
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SUBJ1
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IF THEY DONT TOUR THE FUCKING MIDWEST IM DONE TOO. GO AHEAD AND TOUR EUROPE AGAIN.... FUCK.
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I had My Doubts about Danny. However Mtn. Jam this year he laid all of them to rest. Killed the whole weekend adding such a spice of funk.... it was a hard rocking funkathon... really throwing some different stuff in their that the band as of right now was really running with while staying true to the ass kicking mule of yore

Ps. Its only music people
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