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ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 15, 2017
By Steve Newton
The Tedeschi Trucks Band played Vancouver last summer, in the midst of the U.S. presidential campaign, and in advance of the show I interviewed singer Susan Tedeschi. Knowing that she and hubby-guitarist Derek Trucks were big fans of Barack Obama—and had actually performed for him at the White House—I asked her what they would do if Obama’s nemesis, Donald Trump, won the election. Would they move up to Canada or something?
“He’s not gonna get in,” she declared. “He better not.” Then she added that if Trump did become president they would have to impeach him “for being a jerk”.
Well, the jerk’s still in office, although some of America’s finest musicians are stepping up to take him down a notch. When blues-rock jam band Gov’t Mule released its latest album, Revolution Come…Revolution Go, last June, its pro-democratic message was pretty clear. In one of the disc’s most powerful tracks, “Pressure Under Fire”, singer-guitarist and main songwriter Warren Haynes–who brings the Mule to Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre this Sunday–comments on the sad social situation in the States with lines like “We keep on moving in the wrong direction/we keep on heading down the same old track.” And on “Drawn That Way” his indictment of Trump gets even more severe: “Cartoon savior, how do you spell prey?/You can’t stop yourself from lying, you’re just drawn that way.”
When Haynes calls from his home outside of New York City, I ask him if—considering how fractured his country is these days—Gov’t Mule has gotten much flack for its political stance.
“Well, we’ve dabbled into political commentary from the very beginning,” he points out. “A big difference is now people are paying attention. And maybe with the title being Revolution Come…Revolution Go, people are paying attention even more. But I think it’s just a timing situation; it’s in everybody’s face right now. In the States we’re going through a period where our country’s more divided than it’s been in my adult lifetime.
“And it’s regretful,” adds Haynes, “because a lot of things are rising to the surface that we felt we had buried. But I’m hoping that a lot of good will come from all of this, because it’s gonna force people to deal with situations, and to work together, because that’s the only choice we have.”
It’s not just via new tunes that Haynes delivers sociopolitical notions on Revolution Come…Revolution Go. He included a version of Blind Willie Johnson’s “Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground”—which he describes as “one of the most haunting recordings ever”—and added his own words to the mostly instrumental 1927 blues classic.
“Rue the day that we can’t live together,” sings Haynes at one point, “cut so deep and we keep bleeding forever.”
“We had been talking about taking an old existing Delta blues song and reworking it,” he says. “And when I started listening to ‘Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground’ with that in mind, we thought, ‘Yeah, we could come up with a cool arrangement.’ I didn’t know at the time that I was gonna wind up writing lyrics for it, but as we started digging into it more and more I wound up writing some that are both appropriate for the song and for the times, I think.”
To hear the full audio of my interviews with Warren Haynes from 1994 and 1998 subscribe to my Patreon page, where you can eavesdrop on over 200 of my uncut, one-on-one conversations with:
Dave Martone, 2020
Ian Gillan of Deep Purple, 2006
Joss Stone, 2012
Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest, 2005
Jack Blades of Night Ranger, 1984
Vivian Campbell of Def Leppard, 1992
Colin James, 1995
Kim Simmonds of Savoy Brown, 1998
Tom Cochrane of Red Rider, 1983
Ed Roland of Collective Soul, 1995
Taj Mahal, 2001
Tom Wilson of Junkhouse, 1995
Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, 2003
David Lindley, 2002
Marty Friedman of Megadeth, 1991
John Hiatt, 2010
Nancy Wilson of Heart, 2006
Jeff Golub, 1989
Moe Berg of the Pursuit of Happiness, 1990
Todd Rundgren, 2006
Chad Kroeger of Nickelback, 2001
Steve Earle, 1987
Gabby Gaborno of the Cadillac Tramps, 1991
Terry Bozzio, 2003
Roger Glover, 1985
Matthew Sweet, 1995
Jim McCarty of the Yardbirds, 2003
Luther Dickinson of North Mississippi Allstars, 2001
John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls, 1995
Steve Hackett from Genesis, 1993
Grace Potter, 2008
Buddy Guy, 1993
Steve Lynch of Autograph, 1985
Don Wilson of the Ventures, 1997
Gordie Johnson of Big Sugar, 1998
Trevor Rabin of Yes, 1984
Albert Lee, 1986
Yngwie Malmsteen, 1985
Robert Cray, 1996
Tony Carey, 1984
Ian Hunter, 1988
Kate Bush, 1985
David Gilmour from Pink Floyd, 1984
Jeff Healey, 1988
Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip, 1996
Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi, 1993
Colin Linden, 1993
Kenny Wayne Shepherd, 1995
Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues, 1986
Elliot Easton from the Cars, 1996
Wayne Kramer from the MC5, 2004
Bob Rock, 1992
Nick Gilder, 1985
Klaus Meine of Scorpions, 1988
Jason Bonham, 1989
Tom Johnston of the Doobie Brothers, 1991
Joey Spampinato of NRBQ, 1985
Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers, 2003
Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash, 2003
Steve Kilbey of the Church, 1990
Edgar Winter, 2005
Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde, 1990
Randy Hansen, 2001
Dan McCafferty of Nazareth, 1984
Davy Knowles of Back Door Slam, 2007
Jimmy Barnes from Cold Chisel, 1986
Steve Stevens of Atomic Playboys, 1989
Billy Idol, 1984
Stuart Adamson of Big Country, 1993
Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, 1992
Warren Haynes of Gov’t Mule, 1998
John Bell of Widespread Panic, 1992
Robben Ford, 1993
Barry Hay of Golden Earring, 1984
Jason Isbell, 2007
Joey Belladonna of Anthrax, 1991
Joe Satriani, 1990
Vernon Reid of Living Colour, 1988
Brad Delp of Boston, 1988
Zakk Wylde of Pride & Glory, 1994
John Sykes of Blue Murder, 1989
Alice Cooper, 1986
Lars Ulrich of Metallica, 1985
John Doe, 1990
Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon, 1992
Myles Goodwyn of April Wine, 2001
John Mellencamp, 1999
Mike Campbell of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, 1999
Kenny Aronoff, 1999
Doyle Bramhall II, 2001
Jon Bon Jovi, 1986
Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers, 1992
Randy Bachman, 2001
Little Steven, 1987
Stevie Salas, 1990
J.J. Cale, 2009
Joe Bonamassa, 2011
Tommy Emmanuel, 1994
Rob Baker of the Tragically Hip, 1997
John Petrucci of Dream Theater, 2010
Eric Johnson, 2001
Stu Hamm, 1991
Gene Simmons of Kiss, 1992
Ace Frehley from Kiss, 2008
David Lee Roth, 1994
Allan Holdsworth, 1983
John Mayall of the Bluesbreakers, 1988
Steve Vai, 1990
Tony Iommi of Heaven and Hell, 2007
Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, 1996
Geoff Tate of Queensryche, 1991
James Hetfield of Metallica, 1986
Stevie Ray Vaughan, 1990
Rick Richards of the Georgia Satellites, 1988
Andy McCoy and Sam Yaffa of Hanoi Rocks, 1984
Steve Morse, 1991
Slash of Guns N’ Roses, 1994
Brian May from Queen, 1993
Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers, 1991
Jake E. Lee of Badlands, 1992
Rickey Medlocke of Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1997
John Fogerty, 1997
Joe Perry of Aerosmith, 1987
Rick Derringer, 1999
Robin Trower, 1990
Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, 1994
Mick Ronson, 1988
Geddy Lee of Rush, 2002
Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult, 1997
Michael Schenker, 1992
Vince Neil of Motley Crue, 1991
Vinnie Paul of Pantera, 1992
Joan Jett, 1992
Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, 1988
Sebastian Bach of Skid Row, 1989
Rob Halford of Judas Priest, 1984
Bill Henderson of Chilliwack, 1999
Paul Rodgers, 1997
R.L. Burnside, 1999
Guthrie Govan of the Aristocrats, 2015
Mick Mars of Mötley Crüe, 1985
Carlos Santana, 2011
Walter Trout, 2003
Rudy Sarzo of Quiet Riot, 1983
Rob Hirst of Midnight Oil, 2001
Tommy Aldridge, 2001
Donald “Duck” Dunn, 1985
Mark Farner of Grand Funk, 1991
Chris Robinson of Black Crowes, 1990
Jennifer Batten, 2002
Mike Fraser, 2014
Leo Kottke, 2002
Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead, 2002
David Gogo, 1991
Booker T. Jones, 2016
Link Wray, 1997
James Reyne from Australian Crawl, 1988
Mike Rutherford of Genesis, 1983
Buddy Guy, 1991
Country Dick Montana of the Beat Farmers, 1990
Mike Cooley of the Drive-By Truckers, 2016
Gary Rossington of Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1986
Lindsay Mitchell of Prism, 1988
Buddy Miles, 2001
Eddie Money, 1988
Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith, 1983
Gaye Delorme, 1990
Dave Murray of Iron Maiden, 1984
Graham Bonnet of Alcatrazz, 1984
Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac, 2016
Doc Neeson of Angel City, 1985
Rik Emmett of Triumph, 1985
Sonny Landreth, 2016
Tosin Abasi of Animals as Leaders, 2016
Jeff Beck, 2001
Albert King, 1990
Johnny Ramone of the Ramones, 1992
Peter Frampton, 1987
Otis Rush, 1997
Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip, 1989
Leslie West of Mountain, 2002
Steve Howe of Yes, 2017
Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, 1983
Uli Jon Roth, 2016
Poison Ivy of the Cramps, 1990
Stevie Ray Vaughan, 1985
Greg Lake of ELP, 1992
Robert Plant, 1993
Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson of AC/DC, 1983
Warren Zevon, 1992
Tal Wilkenfeld, 2016
Steve Clark of Def Leppard, 1988
Ronnie Montrose, 1994
Danny Gatton, 1993
Alex Lifeson of Rush, 1992
Ann Wilson of Heart, 1985
J.J. Cale, 1990
Yngwie Malmsteen, 2014
Chris Cornell, 2008
Long John Baldry, 1985
Allan Holdsworth, 1983
Kim Mitchell, 1984
Warren Haynes of the Allman Brothers, 1994
Derek Trucks, 1998
Susan Tedeschi, 1998
Joe Satriani, 2018
B.B. King, 1984
Albert Collins, 1985
Ronnie James Dio, 1985
Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, 1984
Dick Dale, 2000
Greg Allman, 1998
Dickey Betts, 2001
….with hundreds more to come
What a shame and disheartening story this new recording promotes. Do you not understand the divide is being pushed on to us? Listen, Trump won because of songs like these, they merely reflect an opinion, that obviously a majority of us, some fans, some not, do not have the same as you. We the people are tired of hearing we are divided, by people like you. What do you see in the world looking out of your new York window? Obviously you do not see the same world we are living in. Or you see a world you dream should be, according to you. The previous administration has caused this divide, more than any in its past. Don’t you understand? Stop and think about it, we came so far only to slip back, you say that yourself. Well, we haven’t slipped back this far in a year my friends, it has been happening for years. Maybe you are blind to it, or you choose to be blind to it. Tedeshi and Trucks must be supporting the previous administration because they invited them to play and get some more fame. It’s like selling themselves. How sad is that? Tell me, what did the previous administrative represent? I can tell you if you don’t know, D.I.V.I.D.E. Do some real research instead of looking out your tainted windows, and the world will look brighter to you. It’s an amazing place. We are not nearly as divided as you, or the previous administration thinks, or that some of you, hopes that we are. Unlike the past, I will not help promote your new tracks, sorry. I am all for speaking your mind, but dont tell me about the world I live in, after all, I live in it. Dont tell me I am divided against my neighbor. I live in this world for real, not behind glass windows or glass walls such as yourself. I would only ask one thing, please stop putting your divide on us. We have chosen to move on from that. We don’t recognize your divide. We live together with each other, work together, eat with each other, we go to church together, and yes, our children play together. The divide is yours my friend, not ours. We have chosen another path, the right path, and we will travel it together, undivided, with or without you, Derrick Trucks, or Susan Tedeshi.