JPG: Well, there’s a degree of expectations when you’re performing as the Dead as far as comparisons to the Grateful Dead whereas playing in Rhythm Devils some of that baggage isn’t there.
MH: They come to hear Grateful Dead music and they come to hear adventure and exploration and a fresh take on it. Expectations you only want to play into that so much because you want to grow and this is not the Dead. Their band is not the Dead either. These are both works in progress, different takes on the same music. But we also have a Rhythm Devils side which is we have our own songs, new songs by Robert Hunter. We’re stretching it. We’re taking it out there a little bit from where it was in The Dead. There were expectations in The Dead, yeah, if that’s what you mean. But, in this band there are certain expectations because you want to give people something that they’re familiar with and we love the songs. We think that we can really do the songs justice and really play ‘em the way that we think they should be played or else we wouldn’t be playing them. And then we work really hard on the Rhythm Devils songs, which are new and inventive, electronic, cutting edge stuff and having a great time at it. Smiling our way through it.
Bill and I are playing better than we’ve ever played before. I really mean it. We’re locked tight. Solid. Expectations, yes? But, there’s a bright future for the music that we’re making now.
JPG: Besides you and Bill, there’s Sikiru from previous Rhythm Devils lineups. How did you come up with the other musicians to bring into the current version?
MH: I asked for recommendations because we wanted to make a hot, snarling band. Then, I auditioned all of the on Youtube, talked to people and listened to what they played. Then, we put this band together. Bill and I just said, ‘Oh, Andy’s great. Let’s see if Andy wants to play. How about Keller? How about Davy Knowles or Tim Bluhm?’ We recruited all these guys, one-by-one. We just knew it was going to work, just clicked. As soon as we got in the room you could feel the energy. Bill and I would just really lock tight. It just worked. It was chemistry, right from beat one.
JPG: Now, Keller was with you on the first leg and you’re moving on…
MH: Right, he can’t make it. He’s got his own world. Time and Davy, wow, their vocal blend is beautiful. They get along well. They play like real devils. The devil’s in both of ‘em. That’s for sure. And Sikiru transfers some West Africa, that juju feeling. He’s just a love to play with, and, of course, he’s played with me in Global Drum and Planet Drum and he’s been with me for many years.
JPG: I see that you’re playing the first show on the second leg in a little over a week, so have you had rehearsals with Tim?
MH: Oh yeah, we had rehearsals a month ago with Tim and then we’re going to have some more in Chicago hit the trail again. It’s gonna be a well-rehearsed band. This is not like a thrown together thing. We’re on it. Just to reiterate that we put a lot of time into it.
Before that we sent mp3’s back and forth. So, everybody is totally on board and we have a lot of songs. We’re adding some more songs that I’ve been writing with Hunter. We’re going to have some big time fun in the second leg, especially because we now know the songs and expand.
And Keller did grr-eeat. Keller’s a delightful guy, a beautiful creative musician and we honor his Devil service. He’ll always be a Rhythm Devil and we’ll be meeting up with him, maybe Steve Kimock, maybe Mike Gordon, all the people who have been a part of the Rhythm Devils experience over the years. Once they have their horns they are always welcome.
JPG: I like that, “once they have their horns”…
MH: Yeah, I mean, these are good Devils. These are very happy, creative Devils. The Devil made me do it. Devildom.
JPG: This is the third Rhythm Devils lineup. Is there anything you seek with each one, whether it is continuity in some areas or differences you seek?
MH: There is a continuity. Bill and me and Sikiru are the core of it. Rhythmically speaking. It’s not the Guitar Devils. It’s not the Vocal Devils. It’s the Rhythm Devils stupid (laughs) As long as you got the rhythm, you got it. You got the songs. We’ve got all of our Grateful Dead songs and all of our Rhythm Devils songs, we work really hard on ‘em to make it a new and exciting experience. We’re not just playing the catalog.
JPG: I was listening to the Gathering of the Vibes show on archive.org prior to receiving your phone call. Let’s go through a few titles here I’m not as familiar with. There’s “Strange World…”
MH: I wrote that with Warren. I wrote the words and Warren Haynes and I wrote the music.
JPG: “Wrecking Crew”
MH: I wrote that. Hunter wrote the words, I wrote the music.
JPG: “This One Hour”
MH: I wrote the music, Hunter wrote the words. I’m doing good so far.
JPG: “Comes the Dawn.”
MH: Hunter wrote the words and I wrote the music.
JPG: “Voodoo Zombies” and “See You Again”
MH: Me and Kimock, I think, wrote that one. And Hunter wrote the words.
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