Following the death of founding Mule and former Allman Brothers Band bassist Allen Woody in 2000, drummer Matt Abts and guitarist Warren Haynes -- himself a member of the ABB -- have spent the past three years looking for a suitable replacement. In that time, Gov't Mule released two tribute albums to Woody (The Deep End, Volume 1 and Volume 2) that featured a veritable who's who of modern rock bassists, including Phil Lesh, Bootsy Collins, Les Claypool, Flea, and the late John Entwistle. During that time, a number of these thumpstick masters joined the trio-turned-duo on tour, giving Abts and Haynes room to experiment with the original sound and style. Now, with the full-time additions of keyboardist Danny Louis and bassist Andy Hess, Gov't Mule is ready to share its new face. Although Woody's influence still looms large and the solid contribution of Abts can't be overlooked, there's little doubt that the heart of the group still beats within the barrel chest of Haynes. Thanks to him, this Mule stubbornly refuses to fade away.
