Drive By Truckers News

Flying Rabbit · **Posted:** Thu Dec 27, 2012 6:42 pm

!!! PH statement:

Quote:

As I guess most of you have heard or read by now, John Neff has left Drive-By Truckers. Effective immediately. I was actually first informed by my sister who was up earlier than me and read it on Facebook.

In all fairness, he did send me an email saying he was quitting his "job" and wouldn't be going with us to DC this weekend a few minutes before he posted it, but I was attempting to sleep in.

Kind of a sad way to end a sixteen year relationship, but we've all known that things have been strained on that front for over a year now.

He made no mention of future plans, a player as fine as Neff will have no trouble ever finding work.

He would be an asset to whatever situation he applied himself to.

We certainly appreciate the incredible work he's done with us and as I said, we wish him nothing but the absolute best.

DBT will continue onward, as we always do.

There are no plans to try to replace John.

I've never considered anyone ever to be replaceable in this band.

We have constantly changed and morphed and this will be no exception.

We always say, play every show like it's your last, it could be.

But not right now.

DBT is making definite plans towards starting a new album in the spring and I'm always excited about recording new songs and seeing where that leads the band.

This band has been a big part of my life for nearly 20 years. It's never been a job to me and I'd rather quit and move on than have it ever be that.

We're a big, sometimes dysfunctional family, but we've always drawn strength from each other and the big glorious noise we make.

I always try to treat every new year as a new beginning and this will certainly apply this weekend.

Onward and forward and may everyone have a safe and prosperous 2013.

See you at The Rock Show.

Yours Truly,

Patterson Hood

Drive-By Truckers

whoa.

Senator LooGAR · **Posted:** Thu Dec 27, 2012 10:23 pm

Yail Bloor Wrote:

I may be in the minority here, but I don't think it's a huge loss. Neff doesn't add that much especially post BTCD. Seeing My Morning Jacket live too made me realize he sort of limited as a pedal steel player. (compared to Carl Broemel at least)

If this isn't an opening for Jason to come back, maybe it can be an opening for a new Jason. The band could definitely use the motivation/competition of a shit hot player and/or songwriter to break some new ground. I'd rather see them get younger instead of older.

This + Derris comments make me say...Remember Mick and Keef? The Straightest Rhythm Section in Rock? And they went from Brian to Mick to Ronnie and never lost a step. IMO they benefited more from WRONG Wood than Mick....and Brian wins out because he was the "founder" of the band.

Yail Bloor · **Posted:** Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:33 am

Dern, Patterson basically, "Fuck you, enjoy your skank"

Flying Rabbit · **Posted:** Fri Dec 28, 2012 10:16 am

Here's a track from Eye Candy, Shonna's band:

http://eyecandy.bandcamp.com/track/since-jimmy-came

discostu · **Posted:** Fri Dec 28, 2012 12:54 pm

Yail Bloor Wrote:

Dern, Patterson basically, "Fuck you, enjoy your skank"

But he does it politely and with subtlety. As much hate is thrown Patterson's way, the guy does have a way with words when writing "band" statements. In the last few years, to me, Cooley has become the most intriguing member of the band. For the longest time I was a Patterson head.

Along those lines, Patterson just did two nights at The High Watt in Nashville, but because I was disappointed when I saw him last with the Screwtopians (during Athfest a few years back), I didn't go. However, on FEB 8 and 9, Cooley is doing the same two-night gig at The High Watt and I'll be there for sure.

Flying Rabbit · **Posted:** Fri Dec 28, 2012 1:41 pm

discostu Wrote:

Along those lines, Patterson just did two nights at The High Watt in Nashville, but because I was disappointed when I saw him last with the Screwtopians (during Athfest a few years back), I didn't go. However, on FEB 8 and 9, Cooley is doing the same two-night gig at The High Watt and I'll be there for sure.

Bummer you didn't catch him on this last tour, it was much different than the Screwtopians tour. Just Hood+guitar. At least it was when I saw him. Have yet to see a Cooley solo gig. Hasn't done the Mid-Atlantic yet.

Cap'n Squirrgle · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2013 12:27 pm

I missed this (Neff leaving) til just now. Damn.

Flying Rabbit · **Posted:** Fri Jan 18, 2013 4:20 pm

Dunno how many of you know the guy, but Craig Lieske died last night. He was a fixture of the Athens scene, but also was part of DBT's tour crew. Sad day for those of us who would hang out with him every time he hit the road.

discostu · **Posted:** Fri Jan 18, 2013 8:31 pm

I'm aware. He was in a band called Garbage Island and also served as DBT's merch guy. Sucks

Senator LooGAR · **Posted:** Mon Jan 21, 2013 8:55 pm

How'd he die? I'm morbidly curious.

Flying Rabbit · **Posted:** Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:32 am

Heart attack. Opened for Truckers, presumably went out and then the next morning had issues, went to hospital and died. Amazingly nice guy who remembered everyone. As I understand, he used to co-manage the 40-Watt for a 10-year span.

discostu · **Posted:** Fri Aug 02, 2013 7:42 pm

Stereogum ranks DBT's albums from worst to best
http://www.stereogum.com/1422101/drive- ... ent/dbt-2/

Cupcakes · **Joined:** Sat Nov 12, 2005 12:04 am **Posts:** 3271

discostu Wrote:

Stereogum ranks DBT's albums from worst to best
http://www.stereogum.com/1422101/drive- ... ent/dbt-2/

Quote:

Drive-By Truckers are perhaps the greatest extant American rock and roll band.

Game over.

Quote:

But where Drive-By Truckers truly diverges from the many milksop ‘classic rock with punk roots’ combos is in the songwriting of Hood and Cooley. Like Woody Allen’s re-telling of the same story through the respective lenses of comedy and tragedy in Melinda & Melinda, Drive-By Truckers songs provide the facts but impishly scramble the contexts, pitching moral hypotheticals and questioning notions of objectivity.

FT · **Posted:** Mon Aug 05, 2013 11:05 am

discostu Wrote:

Stereogum ranks DBT's albums from worst to best
http://www.stereogum.com/1422101/drive- ... ent/dbt-2/

Go-Go Boots is WAY too high, and The Big To-Do is 2-3 spots too low. The Dirty South also seems a spot or two low.

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