Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds
Biography
Formed in the early '90s by South African vocalist/guitarist Dave Matthews, the Dave Matthews Band presented a more pop-oriented version of the Grateful Dead crossed with elements of jazz, funk, and the worldbeat explorations of Paul Simon and Sting. Matthews populated the group with several Virginia-based musicians -- bassist Stefan Lessard, saxophonist Leroi Moore, violinist Boyd Tinsley, drummer Carter Beauford, and short-lived keyboardist Peter Griesar -- and the band built up a strong word-of-mouth buzz by touring the country constantly, with special attention paid to college campuses. Griesar left the lineup in March 1993, but the Dave Matthews Band moved ahead in his absence, releasing the independent album Remember Two Things later that year and issuing a live EP, Recently, in 1994. After fielding offers from major labels, the band signed with RCA and released the debut effort Under the Table and Dreaming in September 1994. By the following spring, the record had launched the hit single "What Would You Say" and sold over one million copies, thus setting the stage for Dave Matthews' successful career as both bandleader and solo musician.
A year and a half after the release of Under the Table and Dreaming, the record had sold over four million copies in the U. S. alone, propelled in part by the success of the "Ants Marching" and "Satellite." The Dave Matthews Band responded by releasing 1996's Crash, which entered the charts at number two and quickly went platinum. The group spent the bulk of 1996 touring in support of the eclectic album, which reached multi-platinum status and spun off five successful singles, including the Grammy-nominated "Crash into Me." That same year, Matthews launched an attack on bootleggers in conjunction with the Federal Government, targeting stores that were selling semi-legal discs of live performances. The efforts of Matthews, his band, and his management resulted in an unprecedented crackdown on for-profit bootleggers in early 1997 -- with nearly all of the major foreign bootlegging companies placed under arrest by the United States -- thereby putting a moratorium on the entire underground industry.
To further combat the bootleggers, Dave Matthews Band released an official double-disc live album, Live at Red Rocks 8.15.95, in the fall of 1997. It was an unexpected success, debuting at number three on the charts and selling a million copies within the first five months of its release. The live record paved the way for a string of future DMB concert recordings; it also drummed up support for the April 1998 release of Before These Crowded Streets, the group's most ambitious album to date. Another two-disc live effort, Listener Supported, followed one year later, and summer tours kept the band busy as the decade drew to a close.
The new millennium, however, saw the band returning to the studio with producer Glen Ballard to record a fourth studio album, Everyday, which was issued in February 2001. Although notable for its slick, mainstream-minded sound -- not to mention the presence of electric guitar, which Matthews had never used on previous albums -- it was overshadowed by rumors of a darker album that had been recorded with Steve Lillywhite in 2000. Although the original album was rejected, the band eventually chose songs from those sessions, re-recorded several others, and released the results in July 2002 as Busted Stuff. Its debut single, "Where Are You Going," fared well on national radio, and the band rounded out 2002 with the release of Live at Folsom Field in November.
Several years after releasing Live at Luther College, a concert album that did not feature his band, Dave Matthews released his first proper solo album in 2003. The moody and brooding Some Devil was supported by a "Dave Matthews and Friends" tour -- the "friends" being Trey Anastasio, Brady Blade, Tony Hall, Ray Paczkowski, and Tim Reynolds -- and the album's chief single, "Gravedigger," earned Matthews a Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. Boyd Tinsley also released a solo album that year, but the Dave Matthews Band reconvened shortly thereafter, releasing two additional live albums (The Central Park Concert, The Gorge) and returning to the road in 2004. The bandmates also joined Bruce Springsteen's Vote for Change tour toward the end of the year, just as their mail-order-only Live Trax series debuted. In early 2005, they launched a website that featured progress reports on their next album in the form of video footage, diaries, and soundbites. When the flawed Stand Up finally appeared in May, it was the band's first album of all-new material since 2001's Everyday. Like its three predecessors, Stand Up topped the charts, making DMB the only band other than U2 and Metallica to score four consecutive number one albums.
Weekend on the Rocks, another live set, followed Stand Up at the end of 2005, and a two-disc compilation entitled The Best of What's Around, Vol. 1 collected studio material and unreleased live recordings one year later. Matthews and Tim Reynolds launched another joint tour in 2007, canvassing Europe and North America in the process. A performance from the latter continent was featured on the album Live at Radio City Music Hall, which served as a companion piece to 1999's Luther College. Meanwhile, the Dave Matthews Band released their own concert album, Live at Piedmont Park, and began working on new material, although the project was temporarily shelved during pre-production as the band diverted its focus to touring. The musicians returned to the studio the following year, but LeRoi Moore unfortunately passed away before the record could be completed. The saxophonist had suffered a serious ATV accident in June and ultimately succumbed to his injuries two months later. Former Béla Fleck saxophonist Jeff Coffin joined in his place, and the band heralded his inclusion with the release of Live at the Mile High Music Festival, a three-disc set capturing a Colorado performance from that summer. Early the following year, the Dave Matthews Band paid tribute to Moore with Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Selected Discography
WHAT!!!! how can you compare the grateful dead to dave mathews band. dmb is f'ing terrible. remember when he got fined for illegal dumping in the chicago river. He was fined alotof money. Well that was finally justice for pouring s**t into peoples ears for years. lol haha
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God bless the Grateful Dead!.....an d thank god for Dave Mattews Band!...keep i n g beautiful tunes alive and going!!
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I fell in love with the band just this last summer. Ended up seeing them 6 times and have listened to no other music since April when I first saw them. The band is magical and if you go see them, you are guaranteed the best time and the best show. They put their heart and soul into every song and into ever show. Love this band and so thankful that i discovered them. Better late than never : )
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I just saw him in concert last week and it was such a fantastic show. Every Dave Matthews song brings me inspiration on multiple levels. In my opinion DMB is one of the bests bands out there.
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There is nothing better that sings to everyones soul and spirit. watching him in concert is worth every penny there is so much life in every song. He truley has surrounded him self with excellant musicians and they perform like it is their job not their right. DMB is a soul travel
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i saw Dave when he played the flood zone in Richmond every Tuesdays for a $2.00 cover charge! DMB is here to stay folks! Dave writes from the heart and soul ,and sings the truth. He will always grab everybody with his trueness
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DMB has consistantly proven that they're here to stay, and not just passing through, like so many. I love them and have no worries that i'll get bored because there's always going to be new DMB cds popping out from time to time. NOT every 6 or 7 years like many do when money gets low! DMB you're tip top talented and entertaining !
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I have seen a lot of bands live and worked for quite a few, but this band, the five before we lost leroi and now the four, love to play and because of that they put on the most amazing concerts. Their energy is exciting and joyful and I love the vibe. And that's from a sober guy who just loves the music. huge fan too.
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I've never found music I can relate to on a personal level, and enjoy so much on a musical level, and listen to over and over and over again and still love as much as the 1st time I heard it, as I do with the music of DMB!!!!
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the difference between leroi and jeff is, leroi made love 2 his instrument and jeff f#$ks his.differnt sound but both good but leroi made it a calmer sound.im going crazy listening 2 this cause i have 4 dmb shows im going 2 next 2 wks.
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The best band of all times hand's down! Stay or leave...live at radio city music hall- the most amazing song ever!
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Leroi Moore will never be replaced! Jeff Coffin does a great job but he is no GOD sorry to tell ya...no one is!!! Its never gonna be the same without Leroi. R.I.P. Leroi Moore. Forever in my heart...fore v e r in the music!!!
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mtkrulz: The road songs aren't on the album because they're just that: road songs. Everyone has heard them numerous times and fallen in love with the road versions of them. The great part about playing them live is the ability to transform the song into something new every time out. If they were played in the studio it would set them as a concrete song and then every live on would be compared against the studio, for better or for worse. It's best to keep live songs live and love them for it.
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I agree with Jason, they are too different and too individualiz e d to compare them...It's like apples and oranges lol
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Leroi Moore was replaced with a GOD on the saxaphone. Thank god that 300lb Rashawn Ross wasn't the one tagged to replace Leroi. Jeff Coffin is f!ng sick. Plus where are all the road songs on the new album? No Shotgun, Kill the King, Crazy Easy.. all amazing live songs
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Dave is so sexy! he is amazing! thank you dave and tim for making the song stay or leave its my favorite song it has helped me through thick and thin! thank you dave and tim!
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janicom 7 us might want to see them again....as everytime is see them there is something new...but i've only seen them 129 times b....ar...ch
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there is no denying the magic that is produced when these two guys play the guitar together.
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Ya, well I've seen them 25 times, and thus can discredit any comments made by people who've not seen them that many times. sickandtwist e d g u y - he was replaced so soon because all they care about is making MONEY.
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Dave Matthew Band is one of the most amazing bands on this planet. Each person is highly talented and knows how to throw down. I've seen him 13 times live and have loved each and every show. RIP Leroi, I can't believe they replaced you so quickly. In my heart you are irreplaceabl e .
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I have been listening to them since I was like 10 when there was only tapes! I love them!!! R.I.P. Leroi Moore!
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i've met him a few times, he lived in charlottesvi l l e and worked at a place called Miller's, i saw him most recently in an art supplies shop XD !
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I wasn't comparing songwriting and playing guitar. I was talking about you giving Dave credit for being a good songwriter when all you talked about at the DMB message board are negative s**t! Self contradictio n is ignorance, and it proves that you don't have any passion. Go ahead and defend yourself!
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