February 15, 2002 Music » Music Features

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Panic Attack 

Widespread Panic's Jojo Hermann charges onto touring circuit

By
click to enlarge John "Jojo" Hermann
  • John "Jojo" Hermann
What would you do if you were the keyboardist for one of the most popular jam bands currently on the music scene and you had a short break from touring? While a lavish vacation may first come to mind for most, John "Jojo" Hermann of the ever-touring outfit known as Widespread Panic takes to the road... again. As Hermann explains it, however, he's simply taking an opportunity to hang out with old friends. It's not his fault his longtime pals are also acclaimed musicians with whom he cut an album last year, and now they're taking it on the road for a couple of weeks.

In April 2001, Hermann released his solo debut, Smiling Assassin, although the keyboardist says he hardly considers the project a solo effort.

"It's not really a solo project, but I guess the record does have my name on it," he says in a polite, Southern tone. "Actually, I got together with Paul 'Crumpy' Edwards, who plays bass for Bloodkin, in Athens, GA a while back. I had all these songs just kind of lying around and he helped me kind of crank 'em out.

"We eventually started playing out in Athens," he continues. "Then we went over to Oxford, MS, where we met up with Luther and Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi All-Stars. I've been playing with those two forever."

Of course, it didn't take long for the folks at the Oxford-based label Fat Possum Records to get wind of the collaboration and take an interest. "We had started playing around Oxford when Matthew [Johnson] and Bruce [Watson] from Fat Possum approached me," states Hermann. "They told me they'd heard some of our stuff and if we wanted to put out a record, they'd do it. I said, 'Sure. Why not?'"

The end result is a collection of 10 country and blues-influenced songs, including a version of Doc Pomus' "Lonely Avenue." In addition to Edwards and the Dickinson brothers, all of Hermann's Panic bandmates appear on the album, as well as former Beanland bandmate George McConnell and Hermann's neighbor, Cary Hudson of Blue Mountain. (Hermann spent time in Beanland before joining up with Widespread in 1992.)

According to Hermann, many of the songs the band recorded have been around for quite some time, collecting dust in his closet. "Most of the songs I write on the road with Widespread tend to come into Widespread. These are songs I wrote when I was in college at Ole Miss, and I added a few new ones that just aren't right for Panic," he explains.

Aside from playing on Smiling Assassin, Hermann says his Panic pals are also very supportive of his latest endeavor. "We all do side projects and play on each other's stuff. At this stage, it's just like why not, let's just have some fun. Anything we do gets offered to the band first, but there's no way we can bring in everything that all of us do. They pick the ones they like, and the others I just lay down somewhere else. It could never hurt the band and the band knows I'm totally committed to them."

This latest project has also given Hermann the opportunity to exercise his versatility. On the record and for the upcoming tour, Hermann ditches his usual position behind the ivories and takes on the guitar. "Well, I'm learning how to play guitar and Luther is kind of giving me lessons. I play guitar along with him on this one. I'm still learning how to tune it -- you know that's lesson number one. I might still be on lesson one, but we're getting there and I've got the best teacher for sure. I think the producers actually turned me up on a song so that made me feel good," he laughs.

Hermann also divulges that the band does have plans to record another album sometime in the near future. "I've got some more songs and we're recording them in Mississippi. We're also doing a bunch of tracks in Nashville, which I'm psyched about. I don't know when it would come out, but we've definitely got one in the works."

But with only one completed album under their belts, Hermann admits they've obviously had to add a bit of material to the band's repertoire for the upcoming live shows. "We do a bunch of R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough covers, and I'll go on keys for that stuff. We'll also do some Professor Longhair and really, we do just about anything.

"Paul 'Wine' Jones, who's a blues player from Mississippi, is also coming along with us," he continues. "We're just all gettin' in a big bus -- me and all my old friends from Mississippi. I love that place and everything I've learned about music and life came from Mississippi. We're looking forward to being able to hang out on the bus and telling stories just as much as we are to be playing."

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