In 1991, record producer Johnny Sandlin stood in front of the Georgia Theatre in downtown Athens, Georgia.
Theres a trend of getting back to real music now, played by real people, Sandlin said.
The [1980s] seemed to be so computerized, where technology took over the music.
Widespread Panic surprise released the new project ‘Hailbound Queen,’ featuring the band’s cover of Warren Zevon’s “Keep Me in Your Heart.“Joshua Timmermans*
Were in there and exploring the music together, lead singer and guitarist John Bell tellsRolling Stone.
And when youre catching it together, you get that big inward smile going.
Everybodys listening, everybodys present.
In June, they releasedSnake Oil King, their first studio record in nine years.
We both tried playing in other bands, Bell says.
In 1984, Schools entered the picture and a trio was formed.
I went and watched J.B. perform a solo thing, Schools reminisces of Bells early musical aspirations.
It was great, the vibe and the looseness of everything.
I remember thinking, It would be fun to play with this guy.
He needs a band.
Sporadic shows started bubbling up around Athens.
Were still in exploration mode.
The quartet quickly garnered a loyal local following around campus and across the city.
We were just doing what we wanted to do, Bell says.
and the B-52s were the biggest things happening right then.
It was a very artistic [scene].
Not just playing a song, but doing weird things.
For me, it was like stepping out a daydream.
The emotional heartbeat ofHailbound Queenresides in a rendition of the late Warren Zevons Keep Me in Your Heart.
Theres something about grief that it will sneak up on me in the least expected and strangest of ways.
At his funeral, Keep Me in Your Heart was playing on the stereo.
We put that [song] together and played it in his honor.
Excitable Boywas one of the four records we had at the band house.
Hes kind of a thread running through our whole career.
Keep Me in Your Heart hits even closer to home for Schools, whose late father worked with Zevon.
I knew there was this deep connection with my old man and Zevon, Schools says.
Hes pretty tuckered out, Bell says, but things are looking just as they had hoped.
