Jason isbell
Jason Isbell Enlists R.E.M.’s Mike Mills for ‘Driver 8’ Cover in Athens
At his show in Athens, Georgia last night, Jason Isbell invited one of the town’s own legends, R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills, onstage at the Georgia Theatre for a rendition of the classic rock band’s “Driver 8.” Isbell covered the song on last year’s Georgia Blue covers album. In November 2020, he promised to cover a song from an artist from the Peach State if Joe Biden won Georgia. [embedded content][embedded content] “We got a friend of ours that has agreed to come up and sing a song with us,” Isbell said from the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, Athens’ own Mike Mills is here tonight.” About to go onstage with #JasonIsbell and the #400Unit to sing Driver 8. #psyched #GATH #Athens pic.twitter.com/FKunfPtybP — Mike Mills 🎶🍁🏈🐶✌🏼 (@m_millsey...
Exit Interview: Jason Isbell on the Difference Between Being an Artist and Entertainer
During a year when most of us racked up a lot of time streaming videos, Jason Isbell had a banner year: Not only did the Grammy Award winner head back on the road with his band the 400 Unit, he also recorded The Georgia Blue album to celebrate Biden’s victory in the state, recorded a twangy version of “Sad But True” for Metallica’s The Blacklist tribute album and found time to star alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in the upcoming Martin Scorsese film Killers of the Flower Moon. Oh, and his beloved Atlanta Braves also won the World Series for the first time since 1995. In addition to all of these accomplishments, Isbell also made some personal growth along the way. “My therapist tells me that if I argue with people on Twitter, then I don’t have to do it with people I know and love and care about...
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit to Cover R.E.M, Black Crowes, Indigo Girls, James Brown, Cat Power on Georgia Blue
What started off as a nice thought on Twitter has become a reality. Jason Isbell teased that if Georgia went blue in the 2020 election, he’d hunker down and record a covers album that featured songs from artists from the Peach State. Now, it’s finally on the way. Titled Georgia Blue, Isbell, along with a slew of special guests, are covering songs from R.E.M., Drivn’ N’ Cryin’, James Brown, Cat Power, Precious Bryant, Otis Redding, The Black Crowes, Indigo Girls, Now It’s Overhead, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Allman Brothers Band and Vic Chesnutt. If that’s not enough, the artists Isbell enlisted to help him out is just as impressive. Julien Baker, Brandi Carlile, Béla Fleck, ex-Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman, Peter Levin, Amanda Shires, Brittney Spencer, Chris Thile, Sadler V...
Jason Isbell Slams Anti-Vaxxers: ‘If You’re Dead, You Don’t Have Any Freedoms’
After Live Nation announced that artists will have the option to decide whether to require fans to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination, singer-songwriter Jason Isbell spoke about why he will uphold those requirements at all of his upcoming fall shows with the 400 Unit. “They’re just getting so much pushback from some of the governors of certain states who want to kowtow to their political base and try to make people think their freedom is being encroached upon,” Isbell said during an appearance on MSNBC. “I’m all for freedom, but if you’re dead, you don’t have any freedoms at all.” The Grammy-winning musician said that people in the music industry support his decision to mandate vaccinations for indoor and outdoor events. “People who work at the venues and who work in the music busin...
St. Vincent and Jason Isbell Cover ‘Sad But True’ for Upcoming Metallica Blacklist Album
Remember when Metallica announced the coming of The Metallica Blacklist album – that enormous collection of covers by over 50 other artists from all the songs off their seminal Black Album? Well, if you preordered it, “three new instant gratification tracks” are now available. And those three songs are a doozy. St. Vincent, Sam Fender, and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit all share their take on “Sad But True.” As you can imagine, all three are quite different. You can check all three killer versions of the song below. [embedded content] [embedded content] Previously, Miley Cyrus and Juanes released their versions of “Nothing Else Matters” and “Enter Sandman,” respectively Also featuring on the collection are Phoebe Bridgers, Weezer, Chris Stapleton and many, many more. Don’t forget that...
Frank Turner Releases ‘The Gathering’ Featuring Jason Isbell and Muse’s Dominic Howard
Frank Turner hasn’t put out music in almost two years, but now he’s breaking that silence with a vengeance. Not only did he just release a brand new track, “The Gathering,” which features both Grammy-winning alt-country star Jason Isbell and Dominic Howard (the drummer of a little band called Muse), but the English folk-punk standout also launched both a limited edition beer and UK tour to go with it. Of course, after spending most of the last year streaming live shows from his living room, the singer-songwriter wasn’t looking to be like everyone else and write a song about life in quarantine. “[‘The Gathering’ is] about that moment when you come together in a room full of people, and you lean on a stranger and sing along with the chorus and get the words wrong,” Turner said in a statement...
Q-Tip, Questlove, Lenny Kravitz Remember Hank Aaron: ‘Thank You King for Your Strength!’
Hank Aaron, the legendary baseball slugger who overtook Babe Ruth as baseball’s Home Run King, died on Friday at the age of 86. The Atlanta Braves outfielder, also known as Hammerin’ Hank, was a 25-time all-star, the 1957 National League MVP, a three-time Gold Glove winner and of course, a Hall of Famer. Aaron’s impact, however, was felt most off the field. The subject of racism and death threats as he closed in Ruth’s record, Aaron handled himself with class and grace and proved to be a role model for all Americans. His iconic 755 home runs would stand until 2007 when Barry Bonds surpass him. Aaron remains Major League Baseball’s all-time leader in RBIs. With so many musicians being baseball fans, the outpouring of tributes to Hammerin’ Hank poured in on Friday morning. “Hank Aaron, my ch...
Amanda Shires Offers New Song ‘The Problem’ for International Safe Abortion Day
Amanda Shires’ new song “The Problem,” featuring Jason Isbell, is out today (Sept. 28), to coincide with International Safe Abortion Day. All proceeds from “The Problem” benefit The Yellowhammer Fund, an abortion fund and reproductive justice organization based in Alabama. In a statement, Shire says, “This song is about making tough decisions and not having to go it alone.” Isbell, Shires’ husband and a former Drive-By Truckers member, adds in a statement, “To me, ‘The Problem’ is a song about supporting someone you love through a difficult time It’s about helping without exerting your own will. I support a woman’s right to choose, and I know these choices are never easy.” The lyrics feature a “conversation” between Shires and Isbell that includes: [Shires] I’m scared t...
Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires Mock Van Morrison, Share ‘Into the Mystic’ Cover
Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires shared a new Van Morrison cover… but not before giving a warning first. The married musicians opted for a cover of Morrison’s “Into The Mystic” on Isbell’s I So Lounging show on the Sept. 18 live stream. Given Morrison’s recent behavior — including releasing three anti-lockdown protest songs to the press last week — it was only fitting that Isbell shared a little disclaimer. “There was a time in the past when our dear Van Morrison had such beautiful music, such beautiful songs, that everyone paid attention to him,” Isbell said. “Now that time has passed, and I fear that our dear Van Morrison is still desirous of the attention that he once received. So now he likes to say things, like the government asking you to not give everyone the COVID-19 v...
Jason Isbell Shares Demo of ‘Maybe, It’s Time’ From A Star Is Born
When it was released in 2018, folks raved about the music in the latest incarnation of A Star Is Born. The songs were the centerpiece (obviously) and with a strong group of songwriters, some even topped of the charts. One of the more emotional points of the movie is when Bradley Cooper’s Jackson Maine sings “Maybe, It’s Time,” an acoustic tune that he sings in a drag bar as Lady Gaga’s Ally looks on. The song sets the tone for the rest of the story. The song debuted at no. 93 on the Billboard 100 and ended up climbing to the sixth spot in the Digital Songs chart. Now, as part of Bandcamp’s “Fee-Free Fridays,” Jason Isbell has shared the demo he cut of “Maybe, It’s Time.” The song was recorded by Dave Cobb in Nashville’s famed RCA Studio A. Isbell also shared “Alabama Sk...
The 101 Best Albums of the 2010s
Why now? Because — and there’s no reason to ignore the elephant in the room: SPIN stewardship has changed hands many, many times since we made the online jump — we got our chance. Because plenty of our favorite albums of the last 10 years could still use a boost. Because some of the already unanimously beloved music on this list still merits further praise. Because we relish excuses to sound off on the music that’s affected us the most and to enlist some of our favorite writers to do so. Because the works of art below serve as a reminder that the 2010s weren’t all bad. Because lord knows we need the distraction. Because it’s fun. There’s a lot of music that isn’t on this list. Which, duh, but plenty of artists whose work defined the decade for many, many people, including many of us, ...
‘We Were a Disaster’: Jason Isbell Discusses the Making of Reunions
There will come a time, probably not too long from now, when someone will turn to Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s album Reunions, see that it was released in 2020 and come to the reasonable conclusion that it was a response to the breakdowns, devastation and (hopefully) eventual reawakening from a global pandemic. To that person, Isbell’s latest release, out on May 15 on his own Southeastern Records — after dropping exclusively at independent record stores a week earlier, an idea Isbell conceived to help keep those precious operations afloat — seems to be saying: “Where have you been?” Isbell (who, of course, wrote and recorded the album long before the world broke) acknowledges the prescience that comes through on so many songs from Reunions, but notes that he just pointed his pen at the ...
