From playing local gigs at ski resorts in exchange for free lift tickets, the band is composed of Michael Kang (acoustic/electric mandolin, electric guitar, and violin), Michael Travis (drums and percussion), Bill Nershi (acoustic guitar, lap steel guitar, and electric slide guitar), Kyle Hollingsworth (piano, organ, Rhodes, and accordion), and Keith Moseley (bass guitar), and, in 2006, Jason Hann (auxiliary percussion).
The String Cheese Incident has been described as a democratic ensemble rather than a band, since all of the members contribute their own original compositions to the group’s burgeoning library and share the vocal burden on a number of cover versions as well as their own songs. If a de facto leader had to be named, such a title would probably fall upon Nershi, who is responsible for the bulk of the group’s original song library.
From their management, Madison House Inc.:
"The String Cheese Incident has emerged as one of America’s most significant independent bands. Born in 1993 in Colorado's Rocky Mountains, SCI has since released 6 albums, 3 DVDs and countless live recordings from their relentless tour schedule. Their 14 year history is packed full of surreal experiences, epic moments, groundbreaking involvement and huge accomplishments. They have been recognized for their commitment to musical creativity and integrity, for their community spirit, philanthropic endeavors, and for their innovative approach to the business of music.
When The String Cheese Incident’s growth first started gaining momentum over a decade ago, when the internet was just beginning to take hold and the major-label business model was failing, the band decided to make music on their own terms.
Since then, The String Cheese Incident has gone on to carve out a completely different approach to the business of music; they are truly pioneers of a new way of “making a band.” With the World Wide Web as their tool, SCI was among the first artists to disseminate information via the internet, such as tour dates, release information, and other news, to their growing fan base. Rather than doing business on such terms as “the bottom line,” The String Cheese Incident put their music and their fans first, opening companies of their own, including a ticketing company, a merchandise company and a fan travel agency, to best serve their community. The band’s record label, SCI Fidelity Records, has always operated under the same ideals. Even early on, SCI Fidelity embraced downloadable music and file sharing, delivering SCI’s “On the Road” series, where every show the band plays is made available for download on the internet. Whether they realized it at the time or not, The String Cheese Incident was inventing grassroots band development. Today, literally hundreds of bands are using some version of this same approach to building a band.
The String Cheese Incident’s commitment goes well beyond their immediate community, and even beyond the music community as a whole. Early on, the band took a serious interest in giving back to the communities that they visited, and they were among the first performers to encourage “Green” shows and tours. SCI’s support has helped give rise to such not-for-profit organizations as Conscious Alliance, Rock the Earth, and Head Count. In 2002, when the band’s right to sell tickets to their own shows became threatened by ticketing giant Ticketmaster, the band stood strong for the independent music community and filed a lawsuit against the company. All the while, The String Cheese Incident has stayed committed to music as a creative endeavor, not just in their recordings but also in their live performances. The list of SCI’s special guests and collaborators is long and diverse. Their annual events such as Horning’s Hideout, and holiday shows such as New Year’s and Halloween, have helped redefine the concert experience and has garnered the band a reputation as live music vibe innovators."
Some side groups are eoto, zilla with Jamie Janover, Zuvuya, Honkytonk Homeslice, Billy nershi's Plue Planet, Pangaea, The Trancident & Keller Williams with Moseley Droll and Sipe
Texas
The String Cheese Incident Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We drove a big RV
With a cabinet full of mushrooms
And a cooler full of beer
It was springtime in the mountains
When we headed out of town
The peaks were white, the sky was blue
And the sun was beatin down
Just having a little fun
You sure can drink a lot of beer
Underneath that Texas sun
So, I pulled into a liquor store
That's where the trouble all began
Cause I ran into their awning
And had a run-in with the man
[Chorus:]
Get me out of this small time Texas town
Cause I don't want to be stuck in jail
When the sun goes down
You can't bust me, cause you don't know what you found.
Well I tried to talk to the girl inside
I even offered her some cash
But she wouldn't listen she was callin the cops
Because her gutter had been smashed
Next thing I knew when I walked outside
There were police all around
Askin who was the driver of the vehicle?
Can I see your license Whatca doin in our town?
[Chorus]
We were sitting on the steps of the liquor store
Trying not to look too scared
The cops were searching the RV and I was
Thinking sometimes life just isn't fair
They opened up that cabinet
And they found our little stash
But they didn't know what it was and let us go
Minus eighty bucks in cash.
[Chorus]
The String Cheese Incident's song Texas tells the story of the singer and his friends embarking on a road trip to Dixieland in a big RV, filled with mushrooms and beer. The journey takes them through the mountains in springtime, with the beautiful landscape and sunny weather setting the stage for a good time. However, things take a turn for the worse when they stop at a liquor store in Texas and accidentally hit the awning, leading to a run-in with the police.
The singer's attempt at bribing the store clerk backfires, and soon the police arrive, searching their RV and finding their stash of mushrooms. Despite the fear and uncertainty of the situation, they ultimately get off with just a fine and a warning. The song is a cautionary tale about the dangers of letting loose and having fun on the road, as well as a commentary on small-town law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
Line by Line Meaning
Me and my friends went to Dixieland,
I, along with my friends, traveled to Dixieland.
We drove a big RV
We traveled in a large Recreational Vehicle.
With a cabinet full of mushrooms
We brought a small storage area full of psychedelic mushrooms.
And a cooler full of beer
We carried a large container filled with bottles of beer.
It was springtime in the mountains
The time of the year was Spring and we were traveling in the mountainous region.
When we headed out of town
We began our journey by leaving the town behind.
The peaks were white, the sky was blue
The mountain tops were covered in white snow and the sky was blue in color.
And the sun was beatin down
The sun was casting its strong rays upon us.
We were rolling down the highway
We were traveling on the highway.
Just having a little fun
We were simply enjoying our adventurous trip.
You sure can drink a lot of beer
It is easy to consume a large amount of beer.
Underneath that Texas sun
Especially in the hot and sunny climate of Texas.
So, I pulled into a liquor store
We stopped at a retail store that sells alcoholic beverages.
That's where the trouble all began
The problems started to arise from that moment onward.
Cause I ran into their awning
I accidentally collided with their roofing structure.
And had a run-in with the man
I had an altercation with an individual there.
Get me out of this small time Texas town
I need to leave this small Texan town.
Cause I don't want to be stuck in jail
Because I do not want to be confined in a correctional facility.
When the sun goes down
By late evening time.
You can't bust me, cause you don't know what you found.
You cannot arrest me because you do not know what you discovered.
Well I tried to talk to the girl inside
I attempted to converse with the woman inside the store.
I even offered her some cash
I even offered her money as a bribe.
But she wouldn't listen she was callin the cops
However, she did not heed to my words and instead called the police.
Because her gutter had been smashed
Because the drain tube of the building had been damaged.
Next thing I knew when I walked outside
As soon as I stepped out of the building.
There were police all around
There were law enforcement officials surrounding us.
Askin who was the driver of the vehicle?
Inquiring about the person who was driving the RV.
Can I see your license Whatca doin in our town?
May I see your driving permit and what is the purpose of your visit to our municipality?
We were sitting on the steps of the liquor store
We were seated on the stairs of the alcohol-selling store.
Trying not to look too scared
Attempting to not appear too frightened.
The cops were searching the RV and I was
The police officials were checking the Recreational Vehicle and I was thinking...
Thinking sometimes life just isn't fair
Realizing that life can be unjust at times.
They opened up that cabinet
They unlocked that storage area.
And they found our little stash
And they discovered our secret supply of mushrooms.
But they didn't know what it was and let us go
However, they were unaware of the contents and let us leave.
Minus eighty bucks in cash.
But we lost eighty dollars in monetary value.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KARL HYDE, RICK SMITH, ALFIE THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@renthehag
This is my introduction to the group and I am blown away utterly and completely. You guys paired a salsa with psychedelics and it worked. My hat goes off to ya!!
@pittsburghpiff
its called bluegrass.........
@flatbox2982
sooo smug and wrong
@thebigboss11993
She's talking about Kyle's breakdown in between the verses. That's definitely a salsa/latin rift. Take a chill pill friends
@nasdan5000
Haha youngsters don't know a thing about jamgrass
@derekcampau5440
but you are old enough to recognize salsa when you hear it, right?
@christiespride
Dude. I was trippping so hard this set was the most beautiful sets ever. So much fun in that crowd jumping on big silver blown up balls. Glowsticks everywhere. They played terra pin into BasSnEcTAr. Dude. I will neverrrrrr forget this....
@dustintaylor112
do you mean Terrapin Station? never heard of terra pin
@christiespride
@@dustintaylor112 yea
@ASaga2
the guy wagging his finger to "sometimes life just isnt fair" gets it