They are influenced musically by progressive rock bands such as King Crimson, Yes, Dream Theater, and Genesis, as well as heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden. The band also identifies The Police, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin as primary influences. However, there really isn't a style of popular music that Umphrey's does not cover. Artists covered in concert by Umphrey's range from Lionel Richie to Metallica to Toto to Snoop Dogg to Paul Simon.
Formed at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana in December 1997 by guitarist/vocalist Brendan Bayliss, bassist Ryan Stasik, keyboardist Joel Cummins, and drummer Mike Mirro, Umphrey's McGee combined members of Tashi Station and Stomper Bob, two popular Notre Dame rock bands.
In mid-1998, the band released their debut album complete with a tongue-in-cheek title, Greatest Hits Vol. III. The group decided to record an album immediately because it was easier to get live gigs with an official CD. Long out of print, the album contains many of Umphrey's future concert warhorses, such as Divisions and All in Time.
Shortly after the release of the album, the band added a fifth member, percussionist Andy Farag. Farag's father became the band's agent, and a second pressing of Greatest Hits Vol. III featured Farag in the album's inner sleeve and credits. By the end of the year, Umphrey's McGee, along with peers Ali Baba's Tahini, were one of the most popular bands in the South Bend/Notre Dame area. They began performing outside of the area at colleges and house parties, allowing listeners to tape and trade their music freely. By 1999, the band had gained notoriety outside of Indiana, especially with the release of the live album Songs for Older Women, which featured live tracks recorded over a two-night stand in November 1998.
The addition of Jake Cinninger in September 2000 helped bring the band's musical dynamic to a new level. Cinninger, an accomplished guitarist, brought a distinct heaviness to the Umphrey's sound, as well as a large repertoire of original music, much of which comprised the bulk of the catalog from his previous band, Ali Baba's Tahini. The band also adopted several songs written by Ali Baba's Tahini frontman Karl Engelmann (who now fronts Asheville-based rock band Mother Vinegar). Another live album, One Fat Sucka, was released shortly after, containing live performances recorded in the summer and fall of 2000.
Around 2001, the band began practicing intense improvisational exercises. One of their first productive jam sessions took place in a hotel in the "Jimmy Stewart Ballroom" during the wedding of fan/website designer Jeremy Welsh. Therefore, the band began to call their onstage improvisational excursions "Jimmy Stewart." This form of improvisation differs in approach from the methods utilized by many of their jam band peers and has been extensively outlined by "McL" in the "Jimmy Stewart writeup" on the fan message board known as "The Bort" at www.umphreaks.com.
2002 saw the release of the band's first proper recording, Local Band Does OK. That summer, Umphrey's was invited to play the first annual Bonnaroo Music Festival which took place in rural Manchester, TN, and featured over 30 bands performing in front of nearly 100,000 people. Umphrey's played to their largest audience to date and ended up selling more CDs than any other artist on the bill including Widespread Panic, Trey Anastasio, and Norah Jones.
In October 2002 drummer Mike Mirro announced he was leaving to attend medical school. After hundreds of tapes were reviewed by percussionist Andy Farag, the band settled on the first one they received, which was from Kick the Cat drummer Kris Myers, who has a masters degree in jazz drumming from DePaul University.
In 2004, the band released the critically-acclaimed album Anchor Drops, recorded in several different studios throughout the Chicago area. Shortly before the release of the album, the band scored a distribution deal for both Anchor Drops and Local Band Does OK, and for the first time, Umphrey's music was available in stores all over the country. Anchor Drops received rave reviews from several high-profile magazines. Umphrey's was booked to play the Bonnaroo Music Festival once again in June but unlike their 2002 performance, this time they would play a coveted late-night spot. The band performed to over 20,000 people, many of whom had never heard the band before. Shortly after in July, Umphrey's was declared by Rolling Stone Magazine to "have become odds-on favorites in the next-Phish sweepstakes."
In April 2006, Umphrey's released their fourth studio effort, Safety in Numbers. They appeared on the late night TV program Jimmy Kimmel Live in May and were featured at many of the major U.S. festivals throughout the summer, playing 129 shows before a three-night stand in Chicago for New Year's Eve. The Bottom Half, an album of leftover tracks from the Safety in Numbers sessions, was released a year later in April, 2007. It was supported with tours of the U.S., Europe, and Japan.
A live double-album titled Live at the Murat was released in October, 2007. The album was recorded over 2 nights at the Egyptian Room in the Murat Centre in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 6-7, 2007. It received a 4-star review from Rolling Stone Magazine. The album also won a Jammy for best live album. Another live double album release came in June 2008, when the band put out Jimmy Stewart 2007. The album consisted entirely of live, improvised "Jimmy Stewart" sessions recorded in 2007.
Umphrey's McGee completed work on their next studio album, Mantis, in late 2008. Recorded mainly in Manny Sanchez’s I.V. Lab Studios in Chicago, the band members began by presenting each other with CDs containing hundreds of musical ideas they’d composed over the past dozen years, which were then shifted and trimmed down to the concise tracks that appear on the album. The band’s longtime sound caresser, Kevin Browning, edited and mixed the album's material.
Mantis became available for pre-order on October 27, 2008. Along with the pre-order announcement came information that unique bonus content would be available and more content would unlock depending on how many pre-orders were placed. This unusual method of distribution has been hailed as the "perfect way to implement a pre-order campaign" by Reuters.com.
Mantis was released on January 20, 2009. The album marked Umphrey’s second decade together as a band and was the first Umphrey’s album to consist entirely of material never previously performed on the road.
Roulette
Umphrey's McGee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And all the things that fall away too fast
Had you tried could you have made them last
Morning couldn't give again
And soon enough those things that happen then
Could only wait for your remembering when
But first think of this, what you would miss
The scheme has no roots, it sleeps on the roof
Deciding it's too drunk
And though there seems no way to know
I'd rather question when I'm old
Away from all the reasons now
I'd hope to deal with them somehow
Along the way these words would scream
But would they still remain unseen and now it's left up in the air
Think of all that's come to pass
And all the thing that fall away too fast
And had you tried could you have made them last
For morning couldn't give again
And soon enough those things that happen then
Could only wait for your remembering when
The lyrics of Umphrey's McGee's song "Roulette" delve into the theme of time - both its fleeting nature and the weight of our choices. The first verse asks the listener to reflect on things that have passed and the things that have slipped away too quickly. It poses the question of whether these things we've lost could have been held onto longer had we put in more effort. The second part of the verse dips into the idea of the impermanence of life - once time has passed, those things that once were can never be again. The chorus then shifts to a more introspective tone, asking the listener to consider what they would miss in their life and furthermore what person they would become. The scheme that "sleeps on the roof" is a metaphor for the path we lay out for ourselves that can often lead to things being missed as we climb higher.
The second verse starts by acknowledging the uncertainty that life brings - there is no way to know what will happen. This is followed by a yearning to question and reflect on choices made in life when we are older and hopefully wiser. There is a desire to deal with these reasons for our choices and actions "somehow," but the lyrics suggest that this will not be an easy task. The final line of the verse speaks to the power of words, but also the possibility that they may go unnoticed or unheeded. The chorus then repeats, capturing the bittersweet nature of looking back on things in life that have come and gone.
Overall, "Roulette" is a song that asks the listener to contemplate the weight of our choices and the transience of time. The lyrics are pensive and disquieting, yet still hopeful in their search for deeper understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
Think of all that's come to pass
Reflect on all of the events that have occurred up until this point in time.
And all the things that fall away too fast
Consider all of the things that have passed by quickly and disappeared before they could be fully appreciated.
Had you tried could you have made them last
Wonder if a certain outcome could have been achieved if more effort had been put forth to maintain it.
Morning couldn't give again
A new day will not bring back what was lost.
And soon enough those things that happen then
Events that have occurred in the past will inevitably become distant memories over time.
Could only wait for your remembering when
All events from the past will only be preserved in the memory of those that experienced it.
But first think of this, what you would miss
Prioritize what you value most and consider the potential consequences of losing it.
Not what you become
Don't focus on acquiring more possessions or wealth, but instead prioritize the value of personal connections and experiences.
The scheme has no roots, it sleeps on the roof
Any plan or idea that isn't based on strong values or principles won't survive in the long run.
Deciding it's too drunk
Recognizing when an idea or plan is flawed or misguided and choosing to abandon it before it causes harm.
And though there seems no way to know
Despite uncertainty about the future, it's important to continue questioning and seeking understanding.
I'd rather question when I'm old
It's better to question and examine beliefs earlier in life before it becomes too late to make significant changes.
Away from all the reasons now
Without distractions or rationalizations, it's easier to understand the true motivations behind actions or decisions.
I'd hope to deal with them somehow
The desire to face difficulties and overcome them, rather than avoiding them or denying their existence.
Along the way these words would scream
Despite facing challenges or obstacles, the importance of communicating one's thoughts and emotions remains vital.
But would they still remain unseen and now it's left up in the air
Despite expressing oneself, it's uncertain whether the message will be received, and the outcome is unknown.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRENDAN H BAYLISS, JACOB ALLEN CINNINGER, JOEL N CUMMINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bob Senior
on Resolution
*I'be got it set it my mind, I'll be a mountain in the sky this year"