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.
Wellwishers
Umphrey's McGee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you're waiting for an answer that you've already heard
Then you're drowning in the moment 'cause you never leaned to swim
As the distance grows between the shores, you know how this could end
Are you thankful for your well wishers, who put you on your way
Or bitter 'cause your currency is lost in the exchange
So forget about your handfuls, when it's worthless you're sublime
I have to wonder, are you stuck under clouds of possibilities?
Or can't you turn against those urges?
They'll desert you, guaranteed
If nothing's certain then that's worse
Than this confusion as it intrudes on you and me
If you fit into your pattern, it should come as no surprise
As it's the safest the stars that shatter you learn to be polite
So be hopeful as a candle is worried for its flame
The more that you could handle here, the less you feel the same
I have to wonder are you stuck under clouds of possibilities
Or can't you turn against those urges?
They'll desert you, guaranteed
If nothings certain than that's worse
Than this confusion as it intrudes on you and me
The lyrics of Umphrey's McGee's song Wellwishers are a poignant reflection on the feelings of uncertainty and doubt that can often accompany our attempts to navigate life's difficult moments. The opening lines suggest a sense of frustration and helplessness in the face of a situation for which words seem inadequate. The waiting for an answer that has already been received is a reminder that sometimes we struggle to accept the reality of our circumstances. The metaphor of drowning underlines the sense of significance that we sometimes attach to small moments, even as it highlights our lack of preparedness for the challenges we face.
The chorus turns the focus to the role of well-wishers in our lives - those who offer us support and encouragement, even when we feel lost or overwhelmed. The mention of currency and exchange suggests that we can sometimes view this support with suspicion or mistrust, as if it were a transaction rather than a genuine expression of care. The image of the setting sun and the dwindling time available to us highlights the fleeting nature of such moments, and the urgent need to make the most of them while we can.
The second verse poses a series of questions that challenge the listener to consider how they approach the problems and possibilities of life. The references to clouds of possibilities and urges that desert us point to the shifting nature of our desires and aspirations, and the problems that can arise when we cling too tightly to them. The final lines offer a warning that uncertainty can be as damaging to our sense of self as confusion, and that we must learn to accept the reality of our situation, even as we strive for something more.
Line by Line Meaning
If you had to make it matter, but you just can't find the words
When you're trying to express something important, but you're struggling to articulate it
When you're waiting for an answer that you've already heard
When you're anticipating a response that you already know
Then you're drowning in the moment 'cause you never leaned to swim
When you're overwhelmed by a situation because you were never prepared for it
As the distance grows between the shores, you know how this could end
As a gap forms between two parties, you become aware of a potential negative outcome
Are you thankful for your well wishers, who put you on your way
Are you grateful for the people who have helped you along the way
Or bitter 'cause your currency is lost in the exchange
Or resentful because you feel like you're not getting back what you put in
So forget about your handfuls, when it's worthless you're sublime
Don't focus on what you have, because it's not valuable in the grand scheme of things
As the sun begins to grow red you're running low on time
As time ticks away, your opportunities diminish
I have to wonder, are you stuck under clouds of possibilities?
Are you struggling with the abundance of choices and opportunities available to you?
Or can't you turn against those urges?
Or are you unable to resist the temptation of those opportunities?
They'll desert you, guaranteed
Those opportunities will almost certainly disappear or abandon you eventually
If nothing's certain then that's worse
It's harder to deal with uncertainty than it is to face a definite outcome
Than this confusion as it intrudes on you and me
Than the turmoil that arises as a result of that uncertainty affecting us
If you fit into your pattern, it should come as no surprise
If you adhere to your usual routine or tendencies, the result should be predictable
As it's the safest the stars that shatter you learn to be polite
It's safer to conform to expectations and be agreeable, even if it means suppressing your true self
So be hopeful as a candle is worried for its flame
Stay optimistic about the future, even when things seem uncertain
The more that you could handle here, the less you feel the same
The more capable you become in a situation, the less invested or interested you may feel
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOEL CUMMINS, BRENDAN BAYLISS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jwelsh8
Well done, Jeff and Kev. Dig it. A lot.
@Schaeff48
Very cool, it amazes me how a video can vastly increase my enjoyment of a song. I think maybe the cake was my favorite part.
@bashopoem
Great job!
@cmagic74
So cool....Go Umphs!!!
@mbenskey
Dig the words on the piano keys... awesome job!
@ChrisBace1
Nice work fellas! Very creative!
@owenmcgee8496
This is surprisingly good.
@brmperc
Love it. As creative as a Stew
@JoeBlutenKat
Well done fellas...Keep em comin!
@justplugs
Awesome