Life Before Insanity
2000 - Capricorn Records LLC

04 - Lay Your Burden Down (performed with Ben Harper)

Words by Warren Haynes and Michael Barbiero - Music by Warren Haynes - 1998 Buzzard Rock Music (BMI)/Ringbearer, Ltd.(ASCAP) - Produced, engineered and mixed by Michael Barbiero.

Warren Haynes: Vocals and Guitars - Allen Woody: Bass - Matt Abts: Drums and Djembe - Ben Harper: Vocal and Lap steel - Johnny Neel: Organ, Wurlitzer piano and Background vocals

Ben Harper : "That was a privilege, among other things," Harper said, "but a real, real true-life privilege to play with Warren [Haynes], [Allen] Woody, and Matt [Abts].... I was coming to New York to see some family, I've got some family in Jersey, and it just so happened that that was timed with one of the last days that Gov't Mule was in the studio, and they had been calling me up to get me in.
But what's interesting about playing with other people is that you definitely grow," he added. "It pushes you. 'Cause you're not directly expressing your feeling as much as you're getting inside of their feeling and expressing part of their feeling, and it's a real challenge to do." — David Basham, www.mtv.com

Ben Harper and Gov't Mule live

* 07/19/98 - Pine Knob Music Theater: Clarkston, MI - HORDE Workshop Tent - Ben Harper and Warren Haynes on guitar, Chris Barron on sax, Chris Brown of Barenaked Ladies on keyboards, Marcus Bleecker of Mosiac and Matt Abts on drums and Allen Woody on bass (source : www.mulebase.com).

* 08/27/00 - Bimbo's 365 Club, San Francisco, CA
* 09/02/00 - Hog Farm PigNic (Black Oak Ranch) : Laytonville, CA
* 09/08/00 - Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA
"In the Lord's Arms" was dedicated to late Gov't Mule bass player Allen Woody.

In november 2000, Haynes and Abts opened 9 show for Ben Harper.
* 11/15/00 Civic Center: Atlanta, GA
* 11/17/00 - D.A.R. Constitution Hall: Washington, DC
* 11/18/00 - War Memorial Auditorium: Greensboro, NC
* 11/19/00 - North Charleston Performing Arts Center: Charleston, SC
At the beginning of the 2nd encore, Matt Abts and Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule sat in on "Lay Your Burden Down." The song, dedicated to late Mule bassist Allen Woody, featured Dean on tambourine and backup vocals.

* 04/17/04 - Wilshire Theater, Beverly Hills, CA —  Ben sat in with Gov't Mule on "Lay Your Burden Down/Smokestack Lightning".

— source : www.benharper.net

Warren Haynes (guitar) - Dean Butterworth - Matt Abts (on drums) - Juan Nelson (bass) — 11/19/00 - North Charleston Performing Arts Center: Charleston, SC — Photos © Malicious Matt / source : www.benharper.net