September 20, 2001 – Dave Matthews' label, ATO Records has signed Gov't Mule for The Deep End, a three-part series of releases that feature the band working with 25 of the world's premiere bass players. Gov't Mule singer/guitarist Warren Haynes and drummer Matt Abts recorded new material and select cover tunes with bassists including Bootsy Collins (P-Funk, James Brown), Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Me'shell N'degeocello and Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead). The project includes two separate albums of music and a documentary film, directed by Phish bassist Mike Gordon, chronicling the recording process. Longtime Gov't Mule producer Michael Barbiero (Soundgarden, Madonna, Tesla) co-produced and mixed most of the tracks on the album with Haynes.

Haynes explains the cathartic experience of recording The Deep End following the death of bassist Allen Woody in August 2000: "The inspiration was really not knowing how to continue forward. When Woody passed away, we were in the middle of preparing for what would be the next Gov't Mule record anyway. We didn't know how to continue that process -- we didn't want to start auditioning bass players to try to find a permanent replacement. So the idea came about that all of our favorite bass players might be too busy to join the band, or even do a whole tour, but maybe they wouldn't be too busy to do one song. All these guys are different from each other, and the array of influences really covers the whole gamut, but they're all people who influenced us, especially Woody. They are all people who found their way into his playing."

October 23, Gov't Mule will release The Deep End Vol. 1. This, the first album in the series, includes guest performances by Bootsy Collins, Flea, Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE), John Entwistle (The Who), Larry Graham (Sly & the Family Stone, Prince), Stefan Lessard (Dave Matthews Band) and Mike Gordon (Phish) as well as a rendition of Grand Funk Railroad's "Sin's A Good Man's Brother," recorded with Woody before his death. Each of The Deep End Vol. 1's 13 songs -- nine originals written or co-written by Haynes and four covers -- was hand-picked for the bassist who contributed to the track; certain songs were co-written with the guest performers.

A winter 2001/2002 release is planned for the documentary film on DVD and VHS, which will include extensive in-studio footage and interviews with Haynes, Abts and all of the guest bass players. Gordon, who is focusing largely on his penchant for filmmaking while Phish is on hiatus, agreed to produce the documentary after Haynes approached him with the idea. The second album, The Deep End Vol. 2, is planned for a spring 2002 release; a final track list is not yet determined, but the album will include performances by bassists N'degeocello, Lesh, Les Claypool (Primus) and George Porter, Jr. (The Meters, Tori Amos).

In early September Gov't Mule began a two-month tour of U.S. theaters, festivals and large clubs in support of The Deep End. Allman Brothers Band bassist Oteil Burbridge and Widespread Panic bassist Dave Schools will each fill the bass role for a run of dates, and Claypool will play with the band September 20 at San Francisco's Warfield Theatre. Keyboardist Chuck Leavell (Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton) will also join Gov't Mule for this tour. See below for a complete list of tour dates.

In addition to performing with Gov't Mule, slide-guitar virtuoso Haynes has also toured this summer with Phil Lesh & Friends and with the Allman Brothers Band. He rejoined the Allmans after he and Woody left the group in 1997 to concentrate on Gov't Mule full-time. Haynes also appears on recent albums by artists including Alanis Morissette, Incubus and Everlast.

Gov't Mule is the fourth signing to ATO Records, the independent label formed in early 2000 by Dave Matthews, manager Coran Capshaw and longtime associates Michael McDonald and Chris Tetzeli. ATO's first release was David Gray's platinum-selling album White Ladder; the label most recently released Chris Whitley's Rocket House.

Gov't Mule: The Deep End Vol. 1
Track List

1. Fool's Moon (W. Haynes)
featuring Jack Bruce on bass & vocals; Bernie Worrell on organ & clavinet

2. Life on the Outside (W. Haynes / A. Freed)
featuring Larry Graham on bass & vocals; Audley Freed on guitar;
Eddie Harsch on organ & clavinet.

3. On The Banks of the Deep End (W. Haynes / M. Gordon / J. Linitz)
featuring Mike Gordon on bass & background vocals; Danny Louis on organ & wurlitzer

4. Down & Out In NYC (W.L. Chandler / B.R. DeVorzan)
featuring Flea on bass; Rob Barraco on organ & wurlitzer; Keith Barry on trumpet; Mike Uhler on tenor sax; Dan Weinstein on trombone

5. Effigy (J.C. Fogerty)
featuring Mike Watt on bass; Jerry Cantrell on background vocals

6. Maybe I'm a Leo (R. Blackmore / I. Gillan / R.D. Glover / J. Lord / I. Paice)
featuring Roger Glover on bass; Randall Bramblett on organ

7. Same Price (W. Haynes)
featuring John Entwistle on bass; Page McConnell on organ & clavinet.

8. Soulshine (W. Haynes)
featuring Willy Weeks on bass; Little Milton on guitar & vocals; Chuck Leavell on organ & wurlitzer

9. Sco Mule (W. Haynes)
featuring Chris Wood on bass; John Scofield on guitar; Bernie Worrell on organ & clavinet.

10. Worried Down With the Blues (W. Haynes / A. Woody / J. Jaworowicz)
featuring Oteil Burbridge on bass; Derek Trucks on guitar; Gregg Allman on organ & vocals

11. Beautifully Broken (W. Haynes / D. Louis)
featuring Stefan Lessard on bass; Danny Louis on wurlitzer & organ.

12. Tear Me Down (W. Haynes)
featuring Bootsy Collins on bass & vocals; Bernie Worrell on organ & mini moog

13. Sin's A Good Man's Brother (M. Farner)
featuring Allen Woody on bass

Gov't Mule Fall 2001 Tour Dates

September
18 - Portland OR - Crystal Ballroom - bass: Dave Schools
20 - San Francisco CA - Warfield Theater - bass: Les Claypool
21 - W. Hollywood CA - House of Blues - bass: Dave Schools
22 - Las Vegas NV - House of Blues - bass: Dave Schools
24 - Scottsdale AZ - Cajun House - bass: Dave Schools
27 - Kansas City MO - The Beaumont Club - bass: Oteil Burbridge
28 - Minneapolis MN - The Quest - bass: Oteil Burbridge
29 - Chicago IL - Vic Theater - bass: Oteil Burbridge
30 - Milwaukee WI - The Rave/Eagle Ballroom - bass: Oteil Burbridge

October
2 - Des Moines IA - TBA
3 - St. Louis MO - The Pageant - bass: Oteil Burbridge
4 - Indianapolis IN - Murat Theatre - bass: Oteil Burbridge
5 - Columbus OH - Newport Music Hall - bass: Oteil Burbridge
6 - Detroit MI - Majestic Theater - bass: Oteil Burbridge
7 - Cleveland OH - The Odeon Concert Club - bass: Oteil Burbridge
9 - Norfolk VA - The NORVA Theatre - bass: Oteil Burbridge
11 - Washington DC - 9:30 Club - bass: Oteil Burbridge
12 - Philadelphia PA - Electric Factory - bass: Oteil Burbridge
13 - Boston MA - Orpheum Theatre - bass: Oteil Burbridge
14 - Portland ME - State Theater - bass: Oteil Burbridge
18 - New York NY - Roseland Ballroom - bass: Oteil Burbridge
19 - Raleigh NC - The Ritz - bass: Oteil Burbridge
20 - Atlanta GA - The Tabernacle - bass: Oteil Burbridge
21 - Charleston SC - Center Stage - bass: Oteil Burbridge
22 - Memphis TN - New Daisy Theatre - bass: Oteil Burbridge
24 - Dallas TX - Deep Ellum Live - bass: Oteil Burbridge
25 - Austin TX - Stubbs - bass: Oteil Burbridge
26 - Houston TX - Fitzgerald's - bass: Oteil Burbridge
27 - New Orleans LA - Voodoo Fest (early) - bass: TBA
27 - New Orleans LA - House of Blues (late) - bass: TBA