Ball (Widespread Panic album)
Encyclopedia
Ball is the eighth studio album
released by the Athens, GA based band Widespread Panic
. It was released on April 15, 2003 and it was the band's first studio album with George McConnell
on lead guitar
. McConnell joined the band in 2002 after the death of founding member Michael Houser
.
This process of recording the album departed from the band's usual methodology. Widespread Panic's previous studio albums had included mostly songs already familiar to the band's fans. Ball, however, included 12 never-before-heard songs written specifically for the album, along with one song, Time Waits, previously performed only by singer/guitarist John Bell
in solo appearances. It was also the first Widespread Panic album which did not feature at least one cover song.
The album reached a peak position of #61 on the Billboard 200
chart.
Production
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
released by the Athens, GA based band Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
. It was released on April 15, 2003 and it was the band's first studio album with George McConnell
George McConnell
George McConnell is an American guitarist from Vicksburg, Mississippi who played for Widespread Panic, Kudzu Kings, and Beanland. He attended the University of Mississippi where he was in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity....
on lead guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
. McConnell joined the band in 2002 after the death of founding member Michael Houser
Michael Houser
Michael Houser was the lead guitarist of the band Widespread Panic.Houser was born in Boone, North Carolina, graduated from Hixson High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and became a founding member of Widespread Panic in 1982 while attending the University of Georgia with John Bell...
.
This process of recording the album departed from the band's usual methodology. Widespread Panic's previous studio albums had included mostly songs already familiar to the band's fans. Ball, however, included 12 never-before-heard songs written specifically for the album, along with one song, Time Waits, previously performed only by singer/guitarist John Bell
John Bell (musician)
John Farmer Bell is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the American rock band Widespread Panic, where he is known for his raspy southern drawl that hits a variety of octaves. He is frequently called JB by fans...
in solo appearances. It was also the first Widespread Panic album which did not feature at least one cover song.
The album reached a peak position of #61 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart.
Track listing
- "Fishing" (Widespread Panic) – 4:58
- "Thin Air (Smells Like Mississippi)" (Widespread Panic) – 5:13
- "Tortured Artist" (Widespread Panic) – 5:16
- "Papa Johnny Road" (Widespread Panic) – 4:57
- "Sparks Fly" (Widespread Panic) – 2:26
- "Counting Train Cars" (Widespread Panic) – 2:53
- "Don't Wanna Lose You" (Widespread Panic) – 4:56
- "Longer Look" (Widespread Panic) – 4:02
- "Meeting of the Waters" (Widespread Panic) – 6:01
- "Nebulous" (Widespread Panic) – 8:13
- "Monstrosity" (Widespread Panic) – 4:20
- "Time Waits" (Widespread Panic) – 3:56
- "Travelin' Man" (HouserMichael HouserMichael Houser was the lead guitarist of the band Widespread Panic.Houser was born in Boone, North Carolina, graduated from Hixson High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and became a founding member of Widespread Panic in 1982 while attending the University of Georgia with John Bell...
) – 16:10
Credits
Widespread Panic- John BellJohn Bell (musician)John Farmer Bell is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the American rock band Widespread Panic, where he is known for his raspy southern drawl that hits a variety of octaves. He is frequently called JB by fans...
- GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, Vocals - John HermannJohn HermannJohn "JoJo" Hermann was born in New York City. He toured the South extensively with the band Beanland until 1992, when he went to Athens, Georgia to play keyboard with Widespread Panic....
- KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, Vocals - Todd Nance - DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, Vocals - Domingo S. Ortiz - PercussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
- Dave SchoolsDave SchoolsDave Schools aka "Dave Smalls", is the bassist for the band Widespread Panic , and hails from Richmond, Virginia. In addition to playing with Panic, he has had numerous side projects with Jerry Joseph, The Stockholm Syndrome, J Mascis and the Fog, Slang, and Acetate...
- BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Vocals - George McConnellGeorge McConnellGeorge McConnell is an American guitarist from Vicksburg, Mississippi who played for Widespread Panic, Kudzu Kings, and Beanland. He attended the University of Mississippi where he was in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity....
- Guitar, Vocals
Production
- John KeaneJohn Keane (record producer)John Keane is an American record producer based in Athens, Georgia, who has worked extensively with R.E.M., Indigo Girls and Widespread Panic. He owns and operates John Keane Studios in Athens, which opened in 1981....
- Production, Mixing, Recording - Billy Field - Assistant
- Danny Michael Hilley - Engineer
- Ted Jansen - Mastering
External links
- Widespread Panic website
- Everyday Companion
- [ All Music entry]