Smells Like Alternative

Since the Jersey natives are on the road this summer, and have a new album coming out sometime this year, then it seems like a perfect opportunity for an FYI on Blues Traveler.

• John Popper (vocals, harmonica) and Brandon Hill (drums) formed a garage band in Princeton, NJ in the mid 80’s called The Establishment, which was later renamed Blues Band.
• By 1987 guitarist Chan Kinchla and bassist Bobby Sheehan joined the band.
• The band adopted the black cat as their mascot while they were jamming in the basement, since a black cat was nearby.
• Blues Traveler took the traveler part of their name from Gozer the Traveler from Ghostbusters.
• After high school the band relocated to New York City, where they began a close relationship with the Spin Doctors, since the Spin Doctors frontman Chris Barron was friends with John Popper.
• Blues Traveler became one of famous concert promoter Bill Graham’s acts after his son David found the band.
• The band released their debut self-titled album in 1990 through A&M Records.
• Several songs from Blues Traveler, including “Warmer Days”, features Joan Osbourne on back up vocals.
• Traveler’s and Thieves was released on September 3, 1991.
• The track “Mountain Cry” features Gregg Allman, while “All in the Groove” features Chris Barron.
• The 1992 live EP On Tour Forever is a tribute to Bill Graham, who passed away in 1991. Carlos Santana appears on the live version of “Mountain Cry”.
• David Letterman has stated that Blues Traveler are his favorite band, and they have appeared as musical guests on The Late Show more then any other artist.
• Blues Traveler founded the H.O.R.D.E. Festival in 1992, which was a touring festival that ended in 1998. Some of the bands that joined in the fun throughout the years were: 311, The Allman Brothers Band, Beck, Barnaked Ladies, Dave Matthews Band, The Black Crowes, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Ben Folds Five, Wilco, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Smashing Pumpkins, Neil Young, Primus, Natalie Merchant and more!
• Save His Soul was released in April of 1993 and featured contributions from Paul Shaffer and Warren Haynes.
• Blues Traveler breakthrough album four was released on September 13, 1994.
• “Run-Around” hit #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also gave the band their first Grammy.
• “Hook” would reach #23 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• Blues Traveler appeared at Woodstock ‘94.
• The track “But Anyway” appears in the 1996 comedy Kingpin.
• Live from the Fall was a live album released on July 2, 1996.
• Straight On till Morning was released on July 1, 1997 and would reach platinum status.
• In 1998 the band planned a concept album entitled The Sun, The Storm and The Traveler, which was based on Aesop’s fable The North Wind and The Sun.
• John Popper had to have and emergency angioplasty in 1999.
• Bassist Bobby Sheehan passed away from an accidental drug overdose in New Orleans on August 20, 1999.
• Tad Kinchla, brother of guitarist Chan, became the band’s new bass player.
• Decisions of the Sky: A Traveler’s Tale of Sun and Storm was a four track free online EP released in the fall of 2000.
• Bridge was released on May 8, 2001, was originally entitled Bridge Out of Brooklyn, which was in in honor of Bobby Sheehan whose nickname was Brooklyn Bobby.
• In 2002 the band released the compilation Travelogue: Blues Traveler Classics and the live album What You and I Have Been Through.
• Truth Be Told was released on August 5, 2003 through Sanctuary Records, since the band was let go from A&M after the company was bought out by Universal in the the late 90’s.
• Live on the Rocks is a live album of the band’s July 4, 2003 performance at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado. There is also a DVD entitled Thinnest Air.
• ¡Bastardos! was released on September 13, 2005 and was produced by Jay Bennett, who used to be Wilco’s guitarist.
• Blues Traveler contributed their take of “Rag Mama Rag” for the tribute album Endless Highway: The Music of the Band in 2007.
• Cover Yourself, released on October 30, 2007, was a “best of” compilation which reworked some of the band’s most well known tunes as acoustic numbers.
• On the band’s current tour they have been playing a new song entitled “North Hollywood Shoutout.

Check out this live performance of “Run-Around”.

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