No shade for Jimmy, but Mikey’s style and tone does things and goes places that Jimmy doesn’t. Anyone know if there’s someone currently filling that void?
This is a great take, and I love nerding out about this subject.
Mikey’s simplicity allowed the band to really shine, and when it hit “those” moments in a jam the whole thing would lift off the ground and soar like a plane. Jimmy is so technical and complex that the band often is more subdued and those moments are a little less frequent or impactful, in my own very personal opinion.
There was a very emotional rawness that you could feel in Mikey’s playing, and that paired with his lesser technical ability really made you feel his struggle to convey that emotion, in a sense, and when the band stepped in and everything hit it was just pure magic.
Jimmy is so technically fluid that you sometimes lose the emotionality at all, and the band rarely has to or gets to step in and lift the whole jam up.
As simple as it was, he had his very own voice on guitar. Holt comes close but it’s still not quite there. As of 1996, Houser claimed he didn’t even know a scale—including the one he played in. Col. Bruce told him it was Byzantine, which sounds close but not quite right. I’m a slightly intermediate guitarist who’s played on his couch for 30 years so you’d know better than me, though. He just played within a physical pattern he taught himself early on. It’s in this interview with Dan Skolnik.
http://widespread-panic.blogspot.com/1996/06/6796-interview-w-mike-houser.html?m=1
Well Put.
Panic in the Mikey days was a different breed, IMO because Mikey was more of an electric guitarist, over a LEAD guitarist role, ( DAS and JOJO both filled in the Lead role… and JB is just Butter ) but we was one of the greatest Masters of Space there was … hitting the right notes precisely when it was needed and knowing when to hold back .. Jimmy is one of the most technically gifted musicians ever to play- It’s just a different style of music these days glad they are still Pushing IT ❤️🏆
(Miss HIS sound EVERY Day)
So glad to see someone else say this. When I listen to some old Panic and Billy I instantly think that Billy is one of the closest things we have or have had to a Mikey. Especially the way he works pedals.
Daniel Donato is a good shout
Nobody try’s to recreate panic like they try to recreate phish.
The scene is flooded with Trey clones but no one even really attempts Mikey
See, Spafford (which I like, don’t get me wrong)
I would say Brian is high energy Trey with some Mikey and Jimmy thrown in. Spafford is their own unique brand which I respect and love
Sam Holt is the closest I've seen it.
And heard.
Ran into him at a show, super nice dude
Came here to say this
There's this dude named Igor who is even more similar with Mikey's soldano cabs and I'm sure same head unit
Totally agree, while still having his own tone. As Mikey’s tech he knows the rigs and playing better than anyone other than Mikey, but has his own playing too which I love about him; a blended style so to speak.
Unpopular opinion here. Mikey was the heart and soul of panic but Jimmy is a better musician.
No one would argue that but a better musician doesn’t make a better fit necessarily.
Username checks out
Mikey is a better musician. Jimmy is a better guitar player, technically speaking.
Not taking issue with your position, I'm cool with you having that opinion, but I think Mikey was the better musician, better guitarist, etc....However I love Jimmy's playing and consider him to be masterful. But mark me down in the Mikey column. I don't think the band ever fully recovered from losing him, but I nonetheless think they still sound great and I'm glad they kept playing. Still an excellent band, just not quite as superlative. Todd is also missed, but Duane is solid too.
Yes! Not enough love for Todd! I like Duane but Todd’s hi-hat work impeccable ( I’m a drummer so may be biased)
I found a great example of Mikey and Todd making a song work......Breathing Slow! As Driving Song goes into Breathing Slow, it becomes a Mikey/Todd song. The communication going on between the two musicians is just quintessential, and the musicianship is flawless. Maybe Todd's playing declined some post-Mikey, but there was a time when it was just as good as it could possibly be. 90s Panic just can't be beat!
Jimmy is a machine. Not sure if that's a good thing
BOOOOOOO!
Mikey was such a unique player with a distinct voice and sound. There's no one that can even come close to imitating his sound and never will be.
The note skipper
Imposible musical and emotional void to fill. Mikey was an inimitable genius. But I’m still having a ton of fun at panic shows nowadays
No. I think panic also really misses his voice and songwriting.
They really miss the songwriting of both Mikey and Todd
True!
This is true and huge.
Nope. 1/1
https://youtu.be/uSLhQhLg1R0?si=M-vfa5819SUhnJvb
Here ya go….This guy.
Only guy I know of that can nail the tone, and the note bends, and get the sustain and timing right.
He used to play in a WSP cover band out of Texas. No idea what he’s up to these days.
Cool. He’s got the rig too. Soldano > Mesa. That’s pretty high end gear. I’ve learned a good bit of chilly from watching him. Enough to where my dad band is playing it with decent amounts of satisfaction.
Apparently, his dog is more of a Jimmy fan.
The GOAT
Mikey was Mikey and never the same. But why does frustrate me Jimmy and can Jerry licks just the same. Maybe he needs to be his own spin on WP songs.
Saw the gang in Athens in 89..Found out Houser was from Boone NC ,my HT ...and I just loved the guy and his style...When he passed I fell off touring...But 2005 came around and they came to Boone,and I thought...Damn,they are still here jamming and if they can come jam,i can support that...fast forward to last year and many shows later for me ,I moved to Colorado..my first RR show was WSP..first night ,and i have to say that show ranks up in my top three of over 60 shows...RR jam into Bust it big...made my whole year..listen to it several times a week now...Same year NAPA,shows..meh..vibe was not what i was used to...long way home i know to the question ,but Mikey is and will always be Panic.
O man that jam into bust it big on opening night set the tone for the whole amazing weekend
You damn right...Bust it big was not my very fav ...but it is now...So im hanging near the trees on the sides at RR..just grooving with a few strangers ..that jam is taking shape and then,it slams into Bust it ..and mofos went apeshite....the funk was on then...Then that Henry,into Dont wanna lose you ...JoJo was killin it....Went on to Napa a few weeks later and they opened again with napa jam >bust it big...couldnt believe it...
fasho,bro
Thanks for all the comments. There’s no substitute for Mikey Panic!! I know of Holt, but I’ll check out some of the suggestions!
I come from heavy metal music growing up and it was Mikey's heavy metal distortion that got me hooked. I've tried to listen to other jam bands but they're all speedy gonzales, melodic, trippy sounds stuff. I really miss that Mikey distortion destruction <3
Nope. Mikey was it
Never will be another Mikey nor is there a current Mikey!
The more I go back and listen to shows from early 90’s to late 90’s I miss that lingering lead. Herring is probably a better musician, but Herring can become overbearing. It seems to me the band just leans on his noodling way too much these days.
Sean Mills and Sam Holt
The thing that I miss about Mikey was the way he played the dark songs. There’s a huge difference in the way those songs sound these days. Not a bad thing necessarily just different.
Always thought this same exact thing :.. kudos for the bravery I haven’t read the comments, but I’m sure they’re a little toasty.
No shade whatsoever on Jimmy he is a master! When it comes to pure guitar playing, I’d put him above Uber talented and likely a bit more talented at playing guitar than Mikey…but Mikey’s sound is unmatched, imo…talk about a band peaking off their guitarist….they’ed peak and even you thought it couldn’t get any higher, Mikey would lay the hammer down and peak over the peak, with the band never missing a lick, like a well oiled machine ….
My live music memories were best had, seeing panic, with Mikey sitting and creating his wave rages…
I honestly miss it more than anything else, in regards to seeing live music…
So many chill bumps arise to hearing Mikey Panic👊🏼
My introduction to Goose was their peach fest set in 2019. Rich had a knee surgery that summer and sat down through the tour. The styles are different because nobody will ever be the lingering lead, but something about a guitar player absolutely ripping it from a chair gives me Mikey chills
Every musician on the planet, past present and future - is 100% unique.
I was telling a buddy after the St. Louis shows that during the Jimmy solos, I found myself just standing there, not dancing. That never happened with Mikey.
I realized that after my second show seeing Jimmy. I just can’t follow the lead path that guy takes. There’s nothing intuitive about it. He’s got the chops to take Mikey’s tone and style to new levels- just listen to those amazing Jazz is Dead shows where he demonstrates his prowess with Jerry’s persona.
Oh absolutely. He's probably one of the greatest guitarists that are playing right now, but he just doesn't do solos that are danceable with Panic. It almost takes you out of the moment. He needs more Wawaw pedal!
Nope Never will be
Ain’t gonna be another
Sam holt, is close as we will get and jimmy can sound just like him if he wants
I play like him but can’t find a band. (Numerous people told me i sound very close to him.)
Sam Holt
I think they do the JB solo Chilly Water open bc IMO Jimmy hasn't found the intro they way the others want it. Jimmy:Chilly is George: Surprise Valley
Love and respect for Mikey. It isn’t fair he had to leave the party so soon, and the band wouldn’t exist without him. And of course no old school fans will ever be happy with anyone who isn’t him.
But think about it: Do you play shit exactly like him? Do you do the important licks/riffs note for note and try to capture his vibe on the rest? Do you aim for what you think of as being his essence as a player? Is any of that shit why you got the gig in the first place? Do you listen to the loudest fan? The loudest band member? All of that would leave you incapable of just playing the damned tunes. To try to copy him verbatim would be silly at best, and creepy/disrespectful at worst.
Panic fans lost a singular player and musical personality, but gained literally one of the greatest living practitioners of improvised rock guitar music on the planet, and still ain’t happy. Even though Jimmy’s been in the band longer than Mikey was at this point. As my granddaddy used to say, “Some folks’d complain if you hung em with a new rope.”
Just gonna put out a reference ...6-13-2001..San diego ...listen to the Vacation,second set...Houser was feeling the effects of cancer..and homeboy was still climbing the mountain,in an attempt to get better playing wise...how many of us could continue knowing our mortality was facing us down? That is what Houser was...listen totally dig Jimmy..but I was on tour in the 90's a bunch and the lingering lead is still my fav era..but im still having more fun at panic today than any other show ,except maybe Billy
perhaps Steve Kimock could fill that void.
As a working guitarist of many years, the major difference I hear between the two(for better or worse) is SIMPLICITY.
Mikey works often in 1/8th notes in mostly minor pentatonic with very timely bends. Its MUCH simpler, but thats what works well with the war machine that what going on behind him. Mikey wouldve probably told you himself that he’s not a majorly technical player, minus some speedy picking. But how he fits in the context of Panic is perfect.
Jimmy is one of the most technical guitarists you’ll ever see. Especially from an improv standpoint. He works a lots of half-whole diminished and has absolutely mind-bending speed. He is a total swiss army knife and would fit-in with most bands.
A couple of other points:
panic as a band was a touring machine when Mikey was around, high-level backing band when Mikey was soloing (not that they arent now - but especially the case then)
Mikey would likely sound out of place in his typical soloing style if he were to sit in with other bands such as Dead or Phish, however Jimmy has shown that he can shine
Edit: didnt notice the title. I call Mikey’s playing sink-or-swim playing. Because if Mikey were to leave a lot more space, it wouldn’t sound right. Kind of the opposit of like a Schofield. If Schofield was constantly playing notes it wouldnt sound right. But with Mikey its perfect.
Modern players that I think play like this are - Billy Strings (when playing electric) - Daniel Donato - Tom Hamilton
Though these people are super special and unique in their own way… no one who is trully great wants to be a direct copy of someone else