posted by John on 08.16.07 @ 8:36 am
Tags: Bill Nershi, Chris Pandolfi, Drew Emmitt, String Cheese Incident
Jambands.com is reporting that last weekend’s String Cheese Incident reunion show at RedRocks in Colorado would seem to be its last, and that it was surely the last performance with the band by guitarist/vocalist Bill Nershi. He has joined forces with jamgrass mandolin master Drew Emmitt, and formed the Emmitt Nershi Band.
Joining Nershi and Emmitt will be Tyler Grant on bass and Chris Pandolfi on banjo. Knowing of Chris’ solid commitment to The Infamous Stringdusters, I asked him whether his time with Emmitt Nershi was during time off from his main gig.
“I’m definitely doing the Emmit/Nershi thing on the side. If the ‘Dusters don’t have another lineup change for 20 years I will be thrilled.”
Live appearances for The Emmitt Nershi band will be posted on their MySpace page.
But Chris did leave the Stringdusters for the Emmit/Nershi gig…
From http://thestringdusters.com/in/news/ :
“The Infamous Stringdusters have announced that Nashville-based guitarist Andy Falco will come on board September 1st to replace current guitarist Chris Eldridge.”
Tough news, but good luck to both projects!!! :thumbsup
That is correct. Matt is confusing the two Chris’.
Chris Pandolfi is (for now, as far as I know) staying with the 'dusters.
Chris Eldridge is leaving (or has already left, I’m not sure) the ‘dusters to move to Chicago with the rest of the Tensions Mountain Boys…including Chris Thile, Noam Pikelney, Greg Garrison, and Gabe Witcher. :pickin’
Yeah, Chris Eldridge is leaving the band to play with Chris Thile and the Tensions Mountain Boys (formerly How to Grow a Band), and Chris Pandolfi is only planning to play with the Emmit Nershi band when it doesn’t conflict with the Dusters’ schedule. Losing Chris Eldridge is a huge loss, but I’m sure Andy Falco is no slouch either. I’m really looking forward to his debut in Pagosa next week.
As for Nershi leaving SCI…I say meh. I agree with Dean. I lost interest in SCI around 1999 -2000. I saw them 80+ times in the 90’s all over the west coast, but you couldn’t pay me to see them in recent times. They used to have their own fun and bluegrassyish kind of sound. I lost interest when they became ‘Kyle and the porn-funk four’. I’m glad to see that Billy is getting back to his roots a little. ’
Aside from the unbelievably xenophobic and chauvinistic title of THTGAB’s first album (please tell me I’m not the only one who thinks the title “How to Grow a Woman…” is just plain weird - is Thile a closet stalker or what?), the former band name was blatantly arrogant. And stupid. (Poor Chris, he’s never actually lived. Been a successful money-making musician since before he could drive. As a result, his music is beautiful but lacks the grit of reality. I am, however, still looking forward to my last Nickle Creek show, at 4 Corners. )
Not that “Tensions Mountain Boys” just rolls off the tongue or anything…
Oh, back on topic. I think the Emmit Nershi Band will take us places SCI never went… namely, beyond the noodle. Just imo. Nershi is gonna get to play the kind of stuff he really wants to play, and I’ll bet it’s gonna be fantastic.
Bevin
Not really sure what this means. I’ve seen the HTGAB 1/2 a dozen times now. With every viewing feeling more and more grounded in the reality of the band’s combined experiences, they feel like the most original and creative group out there.
