You may know Warren Haynes as the dexterous guitarist of The Allman Brothers Band, The Grateful Dead and Gov't Mule. Haynes knows better than anyone how a guitar solo should sound and yet poetry is his first love. The American explains it all in the CD booklet of his third solo album Ashes & Dust. As a child he preferred to be a writer until he first heard Jimi Hendrix and the rock guitar came
… into his life. Nevertheless, lyrics and folk music have always fascinated him. It is not for nothing that Haynes tells this story as an introduction to Ashes & Dust. The record has enough guitar work that usually earns his living, but basically it is a singer / songwriter album. It is precisely the voice and lyrics of the fifties that make an impression. And that is conscious, because together with backing band Railroad Earth, Haynes plays mostly acoustic instruments. This leaves a lot of space for the writer's melodies and stories. And they are more than worth listening to. The bare demos on the bonus disc also prove that Haynes is a good songwriter who needs no frills. (JE)more
