So What! EP

A couple years ago, I revived a little Casio SA-10 keyboard that I got when I was eight years old and figured it could probably turn out some killer drum machine sounds à la the Rhythm Ace unit employed by JJ Cale, Sly Stone, and more. I was right… and once I got it cooking and started using the drum loops to sketch out songs, I figured it might be fun to write a mini concept album about something, anything. Well, since I just happened to be binging a season of Rich Mahan and Jesse Jarnow’s amazing Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast, Dead culture began to osmosis-ize itself into my lyrics, and I ended up with three songs about a few things that make the Grateful Dead great.

The Tapes

He’s picking out all the best.
“Latvala” is a tribute to the band’s obsessive concert archivist — and curator of the Dick’s Pick series — Dick Latvala.

The Philosophy

Get on the bus.
“So What” is a call to get out of yer ruts, named after the “So What Papers,” which were written by manager Ron Rakow to convince the band to leave the traditional music distribution game and form their own record label.

The People

This train’s built to last.

“Rollin’ Down the Line” is a meditation on how the world, the fans, and the band members carried on after Jerry Garcia’s death. Spot as many lyric references in there as you can!

Lyrics

Latvala

He’s sending them to the east

He’s sending them to the west

He’s keeping the stories alive

He’s picking out all the best

Latvala

Stealing away your ears

Stealing your way across the line

Spending the rest of your days

Filled with Marin Country sunshine

Latvala

So What

Uncle Jed was ridin’ high when the big, bad whistle blew

Had to trade his soul for a case of the flu

Tryin’ to get ahead, all he got was a shove

Looked in the mirror and said

“So what”

So what

Might as well just drop out and run, run, run

Hit the road, take a drag

Cut loose, and get on the bus

Call Local United So What

Mary Lane felt the same, nothin’ she cared to lose

Under the weather with the walking US blues

She told them where to put it, found a little fun

Started marching along to So What

So what

Might as well just drop out and run, run, run

Hit the road, take a drag

Cut loose, and get on the bus

Call Local United So What

So what

Might as well just drop out and run

Cut loose, and get on the bus

Call Local United So What

Rollin’ Down the Line

I heard the whistle scream today

And felt Furthur lost

From way out west I heard it say

The golden saint is gone

I cried tears from electric eyes

When the calaveras moved

I wish July was still alive

To break these American blues

But no-one’s a Huck Finn

Whose exit’s just a lie

This life will do you in

Send you rollin’ down the line

When we missed our right hand

We bet on another one that came around

But there’s no beauty in the land

When those chips are down

If you listen in the dark

It’s almost a kind of lullabyin’

It mayer may not be high art

But we’ll make some sunshine

So be careful getting proud

With aces high

The deal might turn about

Send you rollin’ down the line

We can’t go back up these tracks

So why sit at home cryin’?

This train’s built to last

And we’ll keep rolling down the line

Credits

Benjamin Miller — Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drum & Percussion Programming
Abbey Janii — Vocals
Ben Cook-Feltz — Good Keyboards

All songs by Benjamin Milller, Flowers Brothers Music (BMI)
Recorded by Benjamin Miller
Mixed by Lily Wen & Benjamin Miller at Figure 8 Recording
Mastered by Rebecca Huston
Photography & design by Benjamin Miller
“So What” patch by Patch Supply
Special thanks to Greg Hess, David Neher, Shawn Parsons & Noah Smith