HBR's Matthews Leaves Band

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From www.hotbutteredrum.net:

FLOATING DOWNSTREAM

Dear Friends and Fans of Hot Buttered Rum,

Z. Matthews from hotbutteredrum.net
I am writing to let you know of my recent decision to part ways with Hot Buttered Rum. This decision was by no means an easy one, nor a sudden one. After a great deal of introspection and band discussion, our separation emerged as the only viable way for everyone involved to move forward.

I want to take this moment to express deepest gratitude to you, the Butter Community, for your infinite love and support. This incredible community has always been as important to me as the music itself. You, more than anything, have allowed and encouraged me to pour my heart and soul into HBR, and you have given me great hope that people can make the world a better place. For this I offer sincere thanks.

If you feel sadness, I empathize with you over what is being lost -- the unique synergy between the five of us was indeed magic. But certainly music and magic live on. I hope you will share in a feeling of excitement for me and for HBR as we journey forward along separate paths. I continue to be an advocate for HBR's success, and eagerly await the new songs that my brothers and their future collaborations will yield.

I also expect this time of change to recharge my own creative reservoir for music and other endeavors. I look forward to channeling many incredible connections into fruitful collaborations.

Further down the road we'll meet again. But for now, this is it, high times...
Zachary Matthews
November 30, 2008

(Zachary Matthews plays mandolin, fiddle and sings.)

In Matthews' absence, long-time collaborator Matt Butler (the Everyone Orchestra) will accompany HBR on drums on most dates of the Midwest tour and at the band's upcoming New Year's run in Denver, CO. Butler's passionate percussive energy will be a powerful addition to HBR's ever-changing sound.

Hot Buttered Rum
Midwest Tour – December 2008

  • 12/04/08 – Majestic Theatre – Madison, WI
  • 12/05/08 – Martyrs' – Chicago, IL
  • 12/06/08 – Miramar Theatre – Milwaukee, WI
  • 12/09/08 – The Music Mill – Indianapolis, IN (w/ Cornmeal)
  • 12/10/08 – Madison Theater –Covington, KY (w/ Cornmeal)
  • 12/12/08 – University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point – Stevens Point, WI
  • 12/13/08 – The Cabooze – Minneapolis, MN (w/ Pert’ Near Sandstone)

  • http://www.hotbutteredrum.net

    [Published on: 12/2/08]
     

    Comments

    mateotee Tue 12/2/2008 10:38AM
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    mateotee

    bummer

    GratefulHokie Tue 12/2/2008 10:50AM
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    GratefulHokie

    Good Luck in the future Zach!

    "Less guns, more butter"

    italianman42816 Tue 12/2/2008 10:58AM
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    italianman42816

    I feel like i just got punched it the stomach... Im really really sad about this

    Rivertrancer Tue 12/2/2008 11:01AM
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    matt08 Tue 12/2/2008 11:02AM
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    matt08

    that sucks they are amazing

    philhitz Tue 12/2/2008 11:07AM
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    does hbr still plan to open for cornmeal on the 10th in KY?

    Natey starstarstarstarstar Tue 12/2/2008 11:19AM
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    Natey

    I wonder if it is because they are going down the "rock n' roll" path. These guys are great, but it seems like every "string band" ends up playing more rock n' roll as they get more popular. I think SCI is the prime example.

    Teabagger Tue 12/2/2008 11:20AM
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    Teabagger

    Wow. Terrible news. I wish Zach the best, but it's hard to picture HBR w/o him there on the mando.

    MOERON10 Tue 12/2/2008 11:32AM
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    ewilson313 Tue 12/2/2008 11:32AM
    Show -6 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!
    marcsmall1 Tue 12/2/2008 11:35AM
    Show -15 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!
    River Jordan star Tue 12/2/2008 12:24PM
    Show -5 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!
    moephishH2O Tue 12/2/2008 12:47PM
    +9 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

    moephishH2O

    ^^ A Yonder knockoff??? Really? I find HBR's style WAY different from Jeff Austin and Co. Best of luck, Zach! You will be missed!

    sativansam Tue 12/2/2008 12:57PM
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    Best of luck, Zach. We'll miss you much. Hope to see you soon.

    monodub Tue 12/2/2008 01:01PM
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    monodub

    Happy trails, Zachary. You will be missed!

    pimpmcgeorge Tue 12/2/2008 01:16PM
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    pimpmcgeorge

    ewilson313, while you may be on the right track in terms of his mando skills, I thought Zach was far and away their best vocalist. That's a big loss, man.

    peteybone starstarstar Tue 12/2/2008 01:25PM
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    Oh poor marcsmall1 you simple minded fool. The Butter Boys have a completely different vibe than Yonder. Pull head out of arse and actually listen to the music. Best of luck to Hot Buttered Rum.

    salvadordali Tue 12/2/2008 01:27PM
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    salvadordali

    Whats up with the 12/13 show @ the Cabooze?? or the rest of the planned shows. I was hoping to go. do they already have a fill in?

    tommont Tue 12/2/2008 01:37PM
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    tommont

    good luck w whatever you do in the future Zach it will be interesting to see how HBR evolves. marcsmall1 you need to listen to both bands a little more if you think hbr is a yonder knockoff. very different band.

    akeay Tue 12/2/2008 02:20PM
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    akeay

    I'm wondering if they'll be enlisting a drummer...

    ClaysTribe star Tue 12/2/2008 04:07PM
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    seals777 Tue 12/2/2008 05:15PM
    +4 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

    Good Luck to you Zach.

    RedHeaven Tue 12/2/2008 06:22PM
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    RedHeaven

    Im feeling both sad and good. Change is good, missing Zac's signature songs and vocals is sad. I look forward to hearing Butter's next adventure, and will hold great songs like Return Someday and Idaho Pines close to my heart. Fuckin A Butter Community....you guys all rock with all the support. It shows.

    To the Snarky Ass Jamtards that Infiltrate this Website: dont they have sports teams for your kind of competition? Thank goodness the whole scene isnt like a lot of this site comment section. Poor sods with no true love of life and music. Snark away.....The rest of us are enjoying what we got. Good luck Zac!!

    ketchup Tue 12/2/2008 07:00PM
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    ketchup

    Well I'll miss him. I don't know about the whole drums things though... didn't like it when Yonder did it, but we'll see I guess.

    AZ~*Droo* Wed 12/3/2008 04:30AM
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    AZ~*Droo*

    sad new forsure. hope the spirit of the band lives on. i really like these guys.

    MilesGone starstarstarstarstar Wed 12/3/2008 06:16AM
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    MilesGone

    woow. now with drums? sounds cool, I appreciate the drums with new grass.

    they are not any knock off of anyone!!!

    who else wrote a song called, guns or butter??? hmmm?

    its freaking brilliant!!!! YMSB has not written any song that is THAT GOOD.

    period.

    and I love YMSB too!!!

    looking forward to the new direction of the band.

    and good luck to you Zach!

    I met these guys early in their career, they were sooooooo NICE to me :)

    trusmoka Wed 12/3/2008 07:51AM
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    Snarky Custy Flat Bill trustafarian Jamtards...now we have most the descriptors put out there...Seriously, using those words shows the HIGH SCHOOL aspect of the Jam community, and I always end up camped next to the asshole who thought it necessary to bring loud ass generator to pump out techno all night! Pull your heads out of your asses and listen to the music...stop complaining just to complain...and sorry about HBR's loss. Musicians live a rough life and none of them deserve such disrespect.

    Parsonsgoggles Wed 12/3/2008 08:38AM
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    Parsonsgoggles

    Alright, so Zac quits and takes his mando and fiddle with him, so what does Butter do? Hire a drummer, pahlezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzze.

    Maybe it's part of a master plan, they did drop the 'String Band' part of their name years back...whatever the case, it's a shame!

    SCIcane Wed 12/3/2008 09:43AM
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    ^^So sure about that?

    Jambands.com: Yesterday we reported that Zac Matthews will be stepping away from Hot Buttered Rum. While the band has not yet announced if it intends to add any personnel on a permanent basis, HBR will draw in Matt Butler for many of its upcoming Midwest gigs. Butler (Everyone Orchestra) will contribute drums and percussion to a string of shows that begins on Thursday at the Majestic Theatre in Madison, WI. Hot Buttered Rum will tour the Midwest through December 13 and then head back to their Bay Area home base for the third annual Nat Keefe Concert Carnival at the Independent on Saturday December 20.

    ----do not want this for the long haul. I love some acoustic butter

    SilentMark Wed 12/3/2008 10:59AM
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    vwphan starstarstar Wed 12/3/2008 11:28AM
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    Bummer, he was by far the best vocalist. Didn't wow you on the mando but definitely held his own. Best of luck Zach.

    rastallama Wed 12/3/2008 04:34PM
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    It's always sad to see a band go through transition. I really like HBR and hope to see both HBR and Zach in future settings.

    I recently found an internet radio station that plays a lot of HBR, Yonder Mountain and the kind of bluegrass they tend to play in Colorado. Its at www.redstoneradio.com if anyone wants to check it out.

    SCIcane Thu 12/4/2008 09:43AM
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    "Hot Buttered Rum will return to the studio in early 2009. Butler will join Hot Buttered Rum on the new album, which will be produced by Mother Hips guitarist Tim Bluhm."

    Captain_America starstarstarstar Thu 12/4/2008 11:09PM
    +1 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

    Captain_America

    its funny to me, that people make comments about HBR being average at best...

    why is it that these people get the updates on the band??? i'm afraid its because they too, have this band listed as one of their "favorites"

    i don't feel that my favorite bands would be labeled mediocre in my own personal opinion... and if so.. i feel that my "love" for music should be questioned by everyone.

    these people at least give me a good laugh at 2am... let me know that the fake crowd is here to stay.

    its a damn shame >>>

    spitz66 Mon 12/8/2008 07:51AM
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    this fucking sucks - after nat, zack was the best songwriter in the band. I don't know how i feel about a string band having drums either, all I can hope is that they can find a new talented mandolin player.

    spitz66 Mon 12/8/2008 07:54AM
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    and I never got to see em play Idaho Pines man!

    Liz Tue 12/9/2008 09:32AM
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    Liz

    "Everything is temporary..."