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Dave Matthews Remembers LeRoi Moore in Intimate Chat

The Grammy Museum in L.A. welcomed Dave Matthews and producer Rob Cavallo on Tuesday night to talk about the making of the Dave Matthews Band's recent 'Big Whiskey' record, an album Matthews described as "Being very personal, with a lot of pain and celebration."

The revealing and entertaining hour-plus conversation with Grammy Museum executive director Robert Santelli highlighted both of those aspects, with a heavy emphasis on celebration as Matthews showed off his sense of humor mixed in with the painful talk about fallen bandmate LeRoi Moore, who died in August of 2008 after complications from an ATV accident.

Moore is celebrated on the cover of the new album, a sketch Matthews drew, it turns out at the suggestion of Cavallo. "That was Rob's fault," Matthews quipped. From the album's cover, a Mardi Gras-themed drawing, the conversation quickly turned to New Orleans, which Matthews remembered as one of Moore's favorite cities. Matthews talked about working in the city in a post-Katrina world. "It's a really frightening and generous city, so beautiful, corrupt and honest." And while talk turned to some of the city's most famous attributes, namely Bourbon Street and the wealth of colorful characters who inhabit the city's storied nightlife, Matthews said he missed most of it. "I had my whole family there a lot of the time so I saw a side of New Orleans that I'd never seen before," he said. "I saw the zoo."

Some of the most entertaining moments came when Matthews opened up about fatherhood, including how his two daughters, Stella and Grace, were both so proud to hear their names in 'Alligator Pie.' "My daughter Stella came up to me and said, 'When are you gonna put my name in a song,'" Matthews recalled. "I thought, 'That's a good lyric.'"

He also boasted of son August's musical prodigiousness and future as a ladies' man. Talking about being a parent to both genders he said, "It's my responsibility to defend both sides. I have to say to [my daughters], 'Watch out for him.' And to him I say, 'You are gonna be so happy when they bring their friend's home from college,'" to a lot of laughs. He added as a proud papa, "He is gonna be so smooth," referring to all of the musical skills August already displays.

Though Matthews wasn't scheduled to play, he busted out a guitar to do some storytelling on the making of 'Baby Blue,' 'Dive In,' and 'Seven,' where he also showed off his dance moves, or lack thereof. "I can't dance," he said. "I'm not a good dancer, but I've always liked it."

In the format and before a roomful of 200 fans who greeted him with a standing ovation, Matthews was very open. Among his other revelations, "I can't really pull off 'I'm so awesome and sexy,'" was one that emerged as he talked about the arduous task of writing, 'Shake Me Like A Monkey,' a song about lust. He also revealed, "Turning 40 was both really good and really bad for me."

He also confessed to being at times very difficult during the making of the record, even apologizing to his label and management on-hand, a trait he said he took from Moore. "I've caught myself at times being a little honest and cold-hearted, like he sometimes wished I would be when he was alive," Matthews said, adding, "He became a part of me."

In one of the most moving parts of the evening, he described their relationship. "LeRoi was one of my dearest friends and also one of the most difficult people I've ever met, which made him more profound," he said. "I'll miss his sound forever."

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14 Comments

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Brooke

I've seen DMB in concert many times and, in my opinion, they are the one of the best live bands performing today. It only takes one experience seeing them in person to realize how talented every single person is in the band and the unparalleled musicality they possess. LeRoi will be missed, for sure, however Jeff Coffin has proved to be a wonderful addition to the band. Due to LeRoi's death the concert I had tickets to in Sacramento was cancelled and never rescheduled...SO disappointing but totally understandable. RIP LeRoi Moore. Luv ya Dave!!!

September 19 2009 at 6:18 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
j. wilkerson

DMB has carried me through some very difficult times, when it was easier to lean on the joy of music, rather than family and friends. They have lead me to dear friends I will love always.It seems they are too humble about the special lyrics and over all beauty of the music they bring to the world and the fans who love them.
Roi's spirit is there still. I can feel him, when at a show. Rashawn and the rest of the band have helped and allowed Jeff Coffin to create his own sound, while also giving the DMB tunes a bit of Roi. It had to be an awkward place to be for awhile, after Roi's passing. Jeff has done it with style.
Thanks Dave,Boyd,Stefan,Rashawn,Carter,Jeff,Tim for giving some of your light to the world. You all make me smile inside and out.

September 17 2009 at 12:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tammara

I am a big fan. I've seen the band 6 times here (Kansas City, Missouri). LeRoi will truely be missed.

September 17 2009 at 2:43 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joan

LeRoi was a great musician. It is sad to have lost such a great member. His music doesn't sound quite the same without him. (Don't mean to insult the current member)

September 16 2009 at 10:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Goober

I'll never forget Dave...... I was on a boat, a beautiful day it twas in Chi-town....motoring smoothly, almost silently, just the sound of the small waves tapping the side of the boat almost in time with the tune in my mind, and all of a sudden SPLAT!!!! Dave's deuce dumped on my head and into my Martini (Dry, not shaken)!!!!! His bus driver apparently thought it was very green of himself, or he was just trying to cut out the middleman (septic relief station), and I was left wondering if he was under Dave's orders to dump the holding tank from the tour bus right into the river from the bridge above...Thanks Dave...I can't go under that bridge anymore....If I'm on Lake Michigan and I have to move through the river, I take the long way and go up the St. Larry Seaway, out to the Atlantic, down around Florida, into the Gulf, up the mighty Miss, through a bunch of channels, swamps, dead gangster bodies, Chinese killer carps, and much more, and after about 3 weeks longer than it should have taken, finally to my boat dock, which was only about 2 miles (as the buzzard flies) from my original location. Thanks again Dave.

September 16 2009 at 10:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
4 replies to Goober's comment
Vivian

I took my two neices to see DMB at Staples Center. This was the day after LeRoi died. Great concert but you could tell their hearts were broken. Loved that they played a lot of LeRoi's favorite songs. Loved the way they did "Sledgehammer". Fantastic!!

September 16 2009 at 9:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
dbrockskk

His daughters must be kind of sissies...my two boys better watch out for their sister! and she's the one that will be ogling their friends!

September 16 2009 at 9:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
UncleBigBad

when Matthews played "In My Life" at the John Lennon tribute show, I almost cried it was so beautiful. And listen to the applause (it's on YouTube).

September 16 2009 at 9:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jake192168

being a doc i am confronted with death on an almost daily basis. it is never fun and never easy to understand. i feel bad for the dave matthews band but i can tell you dave will look at it even more intensly 10 years from now. he's 40 i am 50. it is such a loss when some one you have been thru ups and downs with passes on.dave has a greatness for muscial creativity and he proved it with his new album.

September 16 2009 at 7:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
westmoonrising

I love Dave, and the whole band. I was lucky enough to see them at the Gorge the year before LeRoi died. DMB was the soundtrack to the late days of my childhood all the way up through high school. They're one of my mom's favorite bands of all time.

September 16 2009 at 7:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply