Dave Matthews Band: Music for the People, Revised and Updated

by Nevin Martell

Plug in to the history and evolution of Dave Matthews Band as rock journalist Nevin Martell shares details on the success of this crowd-favorite band of the 2000s and their experiences on the road. This revised and updated edition features new material and photos, as well as information on Dave Matthews Band’s critically acclaimed records and sold-out shows.

From chart topping hits like “Crash Into Me” and “What Would You Say” to crowd-pleasing live favorites like “Lie in Our Graves” and a fiery rendition of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower,” Dave Matthews Band has contributed a slew of unforgettable tunes to the lexicon of rock ‘n’ roll.

From two legendary local residences to multiple tours, a pair of Grammy nominations on their studio debut, Under the Table and Dreaming , and the heartfelt ballad “Crash Into Me,” the band has been vaulted into the rock mainstreams and has lived life in the limelight.

Through interviews with close associates, collaborators, tour mates, and friends, established rock journalist Nevin Martell gives you an exhaustive history of one of the most exciting bands of the 2000s. Plus, readers get an updated discography and the only definitive list published of the group’s phenomenal live concerts.

Whether you’ve been to one show or fifty, or maybe you are simply a dedicated listener of their albums, Music for the People provides a unique peek into the kaleidoscopic world of Dave Matthews Band.

Genres: Nonfiction, Music

224 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1999

About the author

Nevin Martell is a D.C.-based food, travel, and lifestyle writer whose work regularly appears in the Washington Post, Plate, Wine Enthusiast, and NPR’s blog “The Salt.”

He is the author of six books, including the memoir-misadventure "Freak Show Without a Tent: Swimming with Piranhas, Getting Stoned in Fiji and Other Family Vacations" (2014), "The Founding Farmers Cookbook: 100 Recipes for True Food & Drink" (2013) and the small-press smash "Looking for Calvin and Hobbes: The Unconventional Story of Bill Watterson and his Revolutionary Comic Strip" (2009).

When he can budget the time and money, he loves nothing more than traveling with his wife and son.

Reviews

[Kendall]

I didn’t know much about DMB before reading this, but I enjoyed it. There wasn’t any pizazz, but it was very informative and drove home the nature and intention of DMB.

[Michael]

Another gift from my sister, who swore she didn't like him until I took her to back-to-back Bay Area concerts and henceforth got her hooked for life. :)

It's true, I've been a fan from the wee grassroots bootlegging days. I even play guitar a little bit like him, whenever I do get around to playing - though it is not as much now as it was in college.

[Rosie]

Not a fan of the writing itself, but if you're a DMB fan, it works.

[Ginger Hewitt]

Interesting history, but full of editing errors.

[SJ L]

Nothing that is going to change your world, but a fairly decent history of the Dave Matthews Band. I wish it would divulge into his creative philosophies or the stories behind the songs, but though it occasionally touches on these subjects it mainly just covers what tracks were on which album. The main theme is a carpe diem live life and enjoy it style that shines through in Dave's incredible music. It was also cool learning about how they all met, how well they work together musically, and the ties they still have to Charlottesville. A cool book about a totally gnarly band. Make sure when you're reading it you just have your DMB records ready, because you'll probably want to listen to the songs as you read about them.

[Donald]

Reading, or re-reading (I can't remember!), on Dave's 50th birthday! This edition was published in 1999, so it's dated, but it's still fun to read about the DMB! And it's got one of the best description's of the band's sound that I've ever heard or read! :

"Part funk, part jazz, part world rhythms, part blue-eyed soul, part rootsy American
rock 'n' roll, throw in a joint and a shot of Jack Daniel's..."

Love it! :-)

I know that there is a second edition, but I'd really love to read a 2017 updated version!

[Frank Napolitano]

Strange, but I bought this book on the day that DMB sax player LeRoi Moore passed away. I didn't learn about his death until the next day.

Just finished the book, and though it was more like a brief (only 168pp) love letter than a full history, it's still a good read about one of my favorite bands. I'm sure more detailed accounts will surface as the years go by.

[Don Murphy]

This is one of the reasons why I try to avoid buying books from Amazon. I did not realize this guy was a "journalist" for High Times. So little information in this book, I'm pretty sure he used the CD covers as his 'research' only AFTER using them to separate the stems and seeds from his stash!

[Allen]

Great book about one of the best and hardest workingband in America. They did it thier way and it paid off.

[Gaurav]

Loved the book ... very inspiring! especially if you have your own band or if you are a fan of the DMB!

[Danielle]

I was young. Shutup!

[Christina]

I read this one night while appreciating a bottle of Dry Cherry from Oliver Winery. =)

[Melissa]

Having been a long time fan of DMB, I saw this on a friend’s bookshelf and asked to read it. It was a lot of fun to read about all these songs that had such an impact and influence on my life. Have your phone nearby to listen to parts of his songs you may have never noticed, music videos you may have missed, and to Google the little things that interest you. Quick , fun read.