The Nebraska entry in Mic’s What the Dream Band Would Look Like if Every Musician Were From Your State is a lazy punt. Where Arkansas gets a supergroup of Al Green, Johnny Cash, and Levon Helm, and Oregon has a cool cross-genre mash-up of Esperanza Spalding, Corin Tucker, and Joe Plummer, the Cornhusker State has Conor Oberst, by himself?
As in real life, Conor Oberst is the Nebraska musician Nebraska needs. But is he the musician Nebraska deserves?
No.
I like “I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning” as much as the next person, but no. Here’s the real Nebraska dream band.
Paul Revere, vocals/organ (Paul Revere and the Raiders)
Lori Allison, vocals/guitar (The Millions)
Tim Kasher, guitar/keys/vocals (Slowdown Virginia, Cursive, The Good Life)
Matthew Sweet, guitar/vocals (solo)
Chip Davis, keys (Mannheim Steamroller)
Randy Meisner, bass (The Eagles)
Buddy Miles, drums (The Electric Flag, Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys, solo)
This is a big group, but I think it could work and I’m getting a little excited about what the album could have sounded like!
First; killer rhythm section. Buddy Miles is just nuts.
Next, guy/gal vocals from Paul and Lori! Very cool, plus plenty of opportunity for Matthew and Tim to come in for three- and four-part harmonies.
Chip is obligatory, in a sense, but I still want him in. I think there’s space for some weird MIDI tones and faux-classical flourishes in this group.
I’m noticing for the first time that there aren’t many famous pure country musicians from Nebraska. Huh.
I’d really love to hear this!
Notable omissions:
- I won’t claim Elliott Smith, though he was born in Omaha
- Prolific and bizarre singer/songwriter Simon Joyner casts a long, underrated shadow over the Nebraska scene of the past 25 years, especially the Saddle Creek stuff. I’m not sure he’d function well in a supergroup, though
- We’ll leave 311 out of of this; they’re on their own trip, which is funky and positive and I respect
- James Valentine (Square, Maroon 5) would be a worthy addition, but I have to draw a line somewhere.