WEBVTT 00:00:25.610 --> 00:00:28.550 Question. What do you get when you put twin brothers, 00:00:29.149 --> 00:00:32.289 some synthesizers, and a lot of late nights in 00:00:32.289 --> 00:00:35.630 a college practice room into a blender? Answer. 00:00:36.189 --> 00:00:39.789 Over 25 years of non -stop touring, headline 00:00:39.789 --> 00:00:42.810 slots at Red Rocks, and one of the most dedicated 00:00:42.810 --> 00:00:47.049 fanbases in the Jamtronica scene. Welcome to 00:00:47.049 --> 00:00:50.369 Shecky's Jam Bands. I'm your host and today we're 00:00:50.369 --> 00:00:52.390 doing something a little bit different. Instead 00:00:52.390 --> 00:00:55.079 of telling you about Lotus, I'm going to ask 00:00:55.079 --> 00:00:58.579 you questions about Lotus. Think of this as the 00:00:58.579 --> 00:01:01.119 questions you should be asking when you hear 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:04.760 about a band that has been grinding since 1998. 00:01:05.459 --> 00:01:10.359 Ready? Let's dive in. First question. Where exactly 00:01:10.359 --> 00:01:12.659 did Lotus come from? Here's what you need to 00:01:12.659 --> 00:01:16.840 know. September 1998, Goshen College in Goshen, 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:20.299 Indiana, a small Mennonite school in the middle 00:01:20.299 --> 00:01:23.799 of nowhere. Two freshman roommates, Luke Miller 00:01:24.030 --> 00:01:27.709 Mike Rempel sitting around thinking about what 00:01:27.709 --> 00:01:30.409 college kids always think about how to avoid 00:01:30.409 --> 00:01:34.069 homework and make music They recruit Luke's twin 00:01:34.069 --> 00:01:38.629 brother Jesse Miller who plays bass and sampler 00:01:38.629 --> 00:01:41.950 Add drummer Steve Clemens and you've got the 00:01:41.950 --> 00:01:46.370 original core of Lotus their first gig September 00:01:46.370 --> 00:01:51.510 25th 1998 at a campus coffeehouse They played 00:01:51.510 --> 00:01:56.069 James Brown's get on up and Red Hot Chili Peppers 00:01:56.069 --> 00:02:00.230 covers. This is important. They started as a 00:02:00.230 --> 00:02:03.209 cover band with vocals, not the instrumental 00:02:03.209 --> 00:02:06.609 electronic powerhouse they'd become. Just college 00:02:06.609 --> 00:02:09.770 kids jamming. But here's the beautiful part. 00:02:10.250 --> 00:02:13.310 Those practice rooms, they were in the basement 00:02:13.310 --> 00:02:17.810 below something called the leaf raker. Luke Miller 00:02:17.810 --> 00:02:22.330 remembers it well. Cramped, no natural light, 00:02:22.669 --> 00:02:26.550 Just pure focus. That's where the sound started 00:02:26.550 --> 00:02:31.610 to take shape. Next question. Why lotus? Good 00:02:31.610 --> 00:02:34.030 luck finding a straight answer. The band has 00:02:34.030 --> 00:02:37.409 never officially explained it. Could be the lotus 00:02:37.409 --> 00:02:41.430 flower symbol of purity rising from murky waters. 00:02:42.030 --> 00:02:45.830 Could be a Greek mythology's lotus fruit that 00:02:45.830 --> 00:02:49.949 causes dreaminess and forgetfulness. Could be 00:02:49.949 --> 00:02:52.919 that they just liked how it sounded. What we 00:02:52.919 --> 00:02:56.319 do know, it's one of those names that just fits. 00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:00.900 Short, memorable, spiritual, without being preachy. 00:03:01.580 --> 00:03:04.520 And unlike some bands who overthink their names, 00:03:04.740 --> 00:03:07.879 end up with the crystal experience or something 00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:11.139 like that, or something equally regrettable, 00:03:11.639 --> 00:03:15.379 Lotus nailed it on the first try. Next question, 00:03:15.819 --> 00:03:18.879 and this is a big one. When did they stop being 00:03:18.879 --> 00:03:22.590 a college band and become Lotus? Well, It was 00:03:22.590 --> 00:03:26.509 2001. That was the turning point. They recruited 00:03:26.509 --> 00:03:29.550 percussionist Chuck Morris. We'll come back to 00:03:29.550 --> 00:03:32.310 Chuck in a minute and make a critical decision. 00:03:32.550 --> 00:03:37.129 Go fully instrumental. No more vocals. Just pure 00:03:37.129 --> 00:03:40.810 sound. They're taking inspiration from electronic 00:03:40.810 --> 00:03:45.830 artists like The Orb, Afix Twin, and Kraftwerk, 00:03:45.990 --> 00:03:49.009 but mixing it with the improvisational jam band 00:03:49.009 --> 00:03:52.979 ethos of Fish and the Grateful Dead. This is 00:03:52.979 --> 00:03:58.780 hybrid later dubbed Jamtronica or Livetronica 00:03:58.780 --> 00:04:02.280 becomes their signature. Their first album Vibes 00:04:02.280 --> 00:04:06.060 drops in 2002. It's a live compilation from their 00:04:06.060 --> 00:04:10.500 2001 tour. Raw, energetic, and a little rough 00:04:10.500 --> 00:04:14.539 around the edges, but it shows promise. Then 00:04:14.539 --> 00:04:19.220 comes 2004's Nomad and everything changes. Nomad 00:04:19.220 --> 00:04:22.350 hits number one on the Homegrown Music Network 00:04:22.350 --> 00:04:26.970 charts. It becomes the HGMN Best Seller of the 00:04:26.970 --> 00:04:30.610 Year and it gets nominated for a Jammy Award 00:04:30.610 --> 00:04:34.629 for the Groove of the Year. Suddenly, they're 00:04:34.629 --> 00:04:37.689 not just a college band anymore. They're a legitimate 00:04:37.689 --> 00:04:40.569 touring act. They're averaging over a hundred 00:04:40.569 --> 00:04:44.470 shows a year by the mid -2000s. They're playing 00:04:44.470 --> 00:04:50.160 Bonnaroo, Summer Camp, Rothberry, All good. And 00:04:50.160 --> 00:04:53.019 they're doing it all independently. No major 00:04:53.019 --> 00:04:55.920 label. Just word of mouth, relentless touring, 00:04:56.420 --> 00:04:59.899 and encouragement of live recordings. Tapers 00:04:59.899 --> 00:05:02.980 at their shows are not just allowed. They're 00:05:02.980 --> 00:05:06.860 celebrated. Next question. What's their sound 00:05:06.860 --> 00:05:11.040 exactly? Multi -genre. That's the answer. The 00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:18.579 long answer is imagine if a daft punk and STS9 00:05:18.579 --> 00:05:21.980 had a baby and that baby was raised by Talking 00:05:21.980 --> 00:05:27.100 Heads and Brian Eno as the cool uncle who teaches 00:05:27.100 --> 00:05:32.180 it about modular synthesizers. Lotus blends electronic 00:05:32.180 --> 00:05:36.060 beats, funk grooves, post -rock atmospherics, 00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:39.680 psychedelic textures and jazz improvisation. 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:43.620 Live they're known for tight compositions that 00:05:43.620 --> 00:05:47.350 explode into extended jams. Jesse Miller's modular 00:05:47.350 --> 00:05:52.230 synth work is hypnotic, looping bass lines, modular 00:05:52.230 --> 00:05:56.069 vocal samples, and so on. Luke Miller switches 00:05:56.069 --> 00:05:59.589 between keys and guitar, adding melodic layers. 00:06:00.050 --> 00:06:03.149 The rhythm section locks in and doesn't let go. 00:06:04.009 --> 00:06:07.930 And the light shows. Oh, the light shows. Designed 00:06:07.930 --> 00:06:12.089 by Scott Houston, a Goshen College alum, and 00:06:12.089 --> 00:06:15.490 Luke's former roommate. The visuals are synchronized 00:06:15.639 --> 00:06:19.399 but not rigid. Each performance is unique. They 00:06:19.399 --> 00:06:22.199 have smoke, lasers, movement, color. It's an 00:06:22.199 --> 00:06:26.300 experience, not just a concert. Next question. 00:06:27.100 --> 00:06:29.800 What songs do you need to hear if you're new 00:06:29.800 --> 00:06:33.480 to Lotus? I'm going to give you two. Both are 00:06:33.480 --> 00:06:36.839 staples. Both showcase and makes this band special. 00:06:38.180 --> 00:06:41.379 The first one is Greet in Mind. This is the Lotus 00:06:41.379 --> 00:06:43.899 anthem. They played it over a thousand times 00:06:43.899 --> 00:06:48.160 in their career. It's from their 2004 album Nomad 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:51.000 and it's become a fan favorite for a good reason. 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:54.860 Live, Greet the Mind is a journey. It starts 00:06:54.860 --> 00:06:58.779 with a simple hypnotic groove, bass, percussion, 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:02.180 synth, then the guitar enters adding texture. 00:07:02.740 --> 00:07:05.980 The song builds slowly, melodically, until it 00:07:05.980 --> 00:07:09.279 reaches this peak where the entire band is locked 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:13.879 in and the crowd is moving as one organism. Fans 00:07:13.879 --> 00:07:17.420 have described it as funked out, ridiculous, 00:07:18.060 --> 00:07:21.639 brain melting. One reviewer said, "'Greet the 00:07:21.639 --> 00:07:25.000 Mind' jam is ridiculous." After hearing it at 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:28.420 the 2006 show, another said, "'They're brain 00:07:28.420 --> 00:07:31.759 melted.'" When Lotus plays Greet the Mind live, 00:07:32.459 --> 00:07:35.160 they're not just performing, they're taking you 00:07:35.160 --> 00:07:37.699 somewhere. You'll hear versions that stretch 00:07:37.699 --> 00:07:41.660 10, 13, even 15 minutes. Each one is different. 00:07:41.870 --> 00:07:44.490 and that's the magic. The second one you should 00:07:44.490 --> 00:07:47.910 check out is called Shimmer and Out. Off their 00:07:47.910 --> 00:07:52.050 2003 album, Germination, this track exemplifies 00:07:52.050 --> 00:07:56.949 Lotus's ability to create lush atmospheric soundscapes 00:07:56.949 --> 00:08:00.610 while maintaining a driving rhythm. It's dreamy 00:08:00.610 --> 00:08:04.709 and danceable and it's cinematic. Live, Shimmer 00:08:04.709 --> 00:08:08.689 and Out often appears in melodies transitioning 00:08:08.689 --> 00:08:12.980 into or out of other songs. It's a showcase for 00:08:12.980 --> 00:08:17.000 the band's improvisational chemistry. The synths 00:08:17.000 --> 00:08:21.100 shimmer as promised. The percussion adds urgency 00:08:21.100 --> 00:08:23.300 and the whole thing feels like you're floating 00:08:23.300 --> 00:08:25.959 through space while simultaneously moving your 00:08:25.959 --> 00:08:29.279 feet. Fans love this one because it encapsulates 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:32.580 what Jamtronica is supposed to be. Electronic 00:08:32.580 --> 00:08:36.340 production meets human spontaneity. No two versions 00:08:36.340 --> 00:08:39.360 are the same. Both Greet the Mind and Shimmer 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:42.990 and Out are top tracks. of their streaming platforms. 00:08:43.289 --> 00:08:46.190 If you listen to nothing else, listen to these. 00:08:46.629 --> 00:08:48.870 Next question. What makes Lotus different from 00:08:48.870 --> 00:08:52.990 every other jam band? Three things. First, their 00:08:52.990 --> 00:08:56.730 work ethic. These guys tour constantly. Over 00:08:56.730 --> 00:08:59.690 a hundred shows per year for decades. They've 00:08:59.690 --> 00:09:03.409 played Japan six times. They've headlined Red 00:09:03.409 --> 00:09:05.870 Rocks regularly. One of the most prestigious 00:09:05.870 --> 00:09:09.009 venues in the world. They didn't get lucky. They 00:09:09.009 --> 00:09:13.559 worked. Secondly, Their embrace of technology. 00:09:14.120 --> 00:09:17.460 When other jam bands stuck to traditional instrumentation, 00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:22.139 Lotus went all in on modular synthesizers, samplers, 00:09:22.279 --> 00:09:25.220 and electronic production. Jesse Miller's rig 00:09:25.220 --> 00:09:28.539 looks like something from a NASA control room, 00:09:28.919 --> 00:09:32.360 but they never lost the human element. The improvisation, 00:09:32.820 --> 00:09:36.820 the spontaneity, the connection. Third, their 00:09:36.820 --> 00:09:40.440 theme shows. Lotus loves a good concept. Halloween 00:09:40.440 --> 00:09:46.559 2008 live fast die young the 27 conspiracy each 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:49.700 band member dressed as a rock star who died at 00:09:49.700 --> 00:09:54.720 27 Kurt Cobain Jimmy Hendrix Jim Morrison Brian 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:59.720 Jones Ron Pigpen McKernan and played covers What's 00:09:59.720 --> 00:10:02.480 the hardest thing to talk about when discussing 00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:08.120 Lotus? Well Chuck Morris in March 2023 Chuck 00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:12.399 Morris, Lotus's percussionist since 2001 and 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:16.139 his 20 year old son Charlie went kayaking on 00:10:16.139 --> 00:10:20.159 Beaver Lake in Arkansas during spring break and 00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:23.779 they never came back. The family had just relocated 00:10:23.779 --> 00:10:26.779 to Kansas City from Denver the previous summer. 00:10:27.480 --> 00:10:31.559 The band had just finished a 25 city tour. Chuck 00:10:31.559 --> 00:10:35.070 and his partner Jennifer Thompson thought a family 00:10:35.070 --> 00:10:38.590 vacation would be a good way to unwind. When 00:10:38.590 --> 00:10:41.389 Jennifer and their 12 -year -old daughter, Amelia, 00:10:41.529 --> 00:10:44.490 went into town, Chuck and Charlie decided to 00:10:44.490 --> 00:10:48.529 take kayaks out before a storm hit, and they 00:10:48.529 --> 00:10:51.629 never returned. Search and rescue efforts lasted 00:10:51.629 --> 00:10:56.509 24 days. On April 9, 2023, their bodies were 00:10:56.509 --> 00:11:01.149 recovered from the depths exceeding 180 feet. 00:11:01.639 --> 00:11:04.259 The theory is that one fell into the freezing 00:11:04.259 --> 00:11:07.059 water and the other tried to rescue him. The 00:11:07.059 --> 00:11:09.879 lake's conditions, cold water, strong winds, 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:13.139 and three -foot waves were described as a perfect 00:11:13.139 --> 00:11:17.299 storm for drowning. Chuck was 47, Charlie was 00:11:17.299 --> 00:11:20.279 20, a sophomore at Ohio Wesleyan University, 00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:24.559 a violinist, a runner, and someone who aspired 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:28.759 to be a lawyer. Jesse Miller, Chuck's bandmate 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:31.559 and friend, wrote a tribute that's heartbreaking 00:11:31.559 --> 00:11:35.299 in its honesty. He talks about living with Chuck 00:11:35.299 --> 00:11:37.779 in a house with no electricity in Philadelphia 00:11:37.779 --> 00:11:41.860 after college, sharing meals, making music, dreaming 00:11:41.860 --> 00:11:44.879 big. He talks about Chuck's potential the way 00:11:44.879 --> 00:11:47.259 he saw a possibility in everything. He talks 00:11:47.259 --> 00:11:50.639 about the lost potential, no more stories of 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:54.360 Chuck wrestling people after shows, no more seeing 00:11:54.360 --> 00:11:57.980 him play tambourine with another tambourine. 00:11:58.350 --> 00:12:02.269 and no more wild adventures. But Jesse also talks 00:12:02.269 --> 00:12:05.429 about the light through the grief and the outpouring 00:12:05.429 --> 00:12:08.370 of love from fans that connections made through 00:12:08.370 --> 00:12:11.889 music, the lifelong friendships. Lotus released 00:12:11.889 --> 00:12:15.490 an album from Chuck's final performance with 00:12:15.490 --> 00:12:20.289 the band on February 25th, 2023, dedicating it 00:12:20.289 --> 00:12:22.929 in loving memory of Chuck and Charlie Morris. 00:12:23.470 --> 00:12:26.370 It's impossible to talk about Lotus without acknowledging 00:12:26.370 --> 00:12:29.600 this tragedy. Chuck was with the band for over 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:33.080 20 years. He was part of the sound, part of the 00:12:33.080 --> 00:12:37.899 family. Final question. Where's Lotus now? After 00:12:37.899 --> 00:12:40.759 Chuck's passing, guitarist Mike Rempel, who'd 00:12:40.759 --> 00:12:43.899 been with the band since 1998, left to focus 00:12:43.899 --> 00:12:48.480 on a wellness career, the band brought in Tim 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:51.919 Palmieri, known for his work with Breakfast and 00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:56.179 Kung Fu, to fill the guitar slot. The current 00:12:56.179 --> 00:12:59.360 lineup, Jesse Miller, Bass and Sampler, Luke 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:02.759 Miller, Guitar Keys, Mike Greenfield on drums, 00:13:03.340 --> 00:13:07.679 and Tim Palmieri on guitar. They're a four -piece 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:12.620 now instead of five. In August 2022, they released 00:13:12.620 --> 00:13:16.440 Bloom and Recede, their latest album. The title 00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:19.240 feels appropriate, growth and loss, expansion 00:13:19.240 --> 00:13:22.100 and contraction, and natural cycles of life and 00:13:22.100 --> 00:13:25.600 music. They're still touring, still playing Red 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:29.049 Rocks, still hosting summer dance, still encouraging 00:13:29.049 --> 00:13:32.169 fans to record and trade their shows. Lotus has 00:13:32.169 --> 00:13:35.870 over 1 .1 million monthly listeners on Spotify. 00:13:36.450 --> 00:13:39.250 They released 18 albums. They've been doing it 00:13:39.250 --> 00:13:42.470 for 26 years. They started in a basement practice 00:13:42.470 --> 00:13:46.809 room below a coffee house in a Mennonite college 00:13:46.809 --> 00:13:49.309 in Indiana. Now they're one of the most respected 00:13:49.309 --> 00:13:53.649 names in Jamtronica. And they're not done. That's 00:13:53.649 --> 00:13:56.110 it for today's episode of Shecky's Jam Bands. 00:13:56.669 --> 00:13:59.909 If you take away one thing from this, let it 00:13:59.909 --> 00:14:03.129 be this. Lotus represents everything that's beautiful 00:14:03.129 --> 00:14:06.570 about a jam band scene. They work hard, they 00:14:06.570 --> 00:14:09.470 innovate, they connect with their fans, and they 00:14:09.470 --> 00:14:12.990 honor the people they've lost. Go listen to Meet 00:14:12.990 --> 00:14:16.169 the Mind and get lost in Shimmer and Out, catch 00:14:16.169 --> 00:14:19.129 them live if you can, and remember Chuck Morris 00:14:19.129 --> 00:14:22.009 and Charlie Morris, two people who love music, 00:14:22.110 --> 00:14:25.570 adventure, and each other. Until next time, keep 00:14:25.570 --> 00:14:28.990 jamming and always appreciate the people you 00:14:28.990 --> 00:14:30.049 share the music with.