Gov’t Mule’s next album will be a “departure” from what they’ve done in the past, says mainman Warren Haynes.
The band have indulged their passion for other people’s music with their last four releases – Dark Side Of The Mule, focusing on Pink Floyd, Sco-Mule, featuring John Scofield, Dub Side Of The Mule and Stoned Side Of The Mule.
They followed 2013 album Shout! which features one disc of Gov’t Mule tracks and a second with guest singers performing the songs.
Haynes tells MusicRadar: “We have some conceptual ideas. We’re just talking about what kind of record we want to make.
“I have a couple of songs written that are very much departures from anything we’ve ever done. I have a feeling that the overall spirit of the record will combine some directions we’ve never explored with directions going back to the very beginning of the band.”
The outfit are set to play three UK shows in May – their biggest-ever British tour. “We keep a log of every show we’ve ever done,” says Haynes. “When we go back to a certain town, we make sure we play a completely different show than we did the last time. Having not played a couple of these places, that will be pretty easy to do.
“It would be nice to make them completely different for whichever fans decide to come to two or three of them.”
Haynes launched solo album Ashes & Dust last year. He’ll headline the Blues Stage at this year’s Ramblin’ Man Fair at Mote Park, Kent in July.
Gov’t Mule UK dates
May 12: London Shepherds Bush Empire
May 13: Bristol O2 Academy
May 14: Holmfirth Picturedrome