Artist News

The National compiling Grateful Dead tribute

By | Published on Thursday 21 April 2011

The National

The National’s Bryce and Aaron Dessner are working on a follow-up to their ‘Dark Was The Night’ compilation for AIDS charity Red Hot. This second compilation will see bands covering Grateful Dead songs.

Bassist Scott Devendorf told Spinner: “We’re actually working on a new compilation record, like we did the ‘Dark was The Night’ record, that’s going to be a Grateful Dead covers album. We’re just figuring out [which song we’re going to cover] right now. Matt [Berninger, frontman] has got to sing it, so we’re thinking a Phil [Lesh] song, ‘Box Of Rain’ or ‘Unbroken Chain,’ something like that. For us, the frontrunner right now is ‘Box Of Rain’ I think, but we’ll see.”

As for who else will appear on the compilation, he said: “I think Steve Reich is on it as far as doing some things. He’s actually an old friend of Phil Lesh. They go back to younger days. Then there are newer, folky bands like Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver that are interested. It’s not going to be like jam bands cover the Dead. There are so many cover bands. I think half of the record will be reinterpreting it. We’re also trying to think of unusual [acts]. Crystal Castles would be awesome”.

Asked for comment about the new compo project by The Guardian, the band’s management were less forthcoming, saying: “Bryce and Aaron Dessner are currently working on a follow up to ‘Dark Was The Night’. No details can be confirmed at this time”.



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