UM Podcast - About

.umpodcast.

Started and maintained by myself, a dedicated fan and inspired musician, umpodcast.net is simply an independant offshoot project of the Umphrey's McGee Podcast. The podcast itself is a virtual time-trail of the band's most recent endeavors; an albums-length of an MP3 file usually consisting of highlights from live shows, published twice every month. You can learn more about podcasting in general by clicking on the funny little logo to your right. →

What I do is download the existing podcasts from Umphrey's Mcgee's website, split them up into individual tracks, compress them into zip files, and upload them to my website so you, the visitors, can download them for yourselves. To put it simply, I'm churning out virtual album's from hour-long publications. I started this project with no intent except for my own amusement, to share the wealth, and to promote myself as a web designer. So dig in, be patient, but not too patient. If it has been a while since I have uploaded anything feel free to message me on AIM at SorenWagner@gmail.com or use the contact page, for I tend to get distracted from time to time with trivial things such as working and having a social life. It's all to often I dismiss my true passion and life's calling, splitting up podcasts. ;-)

.umphrey's mcgee.

Umphrey's McGee is a progressive rock / jam band from South Bend, Indiana whose music is often referred to as "progressive improvisation." In July 2004 , the band was declared by Rolling Stone Magazine to "have become odds-on favorites in the next-Phish sweepstakes."

Though the band's approach to their live performances has much in common with Phish and the Grateful Dead (ever-changing setlists, constant improvisation, two sets per night, open-taping policy), they are much more influenced musically by progressive rock bands such as King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Frank Zappa, and Genesis, as well as heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden. The band also "identifies The Police, The Beatles, The Monkees, Nick D'Virgilio, and Led Zeppelin as primary influences with a reverence the members describe as 'Biblical.'" However, there really isn't a style of popular music that Umphrey's does not cover. Artists covered in concert by Umphrey's range from Lionel Richie to Metallica to Toto to Snoop Dogg to James Taylor to Radiohead to The Rolling Stones.

This six-headed monster has risen to the upper echelons of the improvisational-rock scene with infectious melodies, thought-provoking lyrics, blistering delivery, and patented sonic sagas that keep fans riveted all night long. Their incredibly tight musicianship and penetrating live shows, which shift effortlessly from prog-rock to metal to funk to jazz-fusion to classic rock covers, have moved many a heady music lover to tune in and turn on to Umphrey's McGee.

(various sources)