Drive-By Truckers Premiere Live Album, ‘Plan 9 Records July 13th, 2006’

Updated:

July 12, 2021 9:07 am

15 years ago, Drive-By Truckers performed a celebration show, honoring Plan 9 Records’ then-25th anniversary and benefiting The Harvey Foundation. Now, for the first time ever, the recorded event, titled Plan 9 Records July 13th, 2006 (now up for pre-order) hits digital retailers tomorrow (July 13). Ahead of the release, American Songwriter premieres the 25-track live record in its entirety.

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“The Live at Plan 9 recording is the best recording I have ever heard of the 2001-2006 version of the Drive-By Truckers (the Jason Isbell era),” band frontman Patterson hood shares. “It was a very special night on so many levels with the band firing on all cylinders, perfectly captured on tape. An essential document of our band from that time period.”

Featuring the classic lineup—of Hood, Mike Cooley, Jason Isbell, Brad Morgan, John Neff, and Shonna Tucker—the live recording is a time-capsule of one of the most influential rock bands of the modern era. Songs like “Easy on Yourself,” “My Sweet Annette,” and “Shut Up and Get on the Plane” serve as testaments to the Richmond outfit’s continued legacy.

In the liner notes, Hood recollects the circumstances surrounding the show, from impending divorce in the group to the brutal murder of House of Freaks singer/guitarist Bryan Harvey and his family. “We were still playing 200+ shows a year then, were broke, in debt and dealing with a host of personal and business related problems. We were tight and gloriously over the top,” Hood writes. “We loved each other like family, but the family was showing signs of coming apart at the seams. Loud, belligerent and literate. We were drinking way too much and it was all starting to become unglued. Jason and Shonna were on the verge of an impending divorce and the delicate balance that keeps a band intact was way off kilter.

“In the midst of this backdrop, we were asked to play a benefit for The Harvey Foundation, a charity set up in their name, at Plan 9 Records. Our pay was a case of PBR and two bottles of whiskey. There wasn’t a drop left by the end of the encore,” he continues. “They pushed back all of the record shelving to make room for a little over 200 people and cut us loose to play a two hour plus set. Loose and raggedy at times, yet somehow also tighter than shit. It was by far our favorite show of the year and all these years later, I think it is one of the best performances from that era of the band.”

Listen to the entire record below.