Welcome to Planet of the Abts

Posted on by Alli Marshall

Even though Plant of the Abts sounds like a Sci Fi film, it’s actually a band featuring Gov’t Mule’s Matt Abts (drums, percussion, lead and background vocals) and Jorgen Carlsson (bass, guitar, percussion, tamborine and background vocals).

Though Planet of the Abts is blues, southern rock and jam in style, it’s an international band in practice. Abts went to high school in Panama before moving to the U.S. here he played drums for Dickey Betts. It was in the Dickey Betts Band that Abts met Warren Haynes with whom he later formed Gov’t Mule.

Carlsson was born in Sweden (as was guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist T-Bone Andersson) and moved to L.A. in the ‘90s. After working as a session musician he took over on bass in Gov’t Mule after founding bassist Allen Woody passed away.

According to Planet of the Abts’ bio, the band “is obviously the result of some sort of crazy experiment: the two now share a common brain, doling out a monstrous sound gumbo of bass/drums/bassdrumsbassdrums that moves as one.”

Planet of the Abts performs at Pisgah Brewing inside the taproom on Friday, April 27. 9 p.m., Velvet Truckstop opens. $12 in advance or $15 day or show.

Xpress will give away a pair of tickets on Wednesday in the noon hour here.

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About Alli Marshall
Alli Marshall has lived in Asheville for more than 20 years and loves live music, visual art, fiction and friendly dogs. She is the winner of the 2016 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize and the author of the novel "How to Talk to Rockstars," published by Logosophia Books. Follow me @alli_marshall
View all posts by Alli Marshall →

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One thought on “Welcome to Planet of the Abts”

  1. ashevillain7

    After some temporary rotating bassists for the couple years immediately following Allen Woody’s death in 2000, Andy Hess took over as the full time bassist in 2003. Jorgen Carlsson succeeded Hess as the new full time bassist in 2008.

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