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Headline: Gov't Mule kicks out Southern rock jams By IAN SPELLING SPECIAL TO THE BERGEN (N.J.) RECORD Gov't Mule will be back where it belongs for the new year, onstage at the Beacon Theatre for its annual run of shows. The veteran Southern rock jam quartet, riding high on the release of its most recent CD, "High & Mighty," will play a trio of concerts, with Los Lobos opening on Friday, North Mississippi All-Stars opening on Saturday and Toots Hibbert of Toots and the Maytals joining Gov't Mule during its set on New Year's Eve. From his Manhattan apartment, Gov't Mule co-founder, lead singer and ace guitarist Warren Haynes talked about juggling the band, solo work and the Allman Brothers. Q. Most bands struggle with trying to perform studio tracks live. You guys are a live band that, when it records, tries to capture the essence of a performance in a studio. We are trying to capture the magic that happens onstage, the chemistry and improvisation we're capable of as a band. When we're in a studio, we're all set up in one small room, facing each other, looking at each other's eyes as we're performing and recording, just trying to catch as much of that chemistry as possible. We really enjoy making studio records, but the live stage is definitely more of our format. Q. Give us a preview of the Beacon shows. The past several years, we've started this tradition of playing the Beacon for multiple nights, and for New Year's we always like to do something different. Last year, we transformed the stage into a late-'60s rhythm-and-blues television show called "The Beat," and we had a horn section and go-go dancers and this whole vibe where you really felt like you'd gone back in time, and we played 90 minutes of soul music. ... This year it's a similar thing, but based on Jamaican music. During the second 90-minute set, the stage will get transformed into some sort of Jamaican environment, and Toots will join us for the majority of that set. So it'll be a juxtaposition of his music and our music, hence, "Dub Side of the Mule." Q. Gov't Mule has such a long history and so many songs in its catalog. How do you put together a set list? Well, we keep a log of every show we've ever done, every set list we've ever done, and when we go back to a certain city we consult the set list from the show before and make sure the current set list is completely different. In the case of a three-night stand like at the Beacon, we won't repeat any song over the course of three nights. So for the people who come all three nights, it'll be like one long show. Q. You're part of Gov't Mule, perform with the Allman Brothers, have toured with the Dead and also record and play shows as a solo act. How do you not stretch yourself too thin? It's probably better to be that busy with multiple projects than to be that busy with one project, because I think there's a lot less opportunity for being burned out on what you're doing if you bounce back and forth from and to different things. As an example, there have been nights where I've played with Gov't Mule, the Allman Brothers and with Phil Lesh and Friends, or done a solo acoustic show and then a Phil Lesh and Friends show and then an Allman Brothers show, all on the same day. ... I'd rather play with two or three bands than all with the same band, because it's a different approach, different vocabulary, different repertoire with each one, and you're utilizing a different part of what you do, which helps keep it fresh. Q. A couple of years ago, Rolling Stone ranked you as the No. 23 all-time best guitar player. I was very pleasantly surprised. I had no idea I'd even be on that list at all. When I found out I was, I automatically assumed I'd be No. 100. I'm honored and flattered.