"It started out with Rob Wasserman and me as a duo and we played that way for six or eight years, and then one day I was working on a project and we needed a drummer. And Rob said, "I know this drummer that I met last night and he was pretty good. You want me to give him a buzz?" and I said, "Sure." And so Jay [Lane] came up and did this session with us. The next morning, I called Rob and said "Hey, listen. That was kind of fun yesterday. How bout we take a drummer on our next tour?" and he said he was just thinking the same thing. We started working together and booked another tour, and we were working with Jay at the time and we were about to go out on tour and my old pal Matthew Kelly came through town. And he was just sort of footloose and I said "Hey, you want to come out with us? You want to come sit in with us?" And that worked so we had a little quartet and we took that on the road."--Bob Weir (6/3/2005 interview)
Since that beginning in 1995, RatDog has undergone many changes, both in personnel and musical approach. It has evolved from a blues revue into a musical fusion of backgrounds and talents; complex, energetic, and adventurous. The members are no longer a supporting cast for front man Bob Weir. Rather, the band is a full time, full force powerhouse, capable of taking music fans to new and mystical places every night. Now composed of original members Bob and Jay, in addition to Jeff Chimenti, Mark Karan, Kenny Brooks, and Robin Sylvester, RatDog has truly come into its own. The RatDog experience delights and exhilarates, and according to Bob, "If you like what you hear, do come again"
(http://www.ratdog.org/band/index.php)
