Michael Houser
Encyclopedia
Michael Houser was the lead guitar
ist of the band Widespread Panic
.
Houser was born in Boone
, North Carolina
, graduated from Hixson High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee
, and became a founding member of Widespread Panic in 1982 while attending the University of Georgia
with John Bell
. Panic's large lineup released Houser from rhythm guitar duties, and allowed him to play lead melodies that lingered behind the dominant vocal melodies. Houser's nickname of "Panic" (earned due to his once-frequent panic attacks) became the basis for the band's name. Due to circulation problems and his extensive use of the Ernie Ball
volume pedal and the crybaby wah pedal, his pedal leg began to go numb. During an acoustic tour known as the "Sit and Ski" tour, mostly in Colorado, Houser remembered how much more comfortable and accurate he was sitting down while playing. Houser returned playing all shows seated in 1997. Mike taught himself to play the guitar while sitting on the arm of a couch. At the first Widespread Panic show, he played an acoustic guitar while sitting on a small metal chair with his right foot on the volume pedal. Many consider him a master of the volume pedal for his skilled incorporation of its use in conjunction with the other members of Panic.
Houser was considered to be the "silent genius" of Widespread Panic and wrote many of the band's most well known songs, such as Porch Song, Airplane, Ain't Life Grand, and Vacation. Houser played with many influential guitarists including, Carlos Santana
, Bob Weir
, Robby Krieger
, JJ Cale, and Taj Mahal
. If not recognized in life, his contribution to music has soared posthumously. Widespread Panic has now successfully replaced Michael Houser with the likes of Jimmy Herring, but Mikey's unique sound laid the foundation for the focus of the band's music forever.
Houser played a discontinued guitar called a Fender Telecaster Deluxe Plus. This guitar is a Telecaster body with Strat hardware. Houser purchased his first Telecaster Deluxe Plus second hand in 1991. A guitar lasted him about five years, needing to be replaced "'cause [he] sweated into [them] so much". Fender made two custom-remake replacements with his preferred discontinued "Firestorm" finish. Houser claimed of the three guitars, "they're as close as modern science can get" These guitars had Lace Sensor pickups (a Blue at the neck, and a dual Red at the bridge with a mini switch to split them), a Strat-style tremolo behind the metal place surrounding the bridge pickups, and a roller nut. Houser didn’t like to use the whammy bar, preferring to pull up on the tail of the bridge instead. The mini switch is in between the volume and tone pots. This allows for a wider array of tones than a standard Tele. On most Teles, you can choose neck, bridge, or both pickups simultaneously. With the dual Reds in the bridge being splittable, you can choose neck, bridge dual, bridge single, or combinations of neck and dual bridge as well as neck and single bridge.
Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
in the spring of 2002, he died later that year at the age of 40. A solo album of his instrumentals entitled "Door Harp" was released after his death, and was followed by "Sandbox" in 2006. He is survived by his wife Barbette and two children, Waker and Eva.
GUITAR:1992 Fender Telecaster Deluxe Plus
PICKUPS:Lace Sensor Pickups - Wired like a Stratocaster
STRINGS:Daddario Strings
GAUGE:9S
PICKS:Fender Picks
GAUGE:Medium
AMPS:Soldano SLO-100 Super Lead Overdrive Head
CABINETS:Mesa/Boogie Quarterback Cabinet / 2x12
PEDALS:Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
PEDALS:Boss GE-7 Equalizer
PEDALS:Ernie Ball 6166 Mono Volume Pedal
PEDALS:TC Electronic TCF Chorus/Flanger
RACK:Kendrick Model 1000 Tube Reverb
RACK:Soldano Surf Box Spring Reverb / Tremolo / Vibrato
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist of the band Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
.
Houser was born in Boone
Boone, North Carolina
Boone is a town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, United States. Boone's population was reported as 17,122, as of 2010...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, graduated from Hixson High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, and became a founding member of Widespread Panic in 1982 while attending the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
with John Bell
John Bell (musician)
John Farmer Bell is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the American rock band Widespread Panic, where he is known for his raspy southern drawl that hits a variety of octaves. He is frequently called JB by fans...
. Panic's large lineup released Houser from rhythm guitar duties, and allowed him to play lead melodies that lingered behind the dominant vocal melodies. Houser's nickname of "Panic" (earned due to his once-frequent panic attacks) became the basis for the band's name. Due to circulation problems and his extensive use of the Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball was an American entrepreneur, musician, and innovator, widely acclaimed as a revolutionary in the development of guitar-related products. He began as a club and local television musician and small business entrepreneur, building an international business in guitars and accessories that...
volume pedal and the crybaby wah pedal, his pedal leg began to go numb. During an acoustic tour known as the "Sit and Ski" tour, mostly in Colorado, Houser remembered how much more comfortable and accurate he was sitting down while playing. Houser returned playing all shows seated in 1997. Mike taught himself to play the guitar while sitting on the arm of a couch. At the first Widespread Panic show, he played an acoustic guitar while sitting on a small metal chair with his right foot on the volume pedal. Many consider him a master of the volume pedal for his skilled incorporation of its use in conjunction with the other members of Panic.
Houser was considered to be the "silent genius" of Widespread Panic and wrote many of the band's most well known songs, such as Porch Song, Airplane, Ain't Life Grand, and Vacation. Houser played with many influential guitarists including, Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
, Bob Weir
Bob Weir
Bob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
, Robby Krieger
Robby Krieger
Robert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
, JJ Cale, and Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal (musician)
Henry Saint Clair Fredericks , who uses the stage name Taj Mahal, is an American Grammy Award winning blues musician. He incorporates elements of world music into his music...
. If not recognized in life, his contribution to music has soared posthumously. Widespread Panic has now successfully replaced Michael Houser with the likes of Jimmy Herring, but Mikey's unique sound laid the foundation for the focus of the band's music forever.
Houser played a discontinued guitar called a Fender Telecaster Deluxe Plus. This guitar is a Telecaster body with Strat hardware. Houser purchased his first Telecaster Deluxe Plus second hand in 1991. A guitar lasted him about five years, needing to be replaced "'cause [he] sweated into [them] so much". Fender made two custom-remake replacements with his preferred discontinued "Firestorm" finish. Houser claimed of the three guitars, "they're as close as modern science can get" These guitars had Lace Sensor pickups (a Blue at the neck, and a dual Red at the bridge with a mini switch to split them), a Strat-style tremolo behind the metal place surrounding the bridge pickups, and a roller nut. Houser didn’t like to use the whammy bar, preferring to pull up on the tail of the bridge instead. The mini switch is in between the volume and tone pots. This allows for a wider array of tones than a standard Tele. On most Teles, you can choose neck, bridge, or both pickups simultaneously. With the dual Reds in the bridge being splittable, you can choose neck, bridge dual, bridge single, or combinations of neck and dual bridge as well as neck and single bridge.
Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
in the spring of 2002, he died later that year at the age of 40. A solo album of his instrumentals entitled "Door Harp" was released after his death, and was followed by "Sandbox" in 2006. He is survived by his wife Barbette and two children, Waker and Eva.
Houser's Guitar Rig
GUITAR:1990 Fender Telecaster Deluxe PlusGUITAR:1992 Fender Telecaster Deluxe Plus
PICKUPS:Lace Sensor Pickups - Wired like a Stratocaster
STRINGS:Daddario Strings
GAUGE:9S
PICKS:Fender Picks
GAUGE:Medium
AMPS:Soldano SLO-100 Super Lead Overdrive Head
CABINETS:Mesa/Boogie Quarterback Cabinet / 2x12
PEDALS:Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
PEDALS:Boss GE-7 Equalizer
PEDALS:Ernie Ball 6166 Mono Volume Pedal
PEDALS:TC Electronic TCF Chorus/Flanger
RACK:Kendrick Model 1000 Tube Reverb
RACK:Soldano Surf Box Spring Reverb / Tremolo / Vibrato