Settling in Chapel Hill, N.C., he drummed in the cult rock band Metal Flake Mother prior to starting the Squirrel Nut Zippers. This ahead-of-its-time retro roots band scored a hit with "Hot" and performed at President Clintons second Inauguration and the 1996 Summer Olympics. Following the Zippers split, Mathus worked with such noted artists such as Buddy Guy and Elvis Costello, and collaborated with North Mississippi Allstars guitarist Luther Dickinson and Alvin Youngblood Hart in the South Memphis String Band. He also recorded his own albums (including one dedicated to his childhood nanny Rosetta Patton, the daughter of Delta blues icon Charley Patton). Mathus feels very in synch with his bandmates (keyboardist Eric Carlton, drummer Ryan Rogers, guitarist Matt Pierce and guest bassist and Drive By Trucker Matt Patton) since they have played together now for several years. "The intensity youre hearing on this album," he proclaims, "is the spirit of a band that is putting it's shit on the line ."