The issue comes up whenever the words "Chicago" and "Dave Matthews Band" are mentioned in the same sentence. Who could ever forget the infamous 2004 incident when the band's driver dumped 800 pounds of human waste into the Chicago River from their tour bus?
The driver was charged after a crowd of sightseers on an architecture tour boat were soaked with the sewage after the bus' septic tank emptied through the Kinzie Street bridge's metal grating.
Yes, it was a long time ago, but whenever summer rolls around and the band schedules dates in the Chicago area, the topic inevitably come up.
That was the case this week when Matthews spoke with WTMX radio host the NBC Chicago Street Team's Cara Carriveau in a podcast interview.
With little prompting, Matthews delved into the sensitive issue, saying "I'll apologize for that as long as I have to."
"The bus driver lost his job, and I didn't have my finger on the button, but it was one of our buses -- wasn't mine -- but it was one of the buses in my employment and so I feel bad about it," Matthews said. "It would be funnier if it was anyone else but me."
Matthews said he was on a plane when he first heard about the incident, and laughed about it because he didn't realize it was his bus. It wasn't until he landed that he learned that his bus was involved.
"I regret that enormously, and I know some people there accept my apology and other people don't, but I can't do anything about it now," Matthews said. "If Snoop Dogg had done it, it probably would have raised his record sales, but it applies differently to everybody."
As for DMB's current business, the band released a new album this week, "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King," which is dedicated to band member LaRoi Moore who recently died following an ATV accident.
Their summer's tour will bring them to Alpine Valley on July 18 and 19, and to First Midwest Bank Amplitheatre on September 26.
No word if they plan on flying or driving.
