It’s a late May afternoon in Nashville, and the Doobie Brothers are holed up in a nondescript, black-curtained rehearsal space along the banks of the Cumberland River working on a live version of a new song titled “Angels and Mercy.” It’s a song about overcoming demons, and Patrick Simmons, who came up with the idea and sings lead, wants his Doobie sibling Tom Johnston to let loose on the electric guitar in the outro.

“Get mad!” Simmons barks to Johnston, like him an OG Doobie since the band’s formation circa 1970. “Distort the shit out of it.”

Johnston obliges, and “Angels and Mercy,” which up to this point has been mostly defined by the group’s pristine harmonies, transforms into a raucous jam, heavy on rock and attitude. Utility man John McFee, who joined in 1980, adds violin while

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