this is the thread for the Allman Brothers Band, because there hasn't been an all-encompassing one yet

Also, the instrumentals....Hot 'Lanta, Mountain Jam, Liz Reed...all amazing. Those guys were telepathic in their understanding of each other's playing.

But, then again, I play guitar. Two amazing guitarists in one band tends to foster some affection from me.

Their best solos are like mini-compositions, built in with tension-release, themes, etc. I read a nice little tidbit once where Dicky said right around the time that Duane died, they weren't listening to anything else besides Kind of Blue.

xpost

On another tangent: Can anyone recommend any post Eat a Peach Bros. recordings? I think I had Second Set or an Evening with the Allman Bros. at one point, and I remember liking it. I think Daddy Warren Haynes was on it, which would go a long way to explaining WHY I liked it. Anyway...recommendations?

Yes, they are awesome. I think Christgau said something along the lines of that Duane was no Jerry Garcia, which blows my mind.

I dunno. The Allman Brothers have their merits. I like the early stuff the best. When I was growing up, everyone was into that Fillmore album and "Eat a Peach." I think they were good when Duane Allman was playing and basically kinda mediocre when he wasn't, like on that long Donovan thing they do. I don't think all that much of their blues covers. "One Way Out" isn't too bad. I kinda like "Ain't Wastin' Time No More," too. I find "Fillmore East" incredibly boring. I'd rather listen to the Grateful Dead. And I don't think two drummers really helped them. Kind of ropey, the whole thing. I much prefer Skynyrd. But--at their best, they were pretty special and I think Duane was really good. I don't mind Gregg's "Laid Back," either, some nice stuff at a sorta subdued level. For me, it's just total overexposure, and too many hippies telling me they were "great" during which time I was listening to disco, i.e. "not the people's music, man."

In the past year, I have picked up out of the used bin the studio album "Shades of Two Worlds" and the two "An Evening With the Allman Brothers" live sets from the mid 90s and was impressed. They are pretty good, perhaps not as outward bound as the Fillmore East era records, but they are solid and I think fans of the early records who haven't heard them would enjoy them. If I come across some of the other studio records in the used bin, I am going to give them a try.

but yet, it's vintage Allmans. And man, "Dreams" was such a sweet sweet song. yeah, it's a "two-chord" vamp (a description some dork used to disparage the "Dark Star" over on the Dead thread). It's also the Allmans most psychedelic moment. Really really versatile band; they really GOT the music flowing all around them, they played well together and thought on their feet; damn shame what happened to Duane and Barry.

I need to get that relatively new archive release with the extended "Dreams". That looks hot. I already have 'American Univerity' and it is totally excellent.

http://www.hittinthenote.com/cart/c-50-abb-archival-cds.aspx

but that Duane Allman Anthology blew our stoned teenage minds with his session work on Aretha's "The Weight" and believe it or not the epic Boz Scaggs cut "Loan Me A Dime" (sic). gonna pull it out now.

feeling nostalgic I gave a good review to a latter-day Allmans album around 1990 or so, I'd probably be embarrassed to hear it now.

also, folks shouldn't forget about this nice little thing. Listening now, it's pretty good, though pretty short. That might be a good thing for people who don't like them to jam for too long! I tried to find the link to it on the Dead's site (they put it out), but I can't find it anywhere on there. possibly OOP?

RE: newer Allmans -- I wrote over on that "Whipping Post" thread about how I was going through a big Allman's phase, and so I plunked down the 3 bucks for a used CD copy of Seven Turns, the 1990 comeback album. I thought it sounded great! And mainly for Betts's contributions. Sure, he wasn't half the soloist Duane was, but man could he write a tune. Or more like, man could he write a theme. His instrumentals are always so so great. And there is a good one on that Seven Turns disc; in fact, it could slot right in with classic Allmans, it was that good, had "that" sound...

http://www.hittinthenote.com/cart/pc-440-50-allman-brothers-bandbrnassau-coliseumbruniondale-ny-5173br.aspx

to the want-list it goes...

Wow, can't believe I had never heard the Wilson Pickett - Duane Allman version of Hey Jude. Not my fave Beatles tune but this version is amazing. Classic growling baritone from Pickett sounding perfect next to some stinging lead from Duane. Very unexpected and right.

"yeah, "Mountain Jam" is great when Duane is playing, and I nod out when he ain't. As far as I'm concerned, he's like about 90% of the reason to listen to the Allman Brothers; I don't get any thrill from Gregg's singing or his lame-ass organ playing, or from the rhythm section. But their first two studio albums are pretty damned good, all said and done, so I think it's a case of jam-band mentality that made them so fucking boring--"we just play, man." Too bad, too, because they could've really been something with a little more pop sense"

I'd rather hear their early sides as the Allman Joys and the Hour Glass than any actual Allman Brothers Band recordings.

I've always loved bands with two drummers

Just got around to getting that Atlanta Pop Festival 1970 set mentioned above. First disc is good but holy crap does the second disc burn. Version of "Mountain Jam" with Johnny Winter sitting in with the Bros-awesome.

Atlanta Pop is a good record. I dig the story about Duane having to hitch a ride on the back of a motorcycle to get to the gig.

Since my earlier post, I have all four of the late period Allman Brothers studio albums and they are really good. In fact, I am not so sure the last one Hittin' The Note might be the best of the bunch even without Dicky Betts, there is some good material on that one that stretches out in interesting ways. They never really escaped the shadow of Duane Allman and Fillmore East, but I think the later reunion Allman Brothers held true to the legacy of the original group much better in hindsight than many of their peers.

Yeah, Atlanta Pop also gives us Berry Oakley at his best. The offical ABB site has a lot of good stuff, incl the Archival series, from the early 70s; earliest is a hot '70 show in DC. Also the current line-up, in concerts 2003-2013. I still miss Allen Woody, with this band and Govt. Mule (and his Blue Floyd side trip, for that matter): he did some stuff I've never heard any other bass player do, incl. Oakley. And I miss Betts, but Haynes-Trucks-Burbridge are great; it's just too bad Gregg or whomever didn't 'llow for more varied set lists, in terms of songs and stylistic evolution. Oh well, there's still Govt. Mule, and, uh, Tedeschi-Trucks Band, though they're more uneven. Haynes and Trucks have given notice...
Anyway, speaking of the website, here's the reissues of the Skydog box; good price for seven discs, but short of that, you can't go wrong with Vol I and II of the original Duane Anthologies:
http://www.hittinthenote.com/cart/p-1593-skydog-duane-allmanbrretrospective-encore-edition.aspx visit the Southern Rock thread too; thanks.

Given notice to Gregg, that is.

Holy crap, Spotify's got a ton of their stuff, incl. that Archival series (scroll way down for the first one, at American University in 1970).

yeah, "Mountain Jam" is great when Duane is playing, and I nod out when he ain't. As far as I'm concerned, he's like about 90% of the reason to listen to the Allman Brothers; I don't get any thrill from Gregg's singing or his lame-ass organ playing, or from the rhythm section.

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Tuesday, August 9, 2005 10:14 AM (eleven years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Well, uh, there's this guy called Dicky Betts...

Oops I mean Dickey. But yeah. Him.

yeah I'm a total allmans noob but I really love dicky betts' playing. Kinda like how Gary Duncan doesn't get enough love because cipollina

It could just be Elvin Bishop Syndrome. By which I mean in any other band, Dickey, Elvin Bishop, Richard Lloyd, and (my personal crusade) Bob Weir would absolutely be the 'guitar hero' of the band, the star of the show. These guys just had the bad luck to be paired up with stone cold geniuses.

Underrated Allman bro imo: Chuck Leavall! No one ever talks about him but this show--

www.discogs.com/The-Allman-Brothers-Band-Nassau-Coliseum-Uniondale-NY-5173/release/4564808

is pretty terrific

I'd actually love to hear what others think about any of the discs in this series, actually, because the one I linked to above is the only one I have:

www.discogs.com/label/464870-The-Allman-Brothers-Band-Recording-Company

Local 2nd hand and remainder book shop has had copies in of an Oral history of the band that claims to be the first history of the band which i thought was actually a straight narrative I read about 20 years ago. MIght pick up a copy at some point.

Also wanted to grab that Live from A&R studios set that came out earlier this year and not done so so far

Is there a thread on great dual/lead/twin guitar bands?

RIP Gregg

Allmann Brothers and solo material 1969-1974 has held up very well

^^Yup. Listening to Idlewild South rn.

RIP. Always liked his voice and Hammond b-3. Whipping post came up on a playlist the other day. Still sounds strong.

Gregg and Cher has to be one of the weirder celeb marriages tho.

They were great.

listening to Eat A Peach right now, RIP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8KxCdESrCE

Wow, I didn't know that the notorious Grover Lewis "On The Road With The Allmans" piece in Rolling Stone ran alongside the last part of Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas. '70s Hedonism at its finest.

https://www.duaneallman.info/hittingthenote.htm

great time capsule, thanks for that

Got The Allman Brothers Band and Eat a Peach on CD today, the two of them for $5. Wasn't sure if I had the first or not--I do, on a double-album reissue of their first two LPS. Really like "Dreams"; the rest, not especially.

I've never owned Eat a Peach, though I have a few songs on a Duane Allman compilation. The CD reissue (single CD) is rearranged from the original album: "Mountain Jam" is one song halfway through--like most of it, except for the pointless drum solo (if you're not a drummer, does anyone like any drum solo ever?)--so the CD closes with "Little Martha." Which would be in the running for greatest album-closer ever, if it actually had been. Also love "Blue Sky."

The version of the debut album on the Beginnings compilation you had is a remix of the original. I don't know whether the CD contains that remix or the original mix.
That first album is my favourite Allmans release, it's got just enough "Whipping Post" to keep my attention.

It kinda still is the last tune as ‘Mountain Jam’ on LP was on side 2 and 4, so you could line up the two parts on a record player with an auto play without having to flip the record.

I like the nascent Southern Rock side of them much more than the '60s Blues Band side.

The regular CD of the debut includes the original mix, and IIRC the Beginnings CD retains the remix, which is a little less 'Psychedelic'.

From https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/allman-brothers-band-very-different-mixes-beginnings.359878/

A few examples of differences.
It's Not My Cross To Bear - 1969 mix fades out and then comes back in to hear the closing...1973 remix fades out but no reprise.
Trouble No More - 1969 mix has dry sounding drums in the intro...remix has some reverb on the drums.
Every Hungry Woman- 1969 mix has just the guitar in the first few seconds, remix also has a hi-hat in the intro.
Dreams - 1969 mix, organ is more to the left, remix has the organ more centered and the mix is more 'open'.
Whipping Post -1969 mix, bass is in left channel, also song fades out and you barely hear the end...remix, the bass is more centered and the ending comes to a cold stop.

I like the nascent Southern Rock side of them much more than the '60s Blues Band side.

opposite

i mean the southern rock is fine, but they were doing something special before they were reduced to that

"Reduced"? "Blue Sky" and "Jessica" are beautiful.

they're fine

i'd rather someone was around to drag dickey back to 'in memory of elizabeth reed' tho

It makes no sense to me to say someone's reduced to doing something they're in the process of inventing. Babe Ruth was reduced to hitting home runs.

for a minute there the allmans were making something entirely new out of rock and blues and jazz and country. but 'blue sky' and 'jessica' were not part of that

lol i am trying desperately to make a suitable baseball comp but failing -- i'll get back to you <3

What I was trying to do there was get you to say "Jesus, it's annoying to have someone start nitpicking about the stupidest stuff imaginable." Didn't work.

You're both right!

Duane was clearly and objectively one of rock's great musical innovators. And the ABB, like Butterfield Blues Band circa East West, pointed to new (and sadly unrealized) possibilities for rock that could encompass more than just boring blues jams. Gregg was admittedly no slouch, to say nothing of the rest of the group, who were all, like, E Street Band-level players.

But Dickey, unlike anyone else in the Allman Brothers, wrote legitimately great and timeless songs (see clemenza's examples above), and I do wonder if this band would even be remembered much today if not for the "hits."

Of course, they'd probably still be remembered by me, because they were my dad's favorite band!

I like the nascent Southern Rock side of them much more than the '60s Blues Band side.

They had a nice "growth curve" from 1969 to 1973, despite their well-known problems. There are certainly several songs on the subsequent records that are better than most of the debut, but I like that first record for its power and brevity (the whole thing is shorter than the entirety of "Mountain Jam"). In fact, I'd probably call it the best blues-rock record of 1969 - less gimmicky than Zeppelin, and blowing stuff like Ten Years After and Canned Heat out of the water both in terms of songs and playing.

TIL that Steve Alaimo has a writing credit on and apparently owned the publishing for ages, apparently because Gregg was short of money and Steve paid him $250 for it. Crazy.

on "Melissa" I meant to see

To say

Reductio ad absurdium of typos

I was so bent on not typing "Sweet" I left out "Melissa" as well.

He needed the bread to pay for a plane ticket to LA!

It happens

the gypsy flies from coast to coast

No one knows the coke dealer’s name

the gypsy flies from coast to coast

It happens

Betts solo debut, Highway Call(1974) is his most ABBesque, in terms of lyricism x drive, esp. w Vassar Clements (slide x bow, yow)
http://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nTh3BAxIGfNoBo4er4-mppj5UJ3kJx4bk

What! Need to hear

Yeah great description

First track totally sounds like “Ramblin’ Man,” which I mean in the best possible way

This is good, thanks!

Spirit, you are resurrected a settled woman

Ha, yeah, this is like, at the Dead's studio peak, we also got Bob Weir's Ace. A stash of dandy little tunes, and road trip w "Hand Picked."
Wiki reminds me:

All tracks composed by Dickey Betts, except "Kissimmee Kid" by Vassar Clements.

Wasn’t Vassar also playing with Garcia around this time?

Imagining a hot Betts / Garcia duel, that would be the shit

Welp since you mentioned it, here's what I found so far, mostly Dead w Allmans at Watkins Glen (also incl. Duane w Dead in 1970
http://music.youtube.com/search?q=Grateful+Dead+Dickey+Betts)

Most specifically, here's a Watkins Glen soundboard of GD w Merle Saunders, Betts and Trucks:
https//music.youtube.com/watch?v=MDW-q6ZMTC8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDW-q6ZMTC8

xxp Yeah, Vassar was in Old And In The Way.

And maybe some other Garcia bands?

‘87 “Dylan Duane and the Dead” tour

“Dylan Duane Dickey and Dead”

"...Featuring Gregg"

Gregg only comes out during “midnight rider.” Other songs are instrumentals

Reminds me: that last Gregg album is really good! Actually doesn't suck, and then some.

“I’m no angle?”

Last studio album, that is: Southern Blood. Came out in 2017, and wasn't quite finished when he died, but any tweaks are discreet. He sounds a lot better on there than 'midst all the moanin' and groanin' of Hittin' The Note.

“Come on let me show you my hypotenuse” etc

23 skidoo!

TIL that Steve Alaimo has a writing credit on and apparently owned the publishing for ages, apparently because Gregg was short of money and Steve paid him $250 for it. Crazy.