'Sweet Home Alabama' co-writer dies

[panamagold]

Ed King, Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist has died age 68. He'd been suffering from lung cancer. The fact he quit the band in 1975, before re-joining again in 1987, could possibly have saved his life as the chances are he would have been aboard the plane that crashed killing three members of the band.

This would seem an ideal opportunity to give the Confederate National Anthem an airing. This recording was summer 1977, after King had left and just a few weeks before the air crash.

[Lootman]

The Confederate National Anthem it may well be, but those semi-naked girls gyrating in the audience were not in Selma, Alabama but Oakland, California - a hotbed of liberalism, home of the Black Panthers and just a few miles from the socialist peoples' republic of Berkeley.

Not sure any group suffered as much tragedy, so that they could cross such socio-political divides is a testament to their quality and appeal. Maybe only the Flying Burrito Brothers were a better US band, he chirped provocatively, and they too endured tragedy.

[CommissarJones]

Not sure any group suffered as much tragedy

The Allman Brothers Band

[Lootman]

Not sure any group suffered as much tragedy

The Allman Brothers Band

Good point. I saw them at the City Limits festival in Austin, Texas a decade or so ago before they retired. Not sure any of them are alive now.

[Dod101]

I am obviously ignorant but I thought that the Confederation National Anthem was Dixieland or something like that. Otherwise I refer you to The Band and Robbie Robertson.

Dod

[Lootman]

I am obviously ignorant but I thought that the Confederation National Anthem was Dixieland or something like that. Otherwise I refer you to The Band and Robbie Robertson.

Dod

I think panamagold's reference was metaphorical. But interestingly all three bands mentioned here were southern - Skynard were from Alabama and both Parsons and the Allmans were from Florida. So the concept of "Confederacy Rock" is not so outlandish even outside of country and bluegrass music.

Robbie was Canadian.

[Dod101]

Yes I knew Robbie Robertson was Canadian and indeed, was his mother not an Inuit or whatever the current term is? But he was a member of The Band, one time backers for Dylan.

See 'The night they drove old Dixie down'. Great stuff.

Dod

[CommissarJones]

So the concept of "Confederacy Rock" is not so outlandish even outside of country and bluegrass music.

Yes, Southern rock was definitely a genre in the U.S. in the '70s. In addition to the big two of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allmans, some other prominent names were Molly Hatchet (Florida), Black Oak Arkansas (Arkansas, obviously) and 38 Special (Florida).

[BBLSP1]

Southern fried rock.

During one of the Gulf war’s I chanced upon a bar in one of the Gulf states frequented by US Navy guys. A Brit band on stage and the night was already lively. They started up the opening chords of SHA and the place went crazy. They then immediately stopped and the lead singer shouted out ‘F*** that’ in a jokey kind of way and they began to play some Brit pop. Never saw a place cool off so quickly and I was expecting trouble. Thankfully the place and the band remained intact. Also plenty of girls from Thailand in the bar. I presume they were expatriate office workers having an evening out. I asked one of the girls what job she did and she replied that she was in ‘Business’. When I enquired of what kind, she gave me a hard stare and replied ‘Business, business’.

When I get around to writing my memoirs......

[AleisterCrowley]

So the concept of "Confederacy Rock" is not so outlandish even outside of country and bluegrass music.

Yes, Southern rock was definitely a genre in the U.S. in the '70s. In addition to the big two of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allmans, some other prominent names were Molly Hatchet (Florida), Black Oak Arkansas (Arkansas, obviously) and 38 Special (Florida).

Molly Hatchet - blast from the past! I have their eponymous first album on vinyl back home (somewhere)
'Bounty Hunter', 'The Creeper' etc etc

[Dod101]

But of a shock to find you here Dod101.

In the, clearly wildly inaccurate, picture of you in my head, I never envisiged you listening to Dylan and knowing who the Band were.

Nice to "meet" another side to you.

Gadge

You'd be surprised Gadge. The Band were my heroes at one time and I still play them often in the car and Dylan of course, Clapton and so on. I am no expert but I know what I like!

Dod

[gvonge]

It's not been a good week.

https://www.soultracks.com/story-eddie-willis-dies

[Slarti]

But interestingly all three bands mentioned here were southern - Skynard were from Alabama and both Parsons and the Allmans were from Florida. So the concept of "Confederacy Rock" is not so outlandish even outside of country and bluegrass music.

Current kings of "Confederacy Rock" ZZ Top? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wRHBLwpASw


Slarti

[AleisterCrowley]

Love the first solo/instrumental break about 1:25 - sounds totally southern rock

Guess ZZ Top are coming up to their 50th anniversary with the same lineup, which must be a record ?!

[edit; first show with Gibbons/Hill/Beard was Feb 70, so assume 50th anniv with current lineup will be around end of next year]

[DiamondEcho]

I recalled that the subject song was written as a patritoic riposte vs another musician that LS felt had impugned their home state, fortunately Wikipedia elaborates: 'The song was written in reply to "Southern Man" and "Alabama" by Neil Young; Young is name-checked in the song's lyrics.'

p.s. If you get a chance to see ZZ-Top live I'd recommend it, I've seen then a few times across the past 30 odd years and they really put on a fantastic show.

[Dod101]

Hi Dod101

I have been a Dylan fan for many years.

I was in Perpignan a few years ago on holiday and he was playing there at a small open air venue and we got tickets to go..
On the way there I literally walked right past him on the street which was a bit of a shock.
That night, the backing band he had were really top notch musicians.
Dylan's voice was not all it used to be and sometimes I struggled to recognise songs at first with his new pentatonic method of delivering them but he is still a great presence and everyone left happy, having seen a fantastic show in such an intimate venue. For me, it was so nice to finally get to see him play live.

I've seen Clapton at the Albert Hall a couple of times.
Also seen the Stones twice, The Who with entwhistle and moon, Pink Floyd at knebworth and Finsbury Circus and quite few others in my time. Last concert I saw was John Martyn the year before he died.

Sorry I missed this before. I saw Dylan in Glasgow at least twice, the last time he was for some reason playing only after the interval. First was Knopfler who was not on good form that night and when Dylan came on in the second part, from the first note he just blew Knopfler off the stage. He can be good and also not good but that night he was fantastic.

Dod

[DiamondEcho]

Re: my comments^ about ZZ-Top I had a thought...
Perhaps there should be a sub-topic of: 'Bands you're likely to enjoy live even if you aren't specifically into their music/genre.' Ie bands who put on such a hell of an entertaining show you'd have to be unusual not to enjoy yourself and them. In that category I'd include ZZ-top, Duran Duran [yes really!] and Status Quo, all a total blast
I wonder what they have in common and it's not entirely clear to me. ZZ-Top seem a long-term enigma, but the latter two's shows were/are just such a complete fun laugh from start to finish.

[Charlottesquare]

Re: my comments^ about ZZ-Top I had a thought...
Perhaps there should be a sub-topic of: 'Bands you're likely to enjoy live even if you aren't specifically into their music/genre.' Ie bands who put on such a hell of an entertaining show you'd have to be unusual not to enjoy yourself and them. In that category I'd include ZZ-top, Duran Duran [yes really!] and Status Quo, all a total blast
I wonder what they have in common and it's not entirely clear to me. ZZ-Top seem a long-term enigma, but the latter two's shows were/are just such a complete fun laugh from start to finish.

In my experience memories of how great bands were live has a very significant relationship with alcohol intake and on the odd occasion recollection post event has been hazy.

I believe I had a great time seeing "The Blues Band" circa 1980 at Edinburgh University, I can vaguely recall a fair bit of audience participation, but the recollections are somewhat clouded as the bar was really busy that night and we started buying double rounds then treble rounds to avoid queuing.

Goodby Mr Mackenzie at the Calton Studios is similar, that performance was possibly the best of the 4-5 times I saw them, including The Barrowlands, but it was also the one where I likely drank the most.

Whereas the Stones at St James Park in I think about 1982 was fine, I did enjoy it, but I was driving back to Edinburgh afterwards so was totally sober and accordingly the experience , as I now remember, was flatter. (Though Jake Geils Band as support I do recall as pretty lively for some reason)

I thinks there is probably a sweet spot in some equation which involves, The Particular Band and their Act, Your Age, The Company you are in and The Stimulants, as the variables.