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

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

Looks like The Daily Beast has re-upped their republishing of Grover Lewis' notorious Allmans tour report, originally published in Rolling Stone (apparently against the author's wishes) alongside Duane's obituary in '71.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/15/stacks-hitting-the-note-with-the-allman-brothers-band

Best story right here

http://buffalonews.com/2017/06/04/dream-sequence-gregg-allman-cher-lighted-canisius-high/

Awesome

I've got a bit of a commute these days and have had a few drives to the early Allman Brothers records. I had a weird thought thinking that Duane Allman was all of 24 years old when he passed on. It's kind of odd to think those tunes on those two studio albums, At Fillmore East and the left over tracks on Eat a Peach have nearly lived on the radio twice as long as his actual life.

I got thinking about Butch Trucks and Gregg Allman recently passing on and the fact that this group went on in various versions for decades but the music that is known was those slight two studio albums and that live record cut in like Aug. 69 to Oct. 71. It was such a small sliver of time and they were so young when those recordings were made. Time is a funny thing.

Brothers and Sisters was very well received, still sounds fresh; several others were uneven but worth checking out 'til they got rejuvenated by bringing in Warren Haynes and Allen Woody, then with the return of Haynes with the permanent residence of Derek Trucks, plus Oteil Burbridge and Marc Quinones; I know people who went to see them at the Beacon every time, Their label a bunch of hot live sets, incl. from the Duane and Berry era. Also don't miss the Epic/Legacy set from 1970 Atlanta Pop: Berry at his best, for one thing.

from what i've heard of Enlightened Rogues, it's not bad. my recollection of their two 'Evening with the Allman Brothers' CDs was that they were really good.

Pandora just threw the "Whipping Post" at me from this: https://owsleystanleyfoundation.org/product/allman-brothers-band-fillmore-east-february-1970-cd/

Which just came out? Seems it should have been more newsworthy.

Apparently fixing to come out. The CD & Vinyl offer highlights, and a download of all the tapes will also be available.

These Sonic Journals comprise the complete source material for the compilation Allman Brothers Band, Fillmore East February 1970, which included performances from February 11, 13, & 14, 1970. These recordings were not previously released in their entirety because they contain significant flaws, primarily due to reel changes in the middle of songs. It was Bear’s wish that they be released in whole because they are sonically pure and include important, previously unreleased material of the band with Duane in his prime, and so with the blessing of the Allman Brothers Band, they are available here for the first time. On each night, you can find something special and rare — even if only in a fragment or a solo. Highlights include the three earliest known live versions of Elizabeth Reed.

Elizabeth Reed is such a beautiful and clever piece of music

Take it down a notch bro
https://open.spotify.com/track/7DYCoG5ouDFG7lfHbyC4Nw

https://open.spotify.com/track/2PDEmZJfAgBKh293Jo2ASU

Jfk South rulez

Listening to One Way Out: Live at the Beacon. I find it very cute that they have a picture of Katz's Deli on the tray card even though it's in the LES, quite a ways from the Beacon on the UWS. (I wonder if they ate there a lot?)

Christgau isn't wrong, this is a mightily impressive set that performance-wise is arguably better than the legendary Fillmore recordings. It's mainly the same material, but the band is better overall while Haynes and Trucks brings more of a balance too - Duane really towered over the others as a soloist. I didn't have much interest in the band after Brothers & Sisters, but if like me you really loved their first four albums and are still a little curious about what came later, I highly recommend checking this out.

I shouldn't say the "same" material actually - a lot of overlap, but they also do 18 numbers (the original Fillmore double LP and the Fillmore sides on Eat a Peach in total only covered 10) and a few of the Duane-era songs found here aren't on those earlier records too.

Continue to listen through various Allman Brothers archive releases.

Fillmore West 71 is good to excellent sound quality wise. ‘Elizabeth Reed’ on the first night is pretty wicked. Third night is probably the best show.

Fox Box from 2004 was an anniversary run of shows in Atlanta that is all worth hearing. Only ‘Dreams’ being the only tune played each night featuring a different soloist each night, including guest Jack Pearson. One reason to check these gigs out is the Brothers break out some killer covers including ‘I Walk on Guilded Splinters’ and ‘Franklin’s Tower’ with Oteil singing lead.

I need to check out that Fox Box, I've never heard that one.

Speaking of Oteil, I just listened to One Way Out, the last "new" live release they put out from a show in 2003. Heavy on Hittin' the Note material, but I dug it a lot more than I expected - Oteil is prominent in the mix and sounds great.

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