"I thought Dowd's mixes were LOUSY on everything he 'produced'. Obviously, the material was all great.
After working with Dowd in '91, I better understood the entire relationship between Dowd & the band. Dowd was a monumental kiss-up. Sure, he was a pioneer in music engineering in the 50s & 60s...but he was damn lucky to get his name on LIVE AT FILLMORE EAST. LUCK-KEEEEEE. Dowd couldn't mix two eggs.
Great engineering by competent engineers @ Capricorn made Dowd look like a genius. The Allmans' sound was already ON STAGE. Whoever engineered GBMB was INcompetent...then combined w/ Dowd's mixing ineptness, it all ended up sounding PRETTY LOUSY."
"Dowd had the gift of kiss-a$$ like no other...and somehow got Ronnie to worship him. But I know a kiss-a$$ with bad ears when I see one. And a man whose just GOT TO HAVE HIS OWN WAY. What an ultra maroon. Though I'll acknowledge his contribution to recordings early years.
I often wonder if the Dowd Skynyrd albums were made to sound like cardboard so that the Dowd Allman Bros. albums would always be better. Though I feel that LIVE AT THE FILLMORE mixed itself...well engineered (NOT by Dowd).
MY TURN.......WRONG!!!! Tom Dowd mixed every note on that album and I was there for every one of them. It was awesome.
Then you have the LAYLA album. Talk about BAD MIXES?" Ever heard anything as god awful as Layla, or any other song from that album? Again, all mixed by Tom Dowd.
It is obvious Ed King despised Tom Dowd, and accuses him of favoring the Allman Brothers over Skynyrd to the point of Dowd sabotaging the sound on Skynyrd albums to favor the sound on Allman Brothers albums. Tom didn't have to do anything for that to happen. I promise you he gave his best to every project he did. To contradict Ed King's statement "Obviously all of the material was great." Again.....WRONG!!!! some of it sucked.
I do not even have to defend Tom Dowd in this case. All any thinking and hearing person has to do is listen to King"s "musical" catalogue and compare it with the man who mixed John Coltane's "Giant Steps" and "My Favorite Things", "Layla" and every other song on that album and just go back and check out the unbelievable list of material I added to my article about Tom Dowd. I mean "Stand By Me", "Mack the Knife" Nearly everything by Ray Charles and Aretha? Fuck, is this guy for real?
Get a copy of "Tom Dowd and the Language of Music" and listen to the tributes paid to Tom Dowd by Eric Clapton, Ray Charles and many others. Compare them and their achievements with Ed King's. Unless you consider writing "Incense and Peppermints" on a par with what those people did I think you can see what Ed King is lacking: intellect. I think he has about as much of a chance of understanding the genius of Tom Dowd as my Yorkie does of comprehending Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity.
To say that his statements are beyond preposterous and absolutely without merit would be the understatement of the year. He "knows a kiss ass when he sees one?" Hell he wouldn't know a baseball bat if it hit him up side the head. What the hell is a maroon? Ed King is a moron. I guess that was the word he was looking for. A fact for his empty head:.Tom Dowd engineered every single note on Fillmore East, as I stated earlier. The only ABB albums engineered by the engineers in Macon were ":Brothers and Sisters" and "Win, Lose or Draw." Both very poor sounding, even if one was a success. It was only after Tom rejoined us for the "Enlightened Rogues" album that we got a decent sounding record again. Sad to say we changed labels and that was the last time we worked with Tom and it shows.
Ed King is a complete airhead and does not have the credentials to make any assessments about the accomplishments of Tom Dowd (unless writing the classic bubble gum tune Incense and Peppermints" is considered a MAJOR achievement) . Tom was one of the greats of the music industry. Ed King is a very minor ant on the ass of, hell I wouldn't even call what he played music.
For making that statement he deserves to have his wife's (if any woman can stand him) or girl friend's pubes turn to fish hooks. Ed, I would suggest that you avoid ever being in the same room with me again. Tom was like a father to me and you don't bad mouth my family.
DAMN!!!! Tom was as instrumental in making that redundant sounding band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, successful as anyone. He deserves Ed King's adoration and thanks. For him to make that statement simply shows him for what he is and what he is not. Grateful being toward the top of that list.
Damn shame that this has to be my first article in a very long time. I have been trying to put together a piece on the Occupy Movement. Stay tuned.
Tom, I miss you and always will. Ed King please just go the fuck away. This would be a better world. I hear Sarah Palin is looking for a private grounds keeper as she makes her way back to Alaska. Would be a perfect gig for your butt.
Tom Dowd was a genius; who is Ed King, really?
ReplyDeleteReally Butch. Settle down. Not that I agree with Ed completely, but GBMB was horribly mis-produced and Street Survivors had to be re-produced. Not to mention Ed has accomplished more than you in 15 minutes than you have in your career.
DeleteCorrect.
Deleteyup, who is this muppet? talk about ass li8ckers
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DeleteWhy can't I find anything about the fact that Ed King left Lynard Skynard because Ronnie Van Zant beat him up one night. The story was, was after getting hit he packed up his amp and guitar and said , quote, "I will never let that man, hit me again" honestly I don't blame Ed King for that.
DeleteProbably bc you can't spell Lynyrd Skynyrd.... Js
DeleteI am rarely speechless. I am now. Ed King should have been!
ReplyDeleteultra maroon is a Bugs Bunny line...Ed has made an ass of himself....glad to see him called out for it.
ReplyDeleteEd King is a moron. But old Butchie, your inability to respond to this without disparaging others who didn't speak a word of this and also think Ed King is a moron is why you are a clueless redneck asswipe yourself.
ReplyDeleteSo go ahead Butch, lets see you blather on about how everything was perfect in the Allman's recent 6 shows and Gregg was 100 percent up to par. Delusional much? But hey, the rest of the band sounded good.
In any event, Tom Dowd was the man but his legacy will be fine without your redneck ass defending him. No one gives a crap what Ed King says and on that you have your equal. You should worry less about what Ed says and more about what outrageous prices the " people's band" charge nowadays. When you write your stuff on the occupy movement remember that you represent a band that now squeezes every last penny they can from their loyal fan base and tell yourself what a hip guy you are while you do it.
I agree with most of your comments, although I don't think that Ed King is a moron. Maybe a little bitter but definitely not a moron. 100% right about the Brothers squeezing every last penny from their fans, but they're certainly not the only ones doing it.
Delete97% correct.
DeleteEd King was from a band called Muscle Sholes and was the writer and composer to the solo to the song "Sweet Home Alabama" THATS WHO ED KING WAS
DeleteAnd if you have ever seen the picture of Artimus Pyle posing with his left for head and right arm all bloodied up after the plane crash, I dont blame Billy Powell or Gary Rossington to never ever wanting to see the cat again let alone play with the dude. Some people have no shame or conscious. Just saying. But what do you expect from any person with their mind all hopped up on drugs.
DeleteWtf? Ed King had a gold record before any of the members of ls past or present knew what a gold record was with the band Strawberry Alarm Clock.
DeleteEd King was not at muscle shoals when an early ls ensemble went to muscle shoals cutting demos. Jeez
Why do you bother to waste your time reading the blatherings of a "clueless, delusional, asswipe redneck?" I am sure you have better things to do with your life. I have exactly as much control over how Gregg sounds as I do over how much Live Nation charges for tickets. Again, if it's too much why come? Weird. We have had many fights with that company over how much they charge. If you take the time and compare ticket prices for Beacon shows you will see we are very near the bottom. 'nuff said. Go away.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'm a total idiot about what determines ticket prices. With that being said, would it be that hard for ANY band to stand up to Live Nation and say, "thanks but no thanks, we're not going to use you anymore"? Believe me, I am all for capitalism but why should Live Nation be making all the money when the bands are the ones with the talent?
DeleteButch loses all credibility by saying anything about the occupy movement. What a complete sucker believing anything was real about that scum. I live in Denver and it was nothing other than low lifes wrecking downtown. Who gives a fuck what ek said. Your profession is music but pretend you know about the profession of politics....haha to many drugs for you.
Deleteright "to many drugs"... where did you take English class? IDIOT! Don't be down-trodden on Butchy...
DeleteEd King was the only band member who wasn't from Jacksonville Florida. He was from California and I do not think that qualifies Ed King as a redneck. He was definitely treated different than the rest of the band because he was not from the south. There is a difference between the sound from lynyrd Skynyrd's first couple of albums, including "Pronounced Lynyrd Skynyrd". Ed King mixed the first 2 albums by Lynyrd Skynyrd, and there is a big difference in the sound mixed by Ed King, and Tom Dowd. In my opinion Ed King did a better job than Tom Dowd did, but that's just my opinion.
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Deletejmac is correct.
DeleteNot really sure Tom Dowd ever did Lynyrd Skynyrd any favors. The band had to re-record two albums that he initially produced ( Street Survivors and 1991. Gimme Back my Bullets was Skynyrd's worst sounding album sonically in their catalog by a long shot. One More from the Road was a great album but pretty over-produced as the band sounded nothing like that on any given night. Skynyrd and Dowd just weren't a good fit and I'm not sure why they kept going back to the well other than some of the guys in the band were probably in awe of him given his amazing accomplishments with the Allmans and others.
ReplyDeleteLast I checked Ed King co-wrote "Sweet Home Alabama", "Saturday Night Special" and many other great Skynyrd songs. I've been going to Allmans shows since 1978 and buying their albums since then and I apologize if I lost count of all your songwriting credits given the Allmans extensive song catalog.
Personally, I found your "redundant" comment ironic, especially when I was sitting in my $200 seat at the Beacon last year during a show when there were zero new songs in the set list and I listened once again to your drum solo for the countless time wondering how many more times can I afford this experience. If I remember correctly how I was feeling, "redundant" would have been a polite word.
With all due respect Mr. Trucks, I've enjoyed all the music and shows over the years but you guys lost me as a show paying fan and I wish you and the band well since I'm sure there is someone ready to take my place and pay that kind of money for a band that hasn't put put any new music in years.
We live in a great country and I appreciate the opportunity to disagree with your remarks about Ed King. Happy Holidays - Steve
How many actual song writing credits does Butch Truck have toward the ABBs catalog?
DeleteWhen I read this article, I assumed that Mr. Trucks's "redundant" comment was in reference to Skynyrd's recorded material from album to album, not from show to show. And if your implication (Steve) is that the ABB only plays older stuff at concerts, then this is their choice...not yours. In reality, that's probably what most people at the shows want to hear anyway...and the band is probably thinking the same.
DeleteMr. Trucks, if you see this...I love your reply to Ed. I've always loved the Allman Brothers Band, and Duane in particular. His solos are on par with Coltrane and Miles. And I realize and appreciate that you and the band don't have that typical redneck mentality that permeates southern rock. Just the fact that you know Coltrane says a lot about you. It bothers me that you may have seen some of these unfortunate comments on this page that some of these mental giants have left for you. They were totally in the wrong, and probably still upset about not having Palin for our VP (had to give you a laugh). Anyway, some of these comments represent the worst part of being online. Hope you're doing great, and so many of us thank our lucky stars that you were born. If you get a chance, check out the facebook "Duane Allman ~ Skydog Fan Page". Kim and Willie are in the group, and tell us stories about the old days. It's the best group on facebook. And, of course, we all regularly sing your praises in our comments. Take care!
agreed ...Gimme Back My Bullets was clearly a step back sonically ...and not just because they lost Ed on guitar...Trucks too Ed's admittedly personal opinion on Dowd in a personal way himself. I'm sure there was a great rivalry between ABB and Skynyrd...I loved both bands but as a teen was drawn more the musical testosterone that Skynyrd provided...having grown up more on Zep/Cream/Bad Company etc...their music and Van Zant's lyrics just came from a different perspective.
DeleteCorrect!
DeleteI agree with Butch about Strawberry Alarm Clock. I thought that group and song was crap when it was new. Ed King is a decent guitar player and his solos on Sweet Home Alabama are interesting and famous. Everybody has heard it a million times just as they have heard Dickey Betts' solos on Ramblin Man and Jessica from Brothers and Sisters. But is it just me or are the musicians on Brothers and Sisters more advanced and polished than what I've ever heard in Skynyrd then or now. Take the track Jelly, Jelly. Gregg, Dickey, Lamar, Chuck, Butch and Jaimoe are all letter perfect and the musicianship from all six is outstanding. As Butch pointed out, the production of the album is not as good as what Tom did. Maybe the problem is the Allman Brothers gave Tom Dowd more to work with than Skynyrd. As to Gregg Allman, I think Butch will agree. Even when you factor in Gregg being clean and sober for 15 years, the past has left him, his liver and body ravaged. The years of being on the road, past drinking, drugs and AGE are beginning to take it's toll on Mr. Allman just as is the case with Mr. Betts. I know of couple of people who are long time Allman fans like me and they are amazed that Betts is still living!! Hell if Duane were still alive..who knows what he would have sounded like up in Boston!!! Butch continuing to be in pretty good shape and the younger members is why the ABB can still sound pretty good. The only problem I have with the current ABB is this. Just as the band never sounded like the real deal ABB after Duane and Berry died, Dickey's sound, style, melody and unmatched guitar tone gone is another piece of the puzzle missing from the classic ABB sound. But if he were back at 68 years age and still drinking and snortin' could he cut the gig? I doubt it. I would like to see Gregg and Dickey play a little tour together again just for old times sake. Yeah both may fuck up and hit bad notes and miss lyrics but old time fans such as me (I'm 64) wouldn't care as we try to make them out on stage with our glasses that need a new prescription and while we pop our Advil for our knee and back pain and think back to what a damn unique and great band the ABB was in 69,70 and 71 and how good we felt in the audience and having a passing thought about how it would be to be young again.
ReplyDeleteMaybe when the ABB decides it's time to hang it up, we could have a short tour with ALL the original members still living for the old fans and if Gregg and Dickey don't sound good and Jaimoe leaves the stage for several songs and seems not to be playing much on others..fine. We old fans can't hear as well as we used to anyway! Butch,Derek,Warren,Otiel&Marc are still powerful so the young fans will have some big noise to hear:-)
Correct.
DeleteFrom what I understand Ed King had already left the Lynyrd Skynyrd band before Mr. Dowd produced any of their albums and I am pretty sure, in fact I am sure Ed was not with the ABB while there albums were being produced by Mr. Dowd. Sounds like Ed King has spent a lot of time with Mr. Dowd and has just enough education of Mr. Dowd to be dangerous. Too bad Ed did not spend some time with Mr. Dowd before he died and talked with him about his issues toward him. It is easy to tear someone down when they are not around to defend themselves. Ed here is a site showing what Mr. Dowd has done. All you have done Ed is walk away from a band. http://www.thelanguageofmusic.com/discography.htm
ReplyDeleteEd did work with Tom Dowd on Skynyrd's 1991 album as the band ended up going in another direction after listening to the recordings.
ReplyDeleteI really wish we could and, believe me, we have done everything within our power to keep ticket prices down. I am afraid that Live Nation has taken over the live concert business and they dictate what the tickets cost. We really can't do anything about that. As far as your sitting and listening to my "drum solo" for the countless time. That just is not true. In the first place I have never played a "drum solo" in the history of the band. A solo is one person. From the beginning Jaimoe and I have played together and about three years ago, with the addition of Marc Quinones on percussion, twenty years ago (which made it a trio) we added Oteil to our drum ensemble. Oteil was a drummer before he was a bass player and he can play quite well. I don't play my drum set for more than a few minutes then Oteil takes them and I move to the tympani. Then we all begin playing patterns, they are different every night, and seldom does any one of us take the spotlight. We do on rare occasions lay down a groove and let Jaimoe take the lead, but as I said, that is rare. You can not like what we play, that is your prerogative. You cannot call it redundant. That just is not the truth. Having an opinion is what we all do, but you are can't make your own truth. The truth just is what it is. Called reality.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI've been seeing the ABB since the early 70's.I never had a problem with the ticket prices compared to the Stones,The Who, McCartney.. also you get 3 hrs of them an not some warm up band that i cant stand which the ABB made me suffer thru at a collage once in the early 80's... the point is moot since they now retired...
DeleteReality spelled redundant.
DeleteReality spelled redundant.
Deleteyou can't do anything about ticket prices? and you have the gall to say another human being is ignorant?
DeleteWTF dood, you can NOT PLAY CONCERTS FOR THEM until they charge what you demand they charge!!!
what a load of SHIT, full of corn
OR demand more for playing, at some point if the bands demand more this ticket company will go under because they cannot fill seats..
its really SIMPLE math..
good greif
Come on guys, everything changes; do they improve, do they get worse, or do they go up and down? I have been amazed at the journey the ABB has been on (ups and downs). I'm old and I remember the good ole days, but I like these days as well. I especially like following the ABB in all their line ups. I must say I am impressed with the current line up. Keep on rocking and I'll keep trying to figure out how to get to a show!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Steve from Fairbanks
This is silly. No serious person knows who the fuck Ed King is NOW, and certainly nobody at all will know who Ed King was 20 years from now. Tom Dowd is, and has been for decades, a well deserved legend. And Tom Dowd will be remembered as a giant for many decades to come. I'm sorry for all you folks out there who are totally gay on Skynyrd, but they're eminently forgettable lightweights whose historical role, if any, will be as just another ABB wannabe band. Dowd > Coltrane> Giant Steps. Dowd > ABB > Fillmore. Skynyrd> "Free Bird, Dude...!"
ReplyDeleteYou know who ed is every time you hear sweethome. Sorry he made ypy mad but he wrote a lot of good stuff and is a great guitar player.get over it.
DeleteSpeak for yourself brother. The name Ed King is well known in many generations.
Deleteyeah...NOBODY remembers Skynyrd anymore they're so eminently forgettable.... BWAH...."silly" indeed.
DeleteEd King was from Southern CA, so he's definitely not a redneck in that sense. He is arguably the most talented guitarist/musician Skynyrd ever had (Steve Gaines was on a path to eclipse him). I know this site is for Allman fans and I get that; I happen to like both bands for different reasons. Everything Ed said about Tom Dowd is spot-on. Also the fact that they stopped recording at Studio One in GA was massively telling. Ed said that that the room at Criteria was carpeted and "dead sounding". Conversely, Studio One was a very "live" sounding room that matched the songwriting of Skynyrd perfectly (and ARS, .38 Special, etc.). So the loss of King, Dowd producing, and the change of recording studio were factors in the lackluster mix. Note that Street Survivors was recorded at Studio One with Kevin Elson, after scrapping $70K worth of recordings at Criteria done by Dowd. The proof is in the pudding.
DeleteClueless.
DeleteSkynyrd being an Allman wannabe?!?!?!? They're making Allan fans stupider and stupider by the year now adays... Clearly you have no idea of the relationship of the Allmans vs. Skynyrd. Please remember the Allmans had maybe e two top 10 hits, maybe? My guess would be ramblin' man from Forest but that would be the only one. Ill stick with Freebird and Sweethome Alabama due to the fact that you can still here them on the radio today, haven''t heard the Allmans on the radio for a long time... must be that no ones requesting their music anymore or maybe the radio D.J cares for the listeners ears
DeleteButch, maybe you could share some stories about Tom Dowd with us.
ReplyDeleteWhat was it like in the studio with him. Any stories about him while recording at the Fillmore East?
Maybe you could film yourself telling some stories and put them up on YouTube. This is a bit of history that is a hoot to watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st-0_4JWowA&feature=BFa&list=PLA048B0FCAF8DA8BD&lf=results_main
Thanks for all the great music!
Who is Ed King?
I've never seen so many retarded wanna-be's* in the same thread.
DeleteEd King is a friggin' genius.
It is my opinion that just like surviving band members of Lynyrd Skynyrd The surviving members of the Allman Brothers Band rode the coattails of genuis for many, many years after da&bo passed.
History being made!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIwqo9PD_es&feature=related
clearly Tom made a musical assessment of Mr. King he didn't agree with at some point. I never met Tom Dowd or worked with him but if Duane, Ray, Trane and Miles trusted and respected him, how bad of a fellow could he be?
ReplyDeleteMr. King, I'm sorry that your life has been such that you feel it necessary to publicly attack a dead man. A well respected, infinitely gifted and kind man from what I hear and read. A man whose mind was integral in the making of everything from atomic energy to the best damn live album ever made. The man was a literal genius.
I won't get into musical comparisons except to say that unfortunately, after Duane and Berry's passing, your band was, I feel, a good part of the reason ABB was forever compartmentalized into the "southern rock" genre. And I am sorry you're not capable of acknowledging and deeply appreciating the musical genius that was the original line up of the ABB. It was indeed like going to church.
I hope that you find peace in your music. Perhaps the purity of the form will teach you tolerance, kindness and respect...for your fellow man (most especially those who aren't here to defend themselves if they deemed it necessary, which I really don't think he would) and for yourself.
Really, Butch. I wish you'd just get off the fence and take a stand!
ReplyDeleteLOL.
Holy shit, I just had to pick my jaw up off the floor. It's been a long time since I've read such a complete skewering of someone so in need of it. Can't wait to see what you've got in store for the 1%. And God Bless Tom Dowd for all the great music he produced that really made a difference in my life.
I find it worth noting that in the Bio-pic about Tom Dowd, the Skynyrd boys all had seemingly good things to say about Tom. Ed King was nowhere to be found as I recall...even in that version of their band. Perhaps that in itself was indicative of Rossington, Powell, et.als., opinion of Ed King versus Tom Dowd. Don't fret Butch...Tom's legacy is just fine...we won't worry unless Ed King turns up on the Faux News Channel espousing this as 'truth'!
ReplyDelete...and while we're getting a bit pissy with the redneck rock n rollers. I'm sure somewhere in the archives of all of the Cream Magazines, Crawdaddys or one of those othere popular 1970s rock n roll magazines ( The Big House has abundle of them) is a Ted Nugent interview in which he stated " Allman Brothers junkies deserved to die. " hence EFF TED.
ReplyDeleteJ May
Can you believe the cretin 5 posts up who says "you're not capable of acknowledging and deeply appreciating the musical genius that was the original line up of the ABB." Holy Shit! I could rant for hours at the ignorance and arrogance of that statement, but "against ignorance, even the gods fight in vain." Suffice it so say that I kinda suspect that you, Butch, as one of the charter members, might possibly have some idea as to the merits of the original band. I pick up such a disconnect with the mentality of the Band and that of it's followers, or at least those who post here.
ReplyDeleteLotta anger and bitterness, Butch, for someone who has many reasons to be happy. I'm embarrassed I read this hateful rant. I won't be back to this site, so don't bother replying.
ReplyDeleteLove ya Butch! I believe you are one of the most honest, truthful, and genuine man in the Music Business
ReplyDeleteTodd Brennan - Brothers of the Road Band
Not sure how anyone can badmouth Tom Dowd when he is associated with a catalogue of amazing recordings, not just the Allman Brothers albums that he worked on. It seems to me that most of the time he refused to rest on his laurels, finding new and different ways to record bands which fit with how they played together.
ReplyDeleteAnd for those who haven't watched the Tom Dowd documentary. It's fascinating.
I have to admit, though, that I've had an issue with the ABB stuff he's worked on. Some issues may come down to "mastering" rather than engineering, producing, mixing etc.
I *loved* the sound on the debut album, produced by Adrian Barber, and was immediately disappointed by the change in vibe with Idlewild South. If you listen to the recordings side by side it's hard to believe it's the same band. Having said that, I only ever heard Idlewild on poor-quality CD. I'd be interested to hear the original tape/vinyl or a remaster.
The live recording of the Fillmore Concerts and subsequent handling were phenomenal. Genius, and quite rightly considered one of, if not THE best live album ever.
Eat a Peach was decently produced, certainly better than the subsequent non-Dowd discs up to Enlightened Rogues.
The more recent Tom Dowd recordings, since the reformation of the band for Seven Turns have left me a bit cold on the production front, but I think it's because of the technical challenge they presented. If I understand correctly (which I often don't, so don't hit me!), they were primarily recorded live in the studio. I think that makes it more difficult to get a "sparkling" sound, compared with recording individual performances.
I felt much more inspired by the production on Hittin' the Note (Warren and Michael Barbiero, I believe). It felt much more like an album and not a "performance". The one thing that bugged me was the way that Warren was panned all the way over to one side and Derek to the other. Granted, it sounded great with headphones or on a stereo if you sat mid-point, but if you were driving in a car it meant that one part was too loud and the other too quiet. A small niggle.
Anyway, minor complaints about the handling of some material does little to diminish the amazing (documented!) contribution Dowd made to recording technology and the recording process. His legacy recordings speak for themselves.
I would like to thank Butch Trucks for his honest candor and response. I thoroughly enjoyed every word of it! I am afraid I am the one who posted Ed's horrible opinion of Tom Dowd here in the first place and I very glad Butch responded to it.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I would like to say is I posted only a few of Ed King's nasty opinion of Dowd here. If you follow the link to Ed's forum, and serach it you will find far more nasty words from Ed King about Tom Dowd.
Ed only worked with Tom Dowd on one album, the crappy new Skinnerd band run by Gary Rossington, on the 1991 album.
When recording it Ed King was an ass as usual and tried to have the band and Tom Dowd do it his way. Tom Dowd eventually threw Ed King's fat ass right on out of the studio. Ed was not having his way.
Artimus Pyle was the drummer for that band and he is the drummer who recorded that album with Dowd. I was told this by Tom Dowd and Artimus after the fact-
When the album was relased by Atlantic Records, both Artimus Pyle and Tom Dowd were shocked by what they heard! Both men knew this was not the album they had recorded or produced. It was now a different album.
The story I was told is that Ed King, the man Tom Dowd threw out of the studio, and the man who did not get his way, took the master tape to the album out to California where Ed King and Kevin Elson stripped off all of Artimus drum tracks and replaced them with new tracks recorded with a different drummer Kurt Custer who Ed liked better. I was also told that some keyboards were stripped off and the entire album remixed- all done without the band's knowledge or consent, Artimus did not know and Tom Dowd did know this was going on until after the album had been released.
This event eventually lead to Artimus quitting the band, and Tom Dowd contacted Atlantic Records to have his name removed from the album as producer because it was no longer a Tom Dowd production.
Ed King is an unethical person who only cares about what he wants and used Lynyrd Skynyrd as nothing more than a source of income to support himself and he simply does not care about other people and proves it with his unethical behavior and disrespect for other legends he has to look up over the gutter to even see their shoes like Tom Dowd.
Personally I could care less about any of the people you'll are talking about, (I find it hilarious reading all this back stabbing and mud slinging BS on a public Blog, {reminds me of the jFox blogs}especially after me being slapped around here for posting dumb shit and not having blog etiquette. too funny!!!).
ReplyDeleteDo got to say though, I admire Butches display of humility in posting the next blog and apologizing, that speaks volume about your character.
Anyway....
It seems to me that the goal of any recording is to produce the best possible sound with the hope of making money and enjoying the ride while doing it.
While I'm sure (or I've heard anyway) the music business is a rat race and like any other there are major problems with power and greed, etc. but I doubt very much (while it certainly may not be beyond the realm of possibility)that recording studios would sabotage the very instruments (Recordings) that would make them a lot of money. It just don't make sense to me. (does that kind of shit really happen?)
secondly...
Butch your comment...
"I am afraid that Live Nation has taken over the live concert business and they dictate what the tickets cost. We really can't do anything about that". Is interesting and I would love to hear (read) more posts on the nature of the music business. also looking forward to your take on the Occupy movement.
Hey Butch,
ReplyDeleteWhen I read those comments by Ed King, I almost fell outa' my chair...!! I believe all of that drinking over the years finally fried Ed's brain.
Tom Dowd was a friend of mine and back in 1991, he invited me to go see Skynyrd at The Miami Arena in support of their "1991" album which he had just produced over at Criteria Studios.
When we went backstage into the band's dressing room before the show, I witnessed Ed King come up to Tom and give him a hug as he said, "Thanks Tom for giving me that kick in the ass and settin' my head straight. I love you, man."
As we went back out to sit in our seats for the show, I asked Tom what Ed was talking about with the comment he had made to Tom.
Tom said when the band first showed up at Criteria for the recording sessions, Ed had a couple of bottles of Korbel Champagne that he was "nursing." Tom said for the first couple days, Ed was inebriated and wasn't shit for laying down any music. Tom tersely told Ed NOT to bring in the champagne the following day. Of course Ed brought the champagne in again, not giving a shit about Tom or the band's wasted time at Criteria. Tom was livid and told me he literally grabbed the bottle out of Ed's hand and broke it on the floor. He then spun Ed around towards the studio door and kicked him in the ass as he said, "Don't come back 'til you're straight!!" Tom said Ed showed back up two days later and apologized to Tom and the band for wasting their time. After that they got down to business and finished the album.
Maybe that's the only thing Ed remembers and he's humiliated because he was such an asshole...
Rob M. Coconut Grove,FL
I can't help but be amused by all of this.....Ed King vs Butch Trucks ? Tom Dowd's integrity questioned? Band's not having any control over ticket prices? The South's greatest two Southern Bands going at each other?
ReplyDeleteWhat helped kill the " Southern Rock Era " was when the Southern Bands stopped supporting each other like they did in the beginning. All the GREED stepped in and the Southern Family was destroyed.
I can't help but wonder what Duane or Ronnie either one would say about all of this......After all neither of the two bands have been able to ever achieve what they did when both of these guys were their leaders.
I think it would be a great idea to bury the past and think about the future and making some GREAT NEW MUSIC!!!
Rock On 2011 !!!!
Alan Walden
2003 Inductee, Georgia Music Hall Of Fame
Alan, Gary Rossington's band and Gregg Allman's band are both missing that which made them great. Below Ed King admits his music without them is not a classic yet fans consider his earlier work with Ronnie and Allen as classic which just goes to prove my point Ed can not produce music of merit period unless attached to greatness to make him look good. So don't expect anything beyond these bands living off the coattails of the past and then bitching about what could have been- referring to Ed King, not Butch.
ReplyDeletehttp://edking.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=music&action=display&thread=83
What did I think of the '91 album? It's a good thing Bill Graham's people allowed us to re-mix it without Tom Dowd there. I have the original mixes and, admittedly the album isn't a classic, but Dowd's mixes made us look like idiots. I think that was a point he wanted to make.
I have a tape of a conference call between all the band members and Dowd after it was re-mixed. He's actually crying during the phone call and blaming ME for doing it all behind his back. He went so far as to claim the added acoustic guitar (by Brent Rowan) on "PURE & SIMPLE was out of tune. (Like Brent would DO such a thing!)
Graham's people told me beforehand we could do the needed overdubs and re-mixing with Dowd's blessing. Turned out he knew nothing about it, fortunately. Til his dying day Dowd thought I was under-handed about it but that's not the case at all. As a matter of fact, if I HAD known of Dowd's displeasure, I wouldn't have messed with it.
-----------------
I recall during the recording of the vocal, Tom Dowd eventually threw me out of the studio. He kept needling Johnny about how he sang the words "Oh - whoa" in the chorus. Dowd correctly says that Johnny has a hard time with the vowel sound O. ...but he was such an asshole about it. He and I got into it and he threw me out. It was the ONE time when Dowd WASN'T playing his GameBoy machine. Actually was paying attention.
A few months later when he sent the first mixes out, I objected to a lot of what went on in that song. So I hired Brent Rowan (Nashville session guitarist) and Bill Cuomo (piano) to come in and do some overdubs. Brent re-did most of the acoustic guitar stuff (Randall and I were no good at that stuff) and Cuomo did the keyboard parts. (Billy was in rehab at that point.) Yeah, I thought the song turned out as well as it could have.
Here's a case where I had written a guitar solo for the song. I wanted to do it. Then Gary called me to his hotel room and played me what he'd written. I thought his idea was better. Don't say I'm NOT a team player! (I am playing a second lead part intertwined with his...surely you can pick it out.)
Dowd, in a conference call after the album was done, cried (he CRIED!) saying I had ruined the song it was now COMPLETELY OUT OF TUNE. I think he was merely projecting.
Butch The Loyal Allman Brothers fanslike myself are dying to hear some new ORIGINAL MUSIC.Please bring out a couple of new songs this March. You guys still fucking rock!!!
ReplyDeleteEd King,
ReplyDeleteQuite frankly, I find it somewhat distasteful that all this came up after Tom's passing, when it is so convenient for you because he's not here to respond to your "story."
Tom didn't mince words, he was always direct and to the point. He told me that dealing with certain artist's egos was sometimes time consuming and after working with artists more than once, figured he could be more forthcoming about what needed to be changed or worked on. He said that wasn't always the case, a few times he said it ended any future recording projects with that particular artist.
Tom's body of work speaks for itself, there is no denying his artistry. He made history with music that will live on long after we're all gone, what he gave to us can never be measured...
Tom Dowd was a Giant in the music world and it's about fuckin' time The Rock&Roll Hall of Fame inducted him this year, somebody finally woke up in Cleveland...
Rob M.
Hey Rob M of Coconut Grove, Fl. would you email another Tom Dowd friend and fan? Rosycrucyanmystic@yahoo.com I look forward to hearing from you!
ReplyDeleteI wish the Allman Brothers would do something to help former member Dan Toler. He is deteriorating in health and needs his brothers now more than ever.
ReplyDeleteAs for Ed King he can rot in hell. What a loser.
You should trust that your fan base is intelligent enough to see through Mr. King's statement. It would've been better if you said nothing in response.
ReplyDeleteThe proof is in the recordings. Gimme Back my Bullets (Dowd Produced) sounds like it was recorded in a Chevy van upholstered with shag carpeting. Now, I think that album is Skynyrd's weakest (by far) and that is NOT all Dowd's fault. There just are no great songs on there and it's just not that good. But he didn't do them any favors by making it sound dull and lifeless. Again, listen for yourself.
ReplyDeleteLayla IS a crappy sounding recording. Great song...crappy recording. Dowd may have done some great things....that does NOT mean everything he did was great. What he did with Skynyrd was NOT great.
By the way.....its been almost 40 years and Skynyrds Sweet Home Alabama is STILL one of the most popular songs around. Much more than any ABB song. There is no denying that. And 20 years from now..... that will probably still be true. A lot of it has to do with Ed's opening lick.....again.....Butch.....you want reality? THAT is reality.
You may not like Ed King.....but there is no denying the staying power of Skynyrd material....and there most popular song has Ed King all over it. Reality.
I am rolling.......the Gary Rossington band and the Greg Allman band.......That one hit home for me.......BUT sooooo true......
ReplyDeleteYou are an idiot. Free Bird is Skynyrd's most popular song. Pull your nose out of Ed's ass will you? Layla a crappy recording? You are a know nothing who is simply repeating anything Ed tells you, and you are right no one likes Ed. If you don't like the way certain Skynyrd sounded maybe you better look at the source- the band. They approved it so why blame Dowd? You're still an idiot know nothing who repeats whatever Ed tells you to say.
ReplyDeleteWho the f**K is Ed King, anyway? Man, that crystal meth and champagne will really mess you up! Butch, Skynerd sucks anyway, w/ or w/o Ed King and Allmans still rule!
ReplyDeleteTom is "the Man!" Right there with Jerry Wexler, R.I.P.!
The Gimme Back My Bullets is a great album and Ronnie's songwriting really shines. The sound of that album is terrible, especially compared to their other studio albums. If there's a question about what Tom Dowd had to work with then listen to the deluxe Street Survivors edition that contains the same songs produced by Tom Dowd and the version that ended up being released that was not produced by Tom Dowd - it's night and day. Not really sure there was anything wrong with that material - thank goodness someone stopped the Dowd version from being released because it sounds terrible. You all can say what you want about Lynyrd Skynyrd and look down your noses at them but as a fan of both, I've never in a 1,000+ concerts seen a crowd in a stadium react when they played Freebird with that lineup right before the crash, it still gives me goose bumps. It may not be sophisticated music and could border "redundant" but I'll take Freebird and Sweet Home Alabama anyday of the week. Tom Dowd did amazing things in the music industry and deserves to be the the Hall but he clearly didn't being out the best in Skynyrd.
ReplyDeleteBoy did you say a mouthfull @ Dec. 20, 2011 8:51 am.
ReplyDeleteI too like both bands and some of the folks here ought to give that Deluxe edition a listen, because it really sounds like shit, yep ol Father Tom (that one made me laugh right out loud, gimme a break) did no favors to Skynyrds sound and didnt Skynyrds sound man tell the band release this (Dowds mix) and your career is finished and then they went back in and remixed what was released.
And Butch your rant was really professional........ hope ya feel better
You want know some reality? Dowd DID NOT record Skynyrd in Miami. Dowd did not set up any microphones. Dowd did not push any buttons or turn faders. Dowd had a rookie engineer right out of school who had just been hired to Criteria in 1976 doing it all and guess who sat next to him? Kevin Elson. It was that rookie engineer & Kevin Elson who are responsible for the sound out of Miami, not Dowd! Bunch of idiots who know nothing about Skynyrd history. Dowd was simply there to oversee and point fingers. Dowd was overbooked back then and had other commitments and let subs take his place and so a rookie recorded in Miami you fools. And the band went to Doraville and RE-Recorded all of it with Rodney Mills and Tad Bush as engineers at Studio One, with a Dowd substitute simply overseeing the project while Dowd was off recording Rod Stewart in Canada and he sent Barry Rudolph as his sub to Doraville. Dowd was hands off in Miami and was backing away from Skynyrd because of this kind of thing. It was Ronnie who wanted him and insisted on Dowd, but Dowd just was not all that interested in them when bigger fish were calling him. Check your facts before you come here and run your mouths about things you know nothing about and stop listening to Ed King because he don't speak the truth, just half truths and you ed lovers suck it up hook, line and sinker and make fools of yourselves everytime you go off his site. Amazing how Ed King lovers are like little ducks all in a row with their beaks up Ed's rear end buying all his crap as though it were gospel truth. Ed was not even on those albums so who is he to be running his mouth? He just wants everything his way or the highway and whines like a baby when he don't get his way and hires lawyers anytime he thinks he wants more money.
ReplyDeleteROTFLMAO! They are like little ducks. The few handful of fans he has. So SHA was more popular than Free Bird the most requested song in rock radio history? And his little ducks try and step out into the real world and tell all of us SHA is Skynyrd's best and most popular? They delude themselves, but don't expect the world to be just as deluded as those allowed on his forum. Too funny! You nailed him Butch! Good one!
ReplyDeletePretty ironic that if the initial version of Street Survivors was released that Dowd's name would have been the Producer but lo and behold, they chose to finish the project without him and then he had nothing to do with the project. It was Skynyrd's sound man who told the band if they released his version they were done and convinced them to re-record and thank goodness they listened. This info isn't from Ed's board, Mr. Duck. A small part of the album was even recorded in Muscle Shoals with Tim Smith and Jimmy Johnson. No need to get so nasty Mr. Duck, just brush up on your Skynyrd history, quack quack
ReplyDeleteHey Cagey.....Sweet Home is by far Skynyrds most popular song....there really is not even a doubt about that. Everyone knows Freebird too.....but it's too long and jammy for most folks. It's a bit of a cliche and a joke to a lot of people (not me). Sweet Home....is in a class by itself. Try to deny it all you want.....the truth is the truth.
ReplyDeleteNice of Mr. Trucks to defend Dowd.....but he really should give an honest listen to some of the recordings he did for Skynyrd. They sound like crap. Period end of story.
It has nothing to do with Ed King really....he was just being honest.
I have always wondered what Layla might have sounded like if it had been recorded properly. It does sound like crap. Phil Collins produced some later Eric Clapton and made a comment about the poor production of some of Clapton's earlier recordings (which had been produced by Dowd). I think like any of us sometimes he was on his game (Filmore East) and sometimes he wasn't GBMB, OMFTR, first version of SS, several of Clapton's albums, Layla.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think Ed was born in Southern California. Can you be a redneck if you are from there?
You beat me to it. Anyone who calls Ed King a redneck, is truly ignorant.
DeleteHere are the links to Ed King's website where he verbally disparaged Tom Dowd:
ReplyDeletehttp://edking.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=band&action=display&thread=69
http://edking.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=music&action=display&thread=83
Nobody wants to read Ed's trash talkin' a man who is no longer with us in body, Tom's not here to defend himself against your malicious lies!
ReplyDeleteEd King is a chickenshit coward who doesn't have any shame for the crap he's spewing!!
The only claim to fame Ed has is the riff for "Sweet Home Alabama." Other than that he doesn't have a leg to stand on. Has he ever produced any albums of note...? NO!!
Tom Dowd's legacy will never be tarnished by this two bit redneck, go back to whatever rock you crawled out from under Eddie Boy...
Cagey(Kent Griffith), you keep posting this crap about Ed, almost like you're tryin' to stir the pot and get things goin'...
Even though you say you support Tom's reputation, your sneaky antics point in another direction. We're onto you, it's not working, so
stop the bullshit, already...
Hey zap or Mark A. Gaulke admin at Ed's forum, or frog: Roy Wallace Simison, or any other Ed lover puppet supporter- I did not write those words you accuse me of above and I do not appreciate the wrong accusation.
ReplyDeleteSo before you accuse check your facts- you should have asked.
Ed King is the person who disparaged Tom Dowd and made it public on his website. All I did was ask Butch for his opinion on Ed's words and you can read this back on the Tom Dowd blog from Sept.
There is nothing wrong with having done so, or in asking for his opinion. Nothing wrong with it at all. I could not have anticipated Butch's response, or any of the responses, but do not be so quick to jump to conclusions that I am writing all of them because that is certainly not the truth. All you had to do was ask.
It is my opinion that if Ed King said those disparaging words about Tom Dowd and he wrote them, and he posted them on his website in public then he should be man enough to take the backlash and responses for what he said.
I bear no responsibility for it other than in asking one man to respond to them. No sin. No crime.
Ed King's words were like a snowball perched on a hill waiting for someone to push it downhill. Once rolling it takes on a life of its own as you are finding out. Such is life. I am not to blame for any of it. Ed should have been more careful with his words to not personally attack and verbally disparage a legend like Tom Dowd.
I know you want to blame me for all of it, but you need to look at Ed for being the one who verbally assaulted a man who is not alive to defend himself. What kind of a person does that?
Now go harass all the other responders and ya'll have fun discussing it on your Ed forum.
Kent Griffith
I have never understood the comparisons between ABB and LS. To my ears there is nothing to compare. They are two completely different bands. They come from more or less the same place but that is where the comparisons end for me. It would be like someone liking the Stones but hating the Beatles based on the fact they both came from Great Britain. I happen to like both bands, one more than the other in both cases. I could care less what Ed King or Tom Dowd had to say about one another. Both did some fine work and both did some less than fine work. King's bass playing on Pronounced absolutely sucked. If the studio version of Gimme Three Steps comes on the radio I push the button - un-listenable! Dowd's production work on Gimme Back My Bullets was awful. You'd get better sound quality if you stuck the cover of the CD in your player or the cover of the album on your turntable, to my ears anyway. I love the sound of Fillmore East. Hate the sound of Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. I loved King's work on SHA, Swamp Music, Saturday Night Special and a few others.
ReplyDeleteBut that's just me. Your mileage may vary.
The Dec 21st 8:24pm post says it best. It is the most honest, truthful and fair minded of any post so far.
ReplyDeleteThe last time I checked we had freedom of speech in this great country of ours. Mr. King was using his regarding some of Mr. Dowd's mixes on some classic, well known albums. If Mr. King personally attacked the character of Mr. Dowd then you, Mr. Trucks have a right to defend Mr. Dowd. If Mr. King was only commenting on the questionable (at best - and I fully agree) mixes of the albums in question then, Mr. Trucks, you are being a completely unreasonable and immature jerk and you owe Mr. King and the rest of this blog a legitimate apology.
Ed King obviously wasn't "only commenting" on the questionable mixes as you state above, he personally attacks Tom Dowd's reputation as an engineer/producer. Read the full quotation of his remarks again, pal. Ed King is the one who owes an apology to all the peers, family and friends of Mr. Dowd...!!
ReplyDeleteButch, you done good Brother, no apology needed for this longtime fan and many others out there. We fully support your backing of Tom, Ed is the immature jerk here, don't let this pansy ass guy above tell you no different...
Ah, let's mind that "pansy ass" talk, Mr. Blogger. I'm an ex-soldier who fought for your country so flippant people such as yourself can continue to have freedom of speech, regardless of how foolish you make yourself out when you utilize that right.
ReplyDeleteAlso, don't incorrectly assume that just because I favored Mr. King's side of the argument that I'm not a fan of both groups. They are two of my favorite and they are two of the best bands America ever produced.
I read both links... twice over. Many of you seem to forget that Mr. King and company are paying for the services of Mr. Dowd when they hired him to produce their albums. The band has every right to expect the best services in return and if they aren't satisfied with the end result they have every right to state their complaints and greivences.
Calling someone a "kiss a$$" and "an ultimate maroon because that person always wants to get their way" is extremely lightweight criticism and not worth the negative venom Mr. Trucks felt was necessary to discharge. I'm actually eager to see how Mr. Trucks and others who side with him will react when some vastly harsher criticism and legitimate character assassinations are actually aimed directly in their direction?
Life is short, folks. Let's start trying to fix some of the real problems out there and stop causing trivial ones.
Thank you Mr. Ex-Soldier and for your service to our country. I appreciate your comments about me and the rest. I also think there's no way Ed King got that album remixed and released without Gary Rossington signing off on what was done. I am 8:24pm. I don't get the pansy comments or the love-fest for Dowd or King. These weren't angels sent by God for crying out loud. These were two men who had divergent viewpoints. When we stop allowing or tolerating divergent viewpoints we've all lost.
ReplyDeleteOpinions are like assholes everyone has one Butch. As for ABB I am 51 and I have tried to enjoy them drunk,stoned and sober and still don't get them so i can appreciate the fact you don't like Skynyrd explains a lot for me. Funny story , as I recall the boys in Skynyrd opened for you guys one time before Skynyrd was known.I think they were the one percent band then and as the legend goes they had worked up several of ABB's songs off their new record and actually played them BETTER than the band that wrote them that show. Oh well that goes with saying the ABB died with Duane .It is all the band ever had a GIMMIC. A great guitarist that was it the material the band put out was mediocre at best. Was this Dowds fault? I doubt it. Garbage in is normally garbage out. ABB couldn't play the same song live like the record if they tried. Drugs and alcohol i guess not Dowd there either.Lynbyrd Skynbyrd didnb't have any gimmic.Their music ,Being able to play the songs live JUST LIKE THE RECORD was their gimmic.Consistency, Ronnie knew that would bring people back. ABB ? great songs personally I don't think so. Ed King is a big boy I am not here to defend his Dowd comments either. I am here to defend what Ronnie and the rest them guys did.You guys would have been FINISHED had it not been for Ronnie and Skynyrd ACTUALLY bringing "Southern Rock" to the forefront of Music back then.A lot of people have said ABB opened the door for Skynyrd that is pure and simple BULLSHIT! Skynyrd would have made it without an ABB I can assure you of that! Lynbyrd Skynyrd were tighter,better musicians,and FAR SUPERIOR Song writers than ABB.Pardon the expression but there wasn't one person ever in ABB that would have made a pimple on Ronnie Van Zants ass.I like the bullets album myself I also think One more from the road is one of the greatest Live rock albums ever. That is because it was a great band playing on it.I suggest you go buy Skynyrds pre 1977 albums and listen to EVERY song you may learn something. I resent your Skynyrd remarks considering the reverence Ronnie gave ABB at almost every show when they played Free Bird.Piss on your apology too late now. You shot your load now you can LAY IN IT!!!
ReplyDeletePeace and Merry Christmas.
Randy Wallace
Gee Randy Wallace I can only guess you don't really know what the difference is between ample musicianship and outstanding musicianship. Free Bird, Sweet Home Alabama, Tuesday's Gone etc etc are all decent songs and I enjoy hearing them from time to time. The musicianship from the singer, guitars, bass, piano, drums etc is fine and at times develops lots of energy. But it is NOT in the same league with the Allman Brothers. LS has NEVER come up with a song that is close to "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed". The musicianship on the version on Idlewild South and the version on At Fillmore East is far more advanced than anything LS ever did, not to mention the writing. What has LS done that would compare to Dreams off of the ABB's first album? Where is the musicianship that equals what the ABB does on Live at Fillmore East? Take Eat a Peach for example. Ain't Wasting Time No More has a groove all it's own. The song's structure is amazing. Next is Les Bres in A Minor. I just can't hear LS doing the spacy opening much less lay down the timing and grove of this song. This song is so complex that I've NEVER heard a so-called Southern Rock Band do anything that approaches this. Mellisa is also incredible song writing and it's a ballad but what Butch does on drums and Oakely does on bass sets this song apart from anything of this time structure that has come before or since and Gregg Allman nails the vocal and the guitar work of Dickey Betts, his tone, volume swells, how pretty and yet haunting and melodic Dickey's guitar is on the track is something that is without comparison with LS. Mountain Jam speaks for it's self. Then we have the ABB playing with amazing energy as the band bears down on One Way Out with the entire band in the grove and the pocket as if ONE brain is controlling all six arms and hands. Dickey's solo is killer with modern guitar wizard Jimmy Herring saying in a recent Guitar Player interview that this solo on One Way Out probably is his favorite for it's energy, incredible tone and the string bends with Dickey putting vibrato on the top of these bends most impressive to a fellow guitar player. Trouble No More has all six men live and letter tight and perfect as they SWING like the big bands of the 1940's. Standback is funky, a different and catchy grove, Duanes slide is sweet and inspiring and Jaimoe's drums lay down a back beat that is from a different world than anything that has ever come from LS. On Blue Sky the ABB switched up to a country type ballad but still is pure ALLMAN BROTHERS with a grove and beat that just makes you dance in your head and this song is so uplifting and fun. It puts one in such a good mood. Plus the guitar solos from Duane and Dickey are not only really beautiful, but sweet and so melodic. And finally we have Little Martha which has Duane on a Dobro and Dickey on acoustic guitar and once again we are treated to a melody that makes your brain smile and dance to this uplifting piece of writing and playing.
ReplyDeleteThis is NOT Southern Rock. Hell Berry Oakely was from Chicago!! This is Allman Brothers music. It's blues, jazz, rock, country, ballads and hard rock but what is amazing is an Allman Brothers thread runs through all these songs. In the end, it's ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND music and the men who wrote, arranged and played this music on all the instruments appearing on this album were more than good musicians which we can say about LS. These men were advanced and uniquely gifted musicians and song writers who as a band had it's own style and place in music history.
The ABB is set to get a lifetime achievement Grammy and albums such as Idlewild South, Fillmore East, Eat A Peach and Brothers and Sisters is 90 percent of why AND TOM DOWD IS THE MAN IN THE BOOTH ON ALL BUT ONE!!
Everybody has their own preference as far as music. The great thing about the sound of the ABB has and always will fill my soul untill the day I die,I always find something new in their music 42 years later. I hope the members of the Allman Brothers can find a way to bring their fans some new music in the future not that I get bored in listening to Midnight rider + dreams but the time is now butch,I think gregg really really wants to do it the guy has gone through hell the last few years. Songs like Bag end,Egypt,Blind will mctell are just a scratch in the surface what you guys can do.
ReplyDeleteTom Dowd, you are really the best and I salute you for being so great.I really enjoy this post.Nice reading.sound bar review
ReplyDeletesony ht-ct150 review
Ed's comment on Tom Dowd is weird.........OK? And it makes me as a fan, across the widest spectrum's of music.....'well i just don't get it'. Tom was as bright and masterful in his craft as anyone could be. My question is not why Ed said what he said, rather what is the mindset/ear of a musician/s benchmark Ed??......too find Tom's body of work a farce. I as many other find a bewilderment here....
ReplyDeleteI guess my barometer would be that I have probably bought several LS albums, but I have purchased ABB discs many times. By that I mean, I think I've worn out 5 copies of Fillmore and at least 2 Idelwilds.
ReplyDeleteDowd was the man, but I'd give a dollar to hear Layla without that piano banging throughout. My opinion for what it's worth.
ABB and Skynyrd not in the same league? Yeah I'll agree with that . ABB was a glorified garage band imho. Had to jam on every song. No discipline at all.Either they were too stoned or drunk to play the songs like the record live. Skynyrd however were a no suprise band they kicked your ass from the first second they hit the stage til the last note of the bird. Compare song structures of ABB to Skynyrd? Not even close . Skynyrd boys were extremely disciplined in the way they put the tunes together and each song was unique. I'll put it this way MORE people walking down the street anywhere USA would know or recognize 15 Skynyrd songs than they would know 5 Allmans . That is the way it is. Allmans were a dead band until Skynyrd hit the scene in 1973. Allmans rode on Skynyrd's wave along with a crap load of other southern acts.
ReplyDeleteWell said. Someone said earlier that RVZ tried to sound like Gregg. Sheeuuut...there was never anyone more original than Ronnie. By the way, Trucks ripping Ed King is kind of humorous...How many songs did you write, "Butchie"?
Delete"No discipline at all"...OMG. What would we ever do without discipline? No pudding for you if it doesn't sound just like the record.
ReplyDelete"Skynyrd however were a no suprise band" ... You see this as a feature while I see it as a bug.
I also agree that the bands are different. I enjoy both.
When I bought an album and went to see the band live I wanted to see how they played certain licks in the songs.Kinda hard to do if the band can't play them again themselves huh? When you go on the stage you are suppose to be professionals not up there changing everything every night because you don't feel like playing it the same way every night. The people who buy the records and tickets should get what they pay for.If I wanna see a bunch of stoned drunks play a 5 minute (Album version ) song for 20 minutes jammin' just so they can kill time I will get a bunch of my redneck buddies together .Hell we can do that FOR FREE!!!You don't get it.
ReplyDeleteanonymous december 25, 2011 2:46AM simply doesn't have his/her facts straight. The Allman Brothers Band was/is a musicians band and it was Duane Allman's plan NOT to play a song just like the record from the beginning. I well remember Duane saying in a radio interview in Atlanta that the band's songs have a basic outline with fixed lyrics, cords, melody etc but on the solos each man plays what he wants to play and as long as he wants to play. When he has made is musical statement, then he plays a riff/cue licks that signal the rest of the band that we're moving to the next place. Playing songs just like the record night and night everytime is exactly what Duane Allman was tired of doing and he wanted his freedom to play what he felt each night and the other members of the band liked it that way too. Back in the old days the band played the basic set each night with some changes in the list of songs but not much. But a guy like me wouldn't be able to see the band as much as I did back then if Duane, Dickey, Gregg, Berry, Butch and Jaimoe played it exactly the same each night. I would get bored and begin to know what was going to happen and loose interest in seeing the ABB as much as possible. The fact that LS was a NO surprise band is exactly why I didn't become a big fan. That and my view that the songs, while some were fun, were not really that interesting and challenging for musicians. Also the position the ABB was a dead band before LS hit the scene in 1973 is just not accurate and is refuted by the facts of history. Yes the ABB has a small, almost cult following in 1969 and even played free shows to get the people in and mostly because they just wanted to play. By 1970 the band was in big demand in many states, became the favorite band of Bill Graham in New York and played 300 shows in 365 days. In 1971 Fillmore East went GOLD and even today is still held by most in the music industry to be the BEST live rock album ever released. In 1972 despite the death of Duane Allman, Eat A Peach was a top 10 album and the band played as a FIVE man unit all year to full houses coast to coast. At the end of 1972 I still had NEVER heard of LS while the ABB was one of the most talked about and beloved bands with the young people who were into the hippie scene from Georgia to California. In 1973, the year LS released THEIR FIRST ALBUM the ABB had Brothers and Sisters which stayed at NUMBER ONE on the Billboard album chart FOR FIVE WEEKS and sold over a million copies. The ABB being dead and riding the coat tails of LS simply is not true and is refuted by the facts of history.
ReplyDeleteAs to songs the general public today who likes rock bands would know, I suggest they would NOT know 15 LS songs. Maybe three or four at the most. Sweet Home Alabama, Free Bird, Tuesday's Gone, and one or two more. With the ABB there is and in this order: Ramblin' Man, Midnight Rider, Jessica, Blue Sky, Mellisa, Whipping Post and One Way Out (seven) songs that the average fan would know and connect to the ABB. Those who are nominal ABB fans would know two to three times that. Same with LS. So my position is that only the LS nominal fan base would know 20 or more songs as is the case with the ABB. But the average rock fan who doesn't follow either band would clearly know more ABB songs than LS. Especially Ramblin' Man, Jessica, Midnight Rider, Blue Sky,Mellisa, Whipping Post and One Way Out. The classic rock stations I hear on the radio up and down the east coast still play the above seven ABB songs often and while they also play LS, I don't hear that much variety.
"""""Allman Brothers Band was/is a musicians band and it was Duane Allman's plan NOT to play a song just like the record from the beginning. I well remember Duane saying in a radio interview in Atlanta that the band's songs have a basic outline with fixed lyrics, cords, melody etc but on the solos each man plays what he wants to play and as long as he wants to play. When he has made is musical statement, then he plays a riff/cue licks that signal the rest of the band that we're moving to the next place. Playing songs just like the record night and night everytime is exactly what Duane Allman was tired of doing and he wanted his freedom to play what he felt each night and the other members of the band liked it that way too.""""""" YOU SAID mouthful there. Great you agree. Well whatever floats the peoples boat. I personally have no respect for musicians who "Get tired" of playing the songs they recorded the way they played them in the studio. Its a slap in the face of the fans like me who shell out their hard earned dollar to watch them improvise. Thats the kinda thing I would expect from a shit hole bar band so why pay big bucks to see ABB? There is plenty of great guitarist who can JAM on ABB songs and do just as good of a job if not better improvisation than the band members.***
ReplyDelete"""""Also the position the ABB was a dead band before LS hit the scene in 1973 is just not accurate and is refuted by the facts of history. Yes the ABB has a small, almost cult following in 1969 and even played free shows to get the people in and mostly because they just wanted to play. By 1970 the band was in big demand in many states, became the favorite band of Bill Graham in New York and played 300 shows in 365 days. In 1971 Fillmore East went GOLD and even today is still held by most in the music industry to be the BEST live rock album ever released. In 1972 despite the death of Duane Allman, Eat A Peach was a top 10 album and the band played as a FIVE man unit all year to full houses coast to coast.""""""'
FULL HOUSE? Hell I played a FULL HOUSE myself 100 people LOL> You are mixed up. I am from that era I remember all of these records I bought them and played them. They played mainly small time clubs . Full? I don't remember that. I do remember Lynyrd Skynyrd regularly playing sold out arenas the same time the ABB was playing clubs. Its apple and oranges on this from 73 -77'****
"""""""As to songs the general public today who likes rock bands would know, I suggest they would NOT know 15 LS songs. Maybe three or four at the most. Sweet Home Alabama, Free Bird, Tuesday's Gone, and one or two more.*********
WAY OFF MY FRIEND!!! I KNOW I played The LS songs and I know what thge crowds do when they hear them..They go NUTS! Here is the SHORT LIST including one's you left out; The Ballad of Curtis Loew, Simple Man, Down South Jukin' , Gimme Three Steps, That Smell, Needle and the spoon, Whats your name , I know a Little , Saturday Night Special , Call me the Breeze (Skynyrd version) ,Sweet Home Alabama , Tuesdays gone , Free Bird , Don't ask me no questions (Be surprised how well this tune goes over with a audience!) You Got that Right (Another club favorite) You are way wrong about the power of Skynyrds songs. You play any of these songs l;ive,Like i have ,and you see ass out of the seats woo hooin'. I know because I've done them ,ALL OF THEM! I would like to close this debate with this..........Next time Greg and the boys are playing out somewhere, and I don't care where or how big of a crowd .When the set list is done walk up to the Microphone and ask the audience; "What song is it you would like to hear?" and see what song they say...........Peace and Merry Christmas Debate Over You love your band and I love mine!
Why don't you guys give it a rest...? Nobody cares to read this juvenile, high school, sophomoric bullshit!!
ReplyDeleteWe don't care who you think is better, etc.
Each group had it's pros & cons, just leave it at that...
Tom Dowd was a musical genius, who was so busy with artists who wanted his expertise, that he sometimes subbed out sessions with other engineers/producers, but still had his name on the production credits. Skyrynd was one of the artists, who unfortunately got a "sub" producer. The sound mixes were sub-par, not because of Dowd but because of the subproducer on the session(*READ: *December 20 2:37pm*)
The Brothers were indeed never the same after Duane passed, just as Skyrynd was never the same after Ronnie and Steve Gaines passed.
Ed King was with the band for such a short period. As such he really doesn't have much as far as musical contributions.
Oh yeah, Sweet Home, blah, blah, blah...
He never engineered/produced any albums of note, what else is he known for...?
Not much, apparently...
Except for a big mouth that he continually sticks his foot into...
How many songs did Trucks ever write?
Deletefyi bujtch: "what a maroon" is a commonly used phrase used by bugs bunny when his foiles were acting stupidly.
ReplyDeleteButch is the Man! Long Live The Allman Brothers Band............Well said Brother
ReplyDeleteThe ABB playing clubs in 1970,71,72 & 73 and only becoming a known band while on the coat tails of LS is complete bullshit!! You must live on another planet. I DARE anybody to agree with that bullshit because there couldn't be but one fucking idiot out there who could think such as thing. Damn that is an idiot taking. Fuck!!!
ReplyDeleteABB was playing mainly dives,clubs,shitholes whatever you wanna call it 1973-77. While Lynyrd Skynyrd was the biggest band from the south that ever graced a stage. ABB would have faded out of existence had it not been for Ronnie Van Zant and the boys creating a new and exciting sound and getting people interested in Southern bands again. Like I previously posted the Allmans had a gimmic a great slide and lead playing white boy Named Duane Allman who could play better than any black blues player ever did. THAT WAS IT! He died and the band died with him. Ronnie Van Zant came along with his Lynyrd Skynyrd stomped a mudhole in the Allman brothers ass then he walked it dry. Sorry but look who is still out there playing with only one original member left and still making it on National Television shows. Skynyrd was and is still the premier southern rock band you can't argue with FACTS!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLet's see if the ABB died after Duane Allman died in Oct of 1971. Eat A Peach released in Feb 1972 went to number 4 on the Billboard top 200 albums chart and has sold over a million copies and ABB played as a five man band after Duane died in coliseums, theaters and auditoriums NOT clubs and dives. I saw them as a five man band five times in 1972 in large venues with a full house. In 1973 Brothers and Sisters went to number 1 on the Billboard top 200 albums chart and stayed there for five weeks and was on the chart for a year. Sold over a million copies, had a top 2 single Ramblin' Man and the album produced two other top ABB songs, Jessica and Southbound plus Wasted Words got attention. In 1973, 74, 75 and 76 the ABB played to sold out coliseums and large sheds as the headliner. Playboy magazine declared the ABB is the top band in america in 1973 and LS OPENED for ABB in 74 at the Atlanta baseball stadium. I was there.
ReplyDeleteAfter the plane crash (r.i.p. Ronnie, Steve and the others) LS was done but did make a modest comeback in the late 80's while the ABB made a major comeback in 1989 playing to large crowds coast to coast and over seas. (See the several videos on YouTube from a 1991 concert in Germany and notice a big crowd. The Blue Sky video from that show has been viewed close to 3,000 million times and Jessica from another show has over 4 million hits) and the ABB is still a good draw. i. e. sold out Beacon shows in New York to this day.
You are either pulling our legs here or you just dropped in from Mars and have no idea of ABB history. The ABB playing dives and clubs in 1973? While Playboy says they are America's top band and their Brothers and Sisters album is number one out of 200 positions FOR FIVE WEEKS!!! Gee this is nuts.
Gary Rossington has run the Skynryd name dry, it's very sad to see him still up there milking something that's been dead since Ronnie and Steve passed away.
ReplyDeleteAfter the crash, the group was never the same again. I saw them once with Ronnie at Miami Baseball Stadium in summer of 1976. They were kick ass...!!
Ronnie was hilarious, he had heard that Steve Stills(who was also on the same concert bill that day) had slapped Tom Dowd when Dowd had given him an unflattering critique while they(Neil Young & Stills) were recording "The Long Run" album with Dowd at Criteria Studios in Miami.
Ronnie was standing barefoot outside Stills Winnebago motorhome(outdoor show)calling Steve out.(I had a backstage pass from a buddy of mine) Ronnie had been drinking some Jack Daniels and doing bumps off the balled up side of his hand. He was lit up and ready to kick some ass, boy..
Stills wouldn't come out to go onstage until several roadies put Ronnie in a limo headed back to their hotel(Skynyrd had just finished their set when Ronnie tried to call Stills out)
Saw them 3 times after that, I was always dissapointed...
Johnny just does not have the charisma and stage presence(not to mention voice) that Ronnie had...
Give it a rest Gary, ya' done good my man, but it's time to hang up your Rock&Roll shoes...
WTF...ABB was playing mainly dives,clubs,shitholes whatever you wanna call it 1973-77.
ReplyDeleteHere's a partial list of the shitholes.
1973
William and Mary College
Capital Center
Tampa Stadium
Spectrum
Cow Palace
1974
Cow Palace
Greensboro Coliseum
Fulton County Stadium
KC Royals Stadium
Mile High Stadium
1975
Schaeffer Stadium
Superdome
Riverfront Coliseum
1976
Tarrant Co. Convention Ctr
Sam Houston Coliseum
headliner, watkins glen over 600,000 attending ??
ReplyDeleteI'm going to stick up for Lynyrd Skynyrd - they certainly rocked and they were a powerhouse, great lyrics, fine piano work and a driving rhythm section. Elvis wasn't complicated but his music is fun and rock n roll is supposed to be fun as well.
ReplyDeleteAs a disc jockey for over a decade who played everything from Tom Waits to Bruce Cockburn to Monk to Leo Kottke as well as John Lee Hooker, Marshall Tucker, Tony Rice, Bob Marley, Albinoni, Handel, Coltrane, Dizzy and Tony Bennett I have to champion that old saw that variety IS the spice of life.
Music equals the colors of a pallet for the ears as opposed to the eyes. If its honest and not a gimmick I'm open to it - of course I have my preferences but some of the most beautiful music I play on my acoustic was written by horror of horrors John Denver (Annie's Song)and Tangled Up in Blue is a phenomenal song to sing Your Song by Elton John makes me want to cry - its one of my favorite go to tunes on my six string - I have great chords for it - Whipping Post on the acoustic is a little silly but I go for it anyway and love the chord changes - Mellisa, Ramblin Man, Blue Sky, Midnight Rider are all songs I play as well.
I don't just eat the same flavor of ice cream all the time (even if it is rocky coltrane road)- get my drift...?
I find it hard to believe Butch that your pallet is so "limited" - I'm not buying it brother. I mean Bobby Blue Blands version of Stormy Monday - doesn't move you - it sends chills up and down my back every freakin' time. I know you've heard it and if you haven't oh brother where art thou.
Speaking of Allison Krauss and Jerry Douglas - if her angel voice hasn't reached your ears yet - you are not going to recognize heaven - and we all know what a lousy player Jerry Douglas is - they should take his dobro away from him and never let him buy strings again (sarcasm).
I find it all hard to believe that a wide musical pallet doesn't inform your playing, your every waking moment or the bands.
Be that as it may I had a tremendous time and response when I played gold & platinum during my radio days and was heart broken, devastated and felt ripped off again when Steve Gaines died. Then Stevie Ray Vaughn later and Lowell George before - really you cast off Little Feat as well Butch - Feats Don't Fail Me Now - Spanish Moon, The Fan - into the Cold, Cold, Tripe Boogie - that album is outstanding and as cool as it comes - you should put that one on - oh I forgot you don't own it - what a shame - no Lowell George - really and you were in a band with Duane Allman - no Third Stone from the Sun - really?
No Otis Redding - No slow dancing with your beautiful wife to Summer Wind - what do you do if she turns on Earth Wind and Fire with her girl friends - no Cole Porter - Johnny Mercer - all right I'll stop.
Musical snobbery doesn't become you brother. It doesn't become anyone - nor the jazz DJ's playing Weather Report turning their noses up at Tinsley Ellis - they don't know what they are missing. I hope thats not the case for you.
I listen to it all and Skynyrd is a part of the brotherhood out here in the cheap seats and you would be wise not to forget that and guess what we all miss dickey - his voice and his phrasing...but still love the ABB in all its incarnations. And I love the Dan Toler comment above and sure hope you all are helping him out - I won't assume you are not - but you're beginning to worry me Butch :)
If still after my ruminations you're going to stick to your I only listen to Coltrane and Debussy story well if that's the case and how would I know one way or the other I'm just skeptical and I sincerely feel bad for you - over estimated your wisdom, experience and mojo (super butch)so I guess I'm just another dope in the audience.
I am serious. I own about 20,000 records and I have never heard of Ed King. I`m 55 years old and I don`t know dick about Ed King. Who in his right mind would talk bad about a dead man. I really don`t understand. Go smoke some weed and have a bowl of ice cream, just don`t drive, Steve from Edmonds wa
ReplyDeleteANYBODY that owns 20,000 records and hasn't heard of Ed King is either a complete idiot or just a regular idiot that happens to own 20,000 records.
DeleteYou came up with 15 decent Gigs in 4 years? That is FUNNY! Lynyrd Skynyrd did 15 that size in one FRICKEN MONTH!!!!!Good Grief give it a break Lynyrd Skynyrd was the best thing that ever happened to the ABB. It was their second chance. They were on their way out had it not been for Ronnie and them boys busting the Southern Rock market wide open. Never heard of Ed King eh? Thats cool. I probably couldn't name 20% of the musicians who wrote some of the biggest hits of the 70's either. I know the band names but not individual musicians. Ed King is entitled to his opinion. It is a KNOWN FACT that Tom Dowd would have allowed Lynyrd Skynyrd to release that shitty sounding criteria version of Street Survivors had it not been for Kevin Elson having the balls to confront Ronnie Van Zant and the rest of the band to their faces!! Kevin told them; "You release this and it's the end of your professional career"" Then Steve Gaines being the fine fellow he was ,and great musician too stood up and backed Kevin up. They had to go to the KING Rodney Mills at Studio One in Doraville Georgia to get them songs recorded and mixed properly. Dowd had his head up Rod Stewarts ass and left Skynyrd hung out to dry. THAT was a very unprofessional thing to do. What Butch Trucks or anybody else thinks of Skynyrd is mute anyway. Those of us know who has the second most requested song in ROCK N ROLL HISTORY and we also know who wrote one of the most recognized Fender Stratocaster riffs in Rock N Roll History. Argue away you can't change History!
ReplyDeleteFrom 1973 to 1976 when the ABB broke up because the guys got mad a Gregg Allman for the Scooter Herring drug deal and Gregg often missing in action due to having his nose up Cher's butt, they were the top band in America. ALL of their shows were sell out performances. The ABB reached this level without ANY help from LS. Dickey Betts ran into Gregg Allman at a Jimmy Carter benefit and they worked things out. Butch Trucks was still skeptical of ever working with Gregg again but when he heard Dickey play "Crazy Love" and report that Gregg was in good shape and ready to play with the band again, Butch came on board and the ABB was back in late 1978 with two new members. Those are the facts of history as the rest is just complete bullshit. I bet Butch Trucks will not even comment on what I just wrote because he knows it is true and is probably embarrassed that he, at the time, would have rather worked with Dickey than Gregg. But even Butch know what I've written is true and he damn sure knows that LS didn't have a f'ing thing to do with the success of the ABB and they NEVER played dives and clubs while touring as the ABB!! Gregg and Dickey played clubs in the 80's and even did a long tour of clubs together but that was NOT the ABB!!! I've been a huge ABB fan since 1969 and have saved all the interviews and press reports and much of it is stored in my mind. The ABB was always a bigger band than LS and broke up in 1976 because of GREGG ALLMAN not because they were playing in dives and clubs.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to post the truth as I have it from my massive scap book and posts saved from the internet in more recent years and I don't give a shit even if Butch Trucks doesn't like it here on his own blog. LS did NOTHING for the career of the ABB. The ABB began it trip to the top off of At Fillmore East and gained additional attraction from the success of Eat a Peach in 1972 THEN became the most famous american band off of Brother and Sisters and Ramblin' Man the same year LS's first album came out. You theory just doesn't fit the facts.LS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SUCCESS OF THE ABB!!! NOTHING!!!!
Ahh the 80's when only the die hards showed up - that was the time I was on the air as a disc jockey and made it a point to turn everyone back onto the ABB - it was tough sledding for the bands but it was great to be in small clubs with Dickey and Gregg - solo and together tours down front and personal - Gregg stepping off the stage and shaking my hand while I wasn't even looking - in Wildwood NJ of all places.
DeleteI will say this about LS helping spread the popularity of southern rock and in turn bringing more fans to the ABB just because of the multiple fronts Marshall Tucker, Wet Willie, LS and the ABB were pushing - sort of a synergy and of course marketing - the ABB were the lead dog on that sled without a doubt but Marshall Tucker and LS were running just as hard behind them all pulling the Southern Rock sled. In that way the bands all helped each other - the fans lapped it all up. I sure miss Toy Caldwell big time.
I attended shows by the ABB in Charlotte a few years back and LS was the opener. When I found this out I mentioned that the vibe of the show would surely change. I couldn't see how the psychedelic vibe of the ABB would mesh with the biker vibe of LS. Unfortunately I was correct. For the first time in 21 years of shows with the ABB, I was ready to go early. Drunk bikers. Puke clogging the sinks in the bathrooms. Skynard fans pissing in the skins and floors. It just ruined it for me. I love the ABB and always have. It's a religion to me too Butch. I'll never waste money again to see LS as I can listen to the records. The Allman experience is different every time. I don't need people jumping around on stage like monkeys to entertain me. It's about the music. That being said, I have always liked LS music. Butch, I understand that Tom was family and after meeting him at a Charlotte show while he was checking out the mix from the crowd, I found him very accommodating and friendly. I felt privaledged. Still, Ed Kings comments were so vicious that obviously a personal vendetta was underway. It would have better just to let it go and more effective to say nothing and let the bitterness ring unanswered. Butch, thanks for the music throughout the years. It is the soundtrack to my life.
ReplyDeleteTom Dowd was at a Raleigh, North Carolina show I attended at Walnut Creek in 1994. Gregg Allman introduced him and said he was there as the band was recording tonight. So I figured it must be for a new album or something rather big. Tom came out a waved to the crowd.
ReplyDeleteSure enough the next year a couple of tracks were on the CD "Second Set" with Tom Dowd as producer and the track "Jessica" off that CD won a grammy for the ABB. Funny thing Jaimoe wasn't at the gig. Paul Riddle was on drums with Butch and Gregg Allman introduced him as "from the ORIGINAL Marshall Tucker Band". You can tell on the recording that it's not Jaimoe but Paul played more like Jaimoe would with Butch and Marc on stage with him.
I think I remember reading they had seven awards and they went to Gregg, Dickey, Butch, Allen Woody, Warren, Marc and Jaimoe. But later they got an 8th to present Paul Riddle.
Thats a great story thanks for sharing!
Delete#Paul Burke
ReplyDeleteI was somewhat surprised by Butch's statement about what he listens to, but I was shocked to read this.."I simply do not listen to those who would be considered my peers."
Perhaps I am reading this wrong, but at first glance it seems to say, 'I have no peers in today's music (since most everyone on his playlist is pretty much dead).
That said, I really don't care who he listens to as long as he keeps on making wonderful noises... but he may need to check out "Humble Pie".
I see that you are an author. Is your book still in print? Sounds like a good read.
Whiskey Mike
Hey Mike - thanks most definitely Journey Home is in print - google - "Journey Home Burke" for links or search amazon with the same terms - you might be able to get a used copy for cheap out there - its not about the money brother - its about the world - thanks for your kind words.
DeletePaul
Interesting how some folks insist on comparing the two bands' approaches to live playing. Its not fair to either to do this. Playing it "like the record" is as valid as improvising on the tune. Both did their thing extremely well. Let it rest.
ReplyDeleteActually, I have to reply to myself, that Gary, Allen, Ed and Steve all improvised, as well as the rest of the band. You have to groove on it and they did. No "Liz Reeds" here, but, they killed it. Apples and Oranges, baby.
DeleteWhether a person prefers the ABB to Skynyrd is due primarily to how evolved that person is. I have every reason to like Skynyrd, as I ran around the track at Lake Shore with little Allen Collins, and Bob Burns sat next to me in study hall at Lee. Still Skynyrd just didn't have enough good songs (four: Free Bird, Simple Man, Call Me the Breeze, and Tuesday's Gone) to appeal to a more highly evolved person. Although they were from our general neighborhood, they just weren't that popular to the people that left Jackass Flats for college and, thereafter, points elsewhere. By contrast, the ABB, and Duane Allman in particular, were held in total reverence by us.
ReplyDeleteStill, I was surprised at how good the first Skynyrd album was (especially in light of how bad the subsequent albums probably were. I confess I haven't listened to one since Second Helping. What I heard on the radio was bad.) I attributed the quality of that first album to Al Kooper, who I believe produced it.
Another point I would make is that a more highly evolved person is no better or worse a person than someone who is less evolved.
Butch, if you read this, Happy New Year; and I have a recommendation of some good music other than Coltrane and Debussey. Listen to Joyful Noise, Soul Serenade, Songlines and Already Free--four albums from a now defunct band called the Derek Trucks Band. You can get them from Amazon or e-bay. The latter two albums are especially good.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteAs a guitar player myself I never cared for the guitar sound on the lalya album. I always wondered how a producer like tom dowd would allow something as out of tune on the song layla to be put out. At the end of the song someone was so out of tune it was unbelievable.
DeletePretty funny - yeah that Derek kid - he seems familiar - where have I seen him before....I would add Gold and Platinum really is an outstanding set list for LS fans - and that calling them out for only four good songs seems a little well un-evolved. Just kidding brother to each his own and I think that is the point of most of this thread - just circling back since I had a minute - now where's that mint chocolate chip....oh here it is next to the Kenny Burrell
ReplyDeleteAl Kooper, who discovered and signed Lynyrd Skynyrd, also owned one of Jimi Hendrix's guitars and brought it to the studio when Skynyrd were recording their first album.
ReplyDeleteKooper recounts in his book "Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards" (pp. 270-272), that one of the Skynyrd guitarists picked up Jimi's strat and began jamming with it. When told that it used to belong to Hendrix, he let the guitar fall from his hands and onto a couch and shouted "OOOO ... I just got some n*gger on me."
Classy guys in that band.
How convenient that you didn't mention Ronnie's rejoinder to "the irreverent guitarist" that dropped Hendrix' guitar on the couch.
DeleteAgain, from Kooper's book, page 272, and a direct quote from the book: Without missing a beat, Ronnie answered him: "You better pick that guitar up and see if you can get some MORE of that n*gger on ya."
I guess I may be one of the few people that think Brothers and Sisters sounds amazing. I think that record is very punchy and especially on songs like Jessica and Come and Go Blues where there are many instruments, everything is layered so well. I think the mixing and general engineering of that album are great. If you read this Butch, what do you like and not like about Brothers and Sisters?
ReplyDeleteEat A Peach I think is the highlight of the studio Allman Brothers albums, even just looking at the studio material. Win, Lose or Draw on the other hand is a bit subpar.
But back to Brothers and Sisters, on two different formats, both the Capricorn reissue (with the horse on the CD label) and a mid-70s vinyl reissue of Brothers and Sisters (the record sleeve talks about why vinyl is superior to 8-track tapes) which is very flimsy and probably pressed with recycled vinyl, they both sound great. Usually the vinyl version is vastly superior but the CD stands on its own very well.
Recording politics gives me a stomach ache and is the hardest part of the industry for artists. I prefer performing and live shows. Now, the Occupy Movement piece please! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteDuane would not like any of this not what he was about... always been trouble it seems too me, when this butch guy around, dont know just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteA) Ed King was only in the studio for "1991", so how would he know Ronnie's influece on TD or vs?
ReplyDeleteB)The Dowd family owns a personal autograph signature from Ed Kind "thanking" TD for his assistance for the "1991" album. Why would he sign it if he did not care for Tom as there is a very personal message with the signture.
C) Ed King suggests that he was inducted into the R&RHOF and TD has not been. Well Mr. King, are you satisfied, becasue TD was not inducted into the R&RHOF like you the sideman for a few albums, but like a true gentelman was inducted as a Hall of Fame Member without out election just as he was his Grammy Trustee (Lifetime achivment non-performer) and his Tech Grammy Lifetime achievment Award... Men like this do not need others to vote for them, they simply get awawdrd on their own merrit!
D)Any questions you pompas ass picking on a dead man??????????
I was at all three Skynyrd shows at the Fox in 76, and even at age 15 I knew that something was wrog with the sound of the album that resulted. It took till Sept 11, 2001 (no kidding) when the 25th anniversary reissue came out, for everyone to hear how truly great they sounded those three nights. At the very least, it wasn't Dowd's best work and I agree, he was a legend. Al Kooper is the person who originally made them sound so great
ReplyDeleteClearly you have put way to many q-tips in your ears since your were a child (1960's).... Cooper lovers do not like TD and you are one of them. You take a concert like that and make it sound that good in 76'... Technology in 2001 is far superior and is not the original... TD did not set up the sound or play, he brought out the best in the band at the time! IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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ReplyDeleteSkynyrd has a redundant sound? Put down the crack pipe, knucklehead.
ReplyDeletewow I dont compare these bands at all......they're not even close.....
ReplyDeleteLol....really? Ed King isn't a redneck. He's from Cali.
ReplyDeleteLol....really? Ed King isn't a redneck. He's from Cali.
ReplyDeleteEd is one of the better pickers I've seen. Id put him right up there with anything Allman. Now should he have mouthed off about Dowd? Nope. That's Ed problem. Its his way or the highway, had he been better about that he would still be picking in Skynyrd. And the guy above me knows this to be true, Ed King is no redneck. Not even a southern guy at all, a nice guy who is his own worst enemy with people.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of ABB, Skynyrd, AND Tom Dowd, but I've got to say...when I heard the original Dowd-mixed tracks from Street Survivor, I was astonished at how flat and undynamic the sound was, especially compared to the remixed tracks! I couldn't beliefs it was Tom Dowd's work. I never was crazy about "Layla's" sound either...but those were rare misfires (for lack of a better term...this IS my own opinion, after all) in an otherwise stroker career. Not every artistic endeavor is perfectly captured...even the Allman's have given us a couple of rare clunkers!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, long live the memories of Duane Allman, Ronnie Van Zant, Steve and Cassie Gaines, Allen Collins, Billy Powell, Leon Wilkeson, and God bless all the sounds of the South... And God bless Tom Dowd!
ReplyDeleteButch Trucks not only beat some awesome skins for the most awesome band ever, but spawned the greatest guitarist ever in Derek Trucks.
Tom Dowd's work saved my life. If I hadn't had those sounds pumping through my head while carrying a rifle for Uncle Sam in the shitholes I've been to, I'd have gone insane. He did an awesome job at mixing those sounds to capture the essence of what each artist was trying to convey.
Now for Ed King...Fuck you, you whiny, shit stain. You left the best meal ticket you ever had. The only issue with Skynyrd's first recordings was that you were on them. And as for competition with the ABB, that's like comparing Charlie Daniels to John Lee Hooker. Two totally different animals... Oh that's right...that comparison went over your head. What could some lard ass from California know about southern music? Oh yeah...NOTHING! WHAT A FUCKING PRICK...
I just found this pile of garbage, so being that this comment is several years later, it probably won't be read by anyone. But, I MUST express my opinions, if only for myself.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, the fact that Butch Trucks wrote political commentary in his original post completely diminished anything else he said. I don't understand why anyone, musicians, actors, or "Joe Blow" thinks their political leanings matter one iota. Being several years later, it's hilarious that Butch supported the "occupy movement". History has a unique way of proving the stupidity of the past. And throwing "Palin's" name in his diatribe is even funnier. Wonder what he thinks about Obama now, when race relations are as bad as ever, our economy is shit and Russia & China are bullying the USA around like a red-headed step-child?
Secondly, I am now 55 years old. Born and raised in Warner Robins, GA, just south of where ABB began their ascent to incredible heights. I LOVED ABB and still do! But I LOVE Skynyrd just as much. Saw both bands in concert 4 times each. (The price of ticket for ABB now? SO not worth it.) I often ponder what would've happened musically had Duane and Ronnie & Steve not passed away so damn early. "Southern Rock" (regardless of how ABB rebuffs that moniker) would've made "Disco" music far less powerful. Wouldn't that have been good for everyone on this earth?!
Finally, reading all of these comments filled with piss & vinegar against either Skynyrd or ABB has made me so sad. I LITERALLY grew up with the music of both of these bands and to read people criticizing and dismissing the quality of either one's music disgusts me. Ed King expressed his opinions, publicly, which was stupid. But Butch's reply is equally stupid. I never knew there was animosity between the two bands and I didn't want to know that. If it's true, it's a very disappointing thing to find out. Why does there have to be competition? Both bands were/are awesome, each in its own way. The nasty putdowns of Skynyrd in this thread? REALLY pisses me off! The few negative comments about ABB? Just as pissed. The heights these 2 bands reached were phenomenal! And it happened in my late-teens & early twenties. I know EXACTLY where I was when I learned that Skynyrd's plane crashed, just as I know EXACTLY where I was when Duane's motorcycle accident happened. Have been to his grave many times. I WILL NOT let this absurd, stupid thread affect my thoughts about these bands one bit. Oh, and Butch Trucks? Next time you feel the need to blast another musician? Take a walk and shut the Fuck Up!!
hate to say it, but I am glad the world is now short one bitter and angry man. Butch clearly needed some professional mental help. Too bad he was too arrogant to seek it out
DeleteRIP Butch, saw you many times....an integral part of the best band ever....
ReplyDeleteI still can't believe Butch is gone
DeleteI hope all of that helped someone feel better, but I doubt it. I'm grateful to know when to stay in my own lane, most days anyway...
ReplyDelete......."hell, I wouldn't even call what he (Ed King) played music." - Butch Trucks
ReplyDeleteWTF?? What an arrogant and miserable and old man Butch Trucks was.
I think he was pissed because Lynyrd Skynyrd, with the help of Ed King, became THE quintessential American southern rock band...flying by the Allman Brothers Band.
Skynyrd stole the "Kings Of Southern Rock" crown from the ABB and Trucks is pissed. Thats my take on his bullshit rant.
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DeleteThe first three albums...and BEST ones had the ear of AL KOOPER....but he demanded perfection, and he pulled magic from LS.....they were still young and head strong. LS, needed Ed King....He didn't need them....
ReplyDeleteWow I can't believe the comments, calling Ed King a "Shit Stain" that's not only brutal but "out of line" you try playing in a band. Ever been in a band fight when things get physical between members. It's unprofessional and bullshit. I dont Blain Ed King for leaving. Your talking about the man that composed the solo and song "sweet home alabama". You should be careful in your comments, you ever had a sound tech ruin your show while your standing in front of 30 thousand people. I have. Let me tell you. It isn't fun.
ReplyDeleteLearn to spell check, bluehound.
DeleteAnd Popcorn said, "Fuck you".