The Allman Bloggers
Why listen to the Allman Brothers?
For me, it has always been about Duane. To a lesser extent, it's about Dickey. In any other band, Dickey Betts would be awesome, but he's kinda second fiddle behind Duane. Listen to the Fillmore Concerts and it'll be obvious. Gregg has his organ? OK. Butch and Jaimoe on drums? Fine. Berry and Woody and Oteil on the Spïnal Täp memorial bass spot? Great. But I'm in it for the two guitars.
Duane's been dead for as long as I've been potty-trained, and Dickey's been fired as long as Small's been alive. So, right now, they have Butch Trucks and Warren Haynes.
OK. I'll accept that.
But this is a band that's more like a jazz combo than anything else. And, like many jazz combos, it's more about playing known songs in new ways than new songs. So, I can't think of any Allman Brothers songs younger than ... younger than me. Certainly younger than Derek. Except, maybe, this song.
I find that troubling. I know that other acts do much the same thing. I've heard many new Stones albums since the 80s and a bunch of new songs, but I don't know that they get into the shows. I'm pretty sure "Tears In Heaven" (and the rearrangement of "Layla") are the newest things in Clapton's concerts. Well, that and Derek as a backup guitarist, who's about twice as old as that arrangement.
On the other hand, I own Layla. I own Fillmore. I own old Stones albums. (I find myself Beatle-less at the moment, but my kids have a few. Not the two I'd get first - Abbey Road and the White Album - but a few.) Money and Cigarettes and the 80s releases of the other people mentioned just aren't as good.
Derek has the Derek Trucks Band and Warren has Govt. Mule. So they have their own outlets beyond standing in for Duane and I'm getting disturbed for nothing.
For me, it has always been about Duane. To a lesser extent, it's about Dickey. In any other band, Dickey Betts would be awesome, but he's kinda second fiddle behind Duane. Listen to the Fillmore Concerts and it'll be obvious. Gregg has his organ? OK. Butch and Jaimoe on drums? Fine. Berry and Woody and Oteil on the Spïnal Täp memorial bass spot? Great. But I'm in it for the two guitars.
Duane's been dead for as long as I've been potty-trained, and Dickey's been fired as long as Small's been alive. So, right now, they have Butch Trucks and Warren Haynes.
OK. I'll accept that.
But this is a band that's more like a jazz combo than anything else. And, like many jazz combos, it's more about playing known songs in new ways than new songs. So, I can't think of any Allman Brothers songs younger than ... younger than me. Certainly younger than Derek. Except, maybe, this song.
I find that troubling. I know that other acts do much the same thing. I've heard many new Stones albums since the 80s and a bunch of new songs, but I don't know that they get into the shows. I'm pretty sure "Tears In Heaven" (and the rearrangement of "Layla") are the newest things in Clapton's concerts. Well, that and Derek as a backup guitarist, who's about twice as old as that arrangement.
On the other hand, I own Layla. I own Fillmore. I own old Stones albums. (I find myself Beatle-less at the moment, but my kids have a few. Not the two I'd get first - Abbey Road and the White Album - but a few.) Money and Cigarettes and the 80s releases of the other people mentioned just aren't as good.
Derek has the Derek Trucks Band and Warren has Govt. Mule. So they have their own outlets beyond standing in for Duane and I'm getting disturbed for nothing.