| Identifier | 7309413 |
| Created At | Tue May 23 2023 23:54:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) |
| Reference Number | DAA235 |
| Media Type | CD |
| Media Count | 2 |
| Note | FROM THE INNER SLEEVE...
LYNYRD SKYNYRD: TEACHING AN OAKIE TO FLY At The Crossroads It is early 1976 and Lynyrd Skynyrd are at the crossroads. At the crossroads musically, at the crossroads personnel wise, at the crossroads chart wise. With the departure of Ed King. during their 1975 Torture Tour, Skynyrd are forced to return to their earlier six piece, two guitar format. Ed King's guitar parts must be shared between the two remaining guitarists. Allen Collins and Gary Rossington and new arrangements worked out. The tour is completed and Skynyrd continue as a six piece outfit. Producer Tom Dowd enters the picture as Al Kooper exits and the fourth Skynyrd album, Gimme Back My Bullets, is recorded in late 1975. This album, also recorded with the six piece format, fails to make the grade the previous three 12 inch platters had set. The chart success which had engulfed the band in 1974, seemed as elusive in late 1975 and early 1976 as it had been five years previous. While Ronnie was singing "Gimme back my bullets ", A&R men and sales directors at MCA were praying even harder for another Lynyrd Skynyrd Top 40 Bullet, another "Sweet Home Alabama ". But for Skynyrd the 3 minute pop song was something of an anathema & something other bands did. Following the release of Bullets, it was obvious to all concerned that the lack of musical spark in the recordings, not to mention the occasional back stage fighting and lack lustre performances, showed how important the previous instrumental electricity of the three pronged guitar attack had been in animating Ronnie's songs. The decision to record a live album as the 5th Skvnvrd release, also presented the band with another problem. They knew that Skynyrd needed a 3rd guitarist for the planned live recordings and started auditioning everybody from Leslie West (of Mountain fame), to Mick Jones, to the brother of one of the back-up singers. And low and behold, Steve Gaines was that brother. Steve Gaines had been fronting his own band for a number of years and although, as he stated in 1977, he was " really digging the old hand " but we " weren't doin’ anything and it was just a pain in the butt and nothing was going on and things were always maybe " So when he stepped up on stage with Skynyrd for the first time in Kansas City, he immediately impressed Gary and Alien &, then with the jam on T For Texas being the clincer. A number of further guest spots on stage cemented the bands desire for Steve to join the fold. Iater Steve would recall "I didn't expect anything like that, I was hoping, maybe, to jam during the sound check. When they asked me to play during the show I was shocked". But the offer to join the band did not come until two weeks later when Ronnie called him and invited him down to Myrtle Beach and welcomed him aboard. Steve Gaines not only filled the third guitarist position when he joined the band, he rejuvenated Lynyrd Skynyd as a musical unit. His bluesier approach to guitar pickin', his ability to play both country and western, hard rock and solo with the best of them, gave the band a jump start they had been waiting for ever since Ed King departed. His ability to write and sing would later become an essential ingredient in the melting pot that was Lynyrd Skynyrd circa 1976 1977. And it was into the breach that Steve jumped, just as Skynyrd were planning to record their live album, One More From The Road, al the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta. The success of One More From The Road, not to mention the Fabulous Fox Theatre gigs themselves, was just the start of a new chapter for Skynyrd. The jewel in the crown of the rebirth of Skynyrd was their appearance at the 1976 Knebworth Festival, held in England during the August Bank holiday long weekend and headlined by the Rolling Stones. Their appearance at the Knebworth meant that they had finally achieved something lasting in terms of a European audience, which had given Skynyrd the cold shoulder during previous tours of Europe. Fourteen months later the dream would be shattered in the backwoods of Mississippi. The Gigs Disc one of this two CD set is a single CD alternate mix / edit / EQ from the 1976 UK Knebworth Festival, which was used as the basis for the 1995 Video film CD release Freebird - The Movie. However unlike the movie or sound track CD, this un-released alternate master contains three additional performances >from die Knebworth concert not used for the Freebird - The Movie release. Due to apparent technical difficulties & recording gremlins, the Knebworth performances of What's Your Name, That Smell & Freebird were not used in the final product, with versions from 1977 being used in their place. Here for the first time are those 1976 performances. It should also be of note that the sound quality of this alternate mix EQ is superior to that used in the official release. Why this should be is open for speculation but maybe they grabbed the wrong box, when final mastering occurred. Stranger things have occurred. The August 21st 1976 Knebworth Festival performance of Lynyrd Skynyrd is really the point where the new Skynyrd with Steve Gaines should be judged from. Certainly the gigs and subsequent LP from the Fox Theatre shows, One More From The Road, have set in stone the legend of Lynyrd Skynyrd being a Tour de Fore Rock and Roll band, with definitely more emphasis on the Rock, than the Roll. But in reality, when the Fox Theatre shows were recorded Steve Gaines was only just getting started with Skynyrd. However by the time Skynyrd played at knebworth, they were firing on all 8 (or should it be 12) cylinders. Everybody knew their parts, everybody knew their chops, plus Steve had brought a new vitality to the hand and its on stage performances. Their attitude, their attack and their pure pickin' are superior in even way they could be. Fourteen months after this concert, the band as it was recorded here at Knebworth would be no more Disc two of this two CD set starts off with the rehearsals which were necessary to get Steve Gaines ready for the shows at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in July 1976. The actual date of the rehearsals is uncertain, but given comments made over the past number of years by the surviving members of Skynyrd and by Tom Dowd, these rehearsals obviously occurred in late June or early July, with the latter date being the mole likely. The rehearsals start off with the rhythm riff >from Working For MCA and discussion concerning this track can be heard at the start of the track. This is then followed by the introduction riff for Sweet Home Alabama and an early attempt to develop a segue >from the traditional ending, which will allow Steve to have his own solo section ... although this is not developed to any great extent. Double Trouble then kicks in, with both the verse and chorus sections being played. It is worth noting that no versions of Double Trouble, from the Fox Theatre shows have seen the light of day, so one can only assume that either the track WAS not played or the performances were way below par. A small amount of discussion can be heard as Double Trouble ends. The familiar strains of Simple Man then follow. This is a song which was played at the Fox theatre shows, but which only in the past 10 years have any evidence of the performances been officially released. (on the 2CD version of One More From The Road and the cd box set) During the quieter moments of this rehearsal, one can just make out someone singing the lyrics to Simple Man and it sounds damn near like Ronnie. A small amount of conversation ends this rehearsal of Simple Man. A count in and then the end solo section of Sweet Home Alabama starts. Here we hear Steve developing his solo for the end section of Alabama. Another attempt at Working For MCA then follows Alabama. This time it is the solo section, previously played by Ed King. Now the domain of Steve Gaines. The living room rehearsal ends with The Needle And The Spoon. The remaining tracks on Disc two are from a 1973 gig by Steve Gaines and his band Detroit, recorded at the Driftwood Club Michigan in 1973. The gig starts off with a bluesy rendition of Chuck Berry's ode to General Motors and his dissatisfaction with Ford product. (but then again, doesn't everybody). Given the lack of reaction from the audience, it is obvious a small gig venue. Like many "gig of our lives" which bands must play to learn their chops and develop their own style, this gig has many styles, some dictated by the audience, ranging from the down and out blues, to funk, straight pop and even rock'n'roll Little Richard style. The highlight of the set must surely be the blues Foot Prints In The Snow, which receive stone cold silence >from the audience. a fact which obviously doesn't go by Steve. judging >from his comments. Three years later it would be almost impossible to stop the crowds yelling for more. The Tracks Disc One Knebworth Festival, England, August 21, 1976 I. Working For MCA 2.1 Ain't The One 3. Saturday Night Special 4. Whiskey Rock-A-Roller 5. Travellin' Man 6. What's Your Name 7. That Smell 8. Gimme Three Steps 9. Call Me The Breeze 10. Blue Yodel[ "T" For Texas] 11. Sweet Home Alabama 12. Freebird Disc Two: Teaching An Oakie To Fly Living room rehearsal July 1976 1. Working For MCA [Working on the main rift] 2. Sweet Home Alabama [Introduction] 3. Double Trouble 4. Simple Man 5. Sweet Home Alabama [solo] 6. Working For MCA [solo] 7. The Needle And The Spoon 8. No Money Down 9. Highway 10. The World Is Round 11. Grip Of The Grape 12.Gotta Move 13. Fishcake Breath 14. Come On 15. Listen To Me 16. Poor Brother Bill 17. Foot Prints In The Snow 18. Long Tall Sally 19. Hee Bee Gee Bees 20. She's Got It The Band - Lynyrd Skynyrd Ronnie Van Zant - Vocals Allen Collins - Guitar Steve Gaines - Guitar Gary Rossington - Guitar Billy Powell - Keyboards Leon Wilkeson - Bass Artimus Pyle - Drums The Steve Gaines Band - Detroit Steve Gaines Guitar & Vocals Nate Peterson - Bass Terry Emery - Keyboards Teddy T-Mel Smith - Drums Rustv Dav - Harmonica Bill Hodgeson - Guitar The Tapes The alternate mix master tape of the Knebworth 1976 concert was sourced by those in the know and those on the inside. Thanks Miffy. The sound quality of the dub we received was so exceptional and pristine (just have a listen) that no remedial sound engineering was required. We JUST turned on the DAT recorder and pressed record. The Living Room Tapes and the 1973 Steve Gaines gig tapes were a slightly different matter. Two different tape sources were required for the Steve Gaine's 1973 gig and a single tape source was used for the Living Room rehearsals, (although 2 other sources were at our disposal if required) The tapes were then transferred to hard disc and limited amount of noise reduction was performed to remove a degree of hiss which covered both gigs. Equalisation was then added. Although no edits were made in the Living Room Rehearsal tape. the "clicks" associated with the tape recorder being turned on and off during the rehearsal were removed ("smoothed") so as to not detract from the recording. Acknowledgments: Thanks must surely first go to Miffy, who was able to source the alternate master of the Knebworth concert, which contained the 3 unreleascd tracks and the up graded quality sound. Miffy : we owe you one.. Tlie Big I. Production team, led by Lorraine must also be thanks for her work on the Living Room rehearsal tapes and the 1973 Steve Gaines gig. as well as the final mastering. Great work as per your usual high standard [or as we said back in the 1970's .. a high standard of standardness] Others who need mention are the dB Brothers, "one take" Michael Bright and the guys in Studio 2 [sometimes you just need a cup of Arabica Cuban blend and one of those creative cigarettes to get you through a mixing session], those at JJEDl, my pet dog Eido [hey.. he's always there for me] and not to forget Kevin &: Michael. And finally we have to thank the band themselves. Ronnie, Gary, Allen, Billy. Leon, Steve and Artimus. You guys had something which to this day still excites us all and for that we thank you. Stay cool. |
| Trades Allowed |
Performance
| Lynyrd Skynyrd 1976-08-21 Knebworth Festival, Knebworth, England | |
|---|---|
| Set 1 | Working For MCA I Ain't The One Saturday Night Special Searchin Whiskey Rock-n-Roller Travelin' Man Gimme Three Steps Call Me The Breeze T For Texas Sweet Home Alabama Freebird |
| Set 2 | |
| Set 3 | |
| Comment | Most of this show can be found here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Freebird-Movie-Live-Knebworth-1976/dp/B000002P20 |