On this Date - Oct 20 1977 Lynyrd Skynyrd

Every band I was in from roughly 1990 (sophomore year of high school) through last year played Simple Man. At least half those bands played more Skynyrd than just that one. They were definitely a profound influence on at least two generations of southern rockers.

But better than the Allmans? Come on, man. That’s like comparing Otis Redding to John Coltrane. Both were great, but one was on another level entirely musically.

 

I remember the day well. I was to college and the dorm was a castle on top of a mountain. I got up, had breakfast, then heard the (sketchy) news on the radio. I cut classes and spent the rest of the day by the radio, praying for them and catching the latest news.

Bob

 

Definitely. The Allmans were in a league of their own, kinda like the Beatles of Southern Rock.

 

I was 15. Saw them the year before. Had tickets to the show they were supposed to play on October 22.

 

RIP!

 

I have the album they were promoting back then. Has all the bling inside. Including the poster of tour dates AFTER the crash.

 

What’s “better” mean ?

Why those bands ever get compared to one another boggles my mind.

Skynyrd didn’t improvise/“jam”. The ABB did.

And - Good Lord Jesus - comparisons go both ways .

Yeah, the ABB were on another level musically but - compare their level of improv/group dynamics to let’s say , Miles’s mid 60’s band with Shorter/Hancock/Carter/Williams or one of the iterations of the Jazz Messengers and, well...what level are they on now ?

Everything about this is great - and I love the ABB band. (Need em both)

 

Skynyrd were great. Ed King Was hugely important on the early albums. Allen was my fave. He just ripped. Played with fire and abandon. Free Bird solo was one take. Boom.
Loved Gary too. Great slide player and just a great guitarist.
Gaines was different. Took it to a new level with the country and hybrid picking. Love his soloing on Bird with Allen on the live album.
Would have loved to have had a few more albums with him.

 

The Allmans were a band from the south that played rock (and blues etc.), not a "southern rock" band. Both huge bands in their own right but way too different to warrant a "best" determination. I don't remember any band geting the 'Southern Rock' tag until Skynryd came along and that seems very appropriate. In one of my earliest basement bands someone put up a poster of Allen and his Explorer...too cool. Wasn't long after that the tragedy happened. Seems like yesterday and 100 years ago at the same time.

 

I was there for that one too..! Saw some good shows on that stage back in the 70's
Steppenwolf, Elton John, Steve Miller off the top of my head.

 

That was a horrible event I will never forget!

 

This is not the thread to determine which band was best. Today we celebrate the lost. (I'm a few day late, but you know what I mean.)

 

And who , in their right mind , would have thought that Joe would still be with us .

 

And I’m so glad he is.
He’s a national treasure, IMO.

 

Very sad day. Plus it's unfortunate that the 2 Skynyrd bands are still fighting. The Artimus Pyle Band and the Lynyrd Skynyrd band.

 

HAHA I never thought of that. I know that Steve was in a few bands but nothing that was as big as Skynard. I am sure they had a ton of guitarist wanting to pick up that gig and I can see Cassie mentioning her brother plays guitar... LOL

 

All due respect to the ABB, but Skynyrd always had that rough, muscular edge to their music that appealed more to me.
Really not worth getting too upset over, as each carved their own place in rock music history.

 

All due respect to Skynyrd, they never produced anything as rough and muscular as Whipping Post.

But I get what you’re saying. Ronnie wrote good, accessible songs. They rehearsed them to death until they were finely polished. When you saw them live, it was like the Eagles... a polished act, but little if any variation from show to show.

I know I’m in the minority, but I prefer CSNY to the Eagles.... and, yes, the ABB to Skynyrd. Not that I don’t love those other two. I just find the real magic in the willingness to push the envelope, and to play off the cuff as opposed to strictly by rote.