Lynyrd Skynyrd-Freebird the movie Soundtrack

Freebird-The movie soundtrack

Allen Collins, Steve Gaines, Billy Powell, Artimus Pyle, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant and Leon Wilkenson. Seven of rock's legends took the stage in Hertfordshire, England during the summer of 1976 for one unforgettable concert. They presented hits such as "Workin For MCA," "Saturday Night Special," and "Sweet Home Alabama." A little under a year later, Skynyrd performed in Oakland, California and gave probably the best performance of "Freebird" I have ever heard. This version surpasses the one that Ronnie and friends did Live At The Fox. Finally, ten days later the band put on another tremendous performance in Asbury Park, New Jersey, which included the first live performances of "What's Your Name?" and "That Smell." Finally, twenty years after the plane crash that took the life of Steve Gaines, Ronnie Van Zant, back up singer Cassie Gaines and road manager Dean Kilpatrick, Cabin Fever Entertainment has compiled some of Skynyrd's finest live performances and put together...Freebird: The Movie. While the movie may be out of print, the soundtrack is alive and well. I've heard parts of One More From The Road and I have the DVD of Lyve, but the intensity from lynyrd Skynyrd on this album is unbeatable. From the opening "Hello How are you?" to the final strum of a guitar, Lynyrd Skynyrd gives a great performance. Johnny, Billy, Leon, Ricky, Hughie, Gary, and whoever is on drums these days are wonderful, but without Ronnie, Steve, Artimus, and Allen '...things just couldn't be the same.'



Uncle Tupelo - March 16-20 1992

March 16-20 1992.

This is a fine roots album if ever there was one. Before Wilco, before Son Volt, there was Uncle Tupelo. And of all the Uncle Tupelo discs, this, in my mind, stands supreme. The songs alternate vocals between Jeff Tweedy and Jar Farrar. Farrar, in his preacher's baritone, tends to sing more politically oriented songs, songs of the early twentieth century, socialist songs focusing on coal miners unionizing or the ills of capitalism on the small man. Farrar's version of Moonshiner is like a priceless relic suspended in amber. Tweedy (his voice sounds younger and more contemporary than Farrar) also tackles some good old Americana in "I wish my Baby was Born" and "Satan, Your Kingdom must Come Down." Overall Tweedy leans more toward the personal and emotional while Farrar seems more comfortable with traditional ballads. Most of the songs are traditional tunes - folk songs, blues songs, spirituals. The guitar work is strong, with both men playing acoustic to fill out the sound. On some songs there are mandolin and violin - but it's really an acoustic guitar driven record. The band does a superb job of capturing the timelessness of the older music, and does well to blend their tunes with such a venerable canon. This is folk music as it was meant to be - raw, intense, masculine, topical. There is nothing cheesy on this record - and "Atomic Power" is probably the standout cut on the disc. Buy this music - you won't be disappointed - I guarantee! 

Authorized Bootleg - Lynyrd Skynyrd

Authorized Bootleg-Live from Cardiff

I have the COMPLETE Cardiff Wales show on CDR and it is a mint condition recording. The recording that is being sold is missing three songs, the songs listed by another person who bothered to comment. The audio of this show is GOOD but Ronnie Van Zant had been SICK. The man was nearly hoarse just a day or two earlier. The Old Grey Whistle Test show which is complete and on DVD also suffers from Ronnie's cold. Days earlier Ronnie and the band had been in Paris, France. I have that recording also. Ronnie was quite sick. He had a massive head cold and he sounded more like Danny Joe Brown, the one time vocalist for Molly Hatchet. The fact that Ronnie had been SICK was the REASON that this show was NEVER released commercially. I understand that people want to hear the show, and it's good that the show got released, but why not simply release the entire show???? I think it was on Simple Man, one of the deleted tracks where Ronnie's voice litterally broke as he was trying to sing. I considered buying a copy of this for myself until I read where the show had been edited down to only 9 of the recorded twelve songs. People are getting screwed on this release. 

Uncle Tupelo- No Depression

No Depression

Man, nothing like Uncle Tupelo to satisfy my fix for country music. Some of this alternative country music (Son Volt is another one) has done wonders for me, giving me a good, new approach to country, and feels like country, not just pop music with a faux country image or bland pop guitars with an irrating southern accent. Well, this is something that you should hear, especially if you are country freak. You just might find a gold mine.
While Uncle Tupelo's debut album may not be anything more than good, I'll be damned if there is nothing else that satisfies like this album. Uncle Tupelo blends southern rock, punk rock (!!!), folk music, and rugged, real country music into one addicting record. Perhaps more importantly, it shows the early talents of Jay Farrar (Son Volt, which fleshes out more melancholy and country tendencies) and Jeff Tweedy (Wilco, that went in millions of directions). Both get parts on this record, backed up with the explosive drumming of Mike Heirdon and besides a standard rock set up, there's fiddles, harmonicas, banjo, acoustic guitars, pianos, and a "rice can". The lyrics vary from the two song writers. The topics aren't exactly something gush over, but the two paint a very realistic picture of their topics, especially evident on their topic of an alcoholic.
On tracks like Graveyard Shift, Before I Break, Train, Factory Belt, and Outdone, the band plays this very explosive, raunchy country rock. What's remarkable is how damn evident the country sound is. On top of that, it sounds rustic and highway bound, like country music should, instead of studio and arena bound. The ballads and slow songs are authentic country. No Depression is fantastic, it's one that I fell in love with. Whiskey Bottle has lyrics that I doubt Jay Farrar has never experienced, however, I find that he does an excellent job writing from that point of view. They really do mix their influences, with the swingy John hardy being an example of their raw rock music with a country influence. Another example would be That Year, which goes from Green Day like cowpunk to fledging bluegrass rock.
This album sounds fantastic remastered. While the bonus tracks aren't top notch alltogether, a lot of the songs on them are actually good! Personally, the demo track is extremely good. It's quite amazing how good it sounds since it sounds like it's recorded in a basement on an 8-track. No Depression is one of my favorite songs on the album, and another, totally different cut is great. The live version of Whiskey Bottle isn't as good as the original, but it's mellow and does a great job as the acoustic piece it is suppose to be, and the harmonica is played instead of the electric instruments. Sin City is a cover of an old school country song, and it's acoustic like Whiskey Bottle. Won't Forget, for some reason, is a great garage rocker, while Left in The Dark is disposable. Sure, the main disc is the main attraction, but the bonus tracks are fun to listen to.
Wanna see where Tweedy and Farrar started out? Buy this album. Sick of today's country crap but want to see what the new musical styles have done for country music? Buy this album. Want good music? Buy this album. SHould you buy this album because it's damn good music? Yes, so buy this album already!

 



David Grisman

David Grisman

David Grisman (born March 23, 1945 in Hackensack, New Jersey) is an American bluegrass/newgrass mandolinist and composer of acoustic music. In the early 1990s, he started the Acoustic Disc record label to help spread acoustic and instrumental music.

 

David Grisman is a major figure in American music. His pioneering work, merging jazz, bluegrass and other traditional musics into a new form (now known affectionately as Dawg music) and his promotion of acoustic music have had a widespread influence. He is also a noted producer, composer and co-founder of the Acoustic Discs record label.

 

David Grisman has recorded extensively, initially in jug and bluegrass bands, then as a studio musician in the early 1970s and from the mid 1970s onwards as a band leader, co-leader, guest and more.

 

Though Grisman contributed to the Grateful Dead's American Beauty LP his major connection with the Dead has been his collaborations with Jerry Garcia. They were both members of Old & In The Way in 1973 and the Great American String Band in 1974. In the 1990's they recorded many sessions at Grisman's Dawg Studios. The first recording resulting from these sessions was the Garcia / Grisman CD released in 1991. More followed. David Grisman announced in 2004 that Been All Around This World, released that year, would be the final Garcia / Grisman release.

 



Barry Oakley

Barry Oakley

Raymond Berry Oakley III (April 4, 1948 – November 11, 1972), was an American bassist and one of the founding members of The Allman Brothers Band.

Oakley was born in Chicago, Illinois, raised in the suburb of Park Forest, Illinois, then moved to Florida where he met and joined Dickey Betts's band, The Second Coming. He was a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band in 1969, along with guitarist Duane Allman, Gregg Allman, who was the band's vocalist and keyboardist, Dickey Betts on co-lead guitar, and drummers Butch Trucks and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson, both on drums, congas, and the band's percussionist.

With the Allman Brothers, Oakley was known for his long, melodic bass runs underneath Allman and Betts' furious guitar solos and jams. "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed", "Mountain Jam" and "Whipping Post" from the live album At Fillmore East capture Oakley at his best. Oakley was also the band member most involved in establishing domestic unity among the band's extended family. When Duane Allman died in a motorcycle accident, Oakley was devastated, according to drummer Butch Trucks. The band continued touring, but Oakley "lost his sparkle" and started drinking heavily during what was to become his last year in life.