~Allen Collins speaks about the band & the tour~

Personnel:
Ronnie Van Zant – Vocals
Allen Collins – Guitar
Steve Gaines – Guitar, Vocals
Gary Rossington – Guitar
Leon Wilkeson – Bass, Background Vocals
Billy Powell – Piano
Artimus Pyle – Drums
Cassie Gaines – Background Vocals
Leslie Hawkins – Background Vocals
Jo Jo Billingsly – Background Vocals

Personnel:
Ronnie Van Zant – vocals
Gary Rossington – guitar
Allen Collins – guitar
Billy Powell – keyboards
Leon Wilkinson – bass
Artimus Pyle – drums
JoJo Billingsley – backing vocals
Cassie Gaines – backing vocals
Leslie Hawkins – backing vocals

Summary:
After years of life on the road and with their role models, the Allman Brothers Band, struggling to survive the deaths of two of its most distinctively talented members, today Lynyrd Skynyrd has become the quintessential Southern Rock band. Under the leadership of frontman and primary songwriter Ronnie Van Zant, the group’s melodic lyric driven ballads and power driven hard rockers would catapult the group into one of the most popular touring bands in the world. The group’s distinctive guitar attack, combined with an overtly defiant and rebellious attitude, gave them a cultural identity that would help make songs like “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Free Bird” into anthems of American rock music and staples of FM radio right up to the present day.

Headlining a bill that also featured the Outlaws, this Winterland recording captures Lynyrd Skynyrd following the release of their fourth album, Gimme Back My Bullets. This was during a transitional phase for the band, following the departure of guitarist Ed King, but prior to his replacement, Steve Gaines, coming on board. The band was carrying on as a six-piece unit, augmented by the Honkettes on backing vocals.

This is an interesting time to hear the band live, as their trademark three-guitar attack was reduced by one guitar, leaving more room for keyboardist Billy Powell. On the ballads, like “Tuesdays Gone” and the pre-jam verses of “Freebird,” Powell displays great creativity and expands the keyboard’s role in these songs.

Otherwise, the band rocks as hard as ever, with a good selection of their most popular songs, sampling a bit from all four of their studio albums. The group’s defiant Southern swagger, combined with an infectious guitar and piano driven groove, creates an irresistible combination that resonated far beyond the Southern states. Two of the standouts on this show are both well chosen covers, which the band redefines as their own; J.J. Cale’s “Call Me The Breeze” and Jimmy Rogers’ “T For Texas.” Both of these are rearranged in classic Skynyrd style, with the latter closing the set and clearly displaying the root sound of the band at its best.

The audience demands an encore and the band obliges with a monumental “Free Bird.” It begins as a plaintive slow ballad, with Van Zant’s distinctively sad vocals over the melodic keyboard playing of Powell and delicate slide guitar ornamentation from Rossington. However, it is the second section, which becomes an up-tempo guitar boogie, that really hits home. Here the guitarists cut loose to create one of the most distinctive solos of all time. Rossington and Collins turn this section into a soaring jam that also features impressive melodic bass playing from Wilkeson and furious keyboards from Powell. Following a brief reprise of the song, they turn on a dime back into the groove of the jam before bringing it to a climactic close.

“Free Bird,” more often than not, sarcastically, would become the most requested song of all time. For musicians, this inevitable request has become so tiresome, that the act of requesting it has become universally known as “the mantra of the moron.” Still, this only goes to prove just how deeply this song has permeated American culture and is a testament to its enduring popularity, making it one of the true landmark rock songs of twentieth century music.

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Music video by Lynyrd Skynyrd performing Sweet Home Alabama. (C) 2015 Skynryd Partnership, exclusively licensed to Eagle Rock Entertainment Ltd

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Music video by Lynyrd Skynyrd performing Gimme Three Steps. (C) 2015 Skynryd Partnership, exclusively licensed to Eagle Rock Entertainment Ltd

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Ooh, that smell
Can’t you smell that smell?
Ooh, that smell
The smell of death surrounds you, yeah

Angel of darkness is upon you
Stuck a needle in your arm
(You, fool, you)
So take another toke, have a blow for your nose
One more drink, fool, would drown you
(Hell, yeah)

Ooh, that smell
Can’t you smell that smell?
Ooh, that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

Now, they call you prince charming
Can’t speak a word when you’re full of ‘ludes
Say you’ll be alright come tomorrow
But tomorrow might not be here for you
(Yeah, you)

Ooh, that smell
Can’t you smell that smell?
Ooh, that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

Aw, you, fool, you
You stick them needles
In your arm
I know, I’ve been there before

One little problem that confronts you
Got a monkey on your back
Just one more fix, Lord, might do the trick
One hell of a price for you to get your kicks
(Hell, yeah)

Ooh, that smell
Can’t you smell that smell?
Ooh, that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

Ooh, that smell
Can’t you smell that smell?
Ooh, that smell
The smell of death surrounds you

Oh, you, fool, you
Don’t stick those needles
In your arm
You’re just a fool
Just a fool, just a fool

[Incomprehensible]
For my love
For my love, yeah