Greatest Southern Rock Band of all time!

[Radical Activist]

Take your pick.

Yes, The Band counts because they had one guy from Arkansas.

Name your favorite if its not on the list.

[NashVegas]

1. R.E.M.

..

[Radical Activist]

2. I know they're from Georgia

but they don't make the poll.

[NashVegas]

4. The Band Are Southernors?

I had no idea. I thought they were from Ontario.

Feat were from Cali. My Morning Jacket's from KY.

Interesting choices.

[Radical Activist]

5. They started in Athens Georgia

I guess they could have been born elsewhere. I don't know.

[MrCoffee]

6. who did? The Band or REM?

i know REM is from Athens, i had no idea that The Band was southern rock (except maybe for the night they drove old dixie down)

[Radical Activist]

10. Oh, I thought we were still talking about REM

One member of The Band is from Arkansas while the rest are Canadian. I slip them in the mix because their sound is largely southern rock.

[NashVegas]

9. No, I Meant "The Band" Band

I know where R.E.M. are from :)

I must have been confusing "Southern" rock for "Southern AOR rock."

My apologies.

[Radical Activist]

12. ha oh yeah

AOR?

[NashVegas]

14. Well, Yes

AOR = album oriented rock. 70s style.

[flvegan]

3. Drive By Truckers. n/t

[Radical Activist]

7. Here's a hint:

The correct answer is NOT Lynyrd Skynyrd. As much as I like them, they were certainly not the best of the genre.

[johnnie]

8. Well, if The Band counts

Then The Band it is. The best in that selection by far in my opinion.

[MrCoffee]

11. The Band is not a southern rock outfit..they're in the Canadian Music HoF

for cryin' out loud.

[Radical Activist]

13. They still had a member from Arkansas

And their sound was Southern rock.

[MrCoffee]

15. There are Americans in AQ...does that make them domestic?

i'm just kidding. it's your poll, you run it how you wanna.

i voted for Skynyrd

[Radical Activist]

16. Who?

Up on Cripple Creek, The Weight. Even if they weren't all from the South, that is the style of music they were playing.

[Zomby Woof]

17. Lynyrd Skynyrd

Only the Allman Brothers come close. Yes, I know the Allmans were first, and Skynyrd shared their same roots in blues and country, but whereas the Allmans excelled at infusing jazz into their mix, Skynyrd took the British Invasion rock of the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Cream, and Free, and properly returned the genre back to its distinctly southern American roots.

The Allmans and Skynyrd were also BANDS in the truest sense of the word. Cohesive units with organic chemistry. Even while both bands endured line-up changes, the essential identities of the bands remained intact. Duane Allman was an unparalleled slide player, one of the best guitarists ever, and Dickie Betts a fantastic picker. But every Skynyrd guitarist held his own, and put a unique imprint upon rock guitar. Allen Collins could out-Clapton Clapton on their cover of 'Crossroads'. His soaring soloing on 'Freebird' took Jeff Beck's 'Bolero' to a new height. Gary Rossington took the nasty tremolo of Paul Kossoff and combined it with the attitude and bluntness of Keith Richards. Ed King avenged his Strawberry Alarm Clock days, and then some, with the sweet picking of 'Sweet Home Alabama', and the vicious crunch of 'Saturday Night Special'. Perhaps the greatest of all their guitarists was Steve Gaines. He brought a pallete of Motown, jazz, country-pickin', and lowdown blues to their sound. He was graceful, soulful, and ambitious. Sadly, he only got one live album and one studio album into the canon before he and Ronnie Van Zant died in the plane crash.

Finally, the two other factors which give Skynyrd precedence over their forebears from Macon... Ronnie Van Zant's writing, and the fact that during his brief lifetime, they never made a regrettable or weak album. Granted, without Duane Allman or Berry Oakley, it was a miracle that the Allmans pulled the likes of "Brothers and Sisters" out of their hats, but still...

Ronnie Van Zant.

Lyrically, none of the Allmans could match Ronnie's gift for writing, content, and imagery. Or the hard reality of living. Whether he wrote about the ghettoes of Jacksonville and their inhabitants, or a Howlin' Wolf-inspired tale of paranoia and betrayal, or of the sage advice of his grandmother. Or of the anguishes of greed, guns, and the destruction of our environment. The way he conjured his childhood and the lessons of race, or the way he sang about the road which transcended cliches. He sang about life with celebratory abandon, and death with dark acceptance of its inevitable constant presence. Ronnie was, as Neil Young said about his departed roadie Bruce Barry, "as real as the day was long".

Or as the Drive-By Truckers sang, "rock stars today ain't half as real".

[Radical Activist]

18. meh

I never felt they had the musical depth, complexity or originality of the Allman Brothers. Too many Lynyrd Skynyrd songs sound jingoistic and cliche after a few listenings. The original Allman Brothers lineup doesn't have an album I can't listen to over and over again without getting sick of it. Skynyrd is far better about that than most modern country and other southern rock bands in that respect, but I still don't think they measure up to the Allman Brothers. I think the reason Skynyrd has a bigger fan base among modern country/pop fans than the Allman Brothers is that Skynyrd has more in common with the cliche bumper sticker lyrics and commercial sound of modern country.

[Zomby Woof]

23. Skynyrd only existed between 1973-1977

My critique is reserved for them only. I don't have a lot to say about the New Johnny Van Zant Band. What you said may be true about them for all I know. But they aren't truly Skynyrd.

Jingoistic? Not Ronnie. Find ONE song he wrote that fits that bill. You can't, because he didn't. Then again, maybe you were referring to the impostors who stole his band's name. Yesterday in another thread, I gave them credit for SOME things, but reserved my strongest praise for the deserving.

I love the Allmans, including their 90's output, which is underrated. But they sure put out some shit that is deservedly forgotten these days - 'Reach for the Sky' and 'Brothers of the Road' come to mind. They were more of the Doobie kind of brother than the Allman kind on those.

Tom Dowd produced albums by both bands, including their landmark live albums. He admired Duane and Ronnie equally, for different reasons. I think comparisons between them are fraught with peril. Both being from the south is not enough to generate easy or fair comparisons.

[NashVegas]

20. I Read Once That Art Can Be Objectively Measured By Its Influence

Skynyrd can objectively be said to have been the most influential Southern band (although R.E.M. does rate a very close second, in the modern era).

Trouble is, most of the Skynyrd-influenced bands are/were sheer crap.

OTOH, you take the Allmans (Duane era), and the road leads straight to My Morning Jacket. That's not a bad place to be.

[Zomby Woof]

22. Yes and no

That is, the country bands claiming to be influenced by Skynyrd are generally crap. But the rock bands are not. Metallica and Pearl Jam have cited Skynyrd as an influence, so that alleviates the bad stuff. Mike Keneally, who played for Zappa, praised them. I recall Peter Buck saying once that growing up in Georgia, it was required to be into Skynyrd and the Allmans. I always liked the early REM myself.

As for the Allmans - they influenced crap like the Dave Matthews Band and other wanking/jam bands. I will call it even.

[NashVegas]

26. Hee Heeeeeee ... Boy Do We Disagree

Metallica and Pearl Jam have cited Skynyrd as an influence, so that alleviates the bad stuff.

I rest my case. 20 years from now, who's going to walk around singing 'Jeremy' or 'Enter Sandman?'

[Zomby Woof]

28. Enter Sandman?

That's Metallisoft. I was talking about '...And Justice For All', 'Master of Puppets', or earlier. :P

But 'Jeremy' is timeless (dammit!). Although not my favorite by them. I was thinking along the lines of 'Daughter', 'Not For You', or 'Severed Hand'. :-)

[NashVegas]

32. I Can See 'Daughter'

Almost, but it's still a little too angsty, IMO, to have the longevity of a 'Sweet Home ..' or even a 'Melissa.'

[Shakespeare]

42. pfffft.

I'll put yer Ronnie Van Zant up against Duane and Dickie any day of the week.

:pals:

Here's what just sends me to heaven and back about the late, great Duane: the fucker played like Beethoven. He'd work a melody in close variation until you're JUST at the point of going "ok, move on already" and then top it with something better (see: "Jessica"). Seriously, Beethoven is the only other composer I know of who was able to pull that off.

[Zomby Woof]

43. Well, there's a reason...

They wrote 'Freebird' for Duane. ;-)

Duane redeemed Derek & The Dominoes. Clapton ought to thank whatever deity he prays to every day for giving him Duane Allman, even 35 years later.

As for RVZ, that's just a very personal thing for me. He reached into my young soul the way some people say about Elvis, Lennon, or, yes, Beethoven. :-)

[Shakespeare]

44. And THAT reminds me. Clapton should be drawn and quartered...

...for doing an off-tempo Layla. Completely fucking ruined the song, which is all about passion out of control. I HATE that version.

And I completely understand what you mean about RVZ. I was in 8th grade when The Crash happened, and my most vivid memory is of my surrogate big brother (my mom's best friend's son, who I grew up with) and all his friends sitting around our kitchen table in shock and mourning. I don't even remember how or why they ended up at our house, but there they were--one heartbroken group of 16-year-old boys whose music died that day.

[Zomby Woof]

45. It was 29 years ago tomorrow

Ronnie was 29 when he died. He used to say quite often that he "would never live to see 30". The irony is that he slowed down his drinking drastically when his daughter was born the previous year, so his fatalism couldn't be blamed on self-destructiveness. But somehow, he just felt fated to die before he was 30. 29 was when Hank Williams went too.

Filmmaker Cameron Crowe knew Ronnie quite well, and to this day says he was his favorite interview. Something about his plain-speaking, soft-spoken humility tempered with the gambler's grin. He knew more than he let on, and could often be as blunt as he was in his songs. There has never been anyone quite like him before or since, for me.

[datasuspect]

19. black oak arkansas

[OzarkDem]

46. Oh lord

What a bunch of, well, whatever. Hot nasty.

[Bridget Burke]

21. Another vote for the Allmans...

Alas, I never caught them live while Duane was living. Lynyrd Skynyrd was really fine, as well.

I don't regard Little Feat as a Southern Rock Band, but saw them several times at their peak. That is, while Lowell George was alive & well. (Hmmm.... "before XXX died" seems to be a recurring theme here.)

And I don't consider The Band a Southern Rock Band, either. That is, a band playing the genre of "Southern Rock." Even though one was from Arkansas & the others were probably from Southern Canada. But definitely one of the best bands, ever.

[Zomby Woof]

24. It was always a phony label

Ronnie Van Zant said that 'Southern Rock' was a label created by the record companies to sell albums. He was right. The differences between the Allmans, Skynyrd, Wet Willie, or the Marshall Tucker Band make genre pigeonholing seem silly after awhile.

You are right about the recurring theme. Must be a helluva band playing somewhere right now. :-)

[maxsolomon]

25. The Band is from Canada

[DiverDave]

27. Elvin Bishop

man, he could play a git.

[Gatchaman]

29. "southern rock" is an oxymoron

It's country music. Period.

[MrScorpio]

30. Allman Brothers

No Doubt about it

[mvd]

31. I like ZZ Top

And some hybrids like My Morning Jacket.

[devilgrrl]

33. Southern Culture on the Skids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gold Metal Flake]

39. Oh, Little Debbie, Little Debbie!

[Gold Metal Flake]

40. Butthole Surfers

[devilgrrl]

50. I've got a 8 piece box!

[Gold Metal Flake]

52. Gonna get so drunk gonna have ta pick me up off the ground...

Cuz I'm so lazy, so lazy...

:D

[madrchsod]

48. this band is great!

downloaded every song i could find...

[NNadir]

34. My friends tell me, that I've been such a fool...

and I had to stand here and take it baby, all for loving you.

Do Do Do Do Dooooooo Dooooooo Doooooooo do do do do doooooo doooooo doooooo

I drown myself in sorrow, when I look at what you've done. Nothing seems to change. The bad times stay the same, and I can't run.

Sometimes I feel Doo Doo Do Do Dah Dah sometimes I feel Doo Doo Do Do Dah Dah like I'm tied to the Whipping Post dah dah dah tied to the Whipping Post, dah dah dah tied to the Whipping Post. bum. Good Lord I feel like dying.

Do Do Do Do Dooooooo Dooooooo Doooooooo do do do do doooooo doooooo doooooo

And so on...

Cher?

[sendero]

35. ZZ Top ..

.... is not getting their fair share of the love!!!!!

I suppose it would be fair to say they were really better classified as blues than as Southern rock.

[two gun sid]

36. Drive-by Truckers.

[Zavulon]

37. I like Molly Hatchet a lot, actually.

If they're Republicans, please don't tell me. Last night I started a thread asking all of you to educate me as to which celebs are Repugs (I'm not very up on that) and got some answers which cost me sleep.

[Zomby Woof]

38. I love Hatchet

I saw them more times than anyone, because they came to Virginia Beach often - Steve Holland, one of their founders, was a native of Va Beach and a graduate of P.A. High, my sister's alma mater. My history teacher in high school knew him when he was a kid. Anyway, I have some good news, at least concerning their early days...

In 1983, guitarist Dave Hlubek penned a great song called 'Fall Of The Peacemakers', which he wrote because he was angered and distraught over people he admired who advocated peace always falling to assassination. It was chiefly about John Lennon, Martin Luther King, and John Kennedy. The lyrics make substantial references to King and Lennon. Sample: "A voice from the past cried 'give peace a chance', he paid our price now he's free at last. Imagine, we called him a dreamer."

And... later the same year, they played a benefit concert in Pittsburgh to help the striking steelworkers (I still have the newspaper article) there, raising money and food for the local food banks.

Later, in the 90's, their comeback album "Devil's Canyon" addresses some social issues. 'Rolling Thunder' is about struggling Vietnam vets and how "rich old men who never held a gun" ruined their lives. 'Tatanka' is about the legendary Sioux warrior and features a stanza recited in the Sioux language - quite a powerful song. 'Heartless Land' expresses lament about senseless gang violence and environmental destruction.


So! I hope those examples help you sleep better tonight. :-)

[Zavulon]

41. You just made my Christmas list, buddy.

I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know all of that, all of which was news to me. I've had my heart broken over the past couple of days learning which celebs and bands I like lean towards Repug World.

Many thanks, seriously.

[liberaltrucker]

47. I gotta go with CDB

Gawd, I hate Charlie's politics, but he makes that
fiddle sing. Music trumps politics.

People say I'm no-good,
And crazy as a loon.
I get stoned in the morning,
I get drunk in the afternoon.
Kinda like my old blue tick hound,
I like to lay around in the shade,
An', I ain't got no money,
But I damn sure got it made.

'Cos I ain't askin' nobody for nothin',
If I can't get it on my own.
If you don't like the way I'm livin',
You just leave this long-haired country boy alone.

Preacher man talkin' on the TV,
He's a-puttin' down the rock 'n' roll.
He wants me to send a donation,'Cos he's worried about my soul.
He said: "Jesus walked on the water,"And I know that is true,
But sometimes I think that preacher man,
Would like to do a little walkin', too.

But I ain't askin' nobody for nothin',
If I can't get it on my own.
You don't like the way I'm livin',
You just leave this long-haired country boy alone.

Instrumental Break.

A poor girl wants to marry, And a rich girl wants to flirt.
A rich man goes to college,And a poor man goes to work.
A drunkard wants another drink of wine,And a politician wants a vote.
I don't want much of nothin' at all,But I will take another toke.

'Cos I ain't askin' nobody for nothin',If I can't get it on my own.
If you don't like the way I'm livin',
You just leave this long-haired country boy alone.


Album Lyrics: A Decade of Hits <1999>

[madrchsod]

49. it`s a tie

allman bros and skynyrd...

[Ryan from Canada]

51. "Down" for the win

Check out Down's NOLA for an amazing listen.

[Gold Metal Flake]

53. Pain Teens!

[Gold Metal Flake]

54. 13th Floor Elevators!

I say if it's southern and it's rock and I like it, it's Southern Rock! "Specially if it's from Texas.

[RoyGBiv]

55. I would have voted The Band ...

Simply because that's my personal favorite among that group. A lot of others are close, but I never get tired of The Band.

Still, I don't really consider one guy from Arkansas to make them a Southern rock band. They did have the sound and the lyrics, but an element of "outside looking in" still exists in it. IMO, anyway.

With that caveat, the Allman Brothers were my choice.

[mitchum]

56. Hell, why aren't the Doors on your list then...

If the only criteria is that one member has to be from the south? Jimbo Lizardking was a southerner.

[Deja Q]

57. The B-52s

:P