LYNYRD SKYNYRD AND SOUTHERN
ROCK: IS AN EVOLUTION NECESSARY ?
Inside
or outside the RTJ team, we often discuss about the future of this music we
all love, southern rock. You know all these questions, is there a future ?
Why did the bands from the seventies change their sound and/or direction ?
and so, ad so....So, here is a brief summary of the reflexions and thoughts
from some of the guys from the RTJ's team.
Even if we don't find an answer satisfying everybody, every southern rock
fan wonders about southern rock music's evolution, mostly when it comes to
Lynyrd Skynyrd. It is quite obvious that most bands playing this music today
turned their sound to a heavier one and for some of the bands, their sound
is really close to heavy metal bands. So why did this change occured ? Many
people explain this new direction in a way to get new and younger fans (those
ones would prefer heavier sounds compared to older fans). Some other explain
it by the fact the 70's atmosphere doesn't reflect the today's. It is true
that new bands such as "Rebel Train", "Laidlaw", "Catawompus", "Alligator
Stew", "The Regulators", among others don't have the same sound the "older
bands" use to have on stage or in the studio. May be this can be the reason
why, but doesn't this musical approach hide a deficiency in inspiration, which
was certainly the main point for the great bands twenty years ago ?
It's not that easy to find similaritires between "Street Survivors" (the reference)
and "Edge of forever" from Lynyrd Skynyrd. Despite the fact, everyone can
appreciate both albums, the sound's evolution doesn't always serve the songwriting
's richness, and sometimes, it would tend to some kind of a sufficiency.
As much as I'm concerned, I wish the next Lynyrd Skynyrd will deny all those
facts and questions, but I'ld be more than surorised to find on their new
release songs in the style of "That smell", "You got that right", "Honky tonk
night time man", "I know a little", and of course "Sweet Home Alabama", which
to me, notably with their sound, defined some of the "southern rock standards".As
a matter of fact, when you go to a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert, you easily realize
that only a few "new songs" are played to the audience as most of the songs
performed on stage are their classics. Let's remember two performances in
Paris, Elysée Montmartre 1992 and Zénith 2000. What a change ! It's been eight
years between these two concerts, but we're not on the same planet. Of course,
the lineup evolved and new people came in the band but .........
So what : does southern rock must evolve ?
It's not that easy to answer, but for some people (and you can count me in),
this evolution was not absolutely necessary !! On a recorl label side, it
is certainly a totally different point of view. What would become bands such
as Lynyrd Skynyrd or Molly Hatchet if they didn't have contracts with major
labels, or were not supported by the medias and radios ? So, let's hope the
next Lynyrd Skynynyrd's album will be a killer album, so that every trend
of opinion can be satisfied. Skynyrd forever.
John Molet
The question regarding the future of southern rock music comes back everytime
Lynyrd Skynyrd is about to release a new album. It's been a few years since
we've heard hard rock bands claiming this southern heritage. We even heard during
the tv show "Rock Press Club" on Canal Jimmy (french tv), last february, Manuel
Rabasse (editor fot the Hard'n Heavy magazine) telling us that "Corrosion of
Conformity" was a southern rock band !! And this month, Jenny Carter, writes
in "Guitar Bass" thaht "Down", Phil Anselmo's band (Pantera's singer), was a
kind of an irritated southern rock band.
Well, many bands released great albums, such as "Laidlaw", "Rebel Train", "Alligator
Stew", having a modern sound, but this run to heavy (or heavier) sound can be
destructive. Let's read the Gary Jeffries's interview (Alligator Stew'singer)
we made last month, where he tells us when his record label wanted hil to sing
like Kurt Cobain. A good thing he didn't go in this direction, staying a southern
rock combo's singer. That's an important point, the impact of record labels
on bands, if you don't follow their thoughts, no recording sessions, no airplay......
So, what can we do ? The next Lynyrd Skynyrd's album will certainly have a heavier
sound, more hard rock, guests suxh as Kid Rock (rap-fusion !!). We'll ceratinly
be many to buy this last one, but today, southern rock is fronting his future.
Most of his "stars" are getting older (between 50 and 60 years of age), they
won't certainly perform on stage as much as thy did in the past.
Throughout the years, rock music went different directions, such as hard rock
music, going to black metal, stoner, trash, any many more directions. May be,
that's what is happening to southern rock music, going different directions.
In the beginning there was bands like "Allman Brothers Band" and the jam band
aspect, "Lynyrd Skynyrd" and the rock attitude. Tomorrow, may be we'll heave,
the "Gov't Mule" 's musical direction with new bands coming to the scene (see
the japanese band, "Savoy Truffle"), and heavier sound bands, such as "Laidlaw".
Diversity is a strength. The most important is nex bands are coming to the scene,
just as "Eat a Peach" did in 2001. Southern Rock will never die.
Philippe Archambeau
What a huge topic which doesn't always federate the fans ! Eveeryone has his
own sensibility. Of course, the fans have comlmon values, but when you're go
deeper in this subject, different opinions and point of views are emerging.
So what can I say about the evolution of southern rock music ? Is it necessary
? Are they going the right direction ? As every musical style, southern rock
have different tendencies and influences : british rock, blues, country, hard
seventies, among others.
Each tendancy has his own evolution, just as people and mentalities do , recording
techniques also have its onw evolution, which all give birth to new tendancies.
Rock and har seventies influenced bands use heavier sounds. Listen to the last
Lynyrd Skynyrd release and you know what I mean. Jam bands influenced bands,
to me, didn't follow the same evolution, their playing evolved, not the sound.
I've never heard the Allman Brothers Band with a heavier sound, sure it evolve,
but not getting heavy. To me, their evolution has to do with new jazz harmonies
added in their playing. Using techniques such as modulations, sweeping, super
arpeggios, amon others add freshness to the music (listen to Jimmy Herring,
John Popper, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes and you see whan I mean).
A band evolution also has to do with its members. As an exemple, look at Lynyrd
SKynyrd. We've seen so many different lineups since they came back on the road
in '87 with the Tribute Tour. Their music and their sound has evolved, unfortunately,
loosing contact with their roots. To me, the turning point has to do with the
Rickey Medlocke's arrival in the band (his music with Blackfoot was kind of
an heavy one). On an other side, the Warren Haynes's arrival in the Allman Brothers
Band has a lot ot do with their re-birth. Unlike Lynyrd Skynyrd, they succeded
in evolving their music without loosing the sound and the spirit which made
them so famous.
Don't forget the business aspect of the question. To get new fans, don't record
labels try to dictate their market views to our loved bands ? Once again, Lynyrd
Skynyrd is a good example as a rumour says Kid Rock is about to record vocals
on a new version of "Gimme back my bullets" re-arranged by Rickey Medlocke !!
Whare are we going ? When will we have Lynyrd Skynyrd opening for Britney Spears
? Well, Kid Rock has also be recently seen on stage with....Gov't Mule, jamming
on "Can't you see" and "War Pigs" !!!!
Keep in mind, southern rock always had a bad connotation with its rebel attitude
and supposed racism....Going different directions can also be one of the answers.
Don't foget, that before the plane crash, Lynyrs Skynyrd tried to change its
image with trying not using the diwie flag, and not always be in the papers
for their drinking.... Finally, it's really hard to find a correct answer, but
the main thing is we always find ourselves talking about our loved music while
drinking a shot of that great beverage, the old n°7 from Mister Kack !!! Isn't
it the most important ? Long life southern rock.
Dominique Turgot
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