RIP Bob Burns

[westen44]

I was never all that much of a LS fan.  I could be wrong on some of this.  But from what I remember Ed had a lot to do with writing "Sweet Home Alabama."  That was a plus.  But the minus part is that, evidently, they put him on bass for a while.  That didn't work out at all.  Leon Wilkeson was brought back in.  The last thing I read about Ed King is that he was living in Nashville.  My knowledge is incomplete, though.  I know there was some kind of problem with Ed wanting to rejoin, but they wouldn't let him.  I don't know what that was about.  Maybe the band had too many guitarists?  This is coming from someone who has a preference listening to 3-piece bands, though. 

[uwe]

Wasn't he more behind Free Bird and (also) played bass on it before Leon Wilkenson joined (or rejoined)? He was with LS after their reunion in the late 80ies for a while, but left them again and last I heard he is indeed in Nashville.

A penchant for three lead guitar bands you say?! 



That is not David Lee Roth btw. Just his spiritual dad.

[Highlander]

From memory, Leon quit before they started the final recordings for the first album, and Ed volunteered to step in on bass at short notice... Leon came back in time for the cover shots and Ed went over to permanent lead
Ed co-wrote and played the lead on Sweet Home, and was responsible for several other popular numbers if you check out his canon...

[westen44]

I think most of the questions can be answered in this interview.  Although not so much of a LS fan, I do prefer "Sweet Home Alabama" to "Ramblin' Man."  Ed is frank about considering the Allman Brothers to be superior to LS, though.  (Both of these songs are mentioned in the article, BTW.)   

As for 3-piece bands, of course I obviously mean I have a preference for guitar, bass, and drums.  But that's a combination rarely used successfully.  But when it can be done right, it's great.  For me, Cream is the prime example.  With LS, as I had remembered correctly, the 3 guitars thing came about when Ed had to switch from bass back to guitar.  One thing about this interview is that he says he can play bass better than guitar (although obviously preferring guitar.)  But when any bassist is mentioned, he always says that bassist was better than he ever was.  I think this is true modesty and not false modesty on his part. 

I typed all this before seeing the post right above me. 

http://www2.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/Lynyrd-Skynyrds-Ed-King-913.aspx

[uwe]

King's bass playing on the studio version is different to what Wilkeson did live, but it is not really a question of what is "better". Wilkeson sounds more organic to me, King more quirky and technically a bit more daring, bit more "British" even. There are some quick runs on the studio version that Wilkeson just wouldn't do.

The big difference between the Allmans and LS is for me that the blues influence with the first is a lot more profound and that LS had none of that jazzy-improvisational approach the Allmans had. But they are really quite different bands. And if you take all of the brain out of LS, you end up with Molly Hatchet (who still had their moments).

[gearHed289]

Only 2 guitars here (and a FenderBird from the Ox). Rossington and Collins. Wonder what the story was? And apparently Collins wore his strap over the dorsal fin of his FireBird the same way he did later with the Explorer.



I have to confess, I did not realize there was a drummer before Artimus Pyle. RIP Bob Burns.

[slinkp]

What the... weird to see somebody else playing a Fenderbird!  Was that literally borrowed from Entwistle?

[westen44]

King's bass playing on the studio version is different to what Wilkeson did live, but it is not really a question of what is "better". Wilkeson sounds more organic to me, King more quirky and technically a bit more daring, bit more "British" even. There are some quick runs on the studio version that Wilkeson just wouldn't do.

The big difference between the Allmans and LS is for me that the blues influence with the first is a lot more profound and that LS had none of that jazzy-improvisational approach the Allmans had. But they are really quite different bands. And if you take all of the brain out of LS, you end up with Molly Hatchet (who still had their moments).

I just found this totally by accident.  I haven't had time to listen to the whole thing, but fully intend to when I can.  I listened to about the first three minutes.  Evidently, this is Ed King.  If he thinks he isn't good enough on bass, I've got news for him:  he's good.

[4stringer77]

I think all of Ed's lines are great. I transcribed Poison Whiskey and that's a hoot to play. After Ed left the group, Skynyrd only had a leaned down two guitar line up for a while until they got Steve.

[Highlander]

What the... weird to see somebody else playing a Fenderbird!  Was that literally borrowed from Entwistle?

They toured ('74 iirc) supporting the Who and JAE gifted Wilkeson with the bass... they got on well, by all accounts...

I watched that OGWT show when it was broadcast and saw them shortly after on the second half of the tour... by an odd quirk, that was the only time they were broadcast "live"...
Tom... what do you mean, you wonder what the story was...?

[westen44]

They toured ('74 iirc) supporting the Who and JAE gifted Wilkeson with the bass... they got on well, by all accounts...

I watched that OGWT show when it was broadcast and saw them shortly after on the second half of the tour... by an odd quirk, that was the only time they were broadcast "live"...
Tom... what do you mean, you wonder what the story was...?

You've had quite a ringside seat watching rock history unfold through the years. 

[westen44]

I think all of Ed's lines are great. I transcribed Poison Whiskey and that's a hoot to play. After Ed left the group, Skynyrd only had a leaned down two guitar line up for a while until they got Steve.

My favorite has always been "Gimme Three Steps."  It's just a cool song. 

[Highlander]

The problem with ring-side seats is that I might have seen the Ali V Frazier era but I missed Clay being knocked down by Cooper...

Living in London and especially the likes of the Hammersmith Odeon meant I had a lot of opportunity to see some great bands, but I still feel my deep regrets are missing the original ACG and only seeing Alice for a first time for the WTMN tour at Wembley, and seeing early Bad Co but missing Free and Kossoff in BSC when they played and recorded the live show in Croydon, and so on...
The only time I ever saw Aerosmith was on the Rocks tour... etc...

[uwe]

I just found this totally by accident.  I haven't had time to listen to the whole thing, but fully intend to when I can.  I listened to about the first three minutes.  Evidently, this is Ed King.  If he thinks he isn't good enough on bass, I've got news for him:  he's good.

That's beautiful, very crafted, but not at all like Wilkeson plays, who is much earthier. This sounds like someone who exactly knows what he is doing (and has put some thought into it) while Wilkeson relies much more on intuition and a good ear. That is not knocking him, just two different approaches though my playing is more in the Ed King category. But I sometimes admire the organic guys who just play without seemingly giving it a thought. 

[gearHed289]

Tom... what do you mean, you wonder what the story was...?

I was wondering why they only had 2 guitarists in that clip.