Les Dudek - Les Dudek & Polar Bear (1974)

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Speaking of recommendations, I recommended Les Dudek the other month. But I couldn't upload, since everything is commercially available. Everything? Well, not quite.
These recordings are from The Record Plant - Sausalito, California, when Les was playing with a band called Polar Bear. This was a live in the studio setting, I guess. The source seems to have been a cassette tape, so it's a little slurry sounding at times. But not that bad. Not hardly bad enough to spoil the fun of hearing Les doing Les before we knew of him. Knowing that, it's actually quite a nice sounding recording. Well, funk me.

George Hatcher Band - Coming Home (1982)

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Man, was I glad when I got hold of this rip! I really dig George Hatcher a lot, so when Mawos came up with this (his) rip, I was jumpin' for joy.
Like the previous album, Rich Girl, this is another fine slice of subtle, southern boogie. With a twist. Boy, the man is cool.
If you're still in doubt, but you love ZZ Top, Little Feat, Allman Brothers or The Marshall Tucker Band: you won't regret grabbin' this!

Raging Slab - Freeburden (1992)

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Back by popular demand: Raging Slab. Yet another studio recording their label did not wish to release. God knows why, I don't. I love it. This was their second attempt at following up the 1989 RCA release (the first attempt was From A Southern Space).
Some songs wound up, re-recorded, on Dynamite Monster Boogie Concert. This also has Slab's version of We're An American Band (a hit for Grand Funk Railroad, way way back...). Boogie baby!

Beaverteeth - Beaverteeth (1977)

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Those who dug the Dam It album, will surely love their debut album: Beaverteeth. Beaverteeth features Rodney Justo (ex-Atlanta Rhythm Section) on vocals. Though not very rocky (similar to A.R.S. soft tone all over), it's a really nice, playful album. Some very good Randall Bramblett covers, and well, just get it.
I did some editing to this, already circulating, album-rip. To me, it's an improvement.
An amusing interview with the former Atlanta Rhythm Section/Beaverteeth singer, Rodney Justo, can be found here.

The Charlie Daniels Band - Volunteer Jam (1976)

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The Volunteer Jams of Charlie Daniels are legendary in southern rock. Big festivals with the cream of the crop of southern rock and related artists. But it started in 1975 a lot more modest than what it grew to be.
These are the first recordings of the Volunteer Jam. Recorded in 1975 and released in 1976, this is a rip of the original album done by Mawos (thanks man!). I cleaned it up slightly and added three songs that were released on the EP that came with the first pressing of Fire On The Mountain. So here you have it all!
Not quite the line-up that it became known for, still some interesting guests. The Charlie Daniels Band joined by The Marshall Tucker Band, Dickey Betts and Chuck Leavell, Bonnie Bramlett and Mylon LeFevre, among others. The songs are:

Whiskey
Birmingham Blues
The South's Gonna Do It
The Thrill Is Gone (The Marshall Tucker Band)
Sweet Mama (Dickey Betts)
Mountain Dew


I don't know the titles of the songs that came from the EP. They're all instrumentals, so I took the liberty of naming them Volunteer Jam part 1, 2 and 3. Dig in!

Elvin Bishop - Rock My Soul

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Nice footage of Elvin, getting his soul rocked...

Jim Dandy - Ready As Hell (1984)

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Jim Dandy a.k.a. James Mangrum. The one and only voice of Black Oak Arkansas. This album was released as a solo album. If I remember correctly this had something to do with contractual obligations, therefore it couldn't be released as a regular BOA album. But with a voice like that, how could it sound like anything other than BOA?
After the rather lame Capricorn release "I'd Rather Be Sailing" (which a lot of us agreed with) this is a return to some heavier rocking. And it's all good. I think you're ready as hell.

The Derek Trucks Band - BBC Radio 2 (2006)

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Last one up in May, this recording is just like the rest of this month: short and sweet. For those of you unfamiliar with The Derek Trucks Band: Derek Trucks is Butch's nephew and plays guitar with The Allman Brothers Band. On his own it's a slightly different story. Here Derek explores the boundaries of soul, jazz, funk, fusion. But it's got southern rock sauce on it, don't you worry.
This is a four song session, played live in the studio for BBC Radio 2.
Can you hear the sun?

Recommendation of the month

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Alright, this time I would like to suggest to you all to play some Les Dudek. Or maybe buy some of his cd's. Les Dudek's cd's all are rather funky affairs. Like Les' debut album with the wonderful parrot cover.


But things really started cooking on Les' third outing, Ghost Town Parade. Truly one of southern rock's finest offerings.


On Gypsy Ride Les toughened up even more. Alle Les Dudek is very funky and has great guitar playing a plenty. These records have all been released on Wounded Bird Records, and are easily available.


The sun is shining. Get a tan!

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Then...Again...Live! (2004)

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Another XM Satellite Radio broadcast. This time the 2004 Lynyrd Skynyrd line-up gives it a go at recreating their debut album (pronounced'leh-'nérd'skin-'nérd) live in the studio.
I'm not too wild about the 'new' Skynrd, but this I really love. Instead of their calculated southern boogie, here they really live music again. Like the band sounded with Ronnie, like friends. And for friends, not for marketing purpose!
I'm really not sure at all where I got both this show and the ABB show from. I think it was someone I found on DC++ hubs. Anyway, thanks to the one who made these available to begin with.
Cheers!

Please note: there are some encoding issues in the first half of Simple Man. It lasts approx. 10 seconds. Otherwise it's fine.

Allman And Woman - Two The Hard Way (1977)

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Gregg Allman married Cher and obviously had to make an album with his new wife. It was something else... Mocked and ridiculed by the press at that time, but how do we feel about it now?
I've always liked this album. Sure it's slick, it's sugary sweet and has nothing to do whatsoever with The Allman Brothers Band. It's soul with a bit of rock, some funk and really nice vocals. Look, I'm no Cher fan, but she pulls this off quite nicely. And I even enjoy their vocals together. They match to my ears. These are the kind of songs I would want to sing with my wife!
This is the 128 kbps version. I also had the 320 kbps version (that's circulating in a Gregg Allman discography torrent), but this one definitely sounds far better. It's only love...

Atlanta Rhythm Section - Sleep With One Eye Open (1982)

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I thought this was a true find. It's the follow-up to Quinella, but it was never released. These are great sounding studio recordings! So how cool is this?
Anyway, besides its curiosity, this is a really nice album too. If you were hoping to something similar to Quinella, you're in luck. Quinella is one of my favorite ARS albums (I felt it sounded a lot more livelier than their other studio outings), and this makes for a nice pair. And boy, do I like a nice pair!

Law - Law (1975)

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When I learned about southern rock, around 1986, the genre had all but died. And it didn't look, at the time, it would ever resurge. As a matter of fact, it was hardly recognized as a genre at all. It was used for bands like Skynyrd and The Allmans, sure. But it was seen as a minor glitch in 70's musical development.
So at the time, when trying to find out about southern rock, I just checked all backs of interesting-looking album covers (with bearded long haired folks pictured) and basically buying anything released on Capricorn Records (eventhough a lot of non-southern rock they issued as well).
Nowadays it's easier, but you might miss a few good bands as well. Cause you gotta bear in mind that these 70's southern bands never set out to make 'southern rock'. That was just a label applied afterwards. And we know about those southern rock bands that actually had some success. But a lot of them just appeared and disappeared without a trace...
Like this band Law. Southern funk rock, hailing from Atlanta, Georgia. I guess they were heading for a similar style as Wild Cherry (Play That Funky Music, White Boy!), but Law never had their level of recognition. They released two more albums, which I have not heard but read about. From reading about them I make out that they were even more 'funk'. If anybody can get their hands on a good clean rip (at min. 192 kbps), please give it to me.
Back to this album: it's really cool. Get it. It's funk, it's soul but it's also very much southern rock. Released on the Atlanta based label GRC (General Recording Association), rather hard to find. It has some crackle, which I couldn't get rid of. You'll hear that when played through headphones. However, when played on your stereo all is good. Play it loud and have a drink on me!

Randall Bramblett - That Other Mile (1975)

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"That Other Mile" is Randall Bramblett's debut solo album. Already he had earned a reputation as an important sidekick to many of Southern Rock's greats, like Gregg Allman and loads of Capricorn recording artists. But Here he gets a chance to do all the shining himself. And he does. This is one of those albums that you (I, really) just can't find anything wrong with. Slightly laid back and definitely groovy, it's a peach! Randall wrote some songs on this album that would be covered by the likes of Beaverteeth. You reckon you're gonna pass this by? I bet you caint..