Conference napalm::guitar

    As I mentioned in MUSIC, I'm a big-time fan of theirs.
    
    Got about 20 mint (shrink-wrapped) copies of their first album
    (extremely rare) if anyone is interested.

    I saw them open for someone (Nazareth ??) about a decade ago. They
    struck me as sort of an "Outlaws wannabe" band, but they were OK.
    Probably the best surviving example of plain ol' Southern Rock, now
    that McCoy Tyner (Marshall Tucker Band) is no longer with us & 38 Special 
    have cut their hair.
    
    Paul  

    Actually, I think they've been around longer than the outlaws.  I also
    think their first record pre-dates the first Outlaws record.
    
    Most people think they are "Lynyrd Skynyrd wannabees" and it's
    interesting to note that the guitar player Ricky Medlocke used to 
    be in Skynyrd (playing drums!!!).  He's even on the cover of a LS
    album (I think the Blackfoot bass player was also in LS).
    
    People have often observed striking similarities between Blackfoot's
    "I Stand Alone" and Skynyrd's "Freebird".
    
    However, once again, I think "I Stand Alone" was released before
    "Freebird".
    
    Another song on the first Blackfoot album, "Stars", seems like a bitter
    poisoned arrow aimed at Lynyrd Skynyrd - seems to claim that they
    "stole" various things.
    
    	db

re: .2

>    that McCoy Tyner (Marshall Tucker Band) is no longer with us & 38 Special 
>    have cut their hair.
    
Last I heard, McCoy Tyner was still a jazz pianist (perhaps he's seen the
light and taken up rock guitar? :-).

Did you perhaps mean Toy Caldwell?

-Hal

    RE -1:
    Yikes ! That's the second time I've made that same mistake.
    As Dave Letterman would say, "Time to adjust the medication."
    
    Toy Caldwell,
    Toy Caldwell,
    Toy Boat.
    
    Sorry 'bout that.
    
    Paul  

    I saw them open up for Blue Oyster Cult in 1980 and they ripped (all in
    all, it was a great show all the way around, 'cause BOC sounded killer
    that night too!)  The only album of their's that I ever ended up
    getting was "Strikes" which I enjoyed a lot at the time ('78 or so...) 
    It sounds pretty dated to me now.
    
    Seems like the last time they blew through town they'd just done a new
    album (this is maybe a year or two ago) and I think the only remaining
    member of the original band was Ricky Matlock (I think that's the right
    spelling...).  I heard that their show was pretty decent (didn't make
    it myself), but I thought the material off the new album that they
    played on the radio was pretty lame.
    
    Greg

    Nope, it's usually spelled "Medlocke" or "Medlock".
    
    Interesting enough I'm pretty sure he's used both spellings on album
    covers.
    
    BTW, he is the grandson of "Shorty Medlock" whom your parents might
    know.  He was a fairly well known folks/blues singer way back when.
    
    Blackfoot has covered some of Shorty's tunes including "Train, Train"
    and "Railroad Man".   Shorty has also appeared on several Blackfoot
    albums.
    
    	db

    Hey that's cool that they did some of his father's songs and had him
    play with 'em!
    
    Greg

    Yo db,
    
    I'll try to get the latest lowdown on these guys tonight. Too bad 
    you couldn't get those shrink-wrapped albums to me... I could get them
    autographed for ya... Even though being an opening act is not the most
    glamorous gig in the world, this was one we couldn't turn down.
    
    /Billy_K
    
    PS - if any of you Colorado Springs noters want to go tonight,
          let me know... I'll get you on the guest list.

    I'm not an autograph hound myself - I don't even have a Steve Morse
    autograph even though I've met the many times, including two weeks
    ago - but might have upped the resale value.
    
    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
    
    	db
    
    p.s.  I lied, technically I have two Steve Morse autographs.  One
    	  on the headstock of my Steve Morse model guitar, the other on 
          his first instructional cassette tape.
    
    	  However, the autographs came with those.
    
    	  Actually I wouldn't mind an autograph on the back of my guitar.

    db, let me know if you really want Morse's autograph.  I have one and
    can't give it away ;-)

    I hear even his handwriting is emotionless...

    Tumeniletters
    
    Edd

>    db, let me know if you really want Morse's autograph.  I have one and
>    can't give it away ;-)
    
    Maybe you shouldn't have asked him to sign your butt.  ;-)

    No, my wife branded me there.

    
    Well, I wasn't all that impressed with Blackfoot (although it was cool
    to open up for them and schmooze with the great and near-great). They
    played OK but nothing inspirational. Their sound-man should be sent to
    a clinic for the hearing-impaired. Their sound was just an
    excrutiatingly loud, indistinct rumble. The lead guitarist "looked"
    like he was playing the hell out his ax, but it was almost impossible
    to pick out "what" he was playing. Luckily, we used the guy who
    actually owned all the PA gear to run sound for us (and what a
    refreshing change to be able to hear oneself in the monitiors...
    could really get spoiled with that!!) Also, I don't know who actually
    wrote what first, but the "arrangement" for "Highway Song" was 
    virtually identical in many aspects to "Freebird" (especially the
    extended ending).
    
    /Billy_K
    

re: .16

>    Their sound-man should be sent to
>    a clinic for the hearing-impaired. 

Unfortunately, I find this to be an all-too-common occurrence nowadays.
It's even *worse* for acoustic acts...not only are the sound-dudes deaf,
but they have no idea how to handle acoustic instruments.

Many times I've thought, "Geez, I should go into the sound reinforcement
business.  I couldn't *possibly* do worse than that guy!"

-Hal

    RE last couple:
    "Highway Song" was their big hit from what I recall, but at the time I
    thought it sounded like an LS ripoff. If it's the other way around,
    maybe Blackfoot ought to be inducted into the Hall of Fame or
    something. FWIW, for years I couldn't even listen to "Free Bird"
    because I got so burned out on it when it was being played....&
    played....& played.
    
    I run sound for an acoustic coffeehouse once a month (It's part of my
    12 step program for recovering metal heads.) & I get to see & hear a
    lot of different types of performers. Their understanding of the
    technology & their degree of interest in perfection tends to vary
    widely. In the last couple of years there's been a definite trend
    towards more use of electronics (DI boxes, Preamps, on-stage signal
    processors, etc.) & I often get the distinct impression that some of
    these people are just learning about this stuff because "It's the first
    time they've been able to afford a gadget, & all you need is a guitar
    for folk music anyhow." but because of their "legendary reputation",
    feel the need to be absolutely dictatorial about the ways it is used.
    The technology may have simply outrun Blackfoot's "sound man" to the
    point where simply having a bigger budget than the average local band
    isn't enough to get by.
    
    Paul

    So Billy, you were gonna tell me whose in the band now???
    
    BTW, I don't remember "Highway Song" as being "Freebird" like.
    
    The song that always get compared to "Freebird" (although "Freebird"
    should be compare to it) is "I Stand Alone".
    
    	db

    I LOVE BLACKFOOT !!!!!
    
    I have every single album they ever did...including Rick Medlocke's
    " solo " one and the latest one,  "medicine Man "....
    
    Rick's  a heck of a guitarist and vocalist.... AWESOME !!!!
    
    Never got to see 'em live, tho'.
    
    I must admit that the New Blackfoot line-up isn't as good as the
    original.... ( Rick, Jakson, Charlie, and Greg )....but, I love 'em
    anyway. :-)

    Blackfoot has a new album?
    
    How new?
    
    	db

    1992 or 1993....It's called MEDICINE MAN....  & Ricky is the only 
    original BLACKFOOT member left in the band.
    
    It's a good album, but it's kinda Metal.....not as good as the
    southern-rock stuff.

    Oh YES....
    
    I also forgot to mention that BLACKFOOT has a new Greatest Hits album
    out in the stores....It was released last year.....
    
    It's called,  " Rattlesnake Rock N' Rock....The Very Best Of
    Blackfoot."
    
    It's got all the old stuff, plus a couple of LIVE versions of some 
    songs... ( Recorded in Glascow, Scotland...I believe.  In front of
               a VERY rowdy crowd :-)  )
    
    It's really great...I have absolutely no regrets buying it. :-)
    
                             *** Kathy ***

    OOOOPS !!! I meant " Rattlesnake Rock n' ROLL "....not  ' Rock n' 
                                                               Rock'....
    
    Duh....Sorry....got carried away....%-{                                                                                                 
    

    I was pleasantly surprised to see that CDNOW (an web-based music store)
    has a bunch of Blackfoot (and Good Rats) albums on CD that I had no
    idea were available as CDs.
    
    It's almost like being back at Mother's in West Orange, NJ in the 70's
    on a Friday night!
    
    	db

    I wonder if Ricky & the boys intend on doing a club tour any time soon.
    
    I'd do ANYTHING to be able to go and see 'em.
    
    Anyone out there heard anything ?