Product: Allman Brothers Band: Brothers of the Road [VHS] (1985)
Rating: 3.0
Allman Brothers Minus fast slide guitar licks
This is a pretty good concert VHS. It show the transition of the Allman Bros. Band. What became of the sound after Duanne died. Butch Trucks didn't even dare use the slide techs that Duanne did and can't even come close to the great sound Warren Haynes added to the band later. Thus the ultimate sound of the Allman Bros. is missing something here. Although they keep their style, missing is the fast licks and slide guitar jams between Duanne and Betts. Trucks couldn't even come close if he wanted to. I don't think he wanted to. Here we have a fresh approach to the band. A bit slower and mellow sound. The best album from this era of the Allman Bros. is "From The Madness Of The West". A great album with some great tunes on it. "Pegusus" is a great tune that captures a great jam session. "So Long" is another awesome song from Greg Allman yet never got the airplay like the hits "Jessica" or "Melissa". However, this VHS concert doesn't feature any of the songs from that great album.Alltogether, if your a Allman Bros. fan, this is a decent one to rent and check out before buying. The best I can describe this era of the Allman Bros. Band is: The Allman Brothers minus Duanne or Warren's slide jams. Not much compitition between Betts and Trucks. Betts keeps the guitars alive in this one but without the partner slide jams, it's not the orginal Allman Bros. sound IMO. This version of the Allman Bros. couldn't do a version of "In Memory of Eliz Reed" even if they attepmted to try. Butch Trucks IMO wasn't the greatest guitar player. His son Derek is way better today than his Dad could ever dream of. Derek is the only piece IMO (besides Greg Allman & Warren Hayes) holding the old Betts sound together.