Lynyrd Skynyrd’s fan base continued to grow rapidly throughout 1973, largely due to their opening slot on the Who’s Quadrophenia tour in the United States. Their 1974 follow-up, Second Helping, featuring King, Collins and Rossington all collaborating with Van Zant on the songwriting, cemented the band’s breakthrough. Its single, “Sweet Home Alabama”
271 Lynyrd Skynyrd – Pronounced (Lĕh-‘Nérd ‘Skin-‘Nérd)
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One response to “271 Lynyrd Skynyrd – Pronounced (Lĕh-‘Nérd ‘Skin-‘Nérd)”
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From Wikipedia:
[Begin Quote] In return for avoiding prison following his guilty plea to DUI manslaughter, Collins would be wheeled out onstage each night to explain to the audience why he could no longer perform [End Quote]
So to avoid going to prison for manslaughter for killing his girlfriend in a drunk driving accident, his paralyzed-from-the-neck-down ass had to be wheeled out on stage and tell 20,000 drunk rednecks not to drink and drive while they shouted “woo!” and “Free Bird!” and their sister/girlfriends sitting on their shoulders flashed their tits?! Goddam I love the South!
Look, I don’t know about whether this band was racist or whether Neil Young put down his maple syrup-infused cocaine long enough to decide if he wanted to be friends with them or not. I only know when something rocks, and this album rocks.
I had the majority of these songs played at me on repeat by Rock 101 WROQ – where it’s always a Southern county fairgrounds in 1978, forever! – for most of my teenage years, and I can still appreciate that this music is solid and fun and brings together a bunch of influences in a compelling and fresh way.
I’m sure that Skynyrd were deeply flawed in any number of different ways – just like every other rock band – but in the early to mid-70’s, they fucking had it. This album is all the proof you could ever need of that.
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