How Lynyrd Skynyrd Zoomed Skyward

The name came as a play on their high school gym teacher, Leonard Skinner who had a reputation for not tolerating long hair on his students “Free Bird,” a guitar orgy from their first album produced by Al Kooper, became an FM radio staple in 1974 Then Skynyrd recorded “Sweet Home Alabama ‘ a pro-South song in reaction to Neil Young’s derogatory “Southern Man ” In spite of the image that song created, the boys aren’t rednecks, and have even moved Young to jam with them But the song broadened their following The past year has seen Lynyrd Skynyrd go from second billing to headlining arena shows.A song like “Free Bird” can run up to 15 minutes with the guitarists building one lick on top of the next. “It wasn’t always like that,” Skynyrd publicist Toby Mamis explained. “Back when they were playing bars six nights a week they needed something so Ronnie could rest his voice before he lost it so the guitarists would stretch the instrumental sections out as long as possible ”

“I was used to playing clubs for a few hundred people said Gaines as he stroked his goatee which mangy at close range, but gives him a distinguished look on stage. “It was strange going In front of 9,001 people to jam with a group I’d never played with before,” he laughed. “The song was Jimmie Rodgers’ ‘T for Texas.’ I considered it a real honor when they asked me to join the baud. They had their choice of the best guitarists in the country.  Being tagged a Southern Rock band doesn’t bother the Skynyrds “Sure there’s a definite Allman Brothers influence in our music just like there is a definite Jimi Hendrix influence in most rock guitarists But we’re not trying to copy the Allmans or anyone else Besides, we’re from Jacksonville and not Macon like a lot of others.’ Gaines said Gaines, Allen Collins and Gary Rossington share lead guitar chores, but it is a much different approach they take than the standard set by Dickey Betts and the late Duane Allman in the Allman Brothers band. Where Betts and Allman took turns working out improvised lines during a song the-Skynyrd guitarists stick close to the same notes every show there is less improvisation but impressive display of split-second timing as one guitarist solos, then duels with the next until the third adds a counterpoint part the energy built up in such arrangements is one reason why fans come back again and again to watch the band.

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Steve Gaines, Artimus Pyle and Ronnie Van Zant

And if that’s not Impressive enough, consider this- Skynyrd’s New Year’s Eve show at the Oakland Coliseum arena was the largest holiday showtry.” Gaines’ lead guitar solo on “T for Texas” at the Coliseum show was one of the highlights. Gaines isn’t just a third guitarist, but takes many of the important solo spots, and is the only other musician with a lead vocal (on his own “Ain’t No Good Life”) besides pint-sized lead singer Ronnie Van Zant. ‘It’s the first time in Ronnie’s 12 years in the band that he’s let anyone else sing,” Gaines commented And what about the grueling pace the band keeps “I like one nighters,’ he said. “Time off the road is bad I like to be performing But the pace has slowed down since 1975 we take a few days off every once in a while ” After two more California shows, Skynyrd is heading west, to Hawaii, Japan and then England for a month “On stage the biggest challenge is to survive everything that gets thrown.” Gaines laughed At the Coliseum that included dodging firecrackers frisbees bottles and balloons offered up by some of The 1-1,500 fans “Last time we were in England The audience really threw us ” Gaines said “We’re used to people going wild, but over there at a huge outdoor festival, they all just sat there until the last song, then got up We thought they didn’t like it but they fooled us More conservative approach to music. After playing five nights a week they needed something so Ronnie could rest his voice before he lost it so the guitarists would stretch the instrumental sections out as long as possible ” At the end of the tour to England the band will prepare for the next album their contract with MCA Records calls for a record to be released May 1 Material has been unearthed dating from before their first album “But Ronne, Allen, Gary and I are going to Nassau ‘ Gaines said “To relax and see if we can come up with more new material So it could be an album of old things never released, or new songs, or a combination ” Along with Chicago, the Bay Area is the largest stronghold of Skynyrd fans in the world you can bet they’ll be back And you can bet that the next show again will be a quick sellout