http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005 by the authors Thu, 19 Aug 2004 19:07:26 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/08/19/132036.php#comment-80424 Track down a copy of the New Skynyrd's Endangered Species if it isn't out of print. Oddly enough, some of these unplugged versions ring truer than the originals. Is it possible that all those electric guitar solos were a distraction to what are basically good, solid rock songs? Of course the content & emotional spectrum (i.e., cryin', lovin', leavin') is either narrow or focused, depending on your love of southern rock, but it is consistent for the genre. Good guitar players are a dime a dozen nowadays, but mystique is still hard to come by, and Skynyrd, for whatever reason, still has a lot of mystique and consequently a lot of appeal. 80424@blogcritics.org Thu, 19 Aug 2004 19:07:26 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/08/19/132036.php#comment-80380 Freebird as "The South's National Anthem" does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Yes, the "Sweet Home Alabama" business has been way overdone. VH-1's Uncivil War certainly help propel some of the myths including the Neil Young vs Ronnie Van Zant. Here's a link with more on "Sweet Home Alabama": http://www.thrasherswheat.org/jammin/lynyrd.htm As for me? Well I think neil & Ronnie got along just fine. The Drive By Truckers Southern Rock Opera has a nice way of making the myth even bigger. 80380@blogcritics.org Thu, 19 Aug 2004 16:06:41 EDT