CD.ALLEN COLLINS BAND. HERE THERE&BACK.83.EX LYNYRD+ROSSINGTON COLLINS BAND NEUF by ALLEN COLLINS BAND

This is a review of the re-mastered, 25th Anniversary, Special Limited Edition CD, featuring one of the greatest guitar players of all time, the legendary, late/great Allen Collins. In my opinion, Allen is definitely among the best guitar players of all time, including: Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Dickey Betts, Gary Rossington, James Burton and even Jimi Hendrix. However, it's difficult to compare guitarists, because they all have their own unique style. I loved Allen's Guitar Style of Playing. "Freebird" was his "Masterpiece" and it will be a treasure forever. It's included in the 500 songs that shaped Rock & Roll, by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I've been to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice, and I've seen "Freebird",listed in the top 500 songs that shaped Rock & Rock. Plus, I've seen Allen's autograph inscribed in the Hall of Fame Wall, very rightly deserved. Allen had his own unique style of guitar playing, he put everything he had into it. The Skynyrd guitar team of Allen Collins, Gary Rossington & Stevie Gaines will always be the best trio of guiatar players ever, as far as I'm concerned.This album contains some great Southern Rock, and features some great guitar playing by the late/great Allen Collins. This album contains Allen's last released recordings, and they are a real treasure. You do get to hear his very talented guitar playing, pretty much throughout the album. In the liner notes it mentions there is an Allen Collens guitar solo on track 7, "Chapter One", and it is very good. Also, you do get to hear some great piano playing by the late/great Billy Powell. This album was originally recorded around 1983-84, after the breakup of the Rossington-Collins Band. These bands were formed during the period from the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash date of October 20, 1977 and 1987 when Lynyrd Skynyrd reformed.This CD is highly valued as a rare collectible item, along with the 2 CD's by the Rossington Collins band.The liner notes to this CD gives you a history/story of the Allen Collins Band, and this album, plus it gives you a resume of each of the band members. They include:Barry Lee Harwood: guitar, from Lenoir, NCDerek Hess: Drums, Jacksonville, FLRandall Hall: guitar, Jacksonville, FLLeon Wilkeson: bass guitar, Jacksonville (original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd)Billy Powell: piano/keyboards, Corpus Christi, TX & Jacksonville, FL (a Skynyrd roadie who became a full fleged member of Lynyrd Skynyrd)Jimmy Doughery: Lead Vocals, Jacksonville, FLAllen Collins: Lead Guitar, Jacksonville FL (a founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd.)The songs include:1.Just Trouble2.One Known Soldier3.Hangin' Judge4.Time After Time5.This Rides On Me6.Ready to Move7.Chapter One8.Commitments9.Everything You NeedThis is a rare, classic, Southern Rock Album, featuring some excellent electric guitar play by the one & only, the legendary, the late/great Allen Collins. Allen will always be special in my mind. The rest of the band is outstanding also, especially Billy Powell on keyboards. This is one great album, if you get the chance you better buy one. Thanks!!!!

Great Southern Classic Rock, however, this CD does not sound "as Southern" as many others from this genre. The songs exhibit more of an AOR quality. The lyric writing and musicianship were great, especially for a first (and only) album. I really wish they would have recorded and released more material! I think this line-up was a better showcase than some of the other projects that came from other combinations of Lynyrd Skynyrd members. This is a great CD for classic Southern Rock, and classic AOR fans! Enjoy!

OMG hubby was so excited

you gotta be a Skynyrd fan to understand

If you can find it buy this album, great guitar playing

Very Rare Copy

A true collectors item, this contains great work by several of the ex-Skynyrd and ex-Rossington Collins Band members.

To me Southern Rock didn't die with tragic Skynyrd plane crash in 1977, it was just in it's prime. Jimmy Carter was President of the USA from 1976 - 1980 and the good old boy from the South everyone loved, likened to country and southern rock. By 1979 Southern Rock peaked with .38 Special, Molly Hatchet, Blackfoot, ARS all being successful. Lynyrd Skynrd were vying a comeback somehow, and the Allmans just got back together. At the dawn of the 80's, new crops were coming up...Doc Holliday and Van Zant were carrying the Southern Rock torch...the remaining members of Skynyrd regroup wisely in the female fronted band Rossington-Collins Band. After 2 albums of some commercial success the group splintered and by 1982 was done. So were the Allmans again, Blackfoot was near done, Artimus Pyle Band was over, Molly Hatchet was starting to turnover band members like no tomorrow, and .38 Special smartly new souther rock was dying, shifted towards more AOR/Commercial rock. By 1983 the remaining members of the RCB sans (Mr. and Mrs.) Rossington regrouped again, to form the Allen Collins Band. Filling in for Gary was Randall Hall and Jim Dougherty of Alias fame was on lead vocals. Actually the band Alias released one album in 1979 titled Contraband, and features many Skynyrd members performing on the album for the first time back since the tragic plane crash. The Allen Collins Band was actually going through alot of turmoil and trouble with Allen having lost his wife some time before and drug use was rampant in the band. However, the band, to me put out, in my opinion, the LAST greatest Southern Rock album of all time. This album is an unknown treasure, full of guitar solos, and some of Allen Collins best guitar work since the Skynyrd days. His solo in Chapter One is all the proof you need. Barry Harwood shines on This Rides On Me. Just Trouble and One Known Soldier both cook. Get this album, it is actually a miracle, given the band circumstances at the time, that it was ever made. Sadly most everyone playing on this, to date, has passed. RIP Allen Collins, Jimmy Dougherty, Billy Powell, and Leon Wilkeson. This is a fabulous album, and to me shines brightly. Enjoy.