Read Online One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band by Paul Alan - Free Book Online
Book: One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band by Paul Alan
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Authors: Paul Alan
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“Ahmet and Jerry are really enthusiastic and feel this band has promise.” I said, “Fine, let’s bring them up.”
LANDAU: Phil actually told me about the Allman Brothers and asked for help in getting them some exposure in the Northeast. I recommended them to Don, saying, “This guy Duane Allman is great. I don’t know the band, but I’m sure it’s very good.”
They were still totally unknown up there when they played the Tea Party. Phil came up and he got Frank Barsalona, the head of Premier Talent, which was the rock and roll agency, to come up to check them out, which was something he did quite often. Phil wanted them to have that kind of agent.
LAW: We had them come up as support and the first thing available was the two nights with the Velvet Underground. It was not a great musical fit, but the Velvets were very popular in Boston, so we did get them a weekend in front of two sold-out crowds.
LANDAU: It wasn’t them at their best. It didn’t click. I knew when the set was going on that it was good but not great—that they could do better. I had led Frank and Don to believe that they were going to be knocked on their asses and it wasn’t happening.
Afterwards, Frank, Phil, Don, and I went out. Frank was a great diplomat, with a very smooth style. Phil was a likably egotistical guy who believed in himself and had a charming way. Frank was saying that he sees potential but it’s not quite there. He said, “Why don’t I see what other shows I can get for them while they’re up here?” They are going round and round and Phil was slightly defeated. Then he just said, “I would like you to work with this band. Do you want to or not?” Frank was not the kind of guy people spoke to in that way. I was amazed—both taken back and impressed—at how direct Phil was.
Wanting to put them on a more appropriate bill, Law booked the Allman Brothers Band for three nights opening for Dr. John on June 19–21. Unable to afford lodging, the band took over a squat, with many members also staying with Law at his apartment. Law, who has remained a major lynchpin of the Boston music scene for 40-plus years, helped the Allmans establish themselves in the market by playing free shows at the Boston and Cambridge commons during the long wait between Tea Party gigs.
JAIMOE: We stayed some nights at the crib of the promoter, sleeping on the floor, on whatever beds he had. A lot of it was just sitting up all night talking and listening to records. That’s basically what we did wherever we went—them playing records for us and us playing records for them.
LAW: It was really exhilarating. I think it’s the only band that I had live in my apartment. I certainly had friendly relationships with most bands we presented, but this was different and it was one of the great experiences of my life. We were all young and ready for anything and fueled by passion for the music.
JAIMOE: The way we lived, going around meeting all these great people who loved music like we did and sitting up listening and rapping about it, it was just the greatest thing in the world, man. It was like having your masters degree and you’re working on your PhD—and you’re doing it with Einstein. That was the Allman Brothers Band. We just hadn’t got there yet. We were on the path, but we hadn’t figured out what E = MC 2 was.
LAW: One night they all got the itch to rehearse in the middle of the night and wanted to get into the club but couldn’t find me. Someone got the brilliant idea to go over to [progressive rock radio station] WBCN and put out an All Points Bulletin for me. They got the on-air guy to announce that the Allman Brothers Band was looking for Don Law, this is an APB, please meet them at the club. And it worked! Someone I knew heard it and found me and I met them and unlocked the club for them to rehearse.
TRUCKS: We had taken some kind of poison and we were up raging all night long. We were squatting in a real slum, with no
LANDAU: Phil actually told me about the Allman Brothers and asked for help in getting them some exposure in the Northeast. I recommended them to Don, saying, “This guy Duane Allman is great. I don’t know the band, but I’m sure it’s very good.”
They were still totally unknown up there when they played the Tea Party. Phil came up and he got Frank Barsalona, the head of Premier Talent, which was the rock and roll agency, to come up to check them out, which was something he did quite often. Phil wanted them to have that kind of agent.
LAW: We had them come up as support and the first thing available was the two nights with the Velvet Underground. It was not a great musical fit, but the Velvets were very popular in Boston, so we did get them a weekend in front of two sold-out crowds.
LANDAU: It wasn’t them at their best. It didn’t click. I knew when the set was going on that it was good but not great—that they could do better. I had led Frank and Don to believe that they were going to be knocked on their asses and it wasn’t happening.
Afterwards, Frank, Phil, Don, and I went out. Frank was a great diplomat, with a very smooth style. Phil was a likably egotistical guy who believed in himself and had a charming way. Frank was saying that he sees potential but it’s not quite there. He said, “Why don’t I see what other shows I can get for them while they’re up here?” They are going round and round and Phil was slightly defeated. Then he just said, “I would like you to work with this band. Do you want to or not?” Frank was not the kind of guy people spoke to in that way. I was amazed—both taken back and impressed—at how direct Phil was.
Wanting to put them on a more appropriate bill, Law booked the Allman Brothers Band for three nights opening for Dr. John on June 19–21. Unable to afford lodging, the band took over a squat, with many members also staying with Law at his apartment. Law, who has remained a major lynchpin of the Boston music scene for 40-plus years, helped the Allmans establish themselves in the market by playing free shows at the Boston and Cambridge commons during the long wait between Tea Party gigs.
JAIMOE: We stayed some nights at the crib of the promoter, sleeping on the floor, on whatever beds he had. A lot of it was just sitting up all night talking and listening to records. That’s basically what we did wherever we went—them playing records for us and us playing records for them.
LAW: It was really exhilarating. I think it’s the only band that I had live in my apartment. I certainly had friendly relationships with most bands we presented, but this was different and it was one of the great experiences of my life. We were all young and ready for anything and fueled by passion for the music.
JAIMOE: The way we lived, going around meeting all these great people who loved music like we did and sitting up listening and rapping about it, it was just the greatest thing in the world, man. It was like having your masters degree and you’re working on your PhD—and you’re doing it with Einstein. That was the Allman Brothers Band. We just hadn’t got there yet. We were on the path, but we hadn’t figured out what E = MC 2 was.
LAW: One night they all got the itch to rehearse in the middle of the night and wanted to get into the club but couldn’t find me. Someone got the brilliant idea to go over to [progressive rock radio station] WBCN and put out an All Points Bulletin for me. They got the on-air guy to announce that the Allman Brothers Band was looking for Don Law, this is an APB, please meet them at the club. And it worked! Someone I knew heard it and found me and I met them and unlocked the club for them to rehearse.
TRUCKS: We had taken some kind of poison and we were up raging all night long. We were squatting in a real slum, with no
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