GUITAR: Gary Rossington
KEYBOARDS: Billy Powell
BASS: Ean Evans
GUITAR: Rickey Medlocke
VOCALS: Johnny VanZant
DRUMS: Michael Cartellone
BACKGROUND VOCALS: Dale Krantz Rossington & Carol Chase
WEBSITE:
Lynyrd
Skynyrd
The VanZants
|
HITS:
1974 Sweet Home Alabama
1975 Free Bird
1975 Saturday Night Special
1976 Double Trouble
1978 What's Your Name
1978 You Got That Right
1987 Truck Drivin' Man
1991 Keeping the Faith
1991 Smokestack Lightning
1993 Good Lovin's Hard to Find
1999 Workin' for MCA
2003 Red White and Blue
Also:
Tuesday's Gone
Simple Man
Gimme Three Steps
3 Top 10 Albums
4 Top 20 Albums |
2005
Lynyrd Skynyrd has endured, despite all odds,
through death and disaster, as the signature rock group of America's
working people. It is no accident that any popular contemporary band
that uses electric guitars owes a huge debt to Skynyrd, a debt almost
always freely acknowledged. Musicians as diverse as Kid Rock, Metallica
and Travis Tritt pledge allegiance to the Skynyrd sound, and a new wave
of hard rocking youngsters values Lynyrd Skynyrd above all else.
Skynyrd's ability to constantly rekindle its creative fires following
tragedy is a testament to the indomitable spirit that has surrounded
the band since its inception, and has largely defined Lynyrd Skynyrd
over the years. The legendary singer/songwriter Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist
Steve Gaines and vocalist Cassie Gaines died in the infamous 1977 plane
crash that ended the band's initial run. Guitarist Allen Collins survived
the plane crash only to suffer paralysis and, eventually, death in a
tragic car accident. And most recently the band lost bassist Leon Wilkeson,
who died during the making of Vicious Cycle. Yet once again Lynyrd Skynyrd
found the determination to continue working as well as a way to perpetuate
its greatness, and Vicious Cycle may well be the greatest Skynyrd album
since the band's classic lineup.
"It's been a long time comin'," philosophized
Ronnie's younger brother, Johnny Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd's latest
offering. Having taken over the duty of lead vocalist in 1987, Johnny
has grown into the role of fronting the band so well that Lynyrd Skynyrd
has truly become the central part of his identity.
"We've hit on a combination of old style Skynyrd, with new style
Skynyrd, with commercial Skynyrd," Johnny said with a laugh. "We've
got that hard rockin' country thing going full blast on this one."
Lynyrd Skynyrd has always been an arsenal of determination, articulation,
personality and, above all else, guitar prowess. With Gary Rossington,
one of the greatest guitarists in rock history, Lynyrd Skynyrd's stellar
guitar lineup also features Blackfoot's Rickey Medlocke. Keyboardist
Billy Powell contributes melodic touches that add a stark beauty to the
band's sound. Drummer Michael Cartellone gives the rhythm section a thunderous
kick.
Though Leon Wilkeson’s passing in July 2001 of natural causes
was tragic and untimely, it is one element that furthers the meaning
of the album’s title. Wilkeson was known for his huge sound and
the outlandish collection of hats he wore on stage. “Mad Hatter" is
the band's tribute to its fallen member.
"That's about brother Leon," singer Johnny Van Zant explained. "God
broke the mold when he built him. He survived the plane crash and we
always used to kid him, called him the Mad Hatter and the Cat in the
Hat because he had nine lives."
Wilkeson had recorded a couple of tracks, “Lucky Man” and
The Way,” for the album before he passed, and Skynyrd fans had
heard him play the latter and “Funked Up” in live performance.
"We've done “Funked Up” and “The Way” live
and they both got a great response," Johnny noted. "The people
really loved “The Way.” They were coming up to us and saying
they can't wait to hear it on record. The eerie thing is that the song
talks about passing on to the other side and how things are so screwed
up in general and it was the last song Leon played on.”
The band completed Vicious Cycle with Ean Evans, on bass.
"Ean's a trouper," said Johnny. "He
and Leon were good friends. Leon had a few problems toward the end
and Ean would fill in for him when he couldn't make the gigs. Ean's
one of us. He's from Mississippi. He's a talented guy and a great person.
God bless Leon, he's gone now but he would have wanted us to keep going
and we will."
Having come full circle through all the hardships
-- death, illness, departure, disagreements, exhaustion -- that Lynyrd
Skynyrd knows so well, they channeled their life experiences into powerful
and emotive songs for this aptly named album. "Life's Lessons" offers pointed
advice about self-assuredness and hindsight. "...You think you know
it all/but you're heading for a fall/to make it back again/you'll have
to crawl....when we look back and see what we've done will we be proud
or ashamed....is this another life's lesson too late?" sings Johnny
on the song.
On the flip side, not only does the band express
the uncertainty of the cards life may deal a person, but also Lynyrd
Skynyrd addresses free will in "Hell or Heaven.” Johnny noted, “You
can choose your own hell, or heaven on earth. That hell could be drugs
or it could be being married to the wrong woman or whatever. If you
lay with dogs you're gonna get fleas."
From "Sweet Home Alabama" to "Saturday Night Special," Skynyrd
always has been known for tackling controversial subjects head on, and
the fierce "Dead Man Walking" is squarely in that tradition.
"We just love that groove," said Johnny. "It's
old Skynyrd with new heavy guitars. Gary is just ripping on that one.
It's about somebody doing a kid wrong, the parents finding out and
avenging it with vigilante justice. It's hard to say you wouldn't do
the same thing if you were in their place."
Similarly, "Jake" tells a story of a father's
white-hot anger after catching his daughter and her beau in the throes
of passion. The couple runs, but the angered, gun-waiving father catches
up to the couple and fires the gun. Indeed someone dies, but it is
the father, not Jake.
Another hot point addressed on Vicious Cycle is
the brewing hostility between the U.S. and the Middle East: "Got our heads stuck in something
overseas/Standin' ass deep in hypocrisy," read the lyrics on "The
Way."
Not only focusing on tragedy and controversy, Lynyrd
Skynyrd also draws on their blue collar roots for musical inspiration.
They've always been known as one of the hardest working bands in history,
having exploded onto the scene in the 1970’s and playing approximately
300 dates each year. Lynyrd Skynyrd doesn't know how to take it easy
-- through any and all lumps life has offered Lynyrd Skynyrd, they
have not given up or even slowed down.
Few bands have made as spectacular an entrance as
did Skynyrd in 1973, and aside from their music, another distinguishing
factor was Skynyrd's audience. While virtually all of the band's contemporaries
were writing to a suburban people, Lynyrd Skynyrd fiercely promoted
the values of its heritage, the values of America's workers. The band's
hometown of Jacksonville truly was a blue collar town, and Ronnie,
Donnie and Johnny Van Zant learned the value of hard work from family
patriarch Lacy Van Zant. Ronnie was a master at articulating these
values in Skynyrd's songs and Johnny has grown into the role so well
that he's actually brought the group to another level. The new album
is packed with working class anthems like "That's How I like It," "Pick'em Up," and "Sweet
Mama."
"Our fans are country folks, they like the basics," Johnny
explained. "They're not afraid of dirt, they know how to work with
their hands. If you've got a good car and a good woman you can be happy.
Life has gotten so complicated that a lot of people have lost sight of
the fact that the simple things are the best things. We came from a basic
family. Our father was a working man. Our mother was a housewife. We
didn't live the high life. Sure, these days we buy our own cars, but
we still live a basic life."
Johnny and Donnie collaborated on a powerful tribute
to the family's roots with "Red, White & Blue," an unapologetic celebration
of the American working class. "My hair's turning white, my neck's
always been red, my collar's still blue," goes the chorus. In a
wonderful nod to Merle Haggard that Ronnie would have loved, the boys
pay tribute to their parents. "I've driven by the White House, but
spent some time in jail/My momma cried, but still wouldn't pay my bail."
Skynyrd has always managed to balance its kickass
party anthems with messages that offer solace against life's troubles
and hope for a better future. "The Way" touches on an inspirational theme that ranks
with one of the band's most enduring songs, "Free Bird."
Music has always carried Lynyrd Skynyrd through life's cycles, and the
band aims for their album Vicious Cycle to reflect that and to do so
for others as well.
"I hope we can help some people through their bad times with our
music," said Johnny. "That's what music's all about anyway.
Music has brought me through some really dark times in my life and I
hope this record can bring some other people through their bad times."
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