"I said, 'Other people can write songs, let's see if I can.' So the first 400 or 500 wound up on the floor somewhere. Then I wrote one called 'Melissa'." - Gregg Allman, from BrainyQuote®
Almost forty years after it was recorded, a well-known Allman Brothers show from the Nassau Coliseum is set to be released. Without Duane, the band still shined, though not as brightly.
New Allman music
The Allman Brothers Band has finally decided to issue the recording from a now famous Nassau Coliseum performance that’s been floating around as a bootleg for four decades.
On Feb. 12, 2013, a collection of songs from that little old band from Georgia’s May 1st, 1973 live appearance at Nassau Coliseum will officially go on sale for the first time.
According to an article published Jan. 25, 2013, “Allman Brothers Band Releasing Two New Archival Concert Albums in February” by ABC Radio News, “The Allman’s lineup featured at this show saw the addition of future Rolling Stones touring keyboardist Chuck Leavell and new bass player Lamar Williams, who had joined the group after Oakley died in November '72.”
Note that Oakley is a reference to bass player Berry Oakley, an original member of the ABB who was killed in a motorcycle accident one year after Duane Allman’s death. In a strange twist, Oakley met his demise near the same spot that Duane lost his life, also from a motorcycle mishap.
What’s so special?
The set list from May 1, 1973 contains most of the Allman Brother’s classics, among them “Whipping Post,” “Midnight Rider,” “Statesboro Blues” and a tight version of “Mountain Jam.”
Also included are the gems “Come and Go Blues," "Wasted Words," "Jessica" and "Ramblin' Man," from their monster selling “Brothers and Sisters” album which hadn’t yet come out. It seems the ABB treated Coliseum goers that night to a preview of some of their best selling songs.
No stranger to Long Island
Gregg Allman and company were and still are Coliseum favorites. The Hittin' the Web With the Allman Brothers Band website indicates the group performed at the Nassau Coliseum 11 times between April 1973 and Dec. 1981.
Duane would have loved the Allman Brothers Coliseum legacy.
Also arriving on Feb. 12 is an ABB concert from Feb. 11, 1972 at the City Auditorium in Macon, Georgia which includes Berry Oakley but obviously not Duane.
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