ARTIMUS PYLE INTERVIEW - 24 October 1977 (4 Days After The Plane Crash)

[YellowSnow]

They said that album came out about four days before the crash. The record company quickly redid the cover to remove the flames.

Correct.

I always wonder how it would have played out for Skynyrd if the crash had not occurred. The first 2 albums are all timers, but the last three were all somewhat mediocre. Two or three greats tacks on each combined with some filler. They seemed to be trending downward.

In retrospect, this has been my take as well. 76 was their high water mark for me, and that was when I started to get into them. That was when the live album came out (which still stands up today big time), and when they blew the Stones away at Knebworth. IMO, the last few albums were over-produced. It took the rawness out, which is what made them, for me.

From many accounts, Ronnie was getting his shit together, and working on the rest of them to do the same.

The Stones were never on the Mt Rushmore of live bands. I would have rather seen Skynyrd live in '76 than the Stones in the same time period.

 

[Fishpo31]

They said that album came out about four days before the crash. The record company quickly redid the cover to remove the flames.

Correct.

I always wonder how it would have played out for Skynyrd if the crash had not occurred. The first 2 albums are all timers, but the last three were all somewhat mediocre. Two or three greats tacks on each combined with some filler. They seemed to be trending downward.

In retrospect, this has been my take as well. 76 was their high water mark for me, and that was when I started to get into them. That was when the live album came out (which still stands up today big time), and when they blew the Stones away at Knebworth. IMO, the last few albums were over-produced. It took the rawness out, which is what made them, for me.

From many accounts, Ronnie was getting his shit together, and working on the rest of them to do the same.

The Stones were never on the Mt Rushmore of live bands. I would have rather seen Skynyrd live in '76 than the Stones in the same time period.

Point taken, my reference was more that the "up and comer" upstaged the "established act", albeit an act that was morphing into its third version, weighted down by dope, booze and fame, and about to be crowned "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band"...Skynyrd was established, but not on the same level as the Stones, IMO...