CI:G\RATULAT!Txs to OUR SOUTHERN BROTHE on THEIR 25TH ANNIVEARY

$CI:G\RATULAT!Txs to OUR SOUTHERN BROTHE on THEIR 25TH ANNIVEARY$ me BILLBOARD IIdTSRYIZW throw ideas out, and we weed 'em out real quick between Continued from page LS -16 Gary and Johnny especially; they can tell if it's sounding like a Skynyrd lick or not. So we get rid of the stuff that think this music wears drummers out. This lineup is it. doesn't fit immediately, focus on the stuff that is the Wilkeson: Sometimes I think we should call the band Skynyrd lick, work on those. We have so many ideas that Skynal Tap. it's not hard to do that. Van Zant: In the past, since I've been in the band, Medlocke: Gary and I had written songs before, in the some of the members didn't get along together that well. early days, but the four of us had never written together. Being a team is essential. That's why they call it a band, it's Gary was in Skynyrd, Johnny and Hughie and I had our a teamwork thing. If somebody's not picking up the ball, own bands, each guy collectively successful. We didn't somebody else gets it. know how to start. I would try to come up with a chorus As the new drummer in the group, were you a and an idea on guitar. Hughie and Gary would play ideas, Skynyrd fan? and we all picked up on each other and cut our own little McAllister: It's unAmerican not to like niche while we did it. I put myself in what I call Lynyrd Skynyrd. I was with Hank Williams Jr. "the Lynyrd Skynyrd frame of mind." for three tours. In 1995, we toured with Van Zant: It's taken a while for me to fit into Skynyrd, and I got to know Johnny and Leon a Lynyrd Skynyrd. Hopefully, it only gets better. little. Hank is liable to throw in a couple of The writing thing is starting to come around, Lynyrd Skynyrd songs in his sets -"Sweet Home especially with this lineup, with Rickey and Alabama," "Gimme Three Steps" -you really Hughie, myself and Gary. We have a blast writing have to be on your toes, you never know what together. We just got through writing four songs he's gonna throw at you. Johnny and Leon went down in Nashville. We've got one called out to hear me play a couple of times, and, when "Workin, "' another called "Big Brother." their last drummer spontaneously combusted, "Workin'" is just about getting up and doing it they gave me a call. Playing with Lynyrd every day, no matter what; we all work. "Big Skynyrd is physically taxing on the drummers, Brother" is about, hell, you can't sneeze these it's a workout. You've got to hit 'em as hard as days without somebody knowing about it, there's you possibly can, which I do every night. You a camera or something. have to go for the throat. I've always been compared to Ronnie 'cause The new songs you've been writing fit we're all from the same family. It's always been right into the Skynyrd mold. around us, all my life, and every song I've ever Thomasson: One of the things that was dis- written has always had a message to it. I think cussed is that we had to maintain the Lynyrd that's the one cool thing about Skynyrd, a mes- Skynyrd sound. Even though we had two other sage in a song. guitar players, like Rickey and myself from two Rossington: We've been out on the road other dominant bands like Blackfoot and the with some bands who've been around for a Outlaws, we'll forget about Blackfoot and the while. They don't look the same, they don't play Outlaws. This is Skynyrd. That's how we dealt the same, they don't sound the same. We're real with that, and that was the right way to do it. We proud of ourselves because we're still there. focused totally on Skynyrd, went back and lis- Everybody knows it's not Ronnie and Allen and tened to the old stuff, refamiliarized ourselves Steve anymore, it's Johnny and Rickey and with the style of the band, talked about it and Hughie, and they're coming to see us, they're wrote the songs with that understanding. And, if coming to see this band. It ain't new Skynyrd to it didn't sound like Skynyrd, boy, it got tossed me, it's just the continuation of Skynyrd. Johnny right away. took Ronnie's place, but Ronnie would have We work really hard at writing new material. The band in 1994. Front: Mike Estes, Johnny Van Zant, Leon Wilkeson. loved that. He's been with me longer than We all sit down with an open mind, and we all Back: Ed King, Gary Rossington, Billy Powell, Owen Hale Continued on page LS -20 CI:G\RATULAT!tXS TO OUR SOUTHERN BROTHE ON THEIR 25TH ANNIVEARY LS-18 BILLBOARD SALUTE BILLBOARD DECEMBER 5, 1998 www.americanradiohistory.com.

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