The last real Molly Hatchet release with all original members was a live recording discovered from some archives in 1998, that they did at the Agora Ballroom in Atlanta in 1979. Live at the Agora 1979 was the official name. First mastered by George Marino at Sterling in 1999, than remastered by me at Steve Hollands request, because it was hypercompressed and had the crowd applause cut off at -8dB, going in and out of songs and one or two sections where Danny Joe would announce the song and than the 2 second pause, than crowd noise and than the song would play. The Marino version was released on Phoenix, my version has yet to be released, but talk of it going on Riff West's label. I think there is some litigation going on. No one in the band was aware that they were recorded that night. The band known as Molly Hatchet these days have no original members. Pat Armstrong their ex-manager wound up owning the name. Typical band winds up with nothing and the manager takes it all scenario. Another live album was released on Riff West's label plus a DVD from a concert that was recorded at Club La Vela in Orlando, around the time that Live at the Agora was first released. With Armstrong owning the name, the band went under the name the Dixie Jam Band, for the Riff West cd and DVD, also the same intitials as Danny Joe Brown, as he was recuperating from a stroke. That concert was a tribute to Danny Joe, everyone was there except for Banner Thomas who dubbed his bass in later on a few songs. That's the last cd that you'll be hearing Molly with all original members on. Riff West played bass on some songs and did the live performance. Jimmy Farrar who took DJB's place in Molly after he formed Danny Joe Brown band with ex Bounty Hunter members when he solo'd from Molly for a couple of years, sang most of the songs and they brought Danny Joe up for the last couple, he sang sitting down. Pat Travers band, one of the openers is also on the video, as are the Southern Rock Allstars. Sad to say Danny Joe passed away earlier this year. The remaining original members (Lubeck) was playing in the Southern Rock Allstars, I heard he's just left them though and a new band that just made their debut performance last March at Universal Studios, called Gator Country. Everyone but Lubeck and DJB in the Gator Country band and a new guitarist took Lubecks place named Linny Disse. Jimmy Farrar's singing lead and Riff West is playing bass with Steve Holland and Duane Roland also on guitars, Bruce Crump back on drums. Southern Rock Allstars are a pretty good band. Jimmy Johnson one of the old Muscle Shoals swamper's son Jay, is still playing with them. Unfortunately Jacky Spires who also played with Molly and Skynyrd for awhile died not long after Danny Joe, he was also playing with the Allstars at the time.
Allman Brothers last album, IIRC was Hitting The Note. This came out after Dickey left the band and was replaced by Derek Trucks who can sound like a reincarnation of Duane at times, when he's playing slide. They actually sound closer to some of the original Bros. tunes than some of the later lineups. The Bros are touring as we speak. Dickey reformed The Great Southern Band with one time Brothers guitarist Dan Toler, but after some gigs where Dickey was too fried to play, they split up. That was just a couple of months ago. I recently heard that Dickey was on the wagon and his son and son-in-law playing with him now and word is that they are stellar sounding. Glad to hear that he's come back to Earth.
Led Zep, not much with John Paul Jones from what I've heard, Page and Plant did a duo and some solo things and they had Jason Bonham touring with them the last time that they were billed as Zep. Page went on to play with the Black Crowes for awhile after a short stint with The Firm and Jason Bonham did a Zep tribute tour, awhile back. That band was really good, singer could hit every note that Plant could on a good night and than some.
Deep Purple's latest good one, IMHO, was a remaster of Machine Head. A bonus cd of some modern remixes of old songs, by bassist Roger Glover comes with that set. It's worth checking out.
I haven't heard much from the Scorpions or Floyd except I seem to remember Andy Jackson saying that Floyd regrouped to play some kind of benefit show that he ran sound for. Pat Methaney I seem to remember just released a new cd and is currently touring. They've probably already released most of the SRV stuff, as they always do when the labels capitalize on an artists death and flood the market with out takes. Any SRV album with Double Trouble on it that was released before his death is good and the Family Style album that he recorded with his brother Jimmy, IIRC was the last SRV recordings. I think it may have been released right after he died.
