Page 34 - Classic Rock (January 2020)

thirty years. It just so happens three of the guys are related to the
positively impact upon the way the group is marketed. More than just
“It might be meaningful to a lot of people, but beyond that familiar names:
aspect they’re both world-class players and that’s exactly what we Devon Allman
(left) and Duane
wanted,” he responds cautiously. “Chuck is such a sweetheart, and Betts with the
he’s been so supportive of the careers of Duane and I.” Allman Betts band.
After a couple more questions about the album and the band’s
live performance, it becomes apparent that Devon is unhappy
about something. When I praise the Down To The River track Shining,
suggesting that its brilliant, bubbly riff is straight out of an Allman
Brothers song – a comparison intended as praise – he pauses for
a second and replies: “You know… it definitely harkens back to the
past. When Duane and I do that song [live] it’s electric, and you see
the faces in the room light up. It’s special, for sure.”
However, there’s a change of tone when Classic Rock
highlights the many commonalities between the two
bands, and how some might view them as cynical. “I’m “We didn’t start this
not real comfortable talking about that. We’re our own band to take the
band, and not some spin-off of the Brothers,” Allman
responds with a deep sigh, before becomingly mildly place of the f**king
angry. “I have ten records of my own; I’ve toured the Allman Brothers.”
world for seventeen years.”
Some people don’t know that, though. To those Devon Allman
people you are a ‘new’ name.
“Yeah, and that’s fine. But I’m not out here to prove anything,
except that I want to be the best musician I can be.”
Later on, when asked whether Duane’s father Dickey has
attended any shows by the Allman Betts Band, he emits a further
wearied sigh.
“Look, you’re asking me a lot of questions about the Allman
Brothers, and I’m not real comfortable with that – not when the
focus is more on that band than my own.”
Slightly nonplussed, I explain that with so many commonalities
existing between the two groups – notably that the Allman Betts
Band features three descendants of the Brothers’ co-founding
members – we’re only trying understand what makes them tick.
“Of course there are certain commonalities, but we didn’t start
this band to take the place of the fucking Allman Brothers, man,”
he thunders. “This band was formed because we’d been friends for
34 CLASSICROCKMAGAZINE.COM
Allman Brothers. We play two songs out of nineteen as a nod to
our fathers, and we do that because the Brothers are not a band any
more. If we went on stage for two and a half hours without playing
anything by the Allmans, that would be disrespectful – just as it
would be incredibly disrespectful to go up there and play a set of all
Allman Brothers material.
“We have a history of our own, and we have a work ethic that
exists outside of who we’re related to,” he continues. “It’s a fine line,
but we’re not the Allman Brothers Part Two. Some of the fans may
think that, and they can think whatever they want. For me, when
I look out at the crowd and a sixty-year-old guy is crying because
we’re playing [Allman Brothers songs] Blue Sky or Midnight Rider,
I think of that as a beautiful thing. But what I hope people will
take away is that, hey, this is a whole new chapter, not just for the
Allmans but in rock’n’roll. We’re proud of the fact that in 2019
somebody is still making organic rock’n’roll in not just the same
way that the Allmans did things, but also the Stones, The Band and
Santana did it – that’s where we’re coming from.”
Having got that off his chest, Allman relates that Dickey Betts
has attended an Allman-Betts show, and that when he did so
Allman received “chills” from having him at the side of the stage
and smiling, “because thirty years earlier we had been at the side
of the stage and smiling at him”. Later on, he say Betts Senior even
sat in during another Allman Betts Band concert, “which warmed
my heart and was an incredible moment. Once again, it was that
feeling of the wheel having turned full circle.”
couple of days afterwards, Classic Rock speaks individually
to Duane Betts and Berry Junior. Although equally
A sincere, neither is as outspoken as Allman, nor as prickly.
“Devon is very, very good at making things happen, and we
are lucky that we agree on just about everything, but first and
foremost this is a band of equals,” states Betts, who it transpires has
known Oakley since the age of 11 when the elder boy sometimes
effectively babysat for Betts and Devon’s half-brother Elijah Blue
when Cher left the house to run errands.
“Berry and I have since played together in many bands, and
when the chance of having him in the Allman Betts Band came
along it was an easy decision,” Betts explains. “We’ve developed
such a great way of collaborating via our various strengths. Devon
has the whole frontman thing going on; he’s more of a singer than
I am. I just do the same thing over and over, and hopefully I fool
people into thinking that I know what I’m doing.”
Just like Allman, Betts believes it’s healthy to “tip the
hat” to his father’s continuing legacy, although he says
with a smile: “Just so long as they don’t assume we’re
some kind of tribute band. That would be very stupid.”
Besides expressing excitement at being a part of the
Allman Betts Band, Oakley offers some useful character
insight. “Duane is definitely country, and Devon is
rock’n’roll,” he says with a laugh, “but they’ve found
a nice way of meeting each other halfway.”
Oakley has been known to use his father’s famous
original Tractor bass, a Fender Jazz equipped with
a Guild pickup, with the new group. It’s another of those little
parallels with the Brothers that mean a lot.
“Sure, I understand why some people reach the wrong
conclusions about this band,” Oakley remarks casually.
“What I hope people will recognise in us is the same feeling of
camaraderie and purpose that brought the original band together.”
The final words go to Devon Allman, who reveals: “The band
is already two sessions deep into writing the second record, with
over twenty ideas to be considered. We just want to go deeper into
everything – deeper lyrics, deeper grooves, and an even bigger
helping of soul,” he concludes. “This is a brand-new band but we
know that we have a lot to prove. The cool thing is that there are so
many places that we can go.” ERIK DE'SCATHEBURY/PRESS
Down To The River is out now via BMG.