Dixie Dregs

For the past few month my ringtone is the song Holiday. Such a perfect song.

Looks like this thread could use livening up…

I was stationed with the Navy in Charleston, SC from 1980 to 1983. The concert scene there and then would best be described as Feast or Famine. Most of the time we’d get artists like Leon Russell or Dr. Hook or the current version of the Guess Who, who were past their commercial heyday. Or…at least four times in a 2-year period, we had the Dixie Dregs, for crying out loud! A band that clearly had their sights on making excellent music and not radio-ready manufactured swill that local radio was force-feeding us (tho it got a little better 1982 on). I caught them twice, first in December 1981, after Mark O’Connor replaced Alan Sloan on violin. The venue was called Derriere’s (seriously) and was clearly a place where live acts were not the highest priority. The doors opened at 8 PM but the band didn’t come on until around 10:30. A local DJ could be heard, but not seen, from backstage trying to warm up the crowd. It’s just as well he wasn’t onstage, because he was receiving plenty of boos and one-finger salutes as it is. This was because he was from a station with the most restrictive, tight-assed playlist imaginable. They promoted the show but gave the band no more than lip service. Where I worked, I was essentially forced to listen to this station all day. I really, really grew to loathe Journey, Foreigner and Survivor. To this day I try to avoid subjecting my ears to “Don’t Stop Believing” at all costs.

Back to the show, when it finally started, it was worth the wait. I’d secured an excellent seat where I could witness their virtuoso musicianship up close. At the time I didn’t own any of their albums so I wasn’t familiar with really any individual songs, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying what I still consider one of the top five concerts I’ve ever been to. They didn’t let up, from slower numbers like “Night Meets Light” to the country-flavored “The Bash” to the more complex “Odyssey.” They closed with their extended treatment of “Cruise Control” which at one point was down to Steve Morse and Rod Morgenstein; I never thought a guitar and drums-percussion duet would hold my attention that well, as they coaxed forth some amazing textures before the rest of the band jumped in, trading off solos in the same rapid-fire fashion live as they did on their records before bringing it to an explosive conclusion (yes, there were pyrotechnics, but they were minimal).

Only seven months later (July 1982), they returned to the same venue, still promoted by the same station, who still paid them only lip service; and who, BTW, used “Crank it up!” as their on-air slogan. That was also the title of the single (their attempt to break through to AOR radio) off the band’s latest album “Industry Standard,” but these cretins still wouldn’t play that or any of their songs. Anyway…this was an equally great show, though notable for their being down to a four-piece; Mark O’Connor had moved on and they didn’t replace him. I don’t remember this show in nearly as great detail, partially due to distractions I won’t go into. They didn’t do “Crank It Up”, but they did do “Cruise Control” again, in much the same manner; during the guitar-drums duet, Morse threw in a riff from “Whole Lotta Love.”

I already had “What If” by that time and started buying up their other albums after that. “What If” is still my favorite Dregs album to this day.

Haven’t seen them live since, during their occasional reunion tours, though I did catch Steve Morse with Kansas in 1987.

Have continued to follow Morse’s career with his own band. Still great!

I saw the Dixie Dregs back in 2000, with the Steve Morse Band as the opening act

richardh wrote: Snow Dog wrote: ^ Did he use the Cozy Powell version?   Fairly sure he used VDGG's version   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny4i-vzad-0     Cozy's version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMg5KqtxAVc   and also the original http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EVpvrDeVg8   Nick Magnus has also done an excellent version but I couldn't find a link for that

Yes, it was definitely the VDGG version. I had it on numerous tapes I recorded from the show, but only found out by chance it was VDGG years later, when I bought a VDGG compilation, on the back of a recommendation from folk here at PA.

If I recall correctly, the first time I saw DT the opening band was...The Dixie Dregs!

^ Indeed, you might want to check out the Prime Cuts album which i believe features almost all of the Dream theater members. A Steve Morse Band Album.

Edited by timothy leary - December 17 2011 at 11:12

Snow Dog wrote: ^ Did he use the Cozy Powell version?

richardh wrote: Blacksword wrote: ^^^ I'm assuming that's 'Take it off the top' ..     It is

I've very fond memories of the Friday rock show. Vance used to also use Theme 1 by VDGG, to introduce his 'Friday night connection' slot..

Blacksword wrote: ^^^ I'm assuming that's 'Take it off the top' ..

Gerinski wrote: I love them too! Here in Europe they are very little known, I first learned about them when I was studying music in the mid-late 80's (never got past amateur level by the way) and a fellow guitarist played me Freefall, wow, I had never heard Morse and I was amazed, what a right hand! but also Morgenstein and the whole band impressed me a lot.   What If and Bring 'Em Back Alive are also my favs, together with the Montreaux DVD which I have reviewed, but from Freefall to Dregs of The Earth they are all worth the money. Of their studio albums I miss Unsung Heroes and Industry Standard.   Got a few Steve Morse Band albums too, The Introduction and High Tension Wires being favourites. Major Impacts is also a very nice album with Steve's interpretation of other bands styles while avoiding actual covers, it's something that I always thought if I was a musician I would like to do.

Steve's DVD Sects, Dregs & Rock 'N' Roll is another really good one to get.  Has one performance of a the revamped Dregs with none other than Jerry Goodman on violin and the late T Lavitz on both that performance and joining Steve in a mostly solo show. 

And hey, while I'm at it a link/plug for Steve's site:http://www.stevemorse.com/


Edited by Slartibartfast - December 15 2011 at 18:16