The budget-priced Extended Versions series usually focuses on live tracks by veteran classic rock artists. But the Lynyrd Skynyrd edition is one of the few entries to feature studio tracks amidst the live cuts. Including tracks from the latter-day, Johnny Van Zant era of Skynyrd, the majority of the selections are newer tunes, including such standouts as "Berneice" and "O.R.R.," with only a smattering of live versions of classics – "What's Your Name?," "Free Bird," "Sweet Home Alabama," etc. While the modern-day Skynyrd does an admirable job of re-creating the vibe of their definitive lineup, it doesn't hold up to One More from the Road, one of the finest live rock albums of all time. But if you're curious to hear what Skynyrd has been up to in recent times, Extended Versions is a worthy, and very affordable, collection.
Blind Melon is an American rock band formed in formed in Los Angeles, California by two musicians from Mississippi and one from Indiana. Best remembered for their 1993 single "No Rain", the group enjoyed critical and commercial success in the early 1990s with their neo-psychedelic take on alternative rock.
Often described as a more radio-friendly version of Lynyrd Skynyrd or the Allman Brothers, the Atlanta Rhythm Section was one of many Southern rock bands to hit the upper reaches of the charts during the late '70s. Hailing from the small town of Doraville, Georgia, the beginning of the Atlanta Rhythm Section can be traced back to 1970. It was then that a local recording studio was opened, Studio One, and the remnants of two groups (the Candymen and the Classics Four), became the studio's house band. One of the facility's head figures, Buddy Buie, soon began assembling the session band – singer Rodney Justo, guitarist Barry Bailey, bassist Paul Goddard, keyboardist Dean Daughtry, and drummer Robert Nix. After playing on several artists' recordings, it was decided to take the band a step further and make the group of players a real band, leading to the formation of the Atlanta Rhythm Section.