Punk Sandwich 00:20 Gina Lola Breakdown 03:27 Cruise Control/Drum Solo 06:50 Steve Morse - Guitar Andy West - Bass Allen Sloan - Violin Rod Morgenstein - Drums T Lavitz - Keys
This broadcast changed my life. I thought RUSH was the only band doing progressive music until DD blew my mind wide open. Then it was all UK, Genesis, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Yes, Tull, and all of the jazz fusion greats. Thanks for showing me the way, guys. ❤️
My 1st time seeing Golden Earring was on this! Went next day and got the Moontan EP, NOT the LP. Vanilla Queen, Candys goin Bad, Big Tree Blue Sea! Great songs! Very Darkside of the Moon at times! Everyone always thinks Radar Love but the others on the shorter EP are killer!
@@roderickgful Yes, everybody thinks “Radar Love”, and why shouldn’t they? That was the group’s only hit, after all. I thought it was idiotic, but it didn’t really bother me much at first: Lots of hits were idiotic (and still are). I tried just to ignore it.Then I saw Procol Harum (Fox Theater, St. Louis, 1974), and Golden Earring happened, unfortunately, to open. Eventually I got so disgusted that I left my seat and waited out the remainder of their set in the lobby. (Procol Harum, on the other hand, was great.)
The Dixie Dregs came onto the scene relatively late. Steve Morse began by playing Mahavishnu Orchestra (whom I saw in concert in 1973) tunes, and Mahavishnu obviously made a strong impact on them, so much so that at times the Dregs sounded like diluted Mahavishnu. King Crimson was at first considered “art rock”, and since the group was never intent on showing off its virtuosity, “art rock” might be more apt. The first rock group I remember being called “progressive rock” was Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, with Yes close on its heels. Jethro Tull didn’t go progressive until their fifth album. A group that deserves mention in this regard, by the way, is Focus. (i was very impressed with them in concert in 1973, but not as much with their records. I never cared at all for Rush, Gentle Giant, or Genesis.)
there was a lot great groups doing this at the time, wish I saw more now; at the time Morse borrowed heavily from Mahavishnu Orchestra who did it earlier eg. Birds of Fire ...
The Dregs, led by compositional Genius Steve Morse, The Guitarist in the Band) played at an Exalted Level. Their music ALWAYS had a Happy and Fun Vibe.. You can tell that all of them really enjoyed playing this music. It was a challenge - but one that they enjoyed. As Violinist Allen Sloan once said "This is an Insanity Test!" Some people think that it is unaccessible - but like things that are somewhat complex - it just takes a few listens. Then you get complete hooked once you are familiarized. Been listening to them avidly since 1978!
@@mikesimonian484 Long time DD fan here, I caught that tour in Denver and as much as I love the band I was so bummed Allen Sloan wasn't in the band ... being replaced by Mark OConnor, for me it was a big change in their vibe but to most I'm sure it didn't matter much at all.
@@strangher11 The Dregs tour I saw at the Golden Bear was the Industry Standard tour that had Mark O'Connor. The Dregs of the Earth tour at the Roxy had Allen Sloan. Both were fantastic. They propped up a mannequin for a song with vocals. "Crank it Up"
Saw them in the late 70s in the student center at Georgia Tech. I was a poor college student and the tickets were $1 each. Well worth it for sure. Love Steve Morse. Love the dude playing the lead violin.
Years ago, I thought was a pretty damn good musician, I started out on drums and I was pretty great. Then I saw the Billy Cobham, he blew me away so much so I decided right then to switch to bass and I got really good! . Then I saw Javo P.Ritenour , Again I was blown away and thought I might be better off switching to keyboards. I got good on the keys too! Then I saw Jan Hammer. Dumped the idea of being a great keyboardist. Lastly ,I switched to guitar. Practiced like crazy, thought I found my niche!! Then I saw the Dixie Dregs and decided to sell insurance 🙁
😆😂 that was funny, I actually laughed out loud, funny but also sad. You can't get bummed out by stuff like that, there's always going to be someone better than you. Use it, be inspired by it and them and keep on keeping on, look how good Steve Morse is, I never let that stop me, he inspires the hell out of me.
Check out Canadian drummer Sarah Thawer, for lo, she hath inherited the Morgensteinian facery. And she's badass too (but a very different player from Rod).
I grew up in the 1970's and felt I came of age along with rock and roll. I always said there are 3 albums I distinctly remember hearing for the first time and remembering where i was at the time. James Gang and Funk 49. Kansas Leftoverture. And Dixie Dregs Freefall.
Ah, this makes me feel young again. I first saw them on the next tour in support of Dregs of the Earth, 1980 I believe. I had never heard them, my prog friends said they were really good so me and a buddy from work both called in sick and went to see them in a nice club in Phoenix. General admission seating, we got a table right up front, they opened with Twiggs Approved, and it was one of the best moments of my life.Jaw on the floor all night long. Got to meet Steve and bassist Jerry Peek when Steve went solo, super nice guys. Jerry showed me a way to "stow" a pick so I could slap and get back to the pick. I still use that to this day.
I hate the fact that I saw the Dregs of Earth tour because I got hooked and was forever a Dregs addict. ( Just kidding). It led me to unforgettable memories. They are the best live and Steve is a genius.
I grew up in Decatur Georgia and they played a lot in Atlanta area. I probably saw them 8 times. Best memories next to Rick Wakeman and Jeff Beck. I worked at Mellow Mushroom Pizza in Avondale and made their pizzas several times.
I couldn't tell you what kind of relationship Steve had with Allen.. but when you can play like that I'm sure there's differences and friction along the way either way sure seems like they communicated quite well man they could play... never got the success they truly deserved I could watch them play over and over and it still blows me away
I was able to see them twice in a small club in NY. Mark O'Connor had taken over the fiddle/guitar position. During the break between sets Steve came out and played a short solo set, there are no words to describe the talent and abilities of that man. It was a masterclass in what a guitar could do!!!!!
Great observation; Mahavishnu fans can be kinda snotty about their favorite band's technical prowess and compositional complexity, but I never found them much fun to listen. The Dregs, however, were both fun AND challenging, and yeah, they "swung" like crazy! I saw them live with Alan Sloan once, and another time with Marc O'Conner; and saw the Steve Morse Band many times, as well as Dregs reunion tours. Van Romaine is a capable drummer, I guess, but I truly miss Rod Morganstein; Dave LaRue however is awesome, several notches above Alan West in my opinion.
I asked Steve about his guitar (Fender Lead II) and he told me it was easier for the TV show to just switch guitars for "Punk Sandwich". He already long had the FrankenTele as demonstrated here.
Steve was THE primary endorser/point man for the Fender Lead guitar line. It was a cheaper/cut down, pre super-strat. He only used it for this song (Punk Sandwich??) so he didn't have to detune (drop D) his LEGENDARY Franken-Tele.
First I saw this (on Don Kirschner)... was lucky enough to live 2 blocks from the Paradise Club in Boston, where I saw them shortly after.... WOW... mind blown; can't say I've ever seen a tighter band.
I hope that the original tracks and recordings exist of this, so they can - maybe - spiff it up digitally, and release at some Dregs compilation albums, of "greatest live takes" of different songs, they did live, included this one. The ugly edit during the duo improvisisation during "Cruise Control" between Rod and Steve is pure sacrilege, but one can understand it for TV edit purposes, they were simply running out of time. But an audio recording - definitely unedited - of all this would be great. Buy off the licensing and copyrights, it's too old by now anyway, to make a bump in someones finances.
I get the impression that these guys were all classically trained...but then, went electric rock and roll...lots and lots of scales in those riffs and runs....
@@frankrichards3089, another student at the University of Miami music school at the same time was Pat Metheny and others I forget.... shee-it, brain fart!
@@mikesimonian484 At least he won "Guitar Players Magazine Best Guitarist Poll" 5 years in a row.. After that he became ineligible for any more awards. Hahaha - Go Steve. We love you!!
Under-appreciated is a better way of putting it ---- no one who ever saw him play would underrate his skills, even if the music wasn't to the person's taste. (The two other guitarists I think are most under-appreciated are Richard Thompson, who once toured Europe with Morse and David Lindley BTW, and Sonny Landreth, the most unique slide guitarist on the planet IMHO, he ought to be as famous as Hendrix).
They had to legally change their name because Alan was leaving the Band and he had part ownership in the name. My best friend Steve Davidowlski is the " Original " and BEST keyboardist of the Dregs!!!
@@andyokus5735, Southern Rock was also starting to fall out of favor In the late 70s to early 80s and I suspect that having Dixie in the name wasn't helping them expand their fan base to potential new fans.
They did drop Dixie from the name and rebrand themselves as just the Dregs, which was probably a smart move considering that Southern rock was falling out of favor in the late 1970s and early 80s.
PS, I think the Dregs is a great name! (Would you argue with the Who over their name?) Plenty of bands have named themselves fabulous something, like the Fabulous Thunderbirds, the Fabulous Rhinestones, even the Fabulous Poodles, and none of them lived up to the adjective. Morse and company were so good they could have called themselves the Shit Sandwiches and yet those who saw them play would still be gobsmacked.
