Duane Allman in Los Angeles with the Hour Glass

[JasO]

Back in 1985, I interviewed John McEuen of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band about his encounters with Duane and Gregg Allman while they were in the Allman Joys and Hour Glass. It turned out that when the brothers moved to L.A. in 1967, they lived with John in the Dirt Band house in Beachwood Canyon. For the past 25 years, the tape of our interview remained untouched, and I've just transcribed it for the first time for my website. John offers a lot of insights into Gregg and Duane, some happy and some bittersweet. He loved Duane's playing -- especially when he'd toss his Telecaster way up into the air and let it bounce onstage, and when he'd do "The Skate" while playing. He was also chagrined by the hangers-on who kept offering Duane drugs.

In one of my favorite passages, John offered this insight into Duane's personality: "I remember one time at the Atlanta airport I’d seen Duane when the Brothers were coming through. It was very close to when he got killed. He was starting to be straight again. I made some kind of comment. I said, 'Duane, I hope you’re saving yourself for a few more years, so we can hear that pickin’ more.' And he goes, 'Oh, I’ve got all that straightened out now. Everything is fine. It’s sure a great life, isn’t it?' He seemed to have a positive attitude, and it was coming out more and more. He said, 'Why don’t ya git that banjo out, John, and play us a tune.' 'Well, it’s in the middle of the airport here, Duane.' Duane said, 'I don’t mind if you don’t.' We were in a restaurant. 'Well,' Duane said, 'any person doesn’t want to hear the 5-string banjo – that’s their problem. Just play me a tune. And if they don’t like it, we’ll just punch ’em in the mouth.'"

Anyway, if you're interested, you can read the whole conversation here: http://jasobrecht.com/