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Eat a Peach
Studio albumandLive albumby
the Allman Brothers Band
ReleasedFebruary 12, 1972(1972-02-12)
Recorded
  • March 12–13, June 27, 1971 (live work)
  • September–December 1971 (studio work)
VenueFillmore East(New York City)
StudioCriteria(Miami)
Genre
Length68:42
LabelCapricorn
ProducerTom Dowd
the Allman Brothers Bandchronology
At Fillmore East
(1971) 		Eat a Peach
(1972) 		Beginnings
(1973)
SinglesfromEat a Peach
  1. "Ain't Wastin' Time No More"/"Melissa"
    Released: April 1972
  2. "Melissa"/"Blue Sky"
    Released: August 1972
  3. "One Way Out"/" Standback "
    Released: November 1972

Eat a Peachis the third studio album and the first double album by Americanrockbandthe Allman Brothers Band,containing a mix of live and studio recordings released in 1972. Following their artistic and commercial breakthrough with the July 1971 release of thelive albumAt Fillmore East,the Allman Brothers Band got to work on their third studio album. Drug use among the band became an increasing problem, and at least one member underwent rehab forheroinaddiction. On October 29, 1971, lead and slide guitaristDuane Allman,group leader and founder, was killed in a motorcycle accident in the band's adopted hometown ofMacon, Georgia,making it the final album to feature him.

ProducedbyTom Dowd,the album was released on February 12, 1972, in the United States byCapricorn Records.It was the band's fourth album since their debutThe Allman Brothers Bandin 1969; released as adouble album,it constitutes both their thirdstudio albumand second live album.

Eat a Peachcontains studio recordings from September–December 1971 atCriteria Studios,Miami—both with and without Duane Allman—and live recordings from the band's famed 1971Fillmore Eastperformances. The album contains the extended half-hour-long "Mountain Jam",which was long enough to take up two full sides of the original double-LP. Other highlights include vocalistGregg Allman's performance of his brother's favorite song, "Melissa",plusDickey Betts' "Blue Sky",which went on to become aclassic rockradio staple. The album artwork was created by W. David Powell andJ. F. Holmesat Wonder Graphics, and depicts the band's name on a peach truck, in addition to a largegatefoldmural ofmushroomsandfairies.The album's title came from a quote by Duane Allman: "You can't help the revolution, because there's just evolution... Every time I'm inGeorgia,I eat a peach for peace ".[1]

On releaseEat a Peachwas an immediate commercial success and peaked at number four onBillboard'sTop 200 Pop Albumschart. The album was later certifiedplatinumand remains a top seller in the band's discography.

Background

[edit]

The Allman Brothers Band had struggled to achieve commercial success in their two and a half years on the touring circuit; their first two studio albums,The Allman Brothers Band(1969) andIdlewild South(1970), had debuted to only modest sales. Despite this, they had achieved significant acclaim due to their live performances, which included extendedjam renditionsof songs. The band's third release was alive album,titledAt Fillmore East,and represented their artistic and commercial breakthrough: it immediately received solid sales upon its July 1971 release and went gold some months later. In about a "three-or-four-week period", the band quite literally went from "rags to riches",and were able to pay their debts to managerPhil Waldenand record labelCapricorn Records.[2]

Although suddenly wealthy and successful, much of the band and its entourage now struggled with substance abuse, which included instances ofheroinaddiction. Four individuals—group leaderDuane Allman,bassistBerry Oakley,and roadies Robert Payne andJoseph "Red Dog" Campbell—checked into the Linwood-Bryant Hospital for rehabilitation in October 1971.[3]Their addictions had begun to affect their performances and matters seemed to only be getting worse, according to many involved.[4]The clinic was deemed a "joke" and a "nuthouse" by Payne and Red Dog, and was later described as more of apsychiatric ward,as true rehabilitation clinics were several years away.[5]All involved (including Duane) struggled to keep off the substance in the ensuing days.[6]Despite his struggles, Duane fueled the band's passion to get better and end their addictions: "Duane was so happy and full of positive energy. He was always like that unless he was just totally wasted. He was the leader, the great soul, and he kept saying, 'We are on a mission and it's time for this thing to happen,'" said Linda Oakley. "He was moving forward, and that energized everyone else. Everyone fed off of that."[7]

On October 29, 1971, Duane Allman, aged 24, was killed in a motorcycle accident a day after returning to the band's home ofMacon,Georgiafrom an extended tour of concert gigs. Allman was exceeding a safe speed at the intersection of Hillcrest Avenue and Bartlett Street as aflatbed lumber craneapproached.[8]The flatbed truck stopped suddenly in the intersection, forcing Allman to swerve hisHarley-Davidson Sportstermotorcycle sharply to the left to avoid a collision. As he was doing so, he struck either the back of the truck or the ball on the lumber crane and was immediately thrown from the motorcycle.[8]The motorcycle bounced into the air, landed on Allman and skidded another 90 feet (27 m) with him pinned underneath, crushing severalinternal organs.Though he was alive when he arrived at the hospital, despite immediate emergency surgery he died several hours later from massive internal injuries. The loss devastated all who knew him, just asAt Fillmore Eastclimbed into the top 15 of the national album charts.[9]

Recording and production

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We thought about quitting because how could we go on without Duane? But then we realized: how could we stop?

DrummerButch Trucks[10]

The band completedEat a PeachfollowingDuane Allman's death in late 1971

Several weeks before the gold certification ofAt Fillmore Eastand their rehabilitation, the band headed toMiami'sCriteria Studiosto work on their third studio album. Once again they'd be working with producerTom Dowd,whom had been instrumental in the successful recording and production ofAt Fillmore East.The band laid down the initial tracks for "Blue Sky".[11]The band saved money on studio time by writing and debuting songs on the road.[11]The band worked on three songs: "Blue Sky", aninstrumentaltitled "The Road to Calico" (which would eventually develop into "Stand Back", with added vocals) and "Little Martha", the only song solely credited to Duane Allman.[12]The band laid down these three songs and went back on the road for a short run of shows, and at this point several checked into rehab.[3]After Duane's death, the band held a meeting on their future; it was clear all wanted to continue, and after a short period, they returned to the road.[13]DrummerButch Truckslater said, "We all had this thing in us and Duane put it there. He was the teacher and he gave something to us—his disciples—that we had to play out."[10]

Following Duane's death, which severely impacted younger brother, organist/lead vocalist/songwriterGregg Allman,lead guitaristDickey Bettsgradually took over as group leader.[13]The band returned to Miami in December to complete work on the album.[14]Twiggs Lyndon, the band's former head roadie, joined them; he had just completed a stay in a psychiatric hospital stemming from his 1970 arrest for the murder of a concert promoter at one of the band's shows. Lyndon became the band's production manager.[14]The band recorded three more tracks with Dowd, including "Melissa", "Les Brers in A Minor", and "Ain't Wastin' Time No More".[14]Allman's death provided the band with motivation: "We were all putting more into it, trying so hard to make it as good as it would have been with Duane. We knew our driving force, our soul, the guy that set us all on fire, wasn't there and we had to do something for him," said Trucks.[15]The heroin addictions had taken their toll on the band members; Gregg Allman later said, "We were taking vitamins, we had doctors coming over and sticking us in the ass withB12shots every day. Little by little by little, we crawled back up to the point where we were standing erect. "[16]

The other material onEat a Peachcomes from live recordings. Dowd later said, "When we recordedAt Fillmore East,we ended up with almost a whole other album's worth of good material, and we used [two] tracks onEat a Peach.Again, there was nooverdubbing".[17]Dowd started themi xing processforEat a Peachbut had run overtime and was called to commitments withCrosby, Stills and Nash;longtime Allman friend and colleague Johnny Sandlin took over for the remaining mixes.[18]Sandlin later said of the mi xing process, "As I mixed songs like" Blue Sky, "I knew, of course, that I was listening to the last things that Duane ever played and there was just such a mix of beauty and sadness, knowing there's not going to be any more from him".[18]He was particularly proud of his mi xing work on the album, but was angry because he did not receive credit, only a "special thanks".[18]

Completing the recording ofEat a Peachraised each members' spirits. Said Allman, "The music brought life back to us all, and it was simultaneously realized by every one of us. We found strength, vitality, newness, reason, and belonging as we worked on finishingEat a Peach".[19]"Those last three songs... just kinda floated right on out of us... The music was still good, it was still rich, and it still had that energy—it was still the Allman Brothers Band."[19]

Composition

[edit]

Much of the music onEat a Peachthat was recorded after Duane's death directly dealt with the tragedy.[14]"Ain't Wastin' Time No More" was written by Gregg Allman for his brother immediately following his death.[14]The song was composed when Duane was still alive, on a 110-year-oldSteinway pianoin Studio D of Criteria,[16]but the lyrics deal with his passing, as well as veterans coming home from theVietnam War.[19]The song relates to the theme that "death is an inescapable inevitability—that every day is precious."[20]"Les Brers in A Minor" is an instrumental written by Dickey Betts, and its title is "badFrench"for" less brothers ".[14]When rehearsing the song, all in the band felt something was familiar about it—which turned out to be a solo of Betts's from live renditions of "Whipping Post"that resurfaced many years later on abootleg recording.[15]Recording of "Les Brers" began in the newly constructed Studio C of the recording complex at Criteria, but the band disliked the sound captured in the room and moved to Studio A. As a result, the recording contains a slight pitch variation due to the difficulty of matching the original speed of the instruments when the intro was spliced onto the master tape.[20]

Gregg Allman recorded "Melissa" primarily as a tribute to his brother, who adored the song; the song was written in 1967 while staying in a hotel in Pensacola, Florida, and was one of the first he saved after dozens of writing attempts.[15]Allman had previously not shown it to other members of the band ( "I thought it was too soft for the Allman Brothers," he said), and was saving it for a possiblesolo albumhe assumed he would one day record.[15]"One Way Out" was recorded on June 27, 1971, the final night of concerts at theFillmore East,which the band, a favorite of the famed venue's promoterBill Graham,headlined; "Trouble No More" and "Mountain Jam" were culled from the band's March performances there.[15]"Mountain Jam" was always intended for inclusion on the band's next album; the band teased its appearance by including the opening seconds on the fade-out of the final song onAt Fillmore East.[17]The band considered it a signature song of the group, but they deemed the performance that was recorded relatively mediocre.[17]

Artwork and title

[edit]
Eat a Peachgatefold art

The album's artwork was created by W. David Powell at Wonder Graphics. He had seen old postcards at a drugstore inAthens,Georgia, one depicting a peach on a truck and a watermelon on a rail car.[18]Believing them perfect for an Allman Brothers album, he purchased them and "bought cans of pink and baby-blue Krylonspray paintand created a matted area to make the cards on a twelve-by-twenty-four LP cover. "[18]He envisioned the album having "an early-morning-sky feel". He hand-lettered the band name and photographed it with a smallKodakcamera, developing the photos at the drugstore. He then cut and pasted the letters on the side of the truck, underneath the peach.[18]

The album includes an elaborategatefoldmural featuring a fantasy landscape of mushrooms (referencing thepsychedelic drug,a band favorite in its early days) andfairies,drawn by Powell andJ. F. Holmes.There was very little planning involved in the piece, which was created when the duo were inVero Beach,Florida.[21]When one would be drawing or painting the image, another would be swimming in the ocean. "We swapped off this way with virtually no conversation about the drawing, just fluid trade-offs," said Powell.[21]The art was created on a large illustration board, "on a one-to-one scale—it was the size of the actual spread," according to Powell.[21]Holmes' work is featured largely on the left, with Powell's on the right. Both were "profoundly influenced" byEarly Netherlandish painterHieronymous Boschon the piece.[21]

At the time the artwork was finalized, Duane Allman was still alive and the title had not been finalized.[18]As a result, the album lacks a title on the cover, which was an unusual approach for bands at the time. Powell later said, "When we showed it to someone at the label, he said, 'They are so hot right now, we could sell it in a brown paper bag'".[22]Atlantic initially intended to title the albumThe Kind We Grow in Dixie,the label of the postcard series Powell had seen in Athens,[18]but the band refused. Trucks suggested they name the albumEat a Peach for Peace,after a quote from Duane Allman. When the writer Ellen Mandel asked him what he was doing to help the revolution, he replied:

I'm hitting a lick for peace—and every time I'm inGeorgia,I eat a peach for peace. But you can't help the revolution, because there's just evolution. I understand the need for a lot of changes in the country, but I believe that as soon as everybody can just see a little bit better, and get a little hipper to what's going on, they're going to change it. Everybody will—not just the young people. Everybody is going to say, 'Man, this stinks. I cannot tolerate the smell of this thing anymore. Let's eliminate it and get straight with ourselves.' I believe if everybody does it for themselves, it'll take care of itself.[23][22]

Drummer Butch Trucks considered Allman's comment a sly reference to the poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"byT. S. Eliot,one of Allman's favorite poets.[22]An untrue story persisted for many years after the album's release that it was named after the truck Allman crashed into, purported to be a peach truck.[24]The album art was later selected byRolling Stonemagazine in 1991 as one of the 100 greatest album covers of all time.[25]

Release

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[26]
Christgau's Record GuideB[27]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[28]
Rolling Stone Album Guide[29]

Before the release ofEat a Peach,industry talk suggested the demise of the group after the death of Duane Allman.[21]The record's promotional campaign was coordinated by Dick Wooley, the former head of promotion forAtlantic Records.He had recently quit his position there and was contacted by Walden to help Capricorn in its efforts.[21](Capricorn Records had recently separated from Atlantic Records as well;Eat a Peachwould be among the first Capricorn albums released under a new distribution deal withWarner Bros. Records.) "They needed help because the buzz in the record business and on the street was that the ABB was finished as a band and would never survive without Duane," said Wooley.[21]After being played some songs fromEat a Peachby Sandlin, Wooley was "blown away" and accepted the offer at half his usual salary.[21]He arranged to have the band's New Year's Eve performance atNew Orleans' Warehouse live simulcast on radio. "I took a gamble and cobbled together a network of radio stations in the Southeast viaMa Bellphone lines, "said Wooley.[30]The stunt helped launchEat a Peach,which was issued by Capricorn in February 1972 and became an instant success.[21]The album shipped enough copies to be certified by the RIAA asgoldand peaked at number four onBillboard'sTop 200 Pop Albumschart. "We'd been through hell, but somehow we were rolling bigger than ever," said Gregg Allman.[31]

Rolling Stone'sTony Gloverwrote that, even without their leader, "the Allman Brothers are still the best goddamned band in the land... I hope the band keeps playing forever—how many groups can you think of who really make you believe they're playing for the joy of it?"[32]InChristgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies(1981),Robert Christgaucalled side three "a magnificent testament", but was relatively unimpressed by the rest of the album, especially the low-tempo "Mountain Jam" sides: "I know the pace of living is slowdown there,but this verges on the comatose. And all the tape in the world isn't going to bring Duane back. "[27]In a retrospective review,Stephen Thomas ErlewineofAllMusiccalled the record a showcase of "the Allmans at their peak".[26]David Quantick ofBBC Musicalso considered it their "creative peak", praising the album's "well-played, surprisingly lean bluesy rock".[33]The album is mentioned as the band's top studio recording in the 2008 book1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die(2008), with authorTom Moonpraising the record's "sedate, beautifully contemplative studio material".[34]

"Melissa"was the album's most successful single, peaking at number 65 on theBillboardHot 100."Ain't Wastin' Time No More" and "One Way Out"were also singles, charting at numbers 77 and 86, respectively.[35]

Touring

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Biographer Alan Paul notes that the band's members "all profoundly felt the absence of their guiding light" during the touring cycle forEat a Peach.[30]Dickey Betts had to convince the band members to tour, since all other members were reluctant.[30]Despite rumors, the band did not replace Duane Allman, and simply toured as a five-piece.[36]The Allman Brothers Band played 90 shows in 1972 in support of the record. "We were playing for him and that was the way to be closest to him," said Trucks.[30]Allman and Oakley took turns introducing songs, which was traditionally Duane's role.[36]Betts learned Duane's slide guitar parts, but put his own spin on them.[36]Oakley had a downward spiral following Duane's death and was significantly inebriated for many shows on the tour. "He wasn't playing like he used to—instead, he'd hit maybe every fifth note," recalled Allman.[37]Occasionally, the band would have bassist Joe Dan Petty, later ofGrinderswitch,cover for Oakley for the show.[37]After nearly a year of severe depression, Oakley was killed in a motorcycle accident not dissimilar from his friend's in November 1972.

Many label mates on Capricorn opened for the band, includingWet Willie,Cowboy, andDr. John.[38]

Track listing

[edit]
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Ain't Wastin' Time No More"Gregg Allman3:40
2."Les Brers in A Minor"Dickey Betts9:03
3."Melissa"G. Allman3:05
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mountain Jam"(live)
19:37
Side three
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."One Way Out"(live)
4:58
2."Trouble No More"(live)Muddy Waters3:28
3."Stand Back"
  • G. Allman
  • Oakley
3:25
4."Blue Sky"Betts5:10
5."Little Martha"D. Allman2:08
Side four
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mountain Jam" (live – continued)
  • Leitch
  • D. Allman
  • G. Allman
  • Betts
  • Oakley
  • Trucks
  • Johanson
15:06

Notes

  • "Mountain Jam", "One Way Out" and "Trouble No More" recorded live at the Fillmore East:
  • "Mountain Jam" – March 13, 1971 (late show)
  • "Trouble No More" – March 13, 1971 (early show)
  • "One Way Out" – June 27, 1971
  • Allcompact disceditions of the album include the entirety of "Mountain Jam" (which runs 33:44) as track 4.
Deluxe edition bonus disc(Live at the Fillmore East – June 27, 1971)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Statesboro Blues"Blind Willie McTell4:25
2."Don't Keep Me Wonderin'"G. Allman3:46
3."Done Somebody Wrong"
3:38
4."One Way Out"
  • James
  • Marshall Sehorn
  • Sonny Boy Williamson II
5:08
5."In Memory of Elizabeth Reed"Betts12:50
6."Midnight Rider"
  • G. Allman
  • Robert Payne
3:08
7."Hot 'Lanta"
  • Duane Allman
  • G. Allman
  • Betts
  • Berry Oakley
  • Butch Trucks
  • Jai Johanny Johanson
5:51
8."Whipping Post"G. Allman20:06
9."You Don't Love Me"Willie Cobbs17:24

Personnel

[edit]

All credits adapted from liner notes.[39]

Charts

[edit]
Chart (1972) Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[40] 35
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[41] 12
USBillboard200[42] 4

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[43] Platinum 1,000,000^

^Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^Allman, Galadrielle (2014).Please Be with Me: A Song for My Father.Spiegel & Grau. p. 343.ISBN978-1-4000-6894-4.
  2. ^Paul 2014,p. 143.
  3. ^abPaul 2014,p. 147.
  4. ^Paul 2014,p. 149.
  5. ^Paul 2014,p. 151.
  6. ^Paul 2014,p. 153.
  7. ^Paul 2014,p. 155.
  8. ^abPaul 2014,p. 156.
  9. ^Paul 2014,p. 160.
  10. ^abPaul 2014,p. 165.
  11. ^abPaul 2014,p. 144.
  12. ^Paul 2014,p. 145.
  13. ^abPaul 2014,p. 162.
  14. ^abcdefPaul 2014,p. 167.
  15. ^abcdePaul 2014,p. 168.
  16. ^abAllman & Light 2012,p. 203.
  17. ^abcPaul 2014,p. 169.
  18. ^abcdefghPaul 2014,p. 170.
  19. ^abcAllman & Light 2012,p. 204.
  20. ^abPoe 2008,p. 218.
  21. ^abcdefghiPaul 2014,p. 172.
  22. ^abcPaul 2014,p. 171.
  23. ^Poe 2008,p. 219.
  24. ^"Hidden Messages: Allman Brothers Eat a Peach".Snopes.April 26, 2007.RetrievedJuly 11,2014.
  25. ^Freeman, Scott (June 2003)."A Music Album".Atlanta.Atlanta:Emmis Publishing:93.RetrievedJuly 11,2014.
  26. ^abStephen Thomas Erlewine."Review:Eat a Peach".AllMusic.RetrievedMarch 26,2014.
  27. ^abChristgau, Robert(1981)."The Allman Brothers Band: Eat a Peach".Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies.Da Capo Press.ISBN0306804093.
  28. ^Larkin, Colin(2007).The Encyclopedia of Popular Music(4th ed.).Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0195313734.
  29. ^Coleman, Mark; Skanse, Richard (2004).Brackett, Nathan;Hoard, Christian(eds.).The New Rolling Stone Album Guide(4th ed.). New York: Fireside Books. pp. 14–16.ISBN0-7432-0169-8.
  30. ^abcdPaul 2014,p. 173.
  31. ^Allman & Light 2012,p. 210.
  32. ^Tony Glover (April 13, 1972)."Reviews:Eat a Peach".Rolling Stone.New York City:Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc.ISSN0035-791X.RetrievedMarch 26,2014.
  33. ^David Quantick (2011)."The Allman Brothers Band Eat a Peach Review".BBC Music.RetrievedJuly 11,2014.
  34. ^Moon, Tom (2008).1,000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die.Workman Publishing Company.ISBN978-0-7611-3963-8.pp. 16–17.
  35. ^"The Allman Brothers Band – Chart History: Hot 100".Billboard.Prometheus Global Media.RetrievedJuly 14,2014.
  36. ^abcPaul 2014,p. 174.
  37. ^abAllman & Light 2012,p. 208.
  38. ^Allman & Light 2012,p. 212.
  39. ^Eat a Peach(liner notes).The Allman Brothers Band.US:Capricorn.1972. CPN-2-0102.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  40. ^Kent, David(1993).Australian Chart Book 1970–1992(illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 15.ISBN0-646-11917-6.
  41. ^"Top RPM Albums: Issue 7711".RPM.Library and Archives Canada.Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  42. ^"The Allman Brothers Band Chart History (Billboard200) ".Billboard.Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  43. ^"American album certifications – Allman Brothers".Recording Industry Association of America.

References

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Further reading

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