DIXIE DESPERADOS
''DIXIE DESPERADOS''
2013
38:20
1. Mean As Hell/3:06
2. Clint Eastwood/3:25
3. Something Worth Fighting For/4:10
4. New Damn Neighborhood/4:25
5. Break My Heart/3:17
6. Wandering Man/4:14
7. This Land/2:56
8. Into The Flood/3:44
9. To The Altar/3:04
10. Beer Drinkin' Women/2:29
11. Sweet Summerhaven/3:33
REVIEW
BY BILL DEAN
In the ’70s, Gainesville’s Dixie Desperados toured the Southeast and opened for the likes of the Allman Brothers Band and Pure Prairie League before disbanding later in the 1980s. After reuniting in 2011, however, the self-described “cowboy rock” group is finding its second time may be the charm — at least when it comes to releasing its own originals.
On Saturday, the group plays a CD-release show for its first fully-produced and officially released album, a self-titled CD of new and older material produced by Stan Lynch, the former Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers drummer who manned the controls for the Dixie Desperados in sessions designed to capture the band’s live sound, which fans first discovered all those years ago.
“I’m very, very pleased with the results because to me, it sounds like the band sounds when we play a live show,” says lead guitarist/vocalist Jeff Sims, who is joined on the album by fellow original members Mike Chasteen on guitar and vocals, acoustic guitarist and vocalist Allan Lowe, bassist/guitarist Gregg McMillan and recent recruit Jimmy Millsaps on drums.
The album includes such live-oriented songs as the sinewy rockers “Clint Eastwood” and “To the Altar,” along with tunes that find the common ground between country and rock such as “New Damn Neighborhood” and “This Land,” along with acoustic-oriented songs such as “Sweet Summerhaven,” with its Eagles-like vocal harmonies, and the ballad “Into the Flood.”
“Several go back,” Sims says about the songs on the album. “There are three songs that are from the late ’70s period, and everybody else in the band brought in two that were somewhat new. And then we added those three older ones.”
For his part, Lynch, whose friendship with Sims goes back to their days in junior high school, producing the group’s album was simply a matter of going for the band’s well-established live sound and then turning the members loose to do what they have always done best.
“Everybody stepped up to the plate; they worked really hard,” Lynch says. “And I’m sort of used to guys who do this all the time, and I treated them pretty rough,” he says jokingly.
OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY
Formed in 1976 in Gainesville Florida by three cousins and two schoolmates; Allan Lowe, Mike Chasteen, Gregg McMillan, Jeff Sims and Steve Nelson/Jim Milsaps/Robert Simpson... the band toured the southeastern US roadhouse circuit and as openers/co-headliners for the Allman Brothers, Axe, Molly Hatchet, Charlie Daniels Band, Henry Paul Band, Johnny Winter, Three Dog Night, Grinderswitch, Louisiana Leroux, Doc Holliday, Winters Brothers, Johnny Van Zant Band, Pat Travers and more playing their brand of Southern Country Rock. From Gainesville and all up and down Florida's coast and in between to Atlantic Beach, NC , Greenville, NC , Grifton, NC , Spartanbug, SC , Warner Robbins, GA , Johnson City, TN , Shreveport, LA , Conroe, TX , Killeen, TX , the band paid some dues....
In 2006, drummers Steve Nelson and Robert Simpson both passed away.
Now after over 35 years the original band members now all living near Gainesville again have come out of semi-retirement, so to speak, to confirm 6 dates throughout 2012-2013. After three successful standing room only shows @ The Double Down Live/High dive in December 2011, June 2012 and december 2013, the band went into Black Bear Studio in march with producer Stan Lynch, Gordon Hammond and Ryan Williams to record 11 new songs. Now proudly released on Arril 20 2013. "These guys are by far the most authentic Southern rock act with all original lineup still out there"
Stay Tuned ...
''DIXIE DESPERADOS''
2013
38:20
1. Mean As Hell/3:06
2. Clint Eastwood/3:25
3. Something Worth Fighting For/4:10
4. New Damn Neighborhood/4:25
5. Break My Heart/3:17
6. Wandering Man/4:14
7. This Land/2:56
8. Into The Flood/3:44
9. To The Altar/3:04
10. Beer Drinkin' Women/2:29
11. Sweet Summerhaven/3:33
REVIEW
BY BILL DEAN
In the ’70s, Gainesville’s Dixie Desperados toured the Southeast and opened for the likes of the Allman Brothers Band and Pure Prairie League before disbanding later in the 1980s. After reuniting in 2011, however, the self-described “cowboy rock” group is finding its second time may be the charm — at least when it comes to releasing its own originals.
On Saturday, the group plays a CD-release show for its first fully-produced and officially released album, a self-titled CD of new and older material produced by Stan Lynch, the former Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers drummer who manned the controls for the Dixie Desperados in sessions designed to capture the band’s live sound, which fans first discovered all those years ago.
“I’m very, very pleased with the results because to me, it sounds like the band sounds when we play a live show,” says lead guitarist/vocalist Jeff Sims, who is joined on the album by fellow original members Mike Chasteen on guitar and vocals, acoustic guitarist and vocalist Allan Lowe, bassist/guitarist Gregg McMillan and recent recruit Jimmy Millsaps on drums.
The album includes such live-oriented songs as the sinewy rockers “Clint Eastwood” and “To the Altar,” along with tunes that find the common ground between country and rock such as “New Damn Neighborhood” and “This Land,” along with acoustic-oriented songs such as “Sweet Summerhaven,” with its Eagles-like vocal harmonies, and the ballad “Into the Flood.”
“Several go back,” Sims says about the songs on the album. “There are three songs that are from the late ’70s period, and everybody else in the band brought in two that were somewhat new. And then we added those three older ones.”
For his part, Lynch, whose friendship with Sims goes back to their days in junior high school, producing the group’s album was simply a matter of going for the band’s well-established live sound and then turning the members loose to do what they have always done best.
“Everybody stepped up to the plate; they worked really hard,” Lynch says. “And I’m sort of used to guys who do this all the time, and I treated them pretty rough,” he says jokingly.
OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY
Formed in 1976 in Gainesville Florida by three cousins and two schoolmates; Allan Lowe, Mike Chasteen, Gregg McMillan, Jeff Sims and Steve Nelson/Jim Milsaps/Robert Simpson... the band toured the southeastern US roadhouse circuit and as openers/co-headliners for the Allman Brothers, Axe, Molly Hatchet, Charlie Daniels Band, Henry Paul Band, Johnny Winter, Three Dog Night, Grinderswitch, Louisiana Leroux, Doc Holliday, Winters Brothers, Johnny Van Zant Band, Pat Travers and more playing their brand of Southern Country Rock. From Gainesville and all up and down Florida's coast and in between to Atlantic Beach, NC , Greenville, NC , Grifton, NC , Spartanbug, SC , Warner Robbins, GA , Johnson City, TN , Shreveport, LA , Conroe, TX , Killeen, TX , the band paid some dues....
In 2006, drummers Steve Nelson and Robert Simpson both passed away.
Now after over 35 years the original band members now all living near Gainesville again have come out of semi-retirement, so to speak, to confirm 6 dates throughout 2012-2013. After three successful standing room only shows @ The Double Down Live/High dive in December 2011, June 2012 and december 2013, the band went into Black Bear Studio in march with producer Stan Lynch, Gordon Hammond and Ryan Williams to record 11 new songs. Now proudly released on Arril 20 2013. "These guys are by far the most authentic Southern rock act with all original lineup still out there"
Stay Tuned ...