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ed from many different studios, and Ca- push onward, but nobody could say for grow another pair of hands and play
pricorn feels (rightfully) that its synthe - sure exactly what lay ahead. both at the same time, there ’ d be no
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sis makes the studio one of the best * • problem. ”
recording facilities on the continent. You won’t find many of Macon s •* *
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Sandlin has seen the recording best places listed on the city sponsored When it s time to go on, the road
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process from both ends. He put in a lot Heritage Tour. Places like the H&H crew cuts a merciless path from the
of time as a session musician , but feels Restaurant , a funky little lunchtime dressing room to the stage. Led by the
much more at home when, as a spot that serves lemonade in big jars, notorious Red Dog, it is probably the
producer, he can direct the action. “I and catin that s worth getting up before most efficient and certainly the most
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get so frustrated, ” he revealed, “1 hate noon. Or Le Carousel, where you ll gel loyal crew of roadies in all of rock and
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to even sit and play. I can t take it ; it great late- night barbecue chicken, and roll. If you stray a step too close to the
docs a weird thing to my head. And beer served under the counter in paper band or - God forbid • the equipment ,
many times I ll reject a track just cups. (The locals delight in telling they’re instantly on top of you, fangs
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because I ’ ve played on it. The only stories about Lc Carousel s owner, who, bared , a no nonsense look in their eyes.
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place I’m really comfortable is behind because he has no liquor license, can Their job has only begun when the
the board.” frequently be observed running out the Brothers hit the stage. Nobody does it
The emergence of Capricorn has back door with kegs of beer under his better.
given Sandlin the opportunity to work arms, the Macon constabulary in hot * ••
where he feels most comfortable. “Phil s pursuit.) A large measure of the success which
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done a really good thing. He ll give “There’s always been the pressure to has come to Phil Walden and Capricorn
everybody a shot; he’ll give you enough move the label to New York or Los can be attributed to the convenience of
rope to hang yourself or be successful. I Angeles, ” Phil Walden said, “but I their size. “ I don’t ever want to get so
really appreciate that.” ignore it. Here in Macon, nothing s large I can’t devote the kind of
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•• farther away than the telephone. I don t attention to artists that exists now,”
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The waitress in the coffee shop particularly care to be involved in the said a firm Walden, “even if it means
leaped at the chance to tell her story to social aspects of the music business, and passing on a sure thing. I don’t like to
a famous reporter from the outside that ’ s the only benefit I can sec to living see a lot of records coming out; I like to
world, spilling, in her enthusiasm, a full in New York or L.A. This way, it breaks put time, planning and energy into each
cup of coffee in his lap. “We had a little down to you and your music; it just sort individual project. When a guy signs a
colored boy staying here once, ” she of cuts away all that superfluous crap. ” contract, you owe him something.”
bubbled. “He’d had some hit records, * * Then, talking about another manager
but that boy was flat broke. He came The Allman Brothers dressing room (who remains nameless to protect the
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back for another try, though. I bout was an exercise in well ordered innocent and the lame): “He did
fainted when he told me how much it confusion. Its occupants came and went absolutely nothing for X, except totally
costs to make a record; it ’ s more than I in a steady stream, as band and business fuck up his affairs. He raised his price to
make in four years. What 1 can t figure personnel, admirers, hangers- on. sight - some ridiculous figure and said ’because
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out is where them hippies got all that seers and your journalist worked I ’m so-and- so and I represent him, you
money ...” frantically to make the most of a few pay it.’ Bullshit! You have to look at
••• minutes of precious Allman s time. box office, you have to figure out
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The popularity of the Allman Even though there was a full hour honestly what a guy is worth. So many
Brothers began to mushroom. The before show- time, ace road manager managers’ egos become so great they
non- stop touring formula began to show Willie Perkins was already in a back actually think their name is worth
some returns: in many of the larger room hassling with promoters and boxoffice. We don ’ t sell tickets; you’ve
markets (New York, Boston. Miami ) police to get the curfew extended , a got to be realistic.
their audiences rivaled the biggest task he would still be carrying out well “I wouldn ' t allow shit like that to
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bands in numbers, surpassed them in into the set. In a cubicle not much come out. ” he said in reference to
enthusiasm. Duane’s work writh Erie larger than a high school locker, Dick another label. “I ve got 20 albums as
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Clapton in Derek & the Dominos only Betts, tuning with a small guitar, good as that stuff lying around the
seemed to focus more attention on his produced better sounds than most studio I’ll give him to put out. We ’ll
own band. When the Allmans released guitarists could get in a 312 track make an album, but if it doesn t meet
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their third album, Live At Fillmore studio. certain requirements, we won t release
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Fast, the road ahead couldn ’t have Since Duane ’ s death, Dick Betts has it. We cut Wet Willie ’ s album three times
looked more open. been left with all the guitarwork and - and we didn ’ t charge them for that. ’
Capricorn, too, was beginning to tlex some mighty big expectations to fulfill. *••
its muscles. Following the first Allman’s Part of the load is slide guitar, an area Bobby Womack isn t on Capricorn
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album came an excellent Johnny where Duane was an acknowledged Records, isn t managed by Phil Walden,
Jenkins record , and soon albums by master. “We have a lot of things. ” he but he is booked by Walden ’ s agency.
Livingston Taylor (originally signed as a stated, “that just sound better with For Womack , an R&B force since the
songwriter ), Jonathan Edwards and slide. If we decide it needs slide, then I early Sixties but only now beginning to
Alex Taylor. None of them produced play it. ” This workmanlike attitude is “make it ” on a large scale, the
sales figures to n \ atch, but they fared abetted by the fact that Dicky happens advantages of Macon arc crucial.
well enough aesthetically to establish to be one of rock s most inventive and “They ’ re hardworking cats,” he says
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Capricorn as more than a one- shot label. melodic guitarists. with obvious pleasure. “You got bigger
Then, as the machinery lut full Gregg Allman’s keyboard work, too, agencies, but thcy’tc bullshit. These
throttle - Fillmore East had just been has of necessity been expanded; he people are a small enough agency to be
certified gold - a motorcycle accident alternates effectively between piano and big - if you can get hip to that -
on a wet Macon road pul an early end organ. “Shit,” said drummer Butch because they get beliind the artists and
to the career of Duane Allman. The Trucks between last- minute gulps of
band met that night and resolved to Budweiscr. “if he (Gregg ) would just CONTINUED ON PAGE 72.
November, 1972 43