The Dixie Dregs' original album finally on YouTube!

[KEW]

It looks like this content was posted on YouTube about two weeks ago. Look for the white album cover:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dixie+dregs+1976+ffranc

Not sure how many of you know the Dixie Dregs, maybe more know the name Steve Morse (voted "Best Overall Guitarist" in the Guitar Player Readers Poll for five consecutive years, before being removed from eligibility to open the award to other musicians).

The Dregs was formed at the University of Miami School of Music, but Steve Morse and Andy West (bass) were from Augusta, Ga so they were local to me and I heard them several times at Augusta College or "The Warehouse" music/bar venue in my hometown of Aiken, SC. They are a group of exceptional musicians and I was excited when they got a major label contract (this was 76-77).

What are your thoughts on the Original performance vs Major Label performance (obviously, the major label is better recorded):

Original:

Major label:

I can't pose this in a neutral way. It is apparent that I like the original better and feel they lost something to major label production values (or maybe having more gizmos to play with). However, that could be from so many repeated listens to that album, or maybe because it brings me great memories from my youth.
Is my preference (in your opinion) psychological or real? Trick question since it is a subjective evaluation. I can certainly buy into psychological - It makes good sense!
In any case if you are bored enough, give me your thoughts

Here's another of a different nature:

 

[highfigh]

One of my favorite bands of all time. First saw them in '79 on their 'Night of The Living Dregs' tour after hearing them on a local Fusion radio show and I'm forever grateful to that station for ever having the brains and guts to do that show.

Met Steve Morse at the NAMM convention in Chicago in the early-'80s, after The Dregs called it quits and that conversation is when I heard the news, from him. They came to MKE for Summerfest many times and later, someone I know hosted a cable access TV show called 'Guitar Nuts', which was basically a show highlighting local, national and World musicians, generally guitarists. Steve Morse did a segment after he and the host had become acquainted and it was a pretty funny interview.

I don't know if you heard, T Lavitz passed away a few years ago, from sleep apnea. RIP, T.

Here's a little ditty that about 95% of the world's musicians would probably have night sweats after trying to play it-

For those who might want to see/hear T Lavitz in another group, this is called 'Jazz Is Dead', with Jimmy Herring on guitar, Alphonso Johnson on bass and Billy Cobham on drums-

 

[highfigh]

BTW- regarding the gizmos to play with and ever-changing production values- Steve Morse is a tech geek and constantly tinkered with his own studio's setup, wiring and gear.

The Wiki link has a lot of info about him and The Dregs.

He is also a pilot and in '87/'88, he worked for Continental airlines as a pilot/navigator. I read or heard him telling about a flight he was working that landed in Atlanta and coincidentally, Lynyrd Skynyrd was playing at the airport, for some kind of event- might have been a new addition, or something. He and the crew were off duty and went to the show, where someone in Skynyrd saw him and invited him up to the stage, so he could play. He did, blew everyone away and when he went back to the rest of his flight crew and the other Continental employees, they were amazed because none of them even knew he played, let alone how well.

If you ever see a copy of Guitar Player magazine with him on the cover holding a blue, odd-looking guitar, read it. The interview is very good.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Morse