Dickey Betts Band

Dickey Betts is best known as a founding member of the Allmann Brothers Band and, following the death of Duane Allman, the lead guitarist on the ‘Brothers & Sisters’ album – that is his guitar you hear week after week on Top Gear.

After a massive falling out with Greg Allman, apparently due to Betts drinking and Allman’s sobriety, he left the band in 2000 but before that he had recorded and released ‘Pattern Disruptive’ under his own name and featuring Pianist Johnny Neel and guitarist Warren Haynes from the Allmans and a guest appearance from Butch Trucks on percussion.

The album has the sound of the Allmans but there is a tighter rein on the music – less jamband like and more Southern Rock – and the songs are more potent because of that.

From the chugging groove of ‘Rock Bottom’ you immediately get the feel of the band and the album; the guitars are restrained and the organ is growling under the rhythm section while the vocals take pride of place but suddenly it moves into a jazzy little segment with the guitars and keys playing off against one another and the guitars screaming to the end of the track – as the title says ‘Pattern Disruptive’.

The playing on the whole album is superb with some stunning drumming and percussion from Matt Abts (later of Govt. Mule with Haynes) and solid bass lines courtesy of Marty Privette driving the lead merchants along. The guitar playing is, as you would expect, superb and Neels keyboards/Piano/Organ/etc add some immense textures to the album.
Considering that the album came out originally in 1988 there is a delightful lack of over-production but the drums have that characteristic ‘80’s ‘thwack’ – it doesn’t affect the music though, it still has an organic quality and you can hear that these guys are familiar with and respect each others playing.

Fine album from a period when not too much good music was around and still sounding fine today.