Publishers Weekly
05/01/2023
Journalist Paul (One Way Out) spins a rollicking tale of the Allman Brothers Band’s 1970s ascent to rock stardom and swift decline. Formed in Jacksonville, Fla., in 1969 by brothers Duane and Gregg Allman, the band found its groove in 1971, when they released their now classic live album, At Fillmore East. Just as their star was rising, two band members were killed in separate motorcycle accidents—guitarist Duane Allman in late 1971, bassist Berry Oakley a year later. In 1972, keyboardist Chuck Leavell and bassist Lamar Williams joined, making way for a new dynamic that gelled in 1973’s Brothers and Sisters; the album, which included such hits as “Ramblin’ Man,” heralded the birth of Southern rock and the rise of such bands as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Wet Willie, according to Paul. But by 1976, the group had parted ways without any public announcement—an “odd fate,” writes Paul, for a band that had once “elevated above their rock and roll peers to become an American institution,” though they reformed in 1989. Enriched by a cache of band interviews never heard before, Paul’s entry marshals encyclopedic detail and sterling prose for a vivid glimpse into a classic moment in music history. Rock fans will rejoice. (July)
From the Publisher
"Access to hundreds of hours of interviews with the musicians, recorded in the mid-1980s by Kirk West, a longtime Allman Brothers insider, for a book he never got around to writing...reads like a Verdi opera." —The Washington Post
“[Alan Paul is] perceptive when analyzing the musical approaches of the band’s members” —The Wall Street Journal
"Few writers understand or appreciate the Allman Brothers as much as Paul. His book, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of its namesake album, colorfully narrates an oft-overlooked chapter in the band’s history with nuance, clarity and perspicacity. In addition to his own extensive reporting, Paul had access to hundreds of hours of interviews conducted in the mid-1980s by Kirk West, a longtime Allman Brothers insider, for a book West never got around to writing. That material gives Paul’s work a real richness and depth.
“Brothers and Sisters” is a very good read for anyone interested in the Allman Brothers, the sounds of the ’70s or simply great music. It rocks." —Los Angeles Times
“This is one hellacious inside story, a wild ride through early-70s America, when the counterculture begat arena rock was born…Paul’s deep, careful reporting across the decades makes it all feel raw and new, revealing the pain and precariousness of the Brothers and Sisters sessions.” —The Observer
"Brothers and Sisters: The Allman Brothers Band and the Inside Story of the Album that Defined the 1970s is a scholarly book with a warm spirit and filled with fresh information on one of America’s greatest rock bands. It is a noble, kick-ass addition to the literary rock canon." —CultureSonar
"full of insider-y tidbits for Allman fans, but it also provides a fascinating portrait of the era" —Garden & Gun
"Paul, who has conducted extensive interviews with just about everyone in the Allman Brothers world (and also draws on hundreds of hours of interviews by Kirk West for a book that never got written), has previously written the definitive book on Allman Brothers Band history, “One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band.” So is another book really necessary?
Yes it is, given everything that happened to the band from ’71 to ’76...
...Like Warren Zanes’ recent “Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska,” it uses a great album as a launching pad for a thorough exploration of an artist at a unique and fascinating point in their history." —NJ Arts
“The book is full of trenchant observations by friends and contemporaries, creating a valuable perspective on the music scene in the early ’70s. A warm, entertaining appreciation of a key period in the career of a vital American band." —Kirkus Reviews (starred)
"extensive, thoroughly researched... Longtime Allman Brothers fans and readers who have only recently discovered the band will enjoy this in-depth treatment." —Library Journal
“a rollicking tale...Enriched by a cache of band interviews never heard before, Paul’s entry marshals encyclopedic detail and sterling prose for a vivid glimpse into a classic moment in music history. Rock fans will rejoice.” —Publishers Weekly
"For a fledgling 20-year old piano player in 1972, being asked to join the Allman Brothers Band was like entering Heaven. There were ups and downs during the making of Brothers and Sisters, but it still stands as the band’s most popular and best-selling record. Alan has captured the era with deep research and his savvy writing skills." —Chuck Leavell, Allman Brothers Band, Rolling Stones
“If you want to know the real deal, read Alan Paul.” —Oteil Burbridge, Allman Brothers Band
“No journalist knows the ins and outs of the Allman Brothers Band better than Alan Paul.” —Warren Haynes, Allman Brothers Band
“Alan Paul is our Jimmy Olsen. He’s one of the only cats who even knows what questions to ask. I'm glad he's now told the story of this era. We were a different band with Chuck and Lamar." —Jaimoe, Allman Brothers Band
"I sure am glad Alan took that suitcase full of interview tapes home with him. 40 years later I learned so much it surprised me." —Kirk West, Allman Brothers Band Tour Mystic
“Alan Paul’s vantage point and care are revealing and on target - a difficult task with so many moving parts. I greatly respect his dedication to search for the closest factual read. Hardcore fans and casual readers will both be thankful for his success!” —Tommy Talton, Cowboy/Gregg Allman band
“No one knows more about the Allman Brothers than Alan Paul. In this fast paced yet moving account of the band’s post-Duane rise to stardom, Paul paints a compelling portrait of not just the world of rock back then but the world as well. A must read for all those who love their music, Brothers and Sisters is also a deep dive into the true price of rock stardom.” —Robert Greenfield, author, Bill Graham Presents
“Gloriously researched and passionately written, Alan Paul’s Brothers and Sisters summons all the grand spirits of a time when America was at a hopeful crossroads, and the Allman Brothers were our treasured house band. This band needed no video assist, no pageantry, just a stage, some instruments, and an audience ready to scratch the heavens with them. By the first page, you’ll feel the band, hear the guitars, the elemental voice, and the magic of our most unforgettable band. There is no greater tour guide on this journey than Alan Paul’s Brothers and Sisters.” —Cameron Crowe, journalist and filmmaker
"Alan Paul’s Brothers and Sisters is a significant piece of rock music history. It is written with great love for his subject—the Allman Brothers Band and their place in the music and culture of the Seventies—but with the practiced eye of a superb critic and interpreter. And as with all of Alan’s writing, it is immensely readable and accessible. Once I started, I read it cover to cover." —Jon Landau, producer, manager, journalist
"Unique among the rock bands of the ‘60s and ‘70s in their profound commitment to improvisation, the Allman Brothers and the Grateful Dead had a deep musical kinship. That and much more is beautifully explored in Alan Paul’s Brothers and Sisters. It is a unique and brilliant contribution to understanding the era when rock and roll really mattered." —Dennis McNally, author of A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead
"Alan Paul has delved further, dug deeper and discovered more about this pivotal era of the Allman Brothers Band than anyone ever has. Tightly written, informative and provocative, Alan has brought clarity to the sometimes distorted history of the ABB. Like the album that it takes its title from, Brothers and Sisters is a masterpiece." —John Lynskey, historian/curator, The Big House Museum
"Brothers and Sisters is more than a well-written book about a famous band and its famous album. It's a trip back to a lost world of sublime possibility, when a legendary producer and a collection of talented musicians could help elect an American president." —Jonathan Alter, author of His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, a Life
"Brothers and Sisters is a fabulously entertaining, occasionally harrowing journey through the highs and lows of the Allman Brothers Band during their peak years in the 1970s, when they were arguably the most popular band in America. It's an eye-opening saga, rich with detail and populated by a colorful cast that includes musical giants, movie stars, a future President of the Untied States, and assorted rogues and scoundrels. I was particularly thrilled to finally read a masterful account of the close bonds between the Allmans and the Grateful Dead, including Paul's truly definitive look at the gargantuan Watkins Glen Summer Jam. This is one of the best rock books I’ve ever read - and I’ve read a ton of them!" —Blair Jackson, author of Garcia: An American Life
“Alan Paul is rock’s finest narrative historian.” —Ted Drozdowski, Premier Guitar
Library Journal
07/01/2023
Paul (One Way Out: The Inside Story of the Allman Brothers Band) chronicles the years just before and just after the creation of the 1973 Allman Brothers album Brothers and Sisters, the group's biggest commercial success. In this extensive, thoroughly researched account, Paul captures the American rock scene of the 1970s, along with many of its players and personalities. The author conducted interviews with dozens of subjects, some just for this book, and some multiple times over a span of many years. These include band members and other musicians such as Robbie Robertson, James Taylor, David Crosby, Elvin Bishop, and Lynyrd Skynyrd's Al Kooper. The book also incorporates interviews conducted by music photographer Kirk West and others, plus a variety of sources ranging from liner notes and magazine and newspaper articles to books and videos. Paul has written about the Allman Brothers for decades, and his interest and appreciation are apparent in this narrative. VERDICT Longtime Allman Brothers fans and readers who have only recently discovered the band will enjoy this in-depth treatment.—Carolyn M. Mulac
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2023-03-25
The author’s second book on the Allman Brothers focuses on the early 1970s, when the band recorded the titular album.
Rock journalist Paul draws on extensive interviews with band members and others from their circle, including tapes recorded in the 1980s by the band’s archivist, Kirk West. The author begins with Gregg’s and Duane’s musical careers before forming the band, and he follows them through their early success. The deaths of Duane and bassist Berry Oakley in 1971 and 1972, respectively, might have ended the band, but Gregg and guitarist Dickie Betts took over leadership roles and brought the band—with new member Chuck Leavell on keyboards—back to the studio to record Brothers and Sisters, which was released in 1973. Paul diligently explores nearly everything involving the album and time period, including the band’s encounters with the Grateful Dead, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and then–presidential candidate Jimmy Carter; the drug problems of several members; the dishonest business dealings of their predatory record company; and domestic dramas, including Gregg’s tumultuous marriage to Cher. The author also shows how Betts and Gregg had differing visions for how the band’s music could evolve: Betts leaned in the direction of lyrical tunes with a country flavor, while Gregg adhered to the group’s blues-band origins. At times, it seems a miracle that any album got made, let alone one that Paul credibly touts as central to the era. The author covers some of the Allmans’ live shows, notably the 1973 Summer Jam at Watkins Glen concert, where they shared the stage with the Dead and The Band and played in front of 600,000 people. The book is full of trenchant observations by friends and contemporaries, creating a valuable perspective on the music scene in the early ’70s.
A warm, entertaining appreciation of a key period in the career of a vital American band.
