Allen Collins Band
The Allen Collins Band was a short-lived American southern rock band formed in 1983 by guitarist Allen Collins, a founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, in the wake of the Rossington–Collins Band's dissolution due to internal conflicts including Collins' personal struggles.[1] Featuring key alumni from Lynyrd Skynyrd such as keyboardist Billy Powell and bassist Leon Wilkeson, the group emphasized the gritty, guitar-driven sound of southern rock and released a single studio album, Here, There & Back, before disbanding in 1984.[1][2] The band's lineup included Allen Collins on lead guitar, Jimmy Dougherty on lead vocals, Randall Hall and Barry Harwood on guitars, Billy Powell on keyboards, Leon Wilkeson on bass and harmony vocals, and Derek Hess on drums.[3] Here, There & Back, issued by MCA Records and recorded at Studio One in Doraville, Georgia, showcased original songs co-written by band members, blending high-energy riffs and themes of resilience reflective of Collins' post-Skynyrd era.[1][2] Though commercially modest, the project highlighted Collins' enduring influence on the genre amid ongoing personal challenges following the death of his wife in 1980,[4] before his own death in 1990 from pneumonia-related complications following a 1986 car accident.[5]History
Formation and early development
Following the tragic 1977 plane crash that claimed the lives of several Lynyrd Skynyrd members, including Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Allen Collins co-formed the Rossington-Collins Band in 1979 as a continuation of the southern rock legacy, releasing albums in 1980 and 1982 before its dissolution in late 1982 due to internal instability.[6][7] In early 1983, Collins launched a new solo project, initially naming the group Horsepower to establish a fresh identity independent of his past associations.[8] However, MCA Records executives insisted on rebranding it as the Allen Collins Band to capitalize on his established fame from Lynyrd Skynyrd, prompting a name change shortly after initial artwork was prepared.[6] To build the lineup, Collins recruited familiar collaborators from the recently disbanded Rossington-Collins Band, including guitarist Barry Harwood, bassist Leon Wilkeson, and keyboardist Billy Powell, ensuring continuity in the group's southern rock foundation.[1] He then added new talent including guitarist Randall Hall, lead vocalist Jimmy Dougherty, and drummer Derek Hess to round out the core ensemble.[9][1] This period marked a challenging time for Collins personally, as he grappled with the emotional aftermath of his wife Kathy's death in September 1980 from a miscarriage-related hemorrhage, which had already contributed to strains in his prior musical endeavors.[10]Album recording and release
The Allen Collins Band recorded their sole studio album, Here, There & Back, primarily at Studio One in Doraville, Georgia, during early 1983, with horn overdubs captured at Wishbone Recording Studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.[11][2] The band handled production themselves, emphasizing a raw southern rock sound rooted in original compositions.[2] MCA Records released the album on May 1, 1983, in the United States on vinyl and cassette formats.[12] It comprises nine tracks, including "Just Trouble," "Chapter One," and "Hangin' Judge," showcasing a mix of uptempo rockers and blues-inflected ballads.[13] Allen Collins co-wrote several songs, drawing from his Lynyrd Skynyrd heritage while navigating personal challenges in the wake of his wife's death three years prior.[2][14] MCA supported the launch with targeted promotion, offering a special on-tour price of $6.98 for the LP to coincide with the band's U.S. tour from late May to August 1983, where they opened for acts like A Flock of Seagulls.[12] The album's packaging featured straightforward rock imagery, with cover design credited to George Osaki and photography by Jim McGuire, encapsulating the band's transitional southern rock vibe.[2]Touring and disbandment
Following the May 1983 release of their debut album Here, There & Back, the Allen Collins Band embarked on a U.S. tour to promote the record, performing high-energy southern rock shows across various venues. The tour featured stops at notable locations such as the Lone Star Cafe in New York City on November 2, 1983, and The Boathouse in Norfolk, Virginia, on October 31, 1983, with additional performances including one at Summers on the Beach in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on June 15, 1983, and another in Spartanburg, South Carolina, on September 14, 1983.[15][16][17] Setlists during these concerts typically blended tracks from the new album, such as "Just Trouble," "Chapter One," and "Hangin' Judge," with covers of Lynyrd Skynyrd classics like "Free Bird," "Sweet Home Alabama," and "That Smell," delivering the raw, guitar-driven intensity characteristic of southern rock.[18] The performances maintained a stable core lineup, emphasizing Collins' signature dual-guitar interplay alongside Barry Harwood. However, the tour was marred by internal challenges, including Collins' ongoing emotional strain from the 1980 death of his wife, Kathy, which contributed to erratic behavior and band fatigue. These dynamics, stemming from personal grief and substance issues, strained relationships within the group.[1][19] The band disbanded in 1984 after roughly one year of activity, primarily due to the album's lack of commercial breakthrough and the escalating personal conflicts that hindered sustained momentum. No additional studio recordings or official reunions followed, as Collins shifted focus amid his deteriorating condition.[1][13]Musical style
Roots in southern rock
The Allen Collins Band's sound was deeply embedded in the southern rock tradition, prominently featuring dual guitar interplay between Allen Collins and Barry Harwood, alongside blues-based riffs that evoked the raw energy of everyday Southern life.[1] This approach directly continued the legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd, where Collins had co-developed the genre's signature three-guitar attack blending rock aggression with blues roots.[20] The band's arrangements maintained thematic nods to Southern resilience and rebellion, hallmarks of the style pioneered in Jacksonville's music scene during the 1970s.[6] Key influences on the band's style traced back to earlier southern rock exemplars like the Allman Brothers Band, whose extended improvisations and dual-lead guitar dynamics shaped the regional sound that Lynyrd Skynyrd—and by extension, Collins' post-Skynyrd projects—adopted and refined.[20] Collins' formative years in his first band, The Mods, further grounded this foundation, as the group experimented with British Invasion covers and local blues, planting the seeds for the harder-edged southern rock he later championed.[6] On their sole album, Here, There & Back (1983), the band incorporated country-tinged ballads amid harder rock edges, positioning the work as a transitional link from the gritty, communal southern rock of the prior decade to the polished arena-oriented sounds emerging in the 1980s.[1] Keyboardist Billy Powell's prominent use of piano and organ added lush, Skynyrd-esque textures to the mix, reinforcing the genre's blend of rock drive with gospel-inflected Southern soul.[1]Songwriting and production
The songwriting for the Allen Collins Band's sole album, Here, There & Back, was a collaborative endeavor involving multiple band members, reflecting a shared creative input that extended across most tracks. Allen Collins played a central role in guiding the process, co-authoring key songs that explored themes of loss, redemption, and Southern grit, such as the narrative-driven "Chapter One," which evokes personal struggle and resilience under a full moon setting. These compositions drew from the band's collective experiences, blending storytelling with raw emotional depth to maintain a connection to southern rock traditions. The blues-infused "Hangin' Judge" delved into themes of judgment and moral reckoning in a gritty Southern context.[11][2] Production on the album, handled at Studio One in Doraville, Georgia, emphasized a live-band atmosphere to preserve the group's raw energy, featuring layered guitar arrangements and prominent vocals with minimal overdubs for an authentic, unpolished sound. Collins provided rhythm and lead guitar parts, with Barry Lee Harwood handling lead guitar duties, including solos and slide work on various tracks. The album clocks in at approximately 37 minutes, with track sequencing designed to progress from energetic openers like "Just Trouble" to more introspective closers such as "Everything You Need," building emotional momentum throughout.[11][13]Personnel
Band members
The Allen Collins Band's core lineup remained stable throughout its brief existence from 1983 to 1984, drawing heavily from southern rock veterans with prior ties to Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Rossington-Collins Band.[1] Allen Collins served as the band's leader, playing lead and rhythm guitar while acting as the primary songwriter; he had previously co-founded Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1964 and contributed to the Rossington-Collins Band after Skynyrd's 1977 plane crash.[1][21] Barry Harwood contributed guitar and backing vocals, often handling lead solos; a former member of the Rossington-Collins Band, he brought technical precision to the group's dual-guitar sound.[1][22] Randall Hall played guitar and provided backing vocals, contributing to the band's layered guitar arrangements.[23] Leon Wilkeson played bass guitar, providing the rhythmic foundation essential to the band's southern rock groove; a Lynyrd Skynyrd survivor from the 1977 crash, he anchored the low end with steady, propulsive lines.[1] Billy Powell handled keyboards and piano, adding melodic layers and atmospheric textures; another Lynyrd Skynyrd alumnus, his work evoked the piano-driven elements of classic Skynyrd tracks.[1] Jimmy Dougherty took on lead vocals, delivering a gritty style reminiscent of Ronnie Van Zant.[2] Derek Hess managed drums, driving the band's energetic backbeat across recordings and performances.[1][21]Production and additional contributors
The album Here, There & Back was self-produced by the Allen Collins Band, allowing the group to maintain creative control over the recording process.[13] Sessions took place at Studio One in Doraville, Georgia, a renowned facility for southern rock productions owned by engineer Rodney Mills.[24][23] Engineering duties were handled by Greg "Fern" Quesnel, who managed the tracking and mixing at Studio One, while mastering was completed by Howie Weinberg at Masterdisk in New York.[13] No additional engineering assistants are credited, though the team's efforts emphasized the band's live-in-the-studio approach to preserve their southern rock authenticity.[23] No major guest contributions appear in the credits, with the album relying solely on the core band's performances.[13] The production avoided external session players, focusing on the ensemble's chemistry without uncredited additions for elements like horns or backing vocals.[13] Art direction was provided by MCA Records' George Osaki, with the album cover featuring photographic imagery of the band captured by Jim McGuire; back cover design was by Tracy Veal, and front cover by Raymond "Rat" Turknett, evoking a gritty, road-worn aesthetic aligned with southern rock traditions.[23]Discography
Studio albums
The Allen Collins Band's sole studio album, Here, There & Back, was released in 1983 by MCA Records under catalog number MCA-39000 for the original vinyl LP edition.[13] The record served as a continuation of southern rock traditions from Collins's prior projects, with production handled primarily by the band members and songwriting led by Allen Collins on several tracks, including co-credits with collaborators like Billy Powell and Barry Harwood.[2] The album comprises 9 tracks with a total runtime of 38:51, blending guitar-driven rock with themes of resilience and reflection. The track listing is as follows:| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Just Trouble | Harwood, Hall | 3:57 |
| 2. | One Known Soldier | Collins, Dougherty | 4:25 |
| 3. | Hangin' Judge | Powell, Dougherty | 3:03 |
| 4. | Time After Time | Dougherty | 3:40 |
| 5. | This Ride's On Me | Harwood | 4:43 |
| 6. | Ready To Move | Collins, Harwood | 3:28 |
| 7. | Chapter One | Collins | 4:30 |
| 8. | Commitments | Collins, Powell | 4:57 |
| 9. | Everything You Need | Collins | 4:53 |