The Allman Betts Band have shared a music video for “Long Gone”, off their debut album, Down to the River. The video was shot from quarantine but, with clever editing, gives off a vintage feeling of nostalgia.
The band features Southern rock royalty Devon Allman and Duane Betts, sons of Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts respectively. The group also features Berry Oakley Jr., son of original Allman Brothers Band bassist Berry Oakley, as well as Johnny Stachela (slide guitar), John Ginty (Hammond B3), R. Scott Bryan (percussion), and John Lum (drums).
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The video opens with some light B3 organ work that sounds straight out of the ending of “Hey Jude”. Meanwhile, 35 millimeter footage traverses the American landscape as Allman comes in with that bear of a Southern drawl inherited from his father. Soon, Allman is joined by the rest of his bandmates in likewise pop up screens of 35 millimeter footage. With Allman beside a flowing river, Ginty in his backyard, Stachela in a rolling plain, and even Bryan outside on his porch in his urban jungle, the video is markedly different from others of the time, where band members tape themselves from inside their homes and studios.
The prize for best background, however, undisputedly goes to Betts who stands in front of a mountain range fit for a postcard. Unfortunately, what Betts has in landscape choices he lacks in lip syncing guitar solos, as his feigning of improvisation (on an acoustic guitar no less) quite noticeably does not match up with the track. Even with minor continuity errors like that, the “Long Gone” video’s use of vintage media like 35 millimeter film and VHS tape sets it leaps and bounds above any other video to come out in the past three months. Allman said of the video,
Never thought we’d film a music video while our band is apart. From the banks of the Missouri River to the Mountains of Wyoming, in skyscrapers, poppy fields, beaches, and backyards…we’re all a little ‘Long Gone’ lately.
Watch the music video for “Long Gone” from The Allman Betts Band.
The Allman Betts Band — “Long Gone” (Official Music Video)
[Video: The Allman Betts Band]
The Allman Betts Band were in the midst of a global tour when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing them to postpone the remainder of the shows. In the meantime, Allman has started the “We Are Still Together Tour” from his home. The live stream series features other members of the group, and raises money for the band’s crew. Visit Allman’s Facebook page to tune in, and the band’s website for any announcements regarding rescheduled dates.