by Rob Turner

The Betts name is a tough one to live up to.  Dickey Betts is one of rock's most  enduring icons.  His work with the Allman Brothers is a vital section of the  history of rock and roll.  Dickey's son, Duane, has smartly chosen to  begin to carve out his own niche in the world of rock.  His current  band, Backbone 69, is more reminiscent of The Jimi Hendrix Experience  and Crazy Horse (with and without Neil Young) than of the Brothers.  The  band also has two other members that are offspring of musical luminaries.   Their solid drummer Alex Orbison is the son of the legendary baritone  crooner Roy Orbison.  Their  frontman, guitarist/vocalist Chris Williams, is the son of a man who is  quietly one of rock's great songwriters, Jerry  Lynn Williams.  Jerry has written for many rock musicians, and  he is responsible for some of Eric Clapton's strongest recent  material ("Pretending," "Forever Man," and "Running On Faith"  to name a few).  Bassist Damon Webb, and the energetic keyboardist  James "Unity" Fuchs round out Backbone 69.

I had the good fortune to hang out with the band at a  recent Atlanta stop.  While it is a brash and enigmatic group, I was  taken by the lack of arrogance despite their direct ties to unquestioned  legends- not to mention that they're from Southern California .  They  were generous hosts, and the second set of their show revealed that they have  limitless potential as an aggressive jam band (ala Gov't Mule).   Unfortunately their return trip to Atlanta was questionably canceled  by the Somber Reptile at the very last minute (the band was notified  upon their arrival by a sign on the door, rather than by a phone call or  email which may have saved them hundreds of miles of driving), but I  am holding out hopes that they will return to Atlanta soon. 

Among the band's upcoming dates are a stop at the Malibu  Inn in their hometown of Malibu, California on May 26, and a performance  at the Pozo Saloon in San Louis Obispo on May 28.  Duane  will tour with Blue Floyd from mid-June to mid-July, after which extensive touring  of the West and Southeast is expected from Backbone 69.

What follows is the text from an interview Duane  granted me on this recent chilly Atlanta evening.

RST - It's my understanding that you were a drummer at first, is that true?

Duane - Yeah.  When I was really young I played drums  for a while.  My Dad got me a few drums from The Warehouse.  I played  drums for about six years, from when I was seven.  I switched to guitar at  around twelve or thirteen.  I've been in a few bands, but the first "real"  band I was in was with Berry Oakley and Waylon Krieger.  We did a bunch  of touring, and I gained alot of good experience from that.  I've been  playing with them for three or four years.

RST - You originally appeared as a guest with them?

Duane - I think the first time we played was a New  Year's Eve show, I'm not sure what year it was.  It was  an Oakley/Krieger Band show, Robbie (Krieger, guitarist from the  Doors, and Waylon's father) sat in, and they got me to sit in. 

RST - Do you play alot of lead guitar with  OKB, or do you and Waylon switch off?

Duane - We both play, we switch off.  Alot like  with this band, Backbone 69. (RST note - Duane switches solos with Chris Williams with BB69.)

RST - How did Backbone 69 come together?

Duane - Well, Alex and Chris have been together  since the early nineties.  I went to school in Malibu, and I know  alot of people from way back.  I had met people dating back to when I was  thirteen, and I had roots there.  One time a couple of years back I was  sitting in with a friend at a gig at the Malibu Inn and I ran into Chris.   We recognized each other because Elijah Allman (son of Cher and Greg  Allman) actually had introduced us at an Allman Brothers show at Irvine  Meadows.  Alex had been in Colorado, and when he came back we started  jammin'.  It was clear that we had something.  We started recording, and  suddenly stuff started happening and we slowly started growing.  Now more stuff is happening, and we're just slowly moving forward, ya know?

RST - How much of the material do you write?

Duane - Chris and I wrote all of the stuff on the  CD.  He actually wrote seven of those ten songs on the record.  I have  alot of songs that we haven't even played yet.  We definitely all have  ideas that we'll work on, but the stuff that we have played to this point has been Chris' and mine.

RST - Do you enjoy songwriting?

Duane - Yeah, I enjoy it almost as much  as playing guitar.  I'd almost rather be remembered for a great song than  a great guitar solo.  I think songwriting is if not more important, just  as important as musicianship.  I try to just convey a human  condition and get a point across without being too "avant garde" about  it.  I try leave something to the imagination.  I don't want to be so  straightforward and blatant, but I still make an effort to offer something  that people can relate to.  That's what I try to do at least, although I would admit that I'm certainly not an experienced songwriter.

RST - Are you surprised when inspiration hits you,  or do you sit down with the intention of writing songs?

Duane - It's pretty  interesting how it works.  Sometimes, it's like the spirit comes over you,  you know?  You don't really control it, almost.  My father tells  me that you have to always practice it.  Even if you can't think of anything,  you just write the first thing that comes to your mind.  If for nothing else,  than just to practice writing thoughts and feelings.  It is a really good feeling when you finish a song.

RST - Aside from the obvious, who  are some of your other songwriting influences?

Duane - One of my favorite songwriters  is Billy Corgan.  Lyrically, I like alot of Bono's stuff.  I like Bob  Dylan.  There's so many great songwriters.  Our stuff doesn't sound like  U2, but if you examine the lyrics closely, you can hear Bono's influence  in there.  I like Jeff Buckley quite a bit too.

RST - Even though alot of people think that you  have a cakewalk in the Industry because you're the son of a rock icon,  I'm sure this certainly isn't the case.  Something Waylon Krieger said  once sort of hit me, he said, "When it comes down to it, it can also be a  hindrance because people prejudice you and compare you with your old  man."  Do you find this happens to you?

Duane - Not really, I don't think about that stuff.   I don't want the band to be in the shadow of who one of our Dads are.   That's the last thing I want.  I also don't want to play my Dad's  songs and do all that stuff.  I've done that before.  I don't want people  to come just to hear us play my Dad's songs.  It's only a hindrance if I  let it be one.  As long as I don't care, I don't think it will hinder  me at all.  It's not like it holds me back.

We don't have any free paths to success.  I mean,  we have connections.  I'm not gonna lie.  But, people don't  just hand us everything for free.  We have to work really hard for  what we do.  And we wouldn't want it any other way.  Everybody in the band  understands that.  It's not like I ask my Dad, "hey, can you hook me  up with your agent?"  Our agent is somebody that we hooked up with, not  through anybody's Dad.  My Dad likes to know what's going on, but he  doesn't like hook everything up for me.  He might let us play with his band,  which isn't too bad... (laughter)... but  it's not like we're just "living the silver screen", ya know?

[Ed: Their recent experience  at Atlanta's Somber Reptile, mentioned in the introduction, is indicative of this.]

RST - Speaking of The Allmans, I  remember the first time I heard you play was when you sat in with them back  in '94 on the HORDE tour, at Merriweather in Maryland, and The  Mann Center in Philly.  How old were you then.

Duane - Let me see... I was... sixteen.

RST - Was it intimidating to sit  in with them in front of all of those people?

Duane - Yeah, yeah, oh yeah, it was  to some extent.  They * are * all such friendly people, though.  They're  all there to see the Allman Brothers and they're having a great time.   My Dad just told me, "They're your friends.  It's not like they're gonna  throw tomatoes at you if they don't like you."  So, I kept that in mind,  and realized they're not gonna kill me or anything.

The  first time I sat in I was petrified.  I actually forgot my guitar on  purpose, but my Dad made me play anyway.  When something's new you feel  uncomfortable, but you just gotta do it until you get used to it.  There  was one time that I was out there with them and I broke some strings, and I was like, "I'll never sit in again."  But I got over that too. The  most surreal experience was playing at Woodstock.  That was ridiculous, unbelievably surreal. 

RST - Did you look out at the crowd at that gig?

Duane - The whole  day was so surreal that I couldn't even get nervous.  I was in some kind of dreamland over the whole event.

RST - And you just played The Beacon with them recently?

Duane - Yeah, that  was really good.  I played two shows, and sat in for one or two songs  each night.  I'm much more confident now when I play, so I don't get intimidated by that crowd anymore.

RST - Did you get the nod for some solos?

Duane - Yeah, I got  a huge solo on one song with The Allmans.  I also got to sit in with Gov't  Mule, we had some fun, especially when we played, "Dreams."  We just did  another show, The Cherry Fest, with Gov't Mule, and they brought me up for three songs or so.

RST - I'm sure the guys in Gov't Mule have influenced you a bit?

Duane - Warren is a great  songwriter, singer, and guitar player.  Matt's great., Alan.....they're all  great.  In the truest sense of the word, they are phenomenal musicians.   They're also nice guys and good people.  I love their music.   I haven't gotten a chance to listen to their new record yet, but I've  heard some of the songs live.  I like what I've heard live.  Their records  sound great; I love "Dose."  I like Warren's lyrics, and his songwriting quite a bit.

RST - Warren also seems really good  at working with guests on their stage.  He encourages them to offer  their personality and the band gives them plenty of space to do so.

Duane - They know a lot of people.   They also know it's such good musical energy to have people sit in who are  your friends that know how to play.  It creates something else, something  unique to that night.  We've had Marc Ford sit in with us at The Coach House  [in San Juan Capistrano, California] and that was fun.  It's always fun to jam with people.

RST - One thing  that's special about your Dad's band is the family feel that ABB has.   It even filters into their fan base.  They're shows feel more like reunions than traditional musical events.

Duane - Yes, there's a sense of community there.

RST - Are you starting to feel that with Backbone 69?

Duane - Definitely.   We have a tight knit group of people in Malibu, good people, like a tribe  of people.  They come and support us and we have a big party.  All kinds  of crazy stuff goes on at the Malibu Inn.  There is a sense of camaraderie  and brotherhood within the band and with our people.  There's a  consistent feeling between everybody about what we stand for.  It's not  just about how well everybody plays or anything, but it's about how the band  is doing.  We concentrate on how the vibe is the chemistry. I like the vibe alot right now.  It's really cool.

RST - Where do you see Backbone 69 headed right now?

Duane - We're going to release this CD soon.  We're also planning on doing more  recording.  In the meantime, we'll just play as many gigs as possible.   As long as we don't have to buy a sailboat and cross the ocean, we'll  get out and play.  I want to play as much as possible, and get our name out.   We would love to hook on with a bigger act and get on some more opening slots.

RST - And you still will do occasional gigs with Oakley/Krieger Band?

Duane - Oh yeah, if  they come up, I'd love to.  I just played with Berry up in New York in March.   He's phenomenal.  He's like my brother.  I've known him for a long time.  You  know, you can play with as many people as you want.  It's a huge family.   It's not segregated at all.  It's like, "share the love" you know?   Jam with everybody.  Like with the Blue Floyd thing, Marc's played with  Gov't Mule, and he goes out with Alan and Matt.  Berry plays with Blue Floyd.   I'll play with Berry, and he'll play with us.  I get to sit in with Gov't Mule, Marc plays with us. 

RST - Did you see Blue Floyd?

Duane - Yeah, at The Roxy  in LA...it was great; Marc Ford is one of my favorites. 

**(RST note - since this  interview, Duane  has been inked to tour  with Blue Floyd from mid-June through mid-July this summer.)**

RST - Finally, what are some of your memories  from being on the road with The Allmans?

Duane - I grew up on tour.  I pretty much went  to every show from '89-'96.  I was home school, and my tutor would  come on the road with me.  I have so many memories.  Red Rocks is probably  my favorite place.  It was always really nice to go there.  They  always packed 'em in at Great Woods in Boston, those were very memorable.   Atlanta was always cool.  I just remember each year, really.  The HORDE  Fest was particularly fun.

It  was good education for what I want to do with my career.  I think my Dad  knew I would be a musician.  He brought me on the road, and I got to hear  great musicians every night.  I was able to see how the business works  as well.  That's a big part of this, knowing how the business works.   I learned about how the road manager and accountants play into everything.   I learned about guarantees.  I also saw the amount of work the crew puts  in, how their day runs and how it fits into the band's routine.  Now I  know how it should all go.  I know exactly how an operation runs properly.   I don't have to learn that, so I can learn other things. 

RST - Can we end with a wacky  story from your Allman Brothers experiences?

Duane - One time I was sitting  in with them, I was sixteen or seventeen, and some woman threw a bra up  onstage at me while I was taking a solo.  I had my eyes closed, and my Dad  picked it up and put it on my guitar.  So, I still have my eyes closed, and  the crowd starts going crazy, and I'm thinkin' "oh man they really like me...(laughter)...I'm goin off!" (more laughter) Then I opened my eyes, and I go "oh, no wonder."