Whenever Lynyrd Skynyrd fans come across interviews from the band’s earliest days, it’s a moment of celebration. That’s because few interviews remain from that period of the band’s history.
Actual recorded interviews are even more rare, though there are a handful of them out there with individual members of the band. But there’s a real treat floating around on YouTube in the form of a 1975 audio recording of an interview with not just one member of the group, but multiple.
Lead singer Ronnie Van Zant spoke most of the time during the interview, but he was also joined by guitarists Gary Rossington and Allen Collins, bass player Leon Wilkeson, and keyboard player Billy Powell. Each of the band members introduced themselves before the interviewer asked them about their history.
That’s when the band moved in to telling the story Skynyrd fans know well…they named their band Lynyrd Skynyrd after a gym teacher who was upset with them for growing their hair long, since it was against school rules. They left school and chased after their musical dream, and at the time of their interview had just released their third studio album, Nuthin’ Fancy.
They covered everything from the art that goes into playing “Free Bird,” to what it’s like to play in a big stadium, to money. This interview offers fans a more intimate glance at the band members than ever before, as it takes on more of a casual tone than most interviews.
The tone of the interview honestly doesn’t surprise us, since Skynyrd has always been known for appealing to common people. Right after their discussion about playing in big stadiums, Ronnie revealed that they didn’t have the slightest idea how much money they would make at their gig that night. Furthermore, he added, they didn’t really care.
Although the interview is only ten minutes long, it still provides a greater glimpse into Skynyrd’s early days than you’ve likely seen or heard before. You can’t miss out on this, so check it out in the clip below.
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