The 31st of February
Encyclopedia
The 31st of February was a rock and roll
band formed by Jacksonville, Florida natives Scott Boyer, David Brown and Butch Trucks.
All three were alumni of Englewood High School in Jacksonville, though they did not come together musically until Brown and Trucks found themselves living on the same floor of a dormitory at Florida State University
in the fall of 1965. Having heard the folk-rock of groups like The Byrds
and The Lovin' Spoonful
, saxophonist Brown bought an electric bass and started to jam with drummer Trucks, an alumnus of The Vikings, The Echoes and the Jacksonville Symphonette. Guitarist and vocalist Boyer, making his living as a folk singer, was contacted by Brown who offered his and Trucks' services if Boyer would trade his acoustic guitar for an electric guitar. Boyer agreed and the three formed a group, The Bitter Ind. (short for Independents).
Playing fraternity parties, growing their hair long and ceasing to attend their classes (in Brown's and Trucks' cases), the group left Tallahassee after the end of the school year and tried their hand at performing in Daytona Beach. After being turned down repeatedly by club owners, the group found a bit of luck, landing a one-night performance at the Club Martinique. Shortly into their set, two members of the Allman Joys
, a group that frequently appeared at the club, walked in and sat down. After the group finished, the two members introduced themselves and lavished praise on the group. They were the namesakes of the Allman Joys, Duane
and Gregg Allman
. When the Bitter Ind. relayed their story of their inability to get steady employment, the Allmans offered them free lodging. In time, the Bitter Ind. returned to Jacksonville discouraged, their meeting with the brothers Allman the only high point of their journey.
Shortly after returning to Jacksonville, however, Trucks received a call from Duane Allman, stating that the Allman Joys were playing at the Beachcomber, a Jacksonville club, and that they needed a drummer. Trucks agreed to sit in for the night. After the show, Duane Allman suggested to Trucks to ask the club manager to let the Bitter Ind. audition. The manager agreed, loved the group's sound and let them stay on through mid-1967. After their engagement ended, the group, no doubt under threat of legal action from the New York nightclub The Bitter End
, decided to change their name. After briefly using the moniker "The Tiffany System", the group found themselves in Miami, Florida, signed to folk giant Vanguard Records
as The 31st of February. Their eponymous debut album was released in early 1968, a heady mix of folk-rock and psychedelic pop. After its failure to get noticed, the group added a lead guitarist and began to rework their sound.
Almost immediately, the group again ran into Duane and Gregg Allman, who had just broken up their post-Allman Joys group The Hour Glass
. Electing to join forces, the newly-hired guitarist was fired and the remaining five-piece began performing throughout the Southeast. In September 1968, they began recording material for their second album, including nacsent versions of "Melissa" (which would come out on the Allman Brothers Band's Eat A Peach
album in 1972) and "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out" (which Duane Allman would later cut with Derek and the Dominos
). Though the material would not come out until four years later, they serve as an important bridge towards the sound that The Allman Brothers Band would be producing within twelve months. Whilst in the midst of recording and touring, Gregg Allman elected to move out to southern California in order to let his brother and the remaining members of the Hour Glass be freed from their contract with Liberty Records. Though Gregg offered the others positions in his backing band, nothing came of it and in a matter of months, Butch Trucks would join Duane and Gregg Allman in The Allman Brothers Band
.
Scott Boyer ended up forming the group Cowboy with Tommy Talton, eventually signing to the Allman Brothers Band's label, Capricorn Records
. He is currently recovering from artery replacement surgery.
David Brown ended up a studio bassist, eventually joining Boz Scaggs
's band and, later, Cowboy with Boyer. He remains a member of Norton Buffalo and the Knockouts despite Norton Buffalo's untimely death on 30 October 2009.
After joining the Allman Brothers Band, Butch Trucks has stayed there since 1969, save for the group's first (1976–1979) and second (1982–1989) hiatuses.
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band formed by Jacksonville, Florida natives Scott Boyer, David Brown and Butch Trucks.
All three were alumni of Englewood High School in Jacksonville, though they did not come together musically until Brown and Trucks found themselves living on the same floor of a dormitory at Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
in the fall of 1965. Having heard the folk-rock of groups like The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
and The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful is an American pop rock band of the 1960s, named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. When asked about his band, leader John Sebastian said it sounded like a combination of "Mississippi John Hurt and Chuck Berry," prompting his friend, Fritz Richmond, to suggest the name...
, saxophonist Brown bought an electric bass and started to jam with drummer Trucks, an alumnus of The Vikings, The Echoes and the Jacksonville Symphonette. Guitarist and vocalist Boyer, making his living as a folk singer, was contacted by Brown who offered his and Trucks' services if Boyer would trade his acoustic guitar for an electric guitar. Boyer agreed and the three formed a group, The Bitter Ind. (short for Independents).
Playing fraternity parties, growing their hair long and ceasing to attend their classes (in Brown's and Trucks' cases), the group left Tallahassee after the end of the school year and tried their hand at performing in Daytona Beach. After being turned down repeatedly by club owners, the group found a bit of luck, landing a one-night performance at the Club Martinique. Shortly into their set, two members of the Allman Joys
Allman Joys
The Allman Joys was an early band with Duane and Gregg Allman fronting. It was originally the Escorts, but it eventually evolved into the Allman Joys. Duane Allman quit high school to spend his days at home practicing guitar. They auditioned for Bob Dylan's producer, Bob Johnston, at Columbia...
, a group that frequently appeared at the club, walked in and sat down. After the group finished, the two members introduced themselves and lavished praise on the group. They were the namesakes of the Allman Joys, Duane
Duane Allman
Howard Duane Allman was an American guitarist, session musician and the primary co-founder of the southern rock group The Allman Brothers Band...
and Gregg Allman
Gregg Allman
Gregory Lenoir Allman , known as Gregg Allman, is a rock and blues singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter, and a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia...
. When the Bitter Ind. relayed their story of their inability to get steady employment, the Allmans offered them free lodging. In time, the Bitter Ind. returned to Jacksonville discouraged, their meeting with the brothers Allman the only high point of their journey.
Shortly after returning to Jacksonville, however, Trucks received a call from Duane Allman, stating that the Allman Joys were playing at the Beachcomber, a Jacksonville club, and that they needed a drummer. Trucks agreed to sit in for the night. After the show, Duane Allman suggested to Trucks to ask the club manager to let the Bitter Ind. audition. The manager agreed, loved the group's sound and let them stay on through mid-1967. After their engagement ended, the group, no doubt under threat of legal action from the New York nightclub The Bitter End
The Bitter End
The Bitter End is a nightclub in New York City's Greenwich Village. It opened its doors in 1961 at 147 Bleecker Street under the auspices of owner Fred Weintraub. The club changed its name to The Other End during the 1970s...
, decided to change their name. After briefly using the moniker "The Tiffany System", the group found themselves in Miami, Florida, signed to folk giant Vanguard Records
Vanguard Records
Vanguard Records is a record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York. It started as a classical label, but is perhaps best known for its catalogue of recordings by a number of pivotal folk and blues artists from the 1960s; the Bach Guild was a subsidiary...
as The 31st of February. Their eponymous debut album was released in early 1968, a heady mix of folk-rock and psychedelic pop. After its failure to get noticed, the group added a lead guitarist and began to rework their sound.
Almost immediately, the group again ran into Duane and Gregg Allman, who had just broken up their post-Allman Joys group The Hour Glass
The Hour Glass
The Hour Glass were a 1960s rhythm and blues band based in Los Angeles, California between 1967 and 1968. Among their members were two future members of the Allman Brothers Band and three future studio musicians at the world-renowned Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama .-History:Formed from the...
. Electing to join forces, the newly-hired guitarist was fired and the remaining five-piece began performing throughout the Southeast. In September 1968, they began recording material for their second album, including nacsent versions of "Melissa" (which would come out on the Allman Brothers Band's Eat A Peach
Eat a Peach
Eat a Peach is a 1972 double album by the American Southern rock group The Allman Brothers Band; it was the last to include founding member and lead slide-guitar player Duane Allman, who was killed in a motorcycle accident on October 29, 1971 while the album was being recorded.-History:This album...
album in 1972) and "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out" (which Duane Allman would later cut with Derek and the Dominos
Derek and the Dominos
Derek and the Dominos were a blues rock band formed in the spring of 1970 by guitarist and singer Eric Clapton with keyboardist Bobby Whitlock, bassist Carl Radle and drummer Jim Gordon, who had all played with Clapton in Delaney, Bonnie & Friends...
). Though the material would not come out until four years later, they serve as an important bridge towards the sound that The Allman Brothers Band would be producing within twelve months. Whilst in the midst of recording and touring, Gregg Allman elected to move out to southern California in order to let his brother and the remaining members of the Hour Glass be freed from their contract with Liberty Records. Though Gregg offered the others positions in his backing band, nothing came of it and in a matter of months, Butch Trucks would join Duane and Gregg Allman in The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band once based in Macon, Georgia. The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman , who were supported by Dickey Betts , Berry Oakley , Butch Trucks , and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe"...
.
Scott Boyer ended up forming the group Cowboy with Tommy Talton, eventually signing to the Allman Brothers Band's label, Capricorn Records
Capricorn Records
Capricorn Records was an independent record label which was launched by Phil Walden, Alan Walden, and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia.-First Incarnation:...
. He is currently recovering from artery replacement surgery.
David Brown ended up a studio bassist, eventually joining Boz Scaggs
Boz Scaggs
William Royce "Boz" Scaggs is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He gained fame in the 1970s with several Top 20 hit singles in the United States, along with the #2 album, Silk Degrees. Scaggs continues to write, record music and tour.-Early life and career:Scaggs was born in Canton,...
's band and, later, Cowboy with Boyer. He remains a member of Norton Buffalo and the Knockouts despite Norton Buffalo's untimely death on 30 October 2009.
After joining the Allman Brothers Band, Butch Trucks has stayed there since 1969, save for the group's first (1976–1979) and second (1982–1989) hiatuses.
Discography
- The 31st of FebruaryThe 31st of February (album)The 31st of February is the eponymous debut by the trio of Scott Boyer , David Brown and Butch Trucks .-Track listing:# Sandcastles - 2:55# Porcelain Mirrors - 2:55...
(Vanguard, 1968) - Duane & Greg AllmanDuane & Greg AllmanDuane & Greg Allman is an album containing demo recordings for American rock band The 31st of February's second album, recorded at TK Studios, Hialeah, Florida in September 1968. The planned album was never completed as the band broke up shortly afterwards, and the demo recordings remained...
(Bold, 1972)