When guitarist Dickey Betts took a leave of absence from the Allman Brothers Band last summer for alcoholism rehabilitation, his bandmates barely raised an eyebrow.
"None of us could cast any stones, could we?" asks singer-keyboardist Gregg Allman. "We've all been there."Drugs, alcohol and tragedy have long been demons in the Allmans' saga. This is the band that lost two founding members to motorcycle accidents--guitar virtuoso Duane Allman in 1971 and bassist Berry Oakley the following year. Oakley's replacement, Vietnam Veteran Lamar Williams, died of cancer believed to be Agent-Orange related in 1983.
And Gregg Allman -- who says he's been clean for more than 13 years -- testified against the group's former road manager during a 1975 drug trial, a move that earned the wrath of the rest of the group.
The band also wasn't thrilled to be tabloid fare thanks to Allman's turbulent marriage to Cher from 1975-79.
So the Allmans' is a brotherhood that's been well-tested in the past 25 years and through at least three breakups.
The music binds the band -- sweet melodies and long, improvised jams, a blend of twang, crunch, blues and boogie that made the Allmans more than just a bunch of good ol' boys with guitars.
"They've been through the fire, really, and they can be hell on each other," Tom Dowd, the band's longtime producer, said during the group's latest reformation. "It really comes down to what they can do together with their instruments. That's the relationship they don't get anywhere else."
The band's canon is formidable --from radio hits "Rambling Man" and "Jessica" to the ultimate jam-out "Whipping Post" --so it's no small distinction when Allman calls the current seven-man lineup "one of the better reunitings of the band." And its inner strength showed when Betts decided to take some time off after being arrested following a hotel argument with his wife in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. --an episode that led to the guitarist's rehabilitation.
"I've always considered Dickey my dearest friend as well as a fine musician and co-worker," says Allman, 46. "I just reassured him that even though he walked out, that we weren't going to say 'Hey, you walked out. Screw you. Don't come back.'
"And sure enough, he made one hell of a comeback. He's playing better than ever. His attitude is better than ever. There's not that pending doom like, "Well, any minute now he's going to fly off the handle.' It was like that with me for a while, too."
In fact, Betts-- whose indulgences these days include books on Zen Buddhism-- made it back in time for sessions for the Allman's next album, "Where it All Begins," which was recorded at Burt Reynolds' ranch in Jupiter, Fla.
Due out Tuesday, it's a collection of blues and rock spitfire that echoes the vintage Allmans of the early '70s.
Newer members such as guitarist Warren Haynes and keyboardist Allen Woody continue to prove their mettle, and there's no question they're pushing the band's veterans to peak performances.
"It's just a better record all around," Allman crows. "A lot of it has to do with everybody being right on top of it, with all their senses, really alert. Plus there's not all the drugs and alcohol involved anymore. It's like we're growing up or something."
Allman laughs, then pauses. Drugs and tragedy are not his favorite topic-- particularly not when he thinks his band is playing at a new musical peak.
But he knows that peak took some time to reach.
"Everybody's got really good chops anyway; it just seems like there's more good music happening when you're awake," he says. "I mean, you can be blitzed and out on stage and think, in the altered state you're in, 'God, we're just killing!' Then you listen to it the next day, and you're in for pretty much of an unpleasant surprise there.
"Especially the singing. I've listened to myself on some tapes that were recorded on nights when I was drinking, and it sounds like I've got two tongues in my mouth."
Allman pauses again, as if he's contemplating a particular mamory or preparing to make another point. Finally; "That's enough about drugs and alcohol, I think."
At least he has plenty to talk about.
Besides the new album, Allman-- who nowadays resides in Northern California -- has revived his solo band, recording a new album between the group's obligations.
He's also won praise for his acting, including roles in the film "Rush" and the TV series "Superboy," but Allman says that's merely a dalliance.
"I'm not ever gonna stop playing music," he says. "It's a real nice time for us now. I look out there and half, maybe even more than half of our crowds, most of these people weren't born when I wrote 'Whipping Post.' Lemme tell you, that's a pretty amazing thing to consider."