how to dig a deeper hole

on october 20, 1977, an airplane carrying members of southern rock legends lynyrd skynyrd crashed in louisiana, injuring the band and friends on board. it also killed guitarist steve gaines and, most importantly, their ultra-talented frontman/songwriter ronnie van zant.

with his death came the death of the band.

but in june 1987, lynyrd skynyrd would reunite, this time with johnny van zant (ronnie's brother) as the frontman. but they weren't kidding anyone; their days as an influential band were well behind them, buried beneath the destroyed embers in that louisiana town.

yet riding a new wave of fake popularity from adolescents who never heard of them, on may 25, 2005, lynyrd skynyrd appeared live on "american idol", backing "real rocker" bo bice as he sang "sweet home alabama", basically and metaphorically recreating the plane crash of 28 years past except with a glorified karaoke singer.



and i ask the surviving members, each squarely in the eye, does your conscience bother you?

tell the truth.