What If (Dixie Dregs album) explained

What If is the second studio album by the Dixie Dregs, released in 1978.^[1]

Production

The band sought, for What If, producer/engineer Ken Scott, because of his production of Mahavishnu Orchestra's Birds of Fire (1973). “Those guys were our heroes,” said guitarist and main composer Steve Morse. He added: “we were eager to work with Ken. We felt like we were graduating to the next level.”^[2]

Personnel

• Steve Morse – guitar, banjo
• Mark Parrish – keyboards
• Allen Sloan – violin, viola
• Andy West – bass guitar
• Rod Morgenstein – drums, vocals

Production

Producer - Ken Scott

• Assistant engineers – Brian Leshon, Chris Gregg, Gary Coppola
• Mastered By – SR/2*
• Recorded At – Chateau Recorders

Production coordinator - Steven Brooks

Notes

• "What If" and "Ice Cakes" are re-recordings from the band's 1976 demo record The Great Spectacular.
• The lead track "Take It Off the Top" was used as the theme song for the Friday Rock Show for most of the show's run (from 1978 to 1993).
• American heavy metal guitarist James Murphy covered "Odyssey" on his Feeding the Machine solo album.
• Progressive metal band Dream Theater covered "Odyssey" for the special edition of their 10th studio album Black Clouds & Silver Linings.

Notes and References

1. News: Waters . Timothy R. . Classical mixed with bluegrass? Call them the Dregs . The Christian Science Monitor . 17 Dec 1981 . Arts.
2. Web site: “I Was Like a Mad Scientist, Always Refining”: Steve Morse Reveals How He Wrote “Take It Off the Top”. Bosso. Joe. Guitar Player. 13 September 2022. 23 October 2024.