The band is currently on atour in North America that ends in Bethel, New York. It is Kings voice heard counting off 1-2-3 at the beginning of Sweet Home Alabama. Other songs that King wrote or co-wrote include Poison Whiskey, Saturday Night Special, Whiskey Rock-a-Roller and Workin For MCA. Ed was our brother, and a great Songwriter and Guitar player. Legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd Ed King Guitar Now in - Saving Country Music They call themselves Lynyrd Skynyrd. Then Gary would come to Allens defence and Id end up fighting them both.. King said in 2005 that during his days on the road with. Junstrom stayed in the Lynyrd Skynyrd orbit, though: In 1977, he joined .38 Special, a Southern rock band founded by Ronnie Van Zant's younger brother Donnie in 1974. Guitarist Gary Rossington, one of the last surviving founding members of the group and the only one still in the band, narrated most of the documentary, which was made by director Stephen Kijak (Stones in Exile, We Are X). Guitarist Gary Rossington had even been known to weep at the strain of the constant touring, and management were continually attempting to douse the groups firebrand flame of craziness that threatened to consume them. Its all part of my story and its made me who I am.. He released fuel which, if we had that little bit of fuel, we might have been able to get over those trees into a field where we would have bellied into a field, which I would have much rather done than going into trees. In some places they threw bullets at us on stage .22 shells and .38 bullets. With this movie, we did the very best we could with the resources that we had under the conditions that we had. The tour is named, Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour. In a 2005 interview with Classic Bands, King said that he began playing guitar in 1961 when he was 12. But I tell you something, I've got eight incredible children and grandchildren. The booze and drugs had been creeping in a little bit. Bass on all tracks except "Mississippi Kid" and "Tuesday's Gone". Larry Junstrom, Lynyrd Skynyrd Founding Bassist, Dead at 70 - The Boot Rossington still recalls the freshness that Steve brought to the sessions, adding: He was a great picker, and such a great guy to hang with, and his natural enthusiasm rubbed off on all of us.. Ed King Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family . I wasn't able to be in on the total process of the editing and such. That wasnt even work. The song came real quick. The farmer later explained that hed heard reports of escaped prisoners on the loose in the area. After a dust-up with singer Ronnie Van Zant, King, tired of the Skynyrd drama and propensity for fighting, exited the band in 1975, detailing the incident in the superb new documentary If I Leave Here Tomorrow: A Film About Lynyrd Skynyrd. We were sued by a bunch of blood-sucking weasel attorneys the entire time that we were trying to do the movie. In later life, Jacksonville was his home and where he died. Why Artimus Pyle Isn't Part of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Farewell Tour As helicopters arrived to rescue the survivors, so did the gangs of rubber-neckers and souvenir hunters. Chris Chamberlain. King was born in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale, California. Wed wanted to stop, and we did manage it for a while. At that point, I could hear [sound engineer] Ken Peden and [drum technician] Marc Frank behind me, yelling for me to wait. Ronnie once told Ed to watch out for Gary because he will stab you in the back. Que significa lynyrd skynyrd - Ejemplos When Ronnie was killed, Judy became an instant billionaire. Same level? Indeed, itd often been suggested that before the crash Ronnie had himself considered passing the baton to Johnny. Powell was treated for his injuries and was the only one of the surviving band members to be in good position to attend the memorial and funeral services for Van Zant, says Orlando Sentinel. He had to leave the band again in 1996 because of congestive heart failure. Thr group's third brilliant guitarist Ed King talks about joining Lynyrd Skynyrd after being asked by founding group frontman Ronnie Van Zant It will be published. [9] Other songs that King wrote or co-wrote for Lynyrd Skynyrd include "Poison Whiskey", "Saturday Night Special", "Whiskey Rock-a-Roller" and "Workin' for MCA". For years, Powell suffered with mostly heart issues and complications. Powell wasn't a founding member and also wasn't a native of Florida. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. another tidbit: Ed King and Steve Gaines both had the same Birthday - September 14, 1949. Ed King's Guitar Collection | Marty's Guitar Tours, In this episode of Guitar Tours, we sit down with the legendary guitar player Ed King! Van Zant was, perhaps inevitably, the most irate that Dowd had fled to Toronto to work on Foot Loose And Fancy Free with Rod Stewart, and insisted that Dowds name be stripped from the credits. And we play Lynyrd Skynyrd music better than any band in the world. I laughed, I cried, I spit. Theres a handful of people like that, but theres also hundreds of thousands of people that just want us to go on. The Untold Truth Of Lynyrd Skynyrd's Billy Powell - Grunge.com So I thought I was qualified to tell the story. I'm not waiting; I've got to get help. Back then he told us: Im so disappointed in Leon. It's hard to say what he might have done given another five to ten years, as his professional career was only just getting started when he died. Powell joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1972 almost 10 years after it was founded and just two years before their smash hit song came out. I can only do one major project at a time, and this movie is a big deal. GettyKing pictured in March 2017 with Pete St. Holmes, Ted Nugents guitarist. JavaScript is disabled. [13] In 2017, he appeared as a customer in the Discovery Channel docudrama Moonshiners, buying $30,000 worth of premium gin. Van Zants short fuse was something that Skynyrd always had to tolerate. You could get beat up for having long hair, our drummer was pushed around by a couple of Phillies in Clearwater who were there for spring training. During the latter half of 1976 Van Zant had begun to tell people he was quitting the booze or at least reducing his intake. There's a lot of controversy about me getting shot. The Gear Page is the leading online community and marketplace for guitars, amps, pedals, effects and associated gear. Rossington: Wed been taught by the best. It had all come to a head with Nuthin Fancy, an aptly titled collection for which Skynyrd fans were mostly unprepared. Ive just found out about Eds passing and Im shocked and saddened, he said. And Kenny made the statement that he didn't think I got shot. Chris Chamberlain. Ultimately, King quit Lynyrd Skynyrdin 1975. According to King, his guitar tech had not been around to change his strings because he had been thrown in jail, along with Van Zant, following an altercation with police. King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 as a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. The bands sole remaining founder, Gary Rossington offered a unique perspective upon their continued existence, and you knew darned well he had no regrets. ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd Announce Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour, Gary Rossington Calls Current Lynyrd Skynyrd a Tribute Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd Hanging It up in the Next Year or so, Lynyrd Skynyrd Show Enduring Rock N Roll Spirit in Los Angeles, Damon Johnson Talks Gary Rossingtons Return to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lynyrd Skynyrd Add More U.S. But they realize that we're the only two left out of the band, and that if we got together there would be less money for them to steal. I started off with that riff and Ronnie was sitting on the edge of the couch, making this signal to me to just keep rolling it over and over. Its a shot at anybody that wants to be against the United States and our troops, Van Zant said. Unfortunately Ed King died on. Despite Artimus Pyle being the survivor to actually walk away from the site of the crash to get help in the nearby town, only Powell was able to personally attend the sendoffs for the band's frontman. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) _ A former drummer with the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd was sentenced to eight years of probation for molesting two young sisters. But, sure, everybody knew it was time to come up with something really super-duper. Learn about his stunning Les Paul, and how it came into the possession of Jason Isbell. Founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd Gary Rossington released a message on Twitter: Ive just found out about Eds passing and Im shocked and saddened. Members of Southern Rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd (L-R Leon Wilkeson, Billy Powell, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant and Allen Collins) pose by their trailer backstage at an outdoor concert in October, 1976 in California. Last time when we shared a bus with Deep Purple, I ended up getting their autographs. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time Ed King, the Strawberry Alarm Clock expatriate who'd been hired to play bass on debut album Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd had switched to guitar, ripped off notes that nibbled at the far ends of psychedelia, his Stratocaster filling the psychic gap between Collins' Gibson Firebird and Rossington's Les Paul. King left Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1996 after he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. He co-wrote Sweet Home Alabama with Lynyrd Skynyrd and man can he can SHRED on guitar! Judy Van Zant wants all the money and all the control. We knew that it was causing us to stay up too late, and physically it made us sick. For years, Powell suffered with mostly heart issues and complications. Right after that show we told him to quit the band he was with, he was coming with us. And Jake saw that the guy was trying to cover up. Leon [Wilkeson] and I even got to share a joint with Jack Nicholson in our trailer and you can quote me on that., As a live band it was definitely an incredible time, Rossington remembers. Would love your thoughts, please comment. It shipped gold in 10 days flat and had sold a million by the end of its first month in the chart, eventually becoming their biggest seller. We were under duress the entire time, and I think Jared did an amazing job. And King eventually left the band precisely because he didn't feel like he fit in. According to founding drummer Bob Burns, "Leonard Skinner" was an in-joke before the gym teacher Leonard Skinner even entered the picture. The new albums definitely of the same calibre, insists Rossington. I promise you, he used to tell me, If anything should happen to me, keep the band going. The thing people sometimes forget is that weve always paid the estates of Steve Gaines, Ronnie and all those who died they still get their regular share. https://t.co/MrqotxSUo6, 10 Patriotic Songs for the Fourth of July. Randall Hall Recalls The Bittersweet Story Of The Last Time He Saw At the end of the movie, I say I loved being the drummer of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Why Did Spotify Have an Official Hitler Radio Playlist? That's his problem. You participated in the band's If I Leave Here Tomorrow documentary. During his time with the band, one day Van Zant heard Powell play the piano version of the group's song "Free Bird" and decided to hire him (via Boston). Lynyrd Skynyrd's undisputed leader - he once claimed he'd "hand-picked all these boys to play for me" - was frontman Ronnie Van Zant, a violent, tyrannical boozer whose unpredictable rages had already driven guitarist Ed King from the band mid-tour. Judy lied to all the estates and said that I was going to make a horrible, nasty, cheap film. Bruce Warren (@somevelvetblog) August 23, 2018. But certainly not better. The band also recorded a tribute called Mad Hatter to their fallen brother, famous for his legendary eccentric headgear. See Neil Young Sing Angela Bassett Did the Thing on The Tonight Show, See the Beths Deliver Refreshing 'Expert in a Dying Field' Mini-Set on 'CBS Mornings', The YSL Case Is Stretching Fulton County's Justice System to Its Breaking Point, The National Stay Up Late to Perform 'Tropic Morning News' on Fallon, David Lindley, Multi-Instrumentalist Who Shaped the Sound of Soft Rock, Dead at 78, How Deem Spencer Learned to be Vulnerable on His New Album adultSW!M, Netflixs Sex/Life Is Back to Satisfy Your Softcore Desires, Alex Murdaugh Juror Says Cellphone Video, 'Big Liar' Testimony Led to Guilty Verdict. Shout as: 0 /256 Cancel. Of course, lots of people still talk about the old band with Ronnie, Steve and everyone, but this band has played for even longer than the original one. Im a fairly decent player but, to be honest, I was in the right place at the right time. I love [founding Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist] Gary Rossington, and at one point Judy and I were friends. I never made a deal. I was in shock from the plane crash; I was injured. When we started adding those songs, thats when the light-bulb went off. Rejoined shortly thereafter. King is now retired and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 with Lynyrd Skynyrd. Its pretty bad to live through that and still not get the message. sws1 Member Messages 13,309 Aug 26, 2017 #13 27sauce said: Not how I would describe him at all, based on how he presents himself online, anyway. Southern rock's passion and romance is marred by racism and bigotry [8], Band biographer Mark Ribowsky wrote that King was an outsider in Lynyrd Skynyrd to some extent, as he was from Southern California and the only non-Southerner in the lineup, but that it was King who brought a level of professionalism to the fledgling band. Wed write a song in the morning and record it in the afternoon, which wasnt ideal. He's a solid person in that respect. Ed King "Lynyrd Skynyrd" - TalkBass.com Like most of the groups fans, Gary and Billy were happy to cite Street Survivors as Skynyrds best ever album, but the guitarist even compared it to Vicious Cycle. Blasted on a mean combination of whisky and Quaaludes, Rossington had passed out at the wheel and slammed into an oak tree. Ed has said many times it was the incredible pressure from the record company and constant touring mixed with drugs and booze that finally ended it all. Both he and Gaines were among the band members inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. Ed Kingguitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1972 to '75 and 1987 to '96 and the co-writer of the band's iconic hit, "Sweet Home Alabama"has died at age 68. . [7] Wilkeson soon regretted leaving and rejoined the band, and King switched to lead guitar, creating with Allen Collins and Gary Rossington the triple-guitar attack that became the band's signature sound. We did try Leslie but we didnt get along, Rossington explains. King said in 2005 that during his days on the road with Skynyrd he never drank, but [he] was into drugs pretty good. During the same interview, King said that leaving the band, due to a combination of factors, was the best thing I ever did. King was also a lead and bass guitarist with Strawberry Alarm Clock. I know he will be reunited with the rest of the boys in Rock and Roll Heaven. By way of celebrating the albums triumph-over-adversity conclusion, Skynyrd entitled it Street Survivors, and organised a photo session which symbolically saw them standing tall while everything around them was smothered in flames. He was previously married to Sharon Brock, Janet Lynn Hand and Patricia A Pettit. They had my telephone number; they would call me at four in the morning, asking questions. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - Lynyrd Skynyrd History When Ed King passed away in August 2018, the Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist left more than classic songs like "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Saturday Night Special" as his legacy. He'll go out there and put his all on the line. Wed been playing the same set for a long time, so we decided to do most of Street Survivors, with Sweet Home Alabama, Free Bird and a couple of others, but mostly it was the new stuff. But the one silver lining of COVID-19 for me, because I love Gary Rossington and I miss Gary, is that he was allowed to go to his mansion in Atlanta and rest without the rest of the band members and their management company shaming him to get back on the road again to make them that money. But Ill never forget that day at Knebworth backstage I met Paul and Linda McCartney, Rod Stewart, Billy Preston you name them. Gary James' Interview With Ed King Of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Strawberry But as the dazed and blood-splattered collective approached a private house they were astonished to receive shotgun fire. I have two daughters. About the decision to leave the band, King said "well, I was out of my mind for quitting. The documentary also features interviews with drummer Artimus Pyle, Sweet Home Alabama cowriter Ed King, producer Al Kooper, late drummer Bob Burns and Honkette backup singer JoJo Billingsley. Well Known for: He is best known for being the guitarist for the rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock as well as the guitarist and bassist for the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. They're not. It was always me and Allen Collins that fought, Powell explains. I wrote my book, which has not been released because of Judy's lawyers, but it will be released. The 1974 song was their claim to fame and helped skyrocket the band to notoriety. A year before that, Powell would turn to Christianity after a run-in with the law sent him to prison. I jumped up and down, but I got through the two 11-hour days. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."[18]. But it was the best thing I ever did. Hence his current status being on the right side of grass. Sure. And it didn't have to be that way, but that's the way it was, and I'm so proud of Cleopatra, of the attorneys that defended us, of the actors and actresses that portrayed us and put their hearts and souls into it and of Jared Cohn, the director. Without a second's hesitation he said "Ed King.". I went back to my room, packed up my stuff and left. His words have appeared in a variety of music publications, including RAW, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Prog, Rock Candy, Fireworks and Sounds. Bath Ronnie Van Zant, Ed King, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Bob Burns, Leon Wilkeson, Billy Powell performing Sweet Home Alabama May 12, 1974 in Hamburg Germany shortly after release of single in USA. The film, Lynyrd Skynyrd: If I Leave Here Tomorrow, covers a lot of ground: the bands rise from Jacksonville, Florida, the plane crash that killed vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and several crew members, their return and unflinching use of the Confederate flag. But the likelihood was that by the time that message was received theyd overshot McComb by 17 miles. We werent really in limbo, we just didnt have any material written, Rossington shrugs now. Co-founder, Gary Rossington, wrote on Lynyrd Skynyrds Facebook page, Ive just found out about Eds passing and Im shocked and saddened. The pilots trusted the gauges on that plane. He most famously co-wrote Second Helpings Sweet Home Alabama thats him counting off 1, 2, 3 in the songs intro which, along with Free Bird, has become synonymous with the group. But Ive realised that its part of my career. I've been dragged through the mud; I've been falsely accused. What is giving Ronnie Wood his tone in this song. New Lynyrd Skynyrd Doc Shows Plane Crash Footage, Traces Band History, Limp Bizkits Wes Borland Rebuked Over Frivolous Legal Motion. The subject had frustrated Johnny immensely the last time he spoke to Classic Rock. After leaving Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1975, King spent time working on his own personal musical projects. King was a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, responsible for co-writing "Sweet Home Alabama," & a member of Strawberry Alarm Clock. We want to hear it. We want to hear it. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee 2006. Artimus Pyle was originally charged with capital sexual battery in assaults on the 4- and 8-year-old girls. Sweet Home ALabama. Besides, who is that band? They're awful. Wilkeson left and was replaced with Ed King, who would later be replaced, too, with Steve Gaines. I've never had hate in my heart for them, because their families lost loved ones and they lost their lives. I'm a drummer in a rock band that runs bulldozers and flies airplanes. The first to feature a red-hot new guitarist duo of former Blackfoot star Rickey Medlocke (who actually played drums on Skynyrds First And Last album) and ex-Outlaws man Huey Thomasson, it made a complete mockery of their risible post-reunion studio albums (Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991, Twenty) and the glut of live records (Southern By The Grace Of God: Tribute Tour, Southern Knights, Lyve From Steel Town) that had blighted their catalogue. Of writing the song with bandmate Ronnie Van Zant, King claimed, we wrote that song in half an hour, but it took us about a half a day to put it together. I had gotten fed up with frankly all the violence. And Jake said, "Well, how can you say you didn't shoot him?" Ed King suffered massive heart failure on tour in 1995 which required him to retire from active touring with Skynyrd. Larry Junstrom, an original member of the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd and the longtime bassist for .38 Special, has died. When the plane began experiencing problems which required the pilots to operate the planes starboard-side engine in the auto-rich position, the fuel they did have burned away at an excessive rate. The plane crash that changed the band forever happened on October 20, 1977. We got off the ground and its like the engines cut off or something. I felt something sting me, and I fell to the ground. After Allen was left paralyzed following a car accident, he handpicked Randall as his replacement for Skynyrd's 1987 tribute tour. JoJo Billingsley was one third of the Lynyrd Skynyrd's Honkettes People have to get blamed when people die, but I dont hold anyone responsible. Maybe we didn't have the exact right plane, maybe there's a couple of sequencing things, but we had to do things that way. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Allen Collins wasnt present, but gave the venture his blessing. I know he will be reunited with the rest of the boys in Rock & Roll Heaven., Now Available: 134 Rock-n-Roll Legends Crossed the Rainbow in 2017 - A Tribute to their Lives Dismiss, Rock-n-Roll Music by The Beatles in Paris 1965, Guaranteed to Blow Your Mind, Anytime - Freddie Mercury, 134 Rock-n-Roll Legends Crossed the Rainbow in 2017, https://rockandrollparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/21-Rock-n-Roll-Music-Live-Evening-Show.m4a, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C11MzbEcHlw, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZnodJJ7l_I, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb3iPP-tHdA, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZf41UudAbI, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWz9VN40nCA, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dC0DseCyYE, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV2kH2yPwUw. It wasnt very difficult. The solution was close at hand in the form of Steve Gaines, the kid brother of backup singer Cassie. He appeared on the bands first three albums, Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd, Second Helping, and Nuthin Fancy. Going back to the day of the crash - were you alone when you went to the farm? Ed King Net Worth It is what it is, and, as far as I'm concerned, from now on that is the story. The strangest memory of my life is that when that plane came down I wasnt knocked unconscious like all the rest. The farmer, Johnny Mote, when he was interviewed by Jake Tapper for VH1, said, "Did you have a gun?" The band had several names before they decided on Lynyrd Skynyrd (via Oldies), and the intention behind it was to mock the coach that despised their locks. But if things for Skynyrd looked rosy from the outside, behind the scenes tensions continued to mount. Its archival material includes recently discovered radio interviews with Van Zant, guitarist Allen Collins and bassist Leon Mad Hatter Wilkeson. Ed King, Writer of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" & More, Has Burns happened to be a drummer and was a friend of guitarist Gary Rossington. Lynyrd Skynyrd Biography, Songs, & Albums | AllMusic They can't play the parts, and if you can't play the parts, you should get someone who can. Lynyrd Skynyrd's plane crash: a southern ghost story | Louder That was never easy. I had good reason to leave.. It was the same when we played with The Who. was eventually reworked. King added that he was more interested in playing the bass guitar in his youth because it was far more interesting. King also said that when he was first asked to join Skynyrd, it was a bassist but he eventually transitioned into a lead guitarist. pic.twitter.com/VQ86DvxBvz, Black Stone Cherry (@BlkStoneCherry) August 23, 2018, Farewell to Ed King, the former member of Lynyrd Skynyrd who wrote the opening riff to Sweet Home Alabama. He also was a member of the Strawberry Alarm Clock, who had one of the great psych-pop singles with Incense and Peppermints. https://t.co/Oo5E9tpwOu, Stephen Thomas Erlewine (@sterlewine) August 23, 2018, RIP Ed King, one of the most underrated players ever. In an interview shortly before his death from cancer in 2018, King pointed to the below photo as being illustrative of his place in the band all by himself to the left, with the other guys all standing side by side: In March of 1975, during a show in Ann Arbor, Michigan, King snapped two guitar strings while playing Free Bird, throwing off his performance. Finally, after maybe 10 15 minutes, he got up and sang a verse and a chorus. Kenny doesn't know. MCA Lynyrd Skynyrd were a band on the rise when they returned to record stores with their third LP, Nuthin' Fancy but they were also headed for a period of extreme turbulence. She started singing at age three; took dance lessons (tap and jazz) from the time she was three to about age 14. You must log in or register to reply here. A cause of death was. Leaving the Band | Ed King Forum - ProBoards Ed King (1949-2018) - Find a Grave Memorial Ronnie was a mean, abusive drunk. King later recalled that Van Zant's drinking drove a wedge between the two of them, and that it eventually became an "unpleasant situation." Ultimately, King quit Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1975. Ed King died on August 22nd, 2018 at the age of 68 in Nashville. I like Ed. Then I would go out and get drunk. He has many times told people why he left. He also appeared as a customer in the Discovery Channel docudrama Moonshiners, purchasing $30,000 in premium gin in 2017. Even of late, Rossington hadnt enjoyed the best of health in February 2003 hed undergone open heart surgery but he vowed that if anything happened to him hed want Skynyrd to continue. Amid the kind of surreal circumstances that could only have occurred in the 70s, the 26-year-old was invited to audition for the band on stage in front of an audience in Kansas City. I punched walls, I screamed. An estimated crowd of half a million people had gathered to see the Stones play what was rumoured at the time to be a farewell show, along with Todd Rundgrens Utopia and Hot Tuna, but it was Skynyrds 90-minute special guest spot that was the best-received on the day. Skynyrd had three guitarists at that point, King and founding members Gary Rossington and Allen Collins but King was an outsider from the start. In choosing to call their next release, in 1976, Gimme Back My Bullets, Ronnie had made it plain that it was time for the group to recapture former glories bullets being the symbol that US magazine Billboard awarded to albums that had sold more than a million copies in the US.