That's why I got very excited in the mid-60's when John Mayall made progress with a blues band. So, basically I thought that was what music was all about.
That was always kind of just playing around the house. I was brought up listening to chain gang songs, Muddy Waters and Big Bill Broonzy. "Well, through my dad's record collection. When asked how he became exposed to these sounds, the native of Nottingham, England responded cheerily.
Like many British stars, the 59-year-old Lee is incredibly knowledgeable about American roots music. Lee's admiration of Moore's work with Presley is just part of his stockpile of influences. I just said, 'Any chance I can get you guys in the studio?'" Jack Bruce was there and a lot of people paying homage to the maestro. He was there with his band and Pete Pritchard on bass, and I got up and jammed with them. "I then was invited to this jam session in London, and it was in aid of the Scotty Moore guitar being put out by Gibson. "Then, rather uncoolly but what the hell, I grabbed a guitar and thrust it at Scotty and said, 'Show me how you play the intro to 'That's All Right Mama.'' That turned out to be the icebreaker because everybody suddenly gathered around, and guitars came out, and we had a session with the master." So, we basically all went down to pay homage to Scotty and DJ, and we had dinner and then went up to the studio." George had invited them down, and I think they had done a radio interview with my friend (pioneer English rocker) Joe Brown in England. I asked him how he played the second guitar solo in 'Hound Dog.' Then, I met him again in 1999 with (documentary film-maker) Dan Griffin and DJ over at George Harrison's house. "Yeah, it was from meeting Scotty, first in 1995," explains Lee. Speaking from his home in Spain, the '60 and '70s guitar god envisioned working with the duo from the moment they first met at an all-star gathering. But, you have to go where it is done best."īest known as the primal force behind Ten Years After, Lee enlisted the aid of Elvis Presley's original '50s band mates, Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana.
If you remember classics like ‘Pump Iron’ and ‘Rocket Fuel’, then you’ll dig more recent examples of Alvin’s craft from ‘In Tennessee’, the album that celebrated his earthy musical roots.īooklet with authoritative and extensive liner notes written by respected ‘Record Collector’ journalist Michael Heatley.Įxpertly remastered by Jon Astley (who has worked on recordings by the Who, Led Zeppelin, George Harrison and many others)."Well, I had to go to the masters to get that," says Alvin Lee of the strong rockabilly groove exhibited on his new album "In Tennessee." "I could have tried forever to do that in England or anywhere else in the world. He burns up his fingers and vocal cords on such favourites as ‘Keep On Rockin’’, ‘Boogie All Day’ and ‘The Bluest Blues’, and the action never lets up. We hear Alvin singing and playing on 30 tracks, culled from the many solo albums he released during the years when he led his own bands, from the 1970s through to recent times.īacked by top rock session players, old mates and his regular sidemen, Alvin sounds at home in a variety of moods and styles, from blues to rock’n’roll. This unmissable 2CD set is jam packed with dazzling performances by the former Ten Years After guitar hero. That’s certainly the case with this aptly named ‘Best Of’ compilation. When it comes to red hot boogie guitar, you can’t get hotter than Alvin Lee, especially when he’s firing on all fretboards.
0 kommentar(er)
