Oh man, bummer. I saw Alvin Lee and Ten Years After as a starry-eyed teen at Winterland, SF in '78. ---------- Go ahead and play the blues if it'll make you happy. -Dan Castellaneta
Got a kick out of lmbrjak's post, because when I first saw the thread I was like "wait, what? Ten Years After's Alvin Lee?.....I'm goin home at woodstock Alvin Lee?
wasn't old enough to go to woodstock, but I am old enough to remember practically wearing out the side of the woodstock double album (or was it a triple album?) that had Santana's Soul Sacrifice (with a teenage Michael Shrieve tearing it up in that drum solo), followed by TYA's I'm Going Home. Side 3, no?
Here is Lee's version of the harmonica standard "Help Me", including some harmonica work from the man himself. I am not crazy with what he does on the harp, but his vocal is terrific and the guitar playing is classic Alvin, fast and blitz worthy.
As a college knucklehead in the early 70’s I saw Alvin Lee (and I think it was “Ten Years After” at that point) play in an outdoor festival at the U. of Florida. There wasn’t even a stage. The band was just set up on the grass and I stood about ten feet away from him as he performed. On one song he seamlessly used his harmonica as a slide on the guitar and then played a harp solo. It was Magic! I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen and it was certainly one of my early inspirations for taking up the harp. ---------- Tom Halchak www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
in the late seventies, a friend i went to school with, was promoting concerts. he hired alvin lee and ten years later after the show,he asks, would you like to meet him? "i suppose so" nonchalantly i replied. i stood onstage with him, his drummer, and a few friends after the crowd had left. we are sharing some..... "cognac".... and he is telling stories when up walks a security guard who asks..what are you doing....you cant be here ....you have to leave! at which point mr lee turns to the "employee" and says ...... you work for me..... your fired! mr security guard promptly turns and walks away..... we stayed another hour till all the "cognac" was gone. ---------- tipjar
Can't beat that bit in I'm going home" where he shows his rockabilly side with the baby ,baby wanna play house riff Lot of great music out of Big Red his gibson 335
Last Edited by Goldbrick on Mar 08, 2013 10:14 PM
I was feeling increasingly uneasy while traveling in a remote part of Spain in 1970 when I realized I had not heard music for about two weeks. Upon my return to Paris I was drawn to the sound of rock music coming from a powerful stereo system in a small coffee shop. The song was "Sugar the Road" by Ten Years after and I will never forget how good it sounded. I stayed a couple of hours and heard several more songs from "Cricklewood Green". The following year I saw Ten Years After in Vancouver BC. Truly remarkable. Alvin will be missed by all who ever heard him play.
Last Edited by 2plankr on Mar 10, 2013 11:43 AM
