ALVIN LEE ANTHOLOGY 2
ALVIN’S ROCK’N'ROLL DREAMS
Alvin Lee has been making music for as long as most people have loved rock’n'roll. A master guitarist and a passionate singer, he’s a consummate performer and a man who can whip up the emotions of any audience hungry for excitement. Alvin is one of those rare artists who can guarantee any show where he performs will be a success.
His speed and dexterity as a rock’n’roll guitar picker is legendary and he achieved worldwide stardom, especially after his appearance in the ‘Woodstock’ movie with his group Ten Years After. But there are many more sides to Alvin Lee. Over the years a succession of fine solo albums has revealed a more mature artist than his ‘guitar hero’ image ever suggested. When it came to selection tracks for the new ‘Alvin Lee Anthology Vol. 2’ double CD Alvin found the process revived memories of the many great musicians he has work with over the years. The CDs have 27 tracks and explains Alvin: “CD 1 is the busy rock’n’roll side while CD 2 is more laid back. The tracks show the different styles I’ve played over the years and I’ve amazed myself listening to them back. Music is a memory. Nobody has ever been able to pin down how it manages to do so much for so many people, particularly in terms of emotions.”
Alvin says that when he hears ‘That’ll Be The Day’ by Buddy Holly it takes him back to riding on the Waltzer at the Goose Fun Fair in Nottingham when he was a teenager. “I remember the diesel fumes from the fairground engines, the coloured lights and smell of hot dogs and onions…it all comes flooding back!”
JAIL BREAKERS
Alvin Lee (born in Nottingham, England December 19, 1944) came from a musical family. “My dad was an avid blues collector. He had all these great 78-rpm records by Big Bill Broonzy, Lead Belly and Muddy Waters. He loved the Deep River Boys and the Golden Gate Quartet and played a 6-string guitar.” While he was still as school Alvin knew he wanted to play guitar in a band. He was in the right place as Nottingham had a vibrant club scene full of ‘live’ bands. Alvin played his first gig aged 13 with the Jail Breakers. “We’d never been anywhere near a jail of course. We played in a cinema between movies. My parents were very understanding even though I started playing pubs and coming home at gone midnight. I found the guitar easy to play because I had played the clarinet for a year.” After the Jail Breakers he formed a group with singer Ivan Jay and called the Jay Cats. “We did a rock’n’roll set together. Those were my formative years.”
After Ivan left they became a three piece called the Jaybirds with Leo Lyons on bass. With Ric Lee on drums and Chick Churchill on organ the former Jaybirds became blues band Ten Years After. TYA moved to London and played such gigs as The Marquee and the Fishmongers Arms. They signed to Chrysalis Records and after creating a sensation at home the group went to America played at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and were featured in the subsequent movie.
Says Alvin: “After the ‘Woodstock’ movie came out in 1970 we became big stars but I didn’t like all the politics and the way things were going. It was the beginning of the end. The underground ethos went out the window and I spent all my time meeting managers and accountants. I just wanted to be a working musician and didn’t want to get stuck in a rut with Ten Years After.”
Alvin cut did a solo album ‘On The Road To Freedom’ (1973) with singer Mylon LeFevre who I had met in a America. The he formed Alvin Lee & Co and did the ‘In Flight’ (1974) album ‘live’ at the Rainbow Theatre in London.
“I was playing a different kind of music and not my old TYA hits like ‘I’m Going Home.’ I was rebelling, like Jimi Hendrix who didn’t like doing his first hit ‘Hey Joe.’ When people shouted out ‘I’m Going Home’ I’d say ‘Well goodbye then!’
GEORGE HARRISON
Alvin also built Space Studios at his Hook End Manor home in Berkshire and invited friends along to play, write songs and record. One of his neighbours was George Harrison, who always enjoyed a visit and chance to play ‘with the boys’. He even contributed solos to some of Alvin’s tracks.
Alvin’s output of albums during the Seventies included ‘Pump Iron’ (1975) and ‘Rocket Fuel’ (1978) and ‘Ride On’ (1979), the latter two were recorded with his power rock outfit Ten Years Later that featured drummer Tom Compton.
During the Eighties Alvin played in many styles from rock to funk that were captured on such albums as ‘RX5 (1981) and ‘Detroit Diesel (1986). After a few gap years to rest and rethink his music, Alvin returned to the studios to cut ‘Zoom’ (1992), ‘Nineteenninetyfour’ (1993) and ‘Alvin Lee In Tennessee’ (2004), the latter fulfilling a life long ambition to record with his guitar hero Scotty Moore. Most recently Alvin has released ‘Saguitar’ (20007) on the r.a.r.e. label. He continues to tour and perform to packed houses with his present band.
The Anthology comprises performances from his best solo albums and the sleeve notes include the complete interview with Alvin Lee as well as a track-by-track commentary. He says that on one track called ‘Ain’t Nothin’ Shakin’ he had Tom Compton playing on a huge 24 drum kit with as many cymbals and a gong. “I remember Ringo Starr came down to the studio at Hook End one day with George Harrison. When he saw this drum kit he said ‘Bloody hell, what time does it take off?’!
One of Alvin’s favourite tracks however is ‘The Bluest Blues’ from the album ‘1994’. “This was also on ‘Anthology 1’ but I have included it again because I like it so much. It has George Harrison on slide guitar and is one of the best solos he ever played. It’s a masterpiece, so sensitive. Hearing George made me play more sensitive too! Looking back at all the music on this CD, I can’t help feeling proud of all the great musicians I have played with and I thank each and everyone of them for the special gift of magic they have contributed with their music.”
Website Information: For more news and details about Alvin Lee check out his website. www.alvinlee.com
Friday, May 23rd, 2008 in Hot New Repertoire Releases.
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