line up 1

- Chick Churchill -- keyboards

- Alvin Lee (RIP 2013) -- vocals, lead guitar

- Ric Lee -- drums, percussion

- Leo Lyons -- bass

  line up 2

- Tom Compton --- drums

- Mick Hawksworth -- bass

- Alvin Lee (RIP 2013) -- vocals, lead guitar

  line up x (1981)

- Tom Compton -- drums, percussion 

- Mickey Feat -- bass, vocals 

- Steve Gould -- guitar, vocals 

- Alvin Lee (RIP 2013) -- lead guitar, vocals 

- Chris Stainton -- keyboards

- The Ascent

- The Atomites

- Boxer (Chris Stainton)

- The Breakers

- Chick Churchill (solo efforts)

- Ensemble of the Crossroads Guitars Festival (Chris Stainton)

- Friends In England (Chris Stainton)

- The Fruit Machine (Steve Gould)

- George's Band (Chris Stainton)

- The Grease Band (Chris Stainton)

- Hundred Seventy Split

- Ivan Jay and the Jaymen

- The Kick

- The Jaybirds (Alvin Lee)

- Alvin Lee (solo efforts)

- Mylon LeFevre and Albert Lee

- Made In Seffild (Chris Stainton)

- Rare BIrd (Steve Gould)

- Runner (Mickey Feat and Steve Gould)

- The Singing Rebels Band (Chris Stainton)

- Siro

- Spooky Tooth (Chris Stainton)

- The Chris Stainton Band (Chris Stainton)

- The Chris Stainton All-Stars (Chris Stainton)

- Streetwalkers (Mickey Feat)

- Stan Webb's Chicken Shack

- Ten Years After (Alvin Lee)

- Ten Years Later

- Tehe Texans (Chris Stainton)

- Chris Stainton's Tundra (Mickey Feat and Chris Stainton)

- Tundra (Chris Stainton)

- Stan Webb's Chicken Shack

Genre: blues-rock

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Ten Years After

Company: Deram

Catalog: XDES 18064
Year: 1972

Country/State: Nottingham, England

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: minor edge wear

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 1445

Price: $10.00

Yes, I could have listed this under the Ten Years After discography, but  note the actual billing on this 1972 compilation.  If you're a Ten Years After fan you'll know 1972's the year Lee and company switched from Deram to Columbia.   The switch saw them score a commercial hit with the album "A Space In Time".   I guess you couldn't blame Deram executives for wanting to recoup some of the time and energy they'd invested in the band.  The result - 1972's 'Ten Years After".   A somewhat haphazard collection of early singles and miscellaneous odds and ends, it certainly wasn't the place to start an exploration of the band, but there were certainly a couple of treasures here; notably the 1968 'B' side 'The Sounds' and their cover of the blues classic 'Standing At the Crossroads'.   

"Ten Years After" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) The Sounds  (Alvin Lee) - 4:13  rating: **** stars 

Originally released in the UK and most of Europe as the 'B' side on their second single (1968's 'Portable People'), 'The Sounds' was a dark, psych-tinged rocker that  found Ten Years After steamrolling their way through one of their most psych-tinged performances.   Add in some Lee's best vocals (compare this performance to his brittle effort on 'Portable People), and some stunning lead guitar and the results were simply great.  In conjunction with the album's release he tune was also tapped as a French 45:

- 1970''s 'The Sounds' b/w 'Rock Your Mama' (Deram catalog number 17.053)  

2.) Rock Your Mama    (Alvin Lee) - 3:02  rating: *** stars

The band's debut 45, I guess you couldn't fault the band for their devotion to the genre, but the bluesy 'Rock Your Mama' has always sounded plain and ponderous to my ears. 

- 1968's  'Rock Your Mama' b/w 'Spider in Your Web' (Deram catalog number DM 191

 YouTube has a great clip of the band performing the tune for a 1968 French television show.  It's worth checking out just to see Lee's hair style and bassist Leon Lyon's frenetic playing style.  : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9p8x8wdWS4   

3.) Hold Me Tight  (Alvin Lee) - 2:20 rating: ** stars

Strange tune with Lee seemingly doing his best to channel Elvis Presley in a phone booth. 

4.) Standing At the Crossroads (Elmore James - Robert Johnson) - 4:03  rating: **** stars

Folks seeming gravitate to the Eric Clapton and Cream version (aka 'Crossroads'), but after you've heard Lee's lightening fast solos, it's hard to sit still through the Cream version.

(side 2)
1.) Portable People  (Alvin Lee) - 2:15 rating: *** stars

If you only knew Ten Years After as a crushing blues-rock entity, I guarantee 'Portable People' is going to come as a major smack in the face.  The tune was initially released as a non-LP single; their debut in the States, their second 45 throughout Europe.  Musically it was a charming slice of folk-pop ...  seriously.   Lee's high and fragile vocal sounded like he was wearing a pair of pants three sizes too tight, but the song had a hysterical mid-'60s toytown vibe and the lyrics; seemingly about vacationing, were a hoot.

- 1968's 'Portable People' b/w 'The Sounds' (Deram catalog number 45-DEM-85027)

2.) Boogie On  (Alvin Lee) - 15:31 rating: *** stars

'Boogie On' was a patented rocker giving each band member a chance to display their technical prowess (starting with an extended Chick Churchill keyboard workout and ending with an extended Lee workout).   I'll be the first to admit that clocking in at over 15 minutes, it all eventually ran out of steam. 

Genre: blues-rock

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Ride On

Company: RSO

Catalog: RS-1-3049
Year: 1979

Country/State: Nottingham, England

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: minor edge wear

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 5914

Price: $10.00

Released by Robert Stigwood's RSO label, 1978's "Ride On" always struck me as kind of an odd relationship.  Best know for pop and dance acts, signing Alvin Lee and Ten Years Later was definitely a little bit outside of the company's normal zone of artistic comfort.  Be interesting to know what the behind the scenes story was. Produced by Bill Halverson, the album offered up a mixture of five new studio numbers and four live tracks.  Sporting the following liner note  'This is a true and faithful recording of Ten Years Later on stage with no overdubs or effects added.' the live performances were quite good thanks in large measure to support from drummer Tom Compton and bassist Mick Hawksworth.  Lee and company sounded tight and displaying more energy and enthusiasm than you'd see on lots of the earlier Ten Years After catalog.   Shame the credits didn't provide any information on the live performances - where, when, etc.   While I liked the in-concert performances, for me the big surprises were the studio efforts which were far more commercial that I would have expected.  Not a classic Alvin Lee album, but I have to admit that I was surprised at home much I enjoyed this one.

"Ride On" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Too Much (Alvin Lee) - 3:49 rating: **** stars

'Ain't Nothin' Shakin'' was interesting for downplaying Lee's blues-rock tendencies in favor of a straight ahead rocker.  Tuneful and taunt, it was a great performance.   

2,) It's a Gaz (Alvin Lee) - 4:01 rating: **** stars

A romping blues-rocker, 'It's a Gaz' spotlight the fact Lee was an overlooked singer.  Yeah, he wasn't the world's most dynamic vocalist, but on this one his raw, bluesy voice was the perfect accompaniment for the track.   Concise and tasteful, Lee also turned in one of the album's nicest solos here.    r

3.) Ride On Cowboy (Alvin Lee) - 3:12 rating: **** stars

Unlike anything else on the album 'Ride On Cowboy' employed a nifty mixture of reggae rhythm and country-flavored blues.  It probably didn't sound that promising, but was actually the album's highlight.  Great performance and easy to see why RSO tapped it as a single.  

- 1979's 'Ride On Cowboy' b/w 'Sittin' There' (RSO catalog number RS-3049) 

4.) Sittin' Here (Alvin Lee) - 3:58

A nice up tempo rocker, 'Ain't Nothin' Shakin'' showcased Lee's speed of light runs, but Hawksworth's performance was also noteworthy.  Anyone capable of keeping up with Lee deserved some recognition.   rating: *** stars

5.) Can't Sleep At Night (Alvin Lee) - 2:31  rating: ** stars

From a technical standpoint I'd agree that 'Scat Encounter' was impressive, but that didn't make it all that much fun to hear.  On the positive side, it was extremely brief. 

(side 2)
1.) Ain't Nothin' Shakin' (Alvin Lee) - 5:08  rating: *** stars

No, the world didn't really need another cover of 'Hey Joe'.  That said, Lee's extended concert version was no better, nor any worse than oodles of others.  As you'd expect, Lee gave the song a modest blues-rock orientation that wasn't bad.  The guitar pyrotechnics were suitably impressive, but all said it wasn't the version most folks would run to get the next time they had a hankering to hear the song.  

2.) Scat Encounter (Alvin Lee) - 0:57  rating: *** stars

The concert version of the blues boogie number 'Going Home' was fine. Yeah it was stretched to the breaking point but the basic performance was fairly close to the studio version and you were at least spared the usual in-concert evils of extended bass and drum solos. The performance would probably have been a little more fun if you'd been in the crowd.   

3.) Hey Joe (William M. Roberts) - 5:41  rating: *** stars

'Sittin' Here' was a slinky rocker that actually sounded like something Foghat might have done.  Again, the result was far more AO commercial than your normal Alvin Lee outing.    

4.) Going Home (Alvin Lee) - 8:15  rating: *** stars

'Can't Sleep At Night' closed the album out with a fun slice of boogie rock.  This one wasn't going to change your outlook on life, but with a couple of beers it would have been a major blast. 

© Scott R. Blackerby April, 2022

Genre: blues-rock

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Ride On

Company: Atlantic

Catalog: SD 19306
Year: 1981

Country/State: Nottingham, England

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: minor edge wear

Available: 1

Catalog ID: --

Price: $15.00

e entire world went sci-fi crazy. For a time during the late-'70s and mid-'80s you couldn't turn around being confronted by a product with a science fiction theme.  Books, movies, television, plays, food, clothing, art ...  all facets of Western society seemed inundated with bad sci-fi concepts.  Naturally, smelling an opportunity to cash-in on a popular trend the music industry wasn't e

This is all speculation on my part, but Alvin Lee's post-Ten Years After career did not exactly set the charts on fire.  Starting with 1975's "Pump Iron" he recorded a series of four studio sets released across three different labels.  Signed by Atlantic in 1981, you got the impression label made it clear they expected Lee to turn his talents towards something more mainstream and commercial than his patented blues-rock moves.  Lee seems to have gotten the message with "Rx5", all but abandoning blues-rock for what was a surprisingly mainstream and commercial release. Ignoring the cover art, this time out Lee was responsible for three of the album's ten tracks.  Former Rare Bird bassist/singer Steve Gould contributed five tunes, including several of the standout performances.  The album was rounded out by an unexpected and odd cover of Tina Turner's 'Nutbush City Limits' and 'Wrong Side of the Law' written by Dek Rootham and  Dave Robson; members of the short-lived Newcastle based FOGG.  Anyhow, Lee's longtime fans were probably appalled by the switch in musical direction, but I've never felt that way.  The songs may not have been the most original collection of mid-tempo, mainstream rockers in your collection, but exemplified by 'Can't Stop', ' Wrong Side of the Law' and 'Fool No More' at least half were memorable.  I was also impressed by Lee's voice and the fact performances like ''Hang On', 'Can't Stop' and 'High Times' bore more than a passing resemblance to Dave Edmunds.  Lee also shared his affection for Chuck Berry on tracks like 'Lady Luck' and 'Rock 'N' Roll Guitar Picker'. Shame the set didn't provide Lee with a commercial success.

"Ride On" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Hang On (Steve Gould) -3:46 rating: **** stars

The bouncy opener 'Hang On' wasn't what I expected to hear from an Alvin Lee album.  In fact I had to double check to make sure I hadn't slapped a Dave Edmunds, or Rockpile album on by mistake.  Super catchy rocker that would have sounded good on AM radio ...  Seriously, this wasn't a Alvin Lee album was it?

2.) Lady Luck (Steve Gould) - 3:04  rating: *** stars

Another track been by Avvin Lee Band singer/bassist Steven Gould (he was credited with vocals and guitar on this album), 'Lady Luck' offered up a Chuck Berry styled slice of bar band rock.  Pleasant, but you'd heard every note of this one before.

3.) Can't Stop (Alvin Lee) - 5:09  rating: **** stars

The atmospheric rocker 'Can't Stop' was one of the prettiest melodies Lee ever wrote.  It was also one of the most commercial things he ever wrote, though he found space to add a dazzling guitar solo to the track.. Atlantic released it as promo single in both 7" and 12" formats.

   7" format

- 1981's 'Can't Stop' b/w 'Can't Stop' (Atlantic catalog number 4004)

   12" format

- 1981's 'Can't Stop' b/w 'Can't Stop' (Atlantic catalog number PR-417)

4.) Wrong Side of the Law (Dek Rootham - Dave Robson) - 3:10 rating: **** stars

Dek Rootham and Dave Robson had been members of the Newcastle based band FOGG (guitar and bass respectively), which I'm guessing is the connection that brought 'Wrong Side of the Law' to Lee's attention.  The track wasn't particularly original and certainly was a step away from his patented blues-rock sound but it boasted a boisterous melody and the refrain was a tasty slice of ear candy.  It's another track that reminded me of something Dave Edmunds might have covered.  The song was released as a single in Spain:

- 1982's 'Wrong Side of the Law' b/w 'Can't Stop' (Avatar catalog number 02.3376/1)

5.) Nutbush City Limits (Tina Turner) - 3:50 rating: ** stars

What in the world ...  'Nutbush City Limits' is a great song, but why would Alvin Lee want to do a cover of it?  I mean his performance is fine, but all it does it make you draw comparisons with the Ike and Tina Turner original and it simply doesn't stack up very well against the original.  Not to sound snarky, but I guess we should be thankful he didn't decide to cover a Chic tune.

(side 2)

1.) Rock 'N' Roll Guitar Picker (Alvin Lee) - 3:05 rating: *** stars

Side two started out with the Chuck Berry-styled rocker 'Rock 'N' Roll Guitar Picker'.  The performance was certainly enthusiastic, if not particularly original, with Lee tossing a nice Berry-styled solo.  Not sure where the quote came from, but Lee briefly discussed the track: "I always wanted to be a rock’n’roll guitar picker and this song is my autobiography really. This was a really good live number in the Chuck Berry style. I only met Chuck briefly in a hotel lobby. I bowed down and said ‘You are the king of rock’n’roll’. He looked very embarrassed and walked off."  It was filmed by an audience member so the quality is marginal.  Additionally, I'm not sure when or where it ws filmed, but YouTube has a live performance of the song at: Rock & Roll Guitar Picker = Alvin Lee

2.) Double Loser (Alvin Lee) - 2:55  rating: *** stars

Powered by some Chris Stainton boogie-woogie piance and a touch of Jerry Lee Lewis influence, 'Double Loser' was a decent slice of bar band boogie.  Musically and lyrically it was pretty lame, but Lee's solos were first rate - he made it sound so easy.

3.) Fool No More (Steve Gould - Mick Feat) - 5:10  rating: **** stars

Perhaps my favorite performance on the album, 'Fool No More' served to showcase the first-rate band he'd assembled.  Added in a great Bad Company-styled blues-rock melody, a killer refrain, one of Lee's best vocals and another classy guitar solo ...  what wasn't there to like?.

4.) Dangerous World (Steve Gould) - 3:40  rating: *** star

Another Dave Edmunds-flavored rocker.  The vocals even reminded me of Edmunds. 

5.) High Times (Steve Gould) - 5:25  rating: *** star

'High Times' was one of those tracks where Lee's guitar was the only thing that really mattered.  The song itself was little more than a slice of forgettable AOR - easily mistaken for Foreigner, or one of dozens of '80s bands. Okay the refrain was decent.  Still it was Lee's guitar you were here to hear.

© Scott R. Blackerby November, 2024