The Blues Band

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Blues Band
The Blues Band, concert 2012-09.jpg
General information
Genre (s) Blues , rhythm and blues , blues rock , rock
founding 1979
Website www.thebluesband.com
Founding members
Paul Jones
Tom McGuinness
Guitar, vocals
Dave Kelly
Gary Fletcher
Hughie Flint (until 1982)
Current occupation
Vocals, harmonica
Paul Jones
guitar
Tom McGuinness
Guitar, vocals
Dave Kelly
bass
Gary Fletcher
Drums
Rob Townsend (since 1982)

The Blues Band is a British rock and blues band that was founded in 1979 by the otherwise successful Paul Jones , Tom McGuinness and Hughie Flint ( McGuinness Flint ) with Dave Kelly and Gary Fletcher and is still active (with only one line-up).

founding

Singer and harmonica player Paul Jones (actually Paul Pond born February 24, 1942) was in the 1960s, lead singer of Manfred Mann and later worked as a solo artist, actor and radio presenter; at Manfred Mann he played together with bassist and guitarist Tom McGuinness (born December 2, 1941 in Wimbledon , London ). McGuinness founded in 1969 with Hughie Flint (born March 15, 1941), formerly drummer with John Mayall 's Bluesbreakers , the formation McGuinness Flint . In 1979, Jones, McGuinness and Flint as well as singer and guitarist Dave Kelly (who had played with the John Dummer Blues Band , Howlin 'Wolf and John Lee Hooker , among others ), and bassist Gary Fletcher met together - especially in London pubs - to make music for the joy of rhythm and blues .

Band history

Their first recording, the Official Blues Band Bootleg Album , was made in the studio from a mixture of standard blues songs and their own compositions (including Come On In, written by Jones and McGuinness, and Flatfoot Sam , which became one of their most-played live songs) record company wanted the recordings, the band released it first at concerts and via mail order among their fans before Arista Records , the blues band under contract took and the LP officially published - with success: it increased in the UK on March 8, 1980 charts and rose to number 40. On April 19, 1980, the band created a solid fan base in Europe, especially in Germany, with their appearance as the first act of the 6th Rockpalast -Rocknacht in Essen's Grugahalle .

In July 1980 the Blues Band released an EP (in Germany as a normal single ) with the Bob Dylan title Maggie's Farm as the first song - at the beginning of the conservative government of Prime Minister Margaret “Maggie” Thatcher, especially in Great Britain, it was often covered , so also from the specials (text line: I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more. ). This EP remained the only singles chart success of the blues band , but in 1980 and 1981 the next two albums returned to the charts.

In 1982 Flint left the group; He was the former drummer of Family , Rob Townsend (* 7 July 1947) replaced. In 1983 the band split briefly after releasing a live album called Bye Bye Blues , but formed again a little later. Although they never came close to chart success again, the band has stayed together ever since and after more than a quarter of a century is still present together on stage and on record. Almost twenty albums were created during this time, the latest, Thank You Brother Ray (2006), is a tribute to Ray Charles with cover versions of his songs. In 2004 a live DVD, Across Borders - Live, was also released .

In addition to their work in the blues band, Jones, McGuinness and Townsend are also members of the Manfreds , a band that could be viewed as a new edition of Manfred Mann without its namesake. Jones and Kelly occasionally perform as a duo, and Kelly gives concerts with the Dave Kelly Band (which is actually The Blues Band without Jones and with Kelly as the singer).

Discography

Chart positions
Explanation of the data
Albums
Official Blues Band Bootleg Album
  UK 40 03/08/1980 (9 weeks)
Ready
  UK 36 October 18, 1980 (6 weeks)
Itchy feet
  UK 60 10/17/1981 (3 weeks)
Singles
Blues Band EP (Maggie's Farm / Ain't It Tuff / Diddy Wah Diddy / Back Door Man )
  UK 68 07/12/1980 (2 weeks)

Albums

  • 1980: The Official Blues Band Bootleg Album
  • 1980: Ready
  • 1981: Itchy Feet
  • 1982: Brand Loyalty
  • 1983: Bye Bye Blues (Live)
  • 1986: These Kind of Blues
  • 1989: Back for More
  • 1991: Fat City
  • 1993: Homage
  • 1995: Wireless
  • 1996: Live at the BBC
  • 1997: 18 Years Old & Alive
  • 1999: The Best of the Blues Band (USA)
  • 2000: Brassed Up
  • 2001: Scratchin 'on My Screen
  • 2002: Stepping Out
  • 2004: Be My Guest
  • 2004: The Official Gary Fletcher Bootleg Album (Demos)
  • 2005: Blues Band Box (4-CD compilation)
  • 2006: Thank You Brother Ray
  • 2011: Few Short Lines
  • 2013: Live At Rockpalast (CD / DVD set)
  • 2017: The Big Blues Band Live Album
  • 2018: The Rooster Crowed

Singles

  • Come on in / The Blues Band Song (1980)
  • Find yourself another Fool / SUS Blues (1980)
  • Nadine / That's all right (1980)
  • Who's right, who's wrong? / Itchy Feet (1981)
  • Come on / Green Stuff (1981)
  • Take me Home / So Bad (1982)
  • Hey Hey Little Girl / SUS Blues (1982) - limited live single
  • Seemed like a good Idea / Rolling Log (1982)
  • Blue Collar / Duisburg Blues (1989)

Video albums

  • Across Borders - Live (2004)
  • Steppin 'Out on Main (2005)
  • Live At Rockpalast (2013, CD / DVD set)

literature

  • Roy Bainton: Talk to Me Baby - The Story of the Blues Band . Firebird Books, ISBN 1-85314-201-8 .

swell

  1. Charts UK

Web links