Alvin Lee Message & Discussion Board
Thanks for joining in the conversation!
Yeah I remember Joe Perry's comments. I didn't mrntion him, cuz he was a 70's guitar player.
I remember Earnest & the boys would jam outside the record store in Nashville after a gig at The Grand Old Opry.
Peace,
DLM
enjoying the commentary
Dale, just listened to E. Tubb's & Texas Trobadours live @ Cain's ballroom, OKC. One of my dad's favorite albums. The second solo Leon takes on Steel Guitar Rag is one of the best be-bop jazz solos ever! Drivin' Nails in my Coffin, The Women Make A Fool Out Of Me, etc. Great ol' tunes! Country, not my favorite genre, but those cats played their @sses off! What a great time I had in 1980, when my band opened for Derringer @ Cain's, then opened the next night at the OKC Civic Ctr. For Derringer & Foghat. Cain's still had chicken wire in front of the stage! Totally cool!
Master shredder and classical pianist Tony MacAlpine also acknowledged Alvin's influence in an early 80's interview.
Check out HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS, if you want a taster.
While he may not have cited ALvin as an influence,there was a story I read in musician mag years back of Jimmy Page being awestruck and mesmerized watching Alvin play. I had a friend that worked for a record compmany that told me of Alvin opening up for Jeff Healy and as always Alvin blew the place away--he told me that Jeff was so blown away that he supposedly said "how am I supposed to follow that?!" I believe Tony Iommi also has expressed reverence for Alvin and remember reading something complimentary from Leslie West.
Page came up with some great riffs and notable solos on record, but could be kinda sloppy or lazy in the soloing live. Whereas Alvin-- never. From what I ever experienced, Alvin's a much more disciplined and consistently exciting live guitarist. Plus, Page was kind of a weasel on the side. Alvin may have been a bit of a wolf in his day, but hey, which of those two animals is the preferred totem symbol, or sometimes ends up on family crests? :-)
Armand, I read an article where Alvin told Tonni to tone down the evil, black magic metal sound he was using for the "Black Sabbath" album. Just goes to show what mental giants we are all are! Oh well, so much for their carreers in A&R.
I remember Black Sabbath opening for TYA in the early years of Black Sabbath.
Then I seen The Alvin Lee Band open for Black Sabbath at The International Ampitheatre in Chicago.
TYA gave Black Sabbath their first big on stage break.
Peace,
DLM
Back in the day, Sabbath was a very proficient blues band! I think Alvin just wanted the boys to avoid the failure that surely awaited them in their heavy metal fling! I'm sure he's never been happier being so wrong !
Summer of '72, heard the gig had plenty of seats available at the Hollywood Bowl. Put five bucks, a half-tank in my Ford falcon, got there barely in time, paid my $2.50, Ozzy passed out during the third song. A refund was offered, but I just went home with a very nice girl from Laguna Beach! A very well-spent $7.50!