The Blues Band
Encyclopedia
The Blues Band is a British blues
band formed in 1979 by Paul Jones
, former lead vocalist and harmonica
player with Manfred Mann
, and vocalist/slide guitar
ist Dave Kelly
, who had previously played with the John Dummer Blues Band, Howlin' Wolf
and John Lee Hooker
. The band’s first line-up also included bassist Gary Fletcher
, guitarist Tom McGuinness (also of Manfred Mann
) and drummer Hughie Flint
, (the two had previously formed McGuinness Flint
). In 1982 Flint left and was replaced by former Family
drummer Rob Townsend
.
The Official Blues Band Bootleg Album, a mixture of blues
standards
and original song
s featured the Jones and McGuinness composition
"Come On In" and their long-standing stage favourite "Flatfoot Sam". This album initially attracted no interest from major record companies
, so the band pressed a limited run of 3,000, hand-stamped their logo
on the cardboard sleeve and signed them all. After unqualified endorsement from BBC Radio 1
presenter
Simon Bates
and others, media interest resulted in a recording contract
with Arista Records
, who released the album under the same title.
They briefly disbanded later that year after recording a live album
Bye Bye Blues (1983), but reformed soon afterwards. In the new millennium they recorded albums such as Back For More (2002) and Thank You Brother Ray (2004), which paid tribute to Ray Charles
. Now in their thirty second year as a band, they still perform across Europe with the same line-up.
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
band formed in 1979 by Paul Jones
Paul Jones (singer)
Paul Jones is an English singer, actor, harmonica player, and radio personality and television presenter.-Career:As P. P...
, former lead vocalist and harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
player with Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann was a British beat, rhythm and blues and pop band of the 1960s, named after their South African keyboardist, Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band...
, and vocalist/slide guitar
Slide guitar
Slide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
ist Dave Kelly
Dave Kelly (musician)
David 'Dave' Kelly , is a British bluessinger, guitarist and composer, who has been active on the British blues music scene since the 1960s...
, who had previously played with the John Dummer Blues Band, Howlin' Wolf
Howlin' Wolf
Chester Arthur Burnett , known as Howlin' Wolf, was an influential American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player....
and John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
. The band’s first line-up also included bassist Gary Fletcher
Gary Fletcher (musician)
Gary Fletcher is a British blues musician, best known for playing bass guitar with The Blues Band, he is also a guitarist and songwriter.-Early life:...
, guitarist Tom McGuinness (also of Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann
Manfred Mann was a British beat, rhythm and blues and pop band of the 1960s, named after their South African keyboardist, Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band...
) and drummer Hughie Flint
Hughie Flint
Hughie Flint , is an English drummer, best known for his stint in John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, playing drums on the Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton album, released in 1966, for his group McGuinness Flint in the early 70s and for his subsequent association with The Blues Band.Flint played in...
, (the two had previously formed McGuinness Flint
McGuinness Flint
McGuinness Flint was a rock band formed in 1970 by Tom McGuinness, former bassist and guitarist with Manfred Mann, and Hughie Flint, former drummer with John Mayall; plus vocalist and keyboard player Dennis Coulson, and multi-instrumentalists and songwriters Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle...
). In 1982 Flint left and was replaced by former Family
Family (band)
Family were an English rock band that formed in late 1966 and disbanded in October 1973. Their style has been characterised as progressive rock, although their sound often explored other genres, incorporating elements of styles like as folk, psychedelia, acid, jazz fusion and rock and roll...
drummer Rob Townsend
Rob Townsend
Rob Townsend is a British rock and blues drummer. He was influenced by jazz greats such as Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa and is best known for being the drummer for progressive rock band Family and later The Blues Band....
.
History
Their first albumAlbum
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
The Official Blues Band Bootleg Album, a mixture of blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
standards
Blues standard
A blues standard is a blues song that is widely known, performed, and recorded by blues artists. The following list identifies blues standards and some of the blues artists that have recorded them...
and original song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s featured the Jones and McGuinness composition
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
"Come On In" and their long-standing stage favourite "Flatfoot Sam". This album initially attracted no interest from major record companies
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, so the band pressed a limited run of 3,000, hand-stamped their logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
on the cardboard sleeve and signed them all. After unqualified endorsement from BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
presenter
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
Simon Bates
Simon Bates
Simon Bates is a UK disc jockey and radio presenter. Between 1976 and 1993 he worked at BBC Radio 1, presenting the station's weekday mid-morning show for most of this period. He later became a regular presenter on Classic FM...
and others, media interest resulted in a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
, who released the album under the same title.
They briefly disbanded later that year after recording a live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
Bye Bye Blues (1983), but reformed soon afterwards. In the new millennium they recorded albums such as Back For More (2002) and Thank You Brother Ray (2004), which paid tribute to Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
. Now in their thirty second year as a band, they still perform across Europe with the same line-up.
Albums
- The Official Blues Band Bootleg Album (1980). #40 UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
- Ready (1980). #36 UK
- Itchy Feet (1981). #60 UK
- Brand Loyalty (1982)
- Bye-Bye Blues (1983)
- These Kind of Blues (1986)
- Back for More (1989)
- Fat City (1991)
- Homage (1993)
- Wire Less (1995)
- Live at the BBC (1996)
- 18 Years Old and Alive (1996)
- The Best of The Blues Band (1999) USUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
only - Brassed Up (1999)
- Scratching on my Screen (2001)
- Green Stuff (2001)
- Stepping Out (2002)
- Be My Guest (2003)
- Thank You Brother Ray (2005)
Chart EP
- "Maggie's FarmMaggie's Farm"Maggie's Farm" is a song written by Bob Dylan, recorded on January 15, 1965, and released on the album Bringing It All Back Home on March 22 of that year...
"/"Ain't It Tuff"/"Diddy Wah Diddy"/"Back Door ManBack Door Man"Back Door Man" is a blues song written by Willie Dixon and recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1961. It was released by Chess Records as the B-side to Wolf's "Wang Dang Doodle"...
" (1980) No. 68 - UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
Singles
- "Come On In" / "The Blues Band Song" (1980)
- "Find Yourself Another Fool" / "SUS Blues" (1980)
- "Nadine" / "That's All Right" (1980) (Two live tracks issued free with early copies of Ready)
- "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 edition live single)
- "Seemed Like a Good Idea" / "Rolling Log" (1982)
- "Blue Collar" / "Duisburg Blues" (1989) (Promo for Back for More)
DVDs
- Across Borders - Live (2004)
- The Blues Band in Concert : Steppin' Out On Main (2004)