Just heard last night that Alvin Lee passed away.
Hit me hard I can tell you. His music being a very major part of the soundtrack to my life.
Back in schooldays a few of us got into Ten Years After and would marvel at the Woodstock version of 'Going Home' for all it's energy speed and rockwonderfullness. Even though this was a few years after Woodstick - but you could listen to back catalogues then !
I broke out and bought TYA's next album 'Rock & Roll Music To The World' and it remains one of my top albums. What a great fucking sound ! = The first thing I had bought that was proper rock not a pop LP.
Get ye to Spotify and listen to it as loud as you can. Fantastic band who nailed every corner. Much as I like all other TYA lps nothing else comes as close - well maybe the live double 'Recorded live' from the next years tour.
Extended wig outs, guitar trickery with low tunings, furious leads and great dynamics - I had still to see my first live band at this time (country boy you see) so this was a world I just wanted to be right in the middle of.
I have played a few of his songs in bands - even named one band 'Detroit Diesels' after his song.
Used to love blasting out 'Writing you a letter', Standing at the station' or Detroit Diesel' - never did get the intro to 'Going home' (not really too surprising) - and I nicked the drumstick idea from Alvin too !
Saw him live just once. But I was front seat and centre. Just amazing. I sang all the solos ! Blissed out with it all !
So another notch on the pole of things in the past.
Thanks Mr Lee.
